Cui Yan, courtesy name Jigui, was a Chinese politician serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.
21 Facts About Cui Yan
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In 216, in an incident widely regarded as a case of grievous injustice, Cui Yan was accused of defaming Cao Cao in a letter and ended up being stripped of his post, thrown into prison and subsequently forced to commit suicide.
3.
Cui Yan was from Dongwucheng County, Qinghe Commandery, Ji Province, which is around present-day Gucheng County, Hebei.
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Cui Yan was born in the Cui family of Qinghe Commandery, a political family which rose to prominence during the Sui and Tang dynasties later.
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Six years later, at the age of 28, Cui Yan befriended Gongsun Fang and others and they studied together under the tutelage of the Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan.
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Cui Yan wandered around Qing, Xu, Yan and Yu provinces and visited several places, including Shouchun, Lake Tai and the northern bank of the Yangtze River.
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Around the late 190s, the northern warlord Yuan Shao heard of Cui Yan and recruited the latter to serve under him.
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In 205, after Cao Cao had defeated the Yuan brothers and taken over Ji Province, he wanted to recruit Cui Yan to serve as an aide-de-camp under him.
9.
Once, when Cao Pi went on a hunting excursion to enjoy himself, Cui Yan wrote a long letter to him, haranguing the former on overly indulging in personal pleasures and neglecting his duties.
10.
In 208, when Cao Cao became the Han Chancellor, Cui Yan was appointed as a Senior Clerk in the East and West Bureaus.
11.
Cui Yan was appointed as a Master of Writing in Cao Cao's vassal kingdom.
12.
Cui Yan once recommended Yang Xun, who was from Julu Commandery, to serve in the government.
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Yang Xun was ridiculed by many people for his flattering behaviour; Cui Yan was cast in a negative light because he was deemed as having recommended a sycophant to join the civil service.
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However, Cui Yan was accused of displaying arrogance and defaming Cao Cao in his letter.
15.
Cui Yan meant disrespect when he wrote, 'There will be changes as time passes.
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Cao Cao felt that Cui Yan was discrediting him so he had the latter arrested, imprisoned, head shaved, and sent to perform hard labour.
17.
Cui Yan was described as having a lofty and dignified bearing, a clear voice, sparkling eyes, and a beard four chi long.
18.
Cui Yan adopted their children and treated them as if they were his own children.
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Cui Yan was well versed in literary and military arts, and had recommended many talents to serve in the government.
20.
Until today, Cui Yan's case is still regarded as one of grave injustice.
21.
Cui Lin felt that Cui Yan was the most outstanding among all of them, but Chen Qun disagreed, saying that "intelligence alone is insufficient for a person to survive".