Yao Chang became a Former Qin general, but after an incident in 384 after the Former Qin emperor Fu Jian's defeat at the Battle of Fei River, Yao Chang feared that Fu Jian would kill him and therefore rebelled.
23 Facts About Yao Chang
1.
2.
Yao Chang subsequently captured and killed Fu Jian, who had saved his life when Yao Xiang was defeated, causing many historians to view him as a traitor and murderer.
3.
Yao Chang was born in 331, while his father Yao Yizhong, a major Qiang chief, was a general under the Later Zhao emperor Shi Le.
4.
Yao Chang was described as intelligent and deliberate, but uninterested in detail matters.
5.
Yao Chang took over his troops but knew he could not resist, and so surrendered.
6.
In 371, he was part of the campaign against Chouchi's ruler Yang Cuan, and in 373, after Former Qin seized the modern Sichuan, Chongqing, and southern Shaanxi from Jin, Yao Chang was made the governor of Ning Province.
7.
In 376, Yao Chang assisted Gou Chang in Former Qin's conquest of Former Liang, and in 378 involved in the sieged against the Jin city Xiangyang.
8.
Yao Chang advocated letting Murong Hong, who was intent on leaving the Guanzhong region to return to his homeland, leave, but the brash Fu Rui insisted on intercepting Murong Hong, and was defeated and killed by Murong Hong.
9.
Yao Chang became fearful and abandoned his troops, gathered the Qiang of the region, and rebelled himself, claiming the title of "King of Qin of 10,000 Years", thus establishing Later Qin.
10.
Yao Chang initially opted to keep his troops mobile, as he anticipated Murong Hong's Western Yan forces to siege Chang'an and destroy Former Qin and then depart for their homeland, so that he could take Chang'an without major engagements.
11.
The people of Xinping had fought extremely hard to preserve their city for Former Qin when Yao Chang first started sieging the city in late 384.
12.
Gou believed him, but as soon as he exited the city with the 5,000 remaining people, Yao Chang surrounded them with his troops and slaughtered them all, with only a single person who escaped.
13.
When he arrived at Wujiang Mountain, Yao Chang sent his general Wu Zhong to surround Fu Jian, eventually capturing him and delivering him to Xinping to be imprisoned there.
14.
Yao Chang tried to persuade him to ceremonially pass the throne to him, but Fu Jian, angry at Yao's betrayal, refused.
15.
Later in 385, Yao Chang sent his soldiers to strangle Fu Jian.
16.
Yao Chang made Chang'an his capital and claimed the title of emperor.
17.
Yao Chang created his wife Lady She as empress and his son Yao Xing as crown prince.
18.
However, Yao Chang was able to gradually subdue the other Former Qin generals of the region, taking advantage of Fu Deng's cautiousness.
19.
In 387, for example, after the Former Qin general Fu Zuan was killed by his brother Fu Shinu, Yao Chang took the opportunity to quickly advance against Fu Shinu and defeat him, seizing his troops.
20.
In 389, after losing several battles to Former Qin, Yao Chang desecrated Fu Jian's tomb and whipped his body before reburying it.
21.
Later that year, as Fu Deng was pressuring Yao Chang Yao Chang made a surprise attack at night, around Fu Deng's army, against Fu Deng logistics base Dajie, capturing it and Fu Deng's wife Empress Mao and killing his sons Fu Bian and Fu Shang.
22.
Yao Chang initially wanted to make Empress Mao his concubine, but after she cursed him, he executed her.
23.
Yao Chang continued to beg Fu Jian for forgiveness before he died.