釋氏稽古略 2.94

2.94

His family name was Yao, his personal name was Chang, and his courtesy name was Jingmao. He was the twenty-fourth son of Yizhong of the Qiang people of Chiting. After his elder brother Xiang died in battle, Chang led his younger brothers to surrender to the Qin and became a Qin general. In the eighth year of the Dayuan era of Emperor Wu of Eastern Jin, Fu Jian, the ruler of Qin, attacked the Jin. He appointed Yao Chang, Inspector of Yan Province, as General Who Soars Like a Dragon, in command of the various military affairs of Yi and Liang Provinces. When Jian was defeated, Murong Chui plotted to restore the Yan lineage. In the third month of the following year, Murong Hong, Senior Clerk of Beidi in Qin, rebelled and fled to Guandong. The Qin appointed Left General Dou Chong as Senior Clerk and General Who Soars Like a Dragon Yao Chang as Marshal to punish Hong, and also to punish Murong Chong, the Grand Administrator of Pingyang. The Qin army suffered a crushing defeat. Chang, fearful, fled north of the Wei River. The horse-herder Yin Wei of Tianshui, Yin Xiang, and Pang Yan of Nan'an, among others, rallied the Qiang chieftains and led their households—more than fifty thousand families—to submit to Chang. They acclaimed Chang as alliance leader. Chang proclaimed himself King of Later Qin and established the reign era Baique. In the fourth month of the bingxu year (the eleventh year of the Dayuan era of Eastern Jin), Chang entered Chang'an from the Jing Prefecture on the Zhuanglang circuit in Fengxiang, Shaanxi. He ascended the imperial throne, changed the reign era to Jianchu, and named the state Great Qin. Histories distinguish it as Later Qin. He appointed his son Xing as Crown Prince and set up the hundred civil offices. In the twelfth month of the guisi year, the eighth year of Jianchu, Chang died (the eighteenth year of the Dayuan era of Jin). Crown Prince Xing kept the mourning secret without announcing it, assumed the title of Grand General, and led the troops to attack the Qin. The Qin ruler Fu Deng suffered a crushing defeat. In the fifth month of the following year, Xing finally announced the mourning and ascended the imperial throne. The reign year was called Huangchu. He posthumously honored Chang as Emperor Zhao. In the ninth month of the jihai year (the third year of the Long'an era of Emperor An of Jin), due to frequent omens and portents, Xing lowered his title to King and changed the reign era to Hongshi. In the first month of the bingchen year, the eighteenth year of Hongshi, Xing died. Crown Prince Hong ascended the imperial throne, and the reign year was called Yonghe. Jin attacked Qin. In the fifth month of the thirteenth year of the Yixi era of the Jin emperor, Hong took his wives, children, and ministers to surrender to Jin. The three rulers of Later Qin lasted a total of thirty-four years.