生平

太子即位

慕容暐最初獲封中山王。永和十二年（356年），皇太子慕容曄去世，慕容儁於是在次年立八歲的慕容暐為皇太子。昇平四年（360年），慕容儁去世，臨終時遺命大司馬慕容恪、司空陽騖、司徒慕容評及領軍將軍慕輿根輔政。當時群臣打算立作為慕容儁弟弟的慕容恪繼位，但被慕容恪拒絕，而支持作為儲君的慕容暐即位。

太宰安國

慕容暐即位後便以慕容恪為太宰，讓他專攝朝政，而慕容評、陽騖和慕輿根則分別獲授太傅、太保及太師，參輔朝政。不過，當時慕輿根就自恃自己屢有戰功，顯得高傲自大，心中不服慕容恪。當時慕輿根打算作亂，初以可足渾太后幹政煽動慕容恪謀反失敗，於是改向可足渾太后及慕容暐中傷慕容恪，想要他們誅殺慕容恪及慕容評。不過此時慕容暐卻信任慕容恪，勸止打算聽從的可足渾太后。及後慕容恪及慕容評密奏慕輿根罪狀，慕容暐於是命侍中皇甫真、右衞將軍傅顏等收捕慕輿根，並將其家人黨羽一併誅殺。

此時前燕國內正因慕容儁之死而混亂，原本徵集在鄴城的大軍都常常私下逃散，但在慕容恪的輔助下，最終都成功穩定了國家。在慕容恪攝政之下，先擊敗據守野王叛變的寧南將軍呂護，後更進侵當時為東晉所控的洛陽，終於興寧三年（365年）攻下洛陽。後又攻取了東晉的兗州諸郡。

太傅亂政

不過，慕容恪於太和二年（367年）去世，死前想以吳王慕容垂代替自己為大司馬，但最終慕容評改以慕容暐弟慕容沖接替慕容恪。慕容恪死後，陽騖在同年亦死，唯一仍在世的輔政大臣慕容評就以太傅主政。當時僕射悅綰上奏盡罷軍封蔭戶，以釋放人口以充實國家地方，防止人口隱匿。慕容暐同意之下，最終在悅綰的規劃下釋放了二十多萬戶人，政令亦令朝野震驚，慕容評更是十分不滿，派人暗殺了悅綰。

太和四年（369年），東晉桓溫發動北伐戰爭，主動進攻前燕，慕容暐所派的慕容厲、傅顏及慕容臧皆不能抵抗桓溫進攻，於是令慕容暐及慕容評十分恐懼，向前秦求援以外還打算逃回和龍（今遼寧錦州）。這時慕容垂自請進攻，最終成功扭轉局勢，更在逼桓溫撤軍時大敗晉兵。然而慕容評在後十分忌憚剛取得大功的慕容垂，二人更因將領孫蓋軍功問題發生爭論。因可足渾太后亦討厭慕容垂，於是就與慕容評謀殺慕容垂，慕容垂只得與家人逃奔前秦。

不久，出使前秦的黃門侍郎梁琛歸國，報告前秦國內揚兵講武，而且運糧至陝東，更逢慕容垂出奔前秦，表示擔憂前秦和和前燕開戰，建議朝廷早作防備。然而慕容評不認為前秦會破壞和前燕的和平，慕容暐於是和慕容評都沒重視梁琛的話。及後皇甫真又上言表示擔憂前秦對前燕有所圖謀，建議增強洛陽、并州和壺關（今山西長治東南）各城的軍力。慕容暐於是召慕容評討論，但因慕容評認為前秦「國小力弱」，要倚靠前燕為援，前秦天王苻堅也不會因慕容垂而攻燕，勸慕容暐不要自亂陣腳。慕容暐於是亦沒有聽從皇甫真的話。

