32 Facts About Chen An

Chen An, courtesy name Huhou, was a Chinese military general and warlord of the Jin dynasty and Han-Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period.

Chen An submitted to the Zhao state in 319 but then rebelled in 322, declaring himself the King of Liang.

Chen An's reign was short-lived, as he was defeated and executed by Zhao forces the following year.

Chen An was well-respected among his soldiers and those living in his territory.

Chen An was born into a peasant family in Chengji County, Tianshui Commandery.

Chen An soon found himself serving the Prince of Nanyang, Sima Mo in Guanzhong as the Commandant of Sima Mo's personal tent.

Chen An defeated Pei Bao and forced him to flee to Anding Commandery.

Chen An fled to Qinzhou and submitted to Mo's son, Sima Bao, who was serving as the provincial inspector at the time.

In 315, Chen An commanded a successful campaign to suppress the rebelling Qiang tribes in Qinzhou.

Sima Bao's special treatment of Chen An was not taken well by one of Bao's officials, Zhang Chun.

Chen An sent a messenger to Bao stating his promise to continuously pay tribute.

In early 317, Former Liang forces led by Han Pu were preparing to launch a counter-attack against Han, and Chen An involved himself to serve as a vanguard.

Chen An threatened Shanggui again not long after, but withdrew due to Liang reinforcements.

Chen An petitioned Liu Yao to allow him to campaign against Sima Zhan, which Liu Yao permitted and promptly appointed Chen An Grand General.

Chen An attacked Sima Zhan's forces and killed him, capturing Yang Ci and forcing Zhang Chun to flee to Fuhan.

Chen An beheaded Yang Ci before Sima Bao's coffin as a sacrifice and later buried his former lord at Shanggui.

Chen An then carried out funeral rites similar to the one of the Son of Heaven and posthumously named Sima Bao "Prince Yuan".

Chen An was offended at his rejection, so much so that he concluded that Liu Yao was dead.

Chen An ambushed and captured him but later invited him to join his army, still believing that Liu Yao had passed.

However, Huyan Shi raised his voice at him and told him to kill him instead, causing Chen An to be enraged and kill him.

Chen An then had his brother, Chen Ji to chase after Liu Yao but Chen Ji was killed in a counter-attack from Huyan Yu.

Chen An retreated to Shanggui and had his generals subdue Qian County.

Chen An then declared himself King of Liang and appointed a number of titles for himself.

Chen An was greatly routed as enemy reinforcements led by Shi Wu arrived to assist Liu Gong.

Chen An left his generals Yang Bozhi and Jiang Chong'er to defend Longcheng while he led his elite cavalry to break through and flee to Xiazhong.

Chen An was said to have dual-wielded a great blade and a serpent spear, which he used to kill many of his pursuers.

Chen An had a bow to dispatch enemy troops from afar as he fled.

Chen An used this to his advantage and slipped away into the hills with his followers.

The next day, Chen An sent his general Shi Rong to scout on the Zhao troops.

Chen An was discovered at the bend of a river gully, where he was captured and beheaded.

Chen An was said to have been very close to his generals and soldiers as he would subjugate himself to the same hardships that they went through.

Chen An was a subject of a poem written by the 8th century Tang dynasty poet, Li Bai.