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Yan Ding (died c. January 313), courtesy name Taichen, was a military general of the Western Jin dynasty. At the time of the Disaster of Yongjia in July 311, Yan Ding brought the nephew of Emperor Huai, Sima Ye, to Chang'an, where a group of loyalists from Anding (安定, present-day Zhenyuan, Gansu) were in the process of retaking the region from Han-Zhao forces. After the re-establishment of the Jin government, Yan Ding became a powerful member of the new regime but jealousy and suspicion would cut his career short as his peers Qu Yun and Suo Chen combined their forces to have him killed.

Life

Yan Ding was from Tianshui Commandery and once served the emperor's regent, Sima Yue as his Army Advisor. He managed to reach the office of Inspector of Yu province later in his career but had to resign due to his mother passing away. He wanted to return to the Guanzhong region, and gathered a thousand refugees who wished to follow him at Mi County. Mi County was the base of the provisional government under Xun Fan after Emperor Huai of Jin and the capital, Luoyang fell to the Han-Zhao during the Disaster of Yongjia in July 311. As he commanded a sizeable group, Xun Fan re-appointed Yan Ding the Inspector of Yu Province. The nephew of Emperor Huai, Sima Ye, was also under Xun Fan's care at the time.

Soon, news of Jin's effort to reclaim Chang'an from Han control reached Yan Ding, and he became set on bringing Sima Ye back to his hometown and acclaiming him the new emperor. With encouragement from the Prefect of Heyin (河陰, in modern Luoyang, Henan), Fu Chang (傅暢), he made preparations to depart, but Xun Fan and his peers were reluctant to leave, as they did not want to abandon their homes in the east. Fearing Yan Ding, the group scattered as he sent his troops to chase after them, with most of them managing to escape.

Yan Ding began his journey at Wan, but before he went to Chang'an, he decided to make a stop by Luoyang as he wanted to pay respects to the imperial tombs and recruit more refugees. Many of his followers disapproved of this idea as they believe the Han forces would likely attack them. Yan Ding ignored their concerns and set out with the emperor, but along the way encountered bandits at Shangluo. Hundreds of his followers were killed while some abandoned the group. Regardless, Yan Ding regrouped his remaining forces and proceeded to Lantian. Once there, he sent a message to the Jin leader, Jia Ya announcing his arrival. Jia Ya then brought the emperor and his followers to safety.

Chang'an was recaptured by Jia Ya the following year, and Sima Ye was declared the new Crown Prince. Meanwhile, Yan Ding was made the Chief of Affairs to the Crown Prince, wielding significant power over the new government. Despite that, he was not content with the positions he received and wanted to spread his influence to Jingzhao, which was held by its Administrator, Liang Zong (梁綜). He and Liang battled one another, and Yan Ding killed Liang Zong in the end.

His peers, Qu Yun and Suo Chen felt uncomfortable with Yan Ding's growing power. They banded together, and used Liang Zong's death as a pretext for attacking him. They were joined by Liang Zong's brothers, Liang Wei (梁緯) and Liang Su (梁肅). Yan Ding was driven away and fled to Yong, where he was killed by a Di tribesman named Dou Shou (竇首). With Yan Ding and Liang Zong dead, and Jia Ya losing his life in a skirmish around the same time, Qu Yun and Suo Chen would fill the power vacuum, controlling the emperor until their downfall in 316.

References

1. Vol.88 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Yan Ding died in the same month as Jia Ya, i.e. the 12th month of the 6th year of the Yong'jia era. The month corresponds to 14 Jan to 11 Feb 313 in the Julian calendar.
2. (閻鼎，字台臣，天水人也。初為太傅東海王越參軍，轉卷令，行豫州刺史事，屯許昌。遭母喪，乃於密縣間鳩聚西州流人數千，欲還鄉里。值京師失守，秦王出奔密中，司空荀籓、籓弟司隸校尉組，及中領軍華恆、河南尹華薈，在密縣建立行台，以密近賊，南趣許潁。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
3. (鼎少有大志，因西土人思歸，欲立功鄉里，乃與撫軍長史王毗、司馬傳遜懷翼戴秦王之計，謂疇、捷等曰：「山東非霸王處，不如關中。」河陽令傅暢遺鼎書，勸奉秦王過洛陽，謁拜山陵，徑據長安，綏合夷晉，興起義眾，克復宗廟，雪社稷之恥。鼎得書，便欲詣洛，流人謂北道近河，懼有抄截，欲南自武關向長安。疇等皆山東人，咸不願西入，荀籓及疇、捷等並逃散。鼎追籓不及，恆等見殺，唯顗、述走得免。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
4. (遂奉秦王行，止上洛，為山賊所襲，殺百餘人，率餘眾西至藍田。時劉聰向長安，為雍州刺史賈疋所逐，走還平陽。疋遣人奉迎秦王。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
5. (梁綜與鼎爭權，鼎殺綜，以王毗為京兆尹。) Book of Jin, Volume 60
6. (洛陽傾覆，閻鼎等立秦王為皇太子于長安，鼎總攝百揆。允時為安夷護軍、始平太守，心害鼎功，且規權勢，因鼎殺京兆太守梁綜，乃與綜弟馮翊太守緯等攻鼎，走之。會雍州刺史賈疋為屠各所殺，允代其任。) Book of Jin, Volume 89

• Fang, Xuanling (ed.) (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
• Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian

• 313 deaths
• Jin dynasty (266–420) generals