前燕滅亡

當日前燕向前秦求援時，允諾割讓虎牢（今河南滎陽西北汜水鎮）以西的土地給前秦，但戰後反悔。苻堅於是以此派王猛等進攻前燕，進攻洛陽。慕容暐於是派了慕容臧救援洛陽，然而卻在滎陽大敗給前秦軍，無法有效營救洛陽，洛陽守將慕容築唯有向前秦投降，洛陽陷落。慕容臧只得築新樂城而退。面對當時的軍事形勢，而且太后幹政、慕容評貪污，尚書左丞申紹上疏要改革，提出令將士用命，對士兵「習兵教戰」、「從戎之外，足營私業」等。又要君臣「罷浮華，禁絕奢，峻明婚姻喪葬之條」以及增加重地守備軍隊等措施，但慕容暐都沒聽從。

洛陽陷落的同年（370年），前秦再攻前燕，王猛攻壺關而楊安攻晉陽（今山西太原）。慕容暐命慕容評等率中外精兵三十多萬抵禦。不過，慕容評竟禁止士兵取水和柴，而自據水源和山，向士兵販賣柴水以斂財，導致軍心全無。最終被前秦軍夜燒輜重，火光連鄴城都看得見。慕容暐見狀十分恐懼，下令慕容評將金錢財帛都分給士兵，命他們作戰，慕容評因恐懼而向前秦請戰。最終前秦軍大敗前燕軍，俘殺超過十五萬人，慕容評單騎奔鄴城。

王猛在戰後追擊至鄴，苻堅亦派大軍後繼。面對前秦軍兵臨城下，慕容暐只得與慕容評等人逃奔龍城（今遼寧朝陽），但隨行衞士一出城就散走，只餘十多名仍然隨行。當時前奏將領郭慶亦在後追擊慕容暐，途中道路艱險難行而且時有盜賊，保衞慕容暐的左衞將軍孟高、殿中將軍艾朗皆戰死，慕容暐更因失去馬匹而只得徒步逃亡，最終在高陽被郭慶所俘。慕容暐隨後被押見苻堅，苻堅質問慕容暐為何不降而逃走，慕容暐答：「狐狸快要死時，也會將頭朝向自己出生的山丘，我都是想死在先人墳墓那裏而已。」苻堅憐憫慕容暐而將他釋放，命他回去率文武百官出降。另外逃奔遼東的前燕殘餘勢力不久亦被消滅，前燕正式滅亡。

同年十二月，慕容暐與慕容皇族及鮮卑族四萬戶一同被苻堅遷往長安安置，並受封為新興侯，署為尚書。

謀反遇害

太元八年（383年），前秦大舉南侵東晉，即淝水之戰，慕容暐亦以平南將軍、別部都督隨軍。前秦於淝水之戰大敗後，時駐鄖城的慕容暐隨前秦軍北撤，並護送苻堅的張夫人。至滎陽時，叔父慕容德勸慕容暐乘前秦軍力大損而復國，但慕容暐又不聽從。慕容暐終與苻堅回到長安，但當時前秦對全國的控制已不如前。太元九年（384年），慕容垂在河北叛變建立後燕，不久，慕容暐之弟慕容泓也在關中叛變建立西燕。當時慕容泓向苻堅要求送還慕容暐以換取燕秦兩國和平，但為苻堅所拒絕。苻堅亦因此召慕容暐來斥責，終在慕容暐叩頭陳謝之下原諒他，並命他寫信招撫慕容垂、慕容泓和慕容沖。不過慕容暐就暗中派密使嚮慕容泓說：「我是鐵籠裡的人，肯定無法回去了；而且，我也是帝國的罪人，無必要顧慮我了。你就建立大業，以吳王慕容垂為相國，中山王慕容沖為太宰、領大司馬，你可以做大將軍、領司徒，承制封拜，收到我去世的消息後，你就自己稱帝吧。」及後西燕與前秦在長安多有戰事，慕容暐與慕容肅共謀聯同長安城中數千鮮卑人作亂，以應進攻長安的西燕軍，於是借兒子新婚為由設計在其家殺害苻堅。然而苻堅因大雨而沒有去，事情洩露，苻堅召慕容暐和慕容肅並殺害二人，更誅連城中的鮮卑人。慕容暐死時三十五歲。

西燕、後燕均沒有追謚慕容暐。慕容德建立南燕時，諡慕容暐為幽皇帝。

性格特徵

• 慕容暐很在意他人對其的批評，如李績曾經嚮慕容儁表示慕容暐的缺點是「雅好遊田，娛心絲竹」，慕容儁亦因而要慕容暐好好記著李績的話，好作改善。但慕容暐登位後，慕容恪雖然屢請以李績為尚書右僕射，但慕容暐都不同意，更說：「萬機之事都交由叔父處理，但李績一人，我想自己決定。」最終李績憂死。

家庭

皇后

• 可足渾皇后，慕容暐表舅可足渾翼女

註譯

參考

• 晉書 第111卷

• 十六國春秋 第3卷

• 資治通鑑 第100卷, 第101卷, 第102卷, 第105卷

Early life

Murong Wei was born in 350, during the reign of his father Murong Jun, one year before he claimed the title of emperor. His mother was Murong Jun's wife Empress Kezuhun. At that time, his older brother Murong Ye (慕容曄) was the crown prince. In 354, he was created the Prince of Zhongshan.

In 356, Murong Ye, who was considered an able crown prince, died. In 357, Murong Jun created the seven-year-old Murong Wei crown prince to replace Murong Ye, probably because Murong Wei was born of Empress Kezuhun, as he had other sons who were older. In 359, at an imperial feast, Murong Jun remembered Crown Prince Ye and was weeping. One of Murong Ye's prior subordinates, Li Ji (李績), gave a thorough praise of Murong Ye's eight virtues. Murong Jun then asked him what his opinion was of Murong Wei, and Li gave this response:

:The Crown Prince has talent given by Heaven, and is complete in his eight virtues. However, he has two shortcomings that he needs to self-examine: his overindulgence in hunting and music. Both of these have harm for the state.

Murong Wei, who was also present and was told by Murong Jun to review himself, bore grudges from Li from this point on.

In early 360, Murong Jun grew ill, and because Murong Wei was still just a child, he offered the throne to his able brother Murong Ke the Prince of Taiyuan. However, Murong Ke declined and persuaded Murong Jun that he would be able to also ably assist the young emperor. Murong Jun therefore entrusted Murong Wei to Murong Ke, his uncle Murong Ping, Yang Wu, and Muyu Gen, but with Murong Ke in the role of regent. He died soon after, and Murong Wei succeeded him.

Regency of Murong Ke

Muyu Gen, a senior official, was unhappy to be subordinate to Murong Ke, and he soon falsely informed Murong Wei and his mother Empress Dowager Kezuhun that Murong Ke and Murong Ping were planning a rebellion and asked for authorization to attack them. Empress Dowager Kezuhun believed him, but Murong Wei did not and refused to authorize his actions. Murong Ke soon found out, and executed Muyu and his clan.

Murong Ke was an able regent in both governance and military matters, and Former Yan's territorial expansion continued gradually during his regency, largely at Jin's expense. Murong Ke made all major decisions, but when he tried to promote Li Ji, Murong Wei refused, stating "Uncle, you can rule on every important matter of state, but I will rule on Li"—and sent Li out of the capital to be a commandery governor as a form of exile. Li died in distress.

In 361, a magician that Murong Wei favored, Ding Jin (丁進), tried to flatter Murong Ke by persuading him to kill Murong Ping. Murong Ke got angry and, despite Murong Wei's favor for him, executed him.

In 365, Murong Ke captured the important city Luoyang from Jin.

In 366, Murong Ke and Murong Ping offered to resign their posts and return all authority to Murong Wei. Murong Wei declined.

In 367, Murong Ke grew ill, and on his deathbed, he recommended that Murong Wei give great responsibilities to another uncle of Murong Wei, Murong Chui the Prince of Wu. However, Murong Ping, who was jealous of Murong Chui's talents, and Empress Dowager Kezuhun, who had personal grudges against Murong Chui, did not agree, and Murong Ping became regent instead, with some of the military responsibilities transferred to Murong Wei's younger brother Murong Chong the Prince of Zhongshan instead.

Regency of Murong Ping

Murong Ping was far less able than Murong Ke, and he was corrupt. Upon hearing about Murong Ke's death, the rival Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān began considering plans to conquer Former Yan.

Soon, however, Former Yan would apparently have a good chance to conquer Former Qin. In winter 367, Fu Jian's brother Fu Shuang (苻雙) the Duke of Zhao, and cousins Fu Sou (苻廋) the Duke of Wei, Fu Liu (苻柳) the Duke of Jin, and Fu Wu (苻武) the Prince of Yan, rebelled and requested Former Yan resistance, offering to submit to Former Yan. As Fu Sou held the important gateway city of Shancheng (陝城, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan), this opened up the center of Former Qin to Former Yan. However, Murong Ping refused to act, and in late 368, Fu Jiān defeated the four rebel dukes.

In 368 as well, the key official Yue Wan, concerned about the growing corrupt practice by noble families of putting commoners into their fiefs—a practice that would mean that those commoners were only responsible to them, not responsible for paying taxes to the empire, leading to the empire's treasury being so lacking that it was unable to pay its officials—petitioned Murong Wei for a reform ending the practice. Murong Wei approved the reform and put Yue in charge of it, and Yue restored over 200,000 people to the tax-paying ranks. The nobles were all resentful of Yue, who died later in 368—and while most historians believed that he died of natural causes, having been already ill previously -- Jin Shu stated that he was assassinated by Murong Ping, who had much to lose from Yue' reform.

In 369, probably at his mother's instigation, Murong Wei married the daughter of her cousin Kezuhun Yi (可足渾翼) as his empress.

Later that year, the Jin general Huan Wen launched a major attack against Former Yan, reaching Fangtou (枋頭, in modern Hebi, Henan), in the vicinity of Former Yan's capital Yecheng, defeating every army that Former Yan sent against him, including a major one led by Murong Wei's older brother Murong Zang (慕容臧) the Prince of Le'an. Murong Wei and Murong Ping panicked and wanted to abandon Yecheng to flee back to the old capital Helong (和龍, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning). Murong Chui volunteered, however, to make one last try at resistance, and was put in charge of the army. Meanwhile, Murong Wei also sent a messenger to Former Qin to request assistance, promising to cede the Luoyang region to Former Qin in exchange for assistance. Murong Chui and another uncle of Murong Wei, Murong De the Prince of Fanyang, soon dealt Huan a major defeat, and Former Qin forces arrived as well, dealing Huan another defeat.

However, Murong Ping and Empress Dowager Kezuhun soon engaged in two damaging decisions. Still resentful of Murong Chui (whose wife was her sister but whom he did not favor), Empress Dowager Kezuhun denied him and his soldiers rewards and in fact considered killing him, a decision that Murong Ping concurred in because he was also apprehensive of Murong Chui. Murong Chui, hearing the news, fled to Former Qin and became a general for Fu Jiān. They also refused to cede the Luoyang region to Former Qin, as previously promised. In anger, late in 369, Fu Jian sent a 60,000-men force, commanded by his prime minister Wang Meng, against Former Yan.

In spring 370, Wang first advanced on Luoyang and forced its surrender. He then advanced on Hu Pass (壺關, in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), defeating all Former Yan resistance on the way. He then captured Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi). Murong Ping led a 300,000-men strong force against Wang, but apprehensive of Wang, he stopped at Lu River (潞川, in modern Changzhi as well). Wang soon arrived to prepare to face off against him. Murong Wei became confident, however, that Wang would be defeated by sheer numbers, and did not appear concerned.

Meanwhile, Murong Ping made the worst display of his corruption at this time—keeping guards at forests and streams, disallowing commoners and even his own soldiers from cutting firewood or fishing unless they paid a usage fee in either money or silk. He soon had a stash of wealth, but completely lost the morale of his soldiers. Murong Wei, hearing this, sent a messenger to rebuke him and ordering him to distribute the wealth to the soldiers, but the damage was done. In winter 370, the armies engaged, and despite the numerical advantage that Murong Ping had, Wang crushed him, and Murong Ping fled back to Yecheng by himself.

Murong Wei, along with his brothers, abandoned Yecheng, intended to flee back to Helong. However, once he got out of the capital, his guards largely abandoned him, and the few faithful guards who remained were soon killed by bandits. Former Qin forces then arrived and captured him and delivered him to Fu Jiān. Fu Jiān released him but had him formally surrender with his officials, ending Former Yan.

After Former Yans fall

Murong Wei was relocated with most of his clan to the Former Qin capital Chang'an. Fu Jiān created him the Marquess of Xinxing and made him a general. In 378, he participated in the campaign of Fu Jiān's son Fu Pi in sieging Jin's important border city Xiangyang. In 383, he also participated in Fu Jiān's massive campaign against Jin, through which Fu Jiān hoped to destroy Jin finally and unite China. After the defeat at the Battle of Fei River, however, Fu Jiān's forces collapsed, and, after Murong Chui, at that time, declined to start an uprising to reestablish Yan, Murong De tried to persuade Murong Wei to do so, but Murong Wei declined as well and accompanied Fu Jiān back to Chang'an.

In spring 384, however, Murong Chui would in fact start an uprising in the eastern empire (Former Yan's territory), and soon was joined by many former Former Yan nobles and officials in establishing Later Yan. Upon hearing this, Murong Wei's brothers Murong Hong and Murong Chong also rose in rebellion near Chang'an. Murong Hong sent a messenger demanding that Fu Jiān send Murong Wei to him—offering to leave the Guanzhong region if Murong Wei were released. Fu Jiān became angry and rebuked Murong Wei, and Murong Wei pleaded and promised to continue to be a faithful subject. Fu Jiān allowed him to remain his in post, but Murong Wei, whom Fu Jiān told to write letters to Murong Chui, Murong Hong, and Murong Chong, ordering their surrender, instead secretly sent a message to Murong Hong, in which he stated:

:I am a man within an iron cage, and there is no reason for me not to die. Further, I also sinned against Yan, and you should not mind me. You should earnestly seek to establish yourself.

Murong Hong was soon assassinated, however, and Murong Chong became the leader of the Xianbei rebels who would eventually be known as Western Yan. He put Chang'an under a siege and demanded that Fu Jiān deliver Murong Wei to him. Meanwhile, Murong Wei and his cousin Murong Su (慕容肅) organized the Xianbei men within Chang'an, preparing to start an uprising to join Murong Chong. In early 385, Murong Wei invited Fu Jiān to his house, under the pretense that his son was getting married, ready to assassinate Fu Jiān at the feast. Fu Jiān agreed to attend, but could not go due to rain, and news of the conspiracy leaked. Fu Jiān summoned Murong Wei and Murong Su to the palace. Murong Su suggested that they refuse and immediately start the uprising. Murong Wei refused, and both went to the palace. Fu Jiān questioned them about their conspiracy, and Murong Wei still tried to deny, but Murong Su, with proud words, admitted, and Fu Jiān executed them, as well as all remaining Xianbei people in the city.

Personal information

• Father

　• Murong Jun (Emperor Jingzhao)

• Mother

　• Empress Kezuhun

• Wife

　• Empress Kezuhun (created 369), daughter of his mother's cousin Kezuhun Yi (可足渾翼)

Murong Wei had at least two grown sons, but presumably executed as well.