生平

燕王世子

慕容儁博览群书，有文武才干，曾领兵攻略段部鲜卑并大胜而还。咸康七年（341年），东晋封慕容皝为燕王，亦以慕容儁为燕王世子，假节、安北将军、东夷校尉、左贤王。

虎视中原

永和四年九月丙申日（348年10月25日），慕容皝去世。十一月甲辰日（349年1月1日），太子慕容儁继袭燕王爵位。派使臣到建康向东晋报告了丧事。他还任命弟弟慕容友为左贤王，任命左长史阳鹜为郎中令。次年（349年）称元年，仍不用东晋年号。同年后赵皇帝石虎去世，诸子争位令国内大乱，慕容儁图谋夺取中原土地，于是以慕容垂为前锋都督、建锋将军，另外任命慕容恪为辅国将军、慕容评为辅弼将军和阳骛为辅义将军，人称三辅。挑选了二十多万精兵等待时机。而同年东晋朝廷亦任命慕容儁为使持节、侍中、大都督、都督河北诸军事、幽冀并平四州牧、大将军、大单于、燕王，并依慕容廆和慕容皝的先例能承制封拜官员，在东晋授命下正式继承了对辽东的管治。

伺机南扩

永和六年（350年），后赵大将军冉闵在邺城称帝，慕容儁亦乘机兵分三路南攻，自己亲自率中军出兵卢龙，攻下了蓟城，并迁都至蓟。因慕容儁听从慕容垂不要坑杀蓟城士卒的劝言，故得中原士民归附。其他幽州郡县多亦夺取，慕容儁于是设置幽州诸郡县的官员。后慕容儁意图进攻后赵幽州刺史王午和征东将军邓恒所守的鲁口，不过被其将鹿勃早夜袭，虽然最终成功击退对方，不过军队锋锐已因这次突袭而受挫，只得暂缓战事，返回蓟城。不久代郡人赵榼率三百馀家叛归后赵，慕容儁于是迁广宁、上谷二郡人到徐无，代郡人到凡城，以防其再次叛归后赵。不过，慕容儁亦南攻冀州，攻下了章武、河间二郡。

另一方面，守襄国的后赵皇帝石祗自永和六年起就被冉闵所围攻。围困百多日后，石祗被逼于永和七年（351年）向前燕求援，并许以传国玺作交换。慕容儁欲得传国玺，于是相信了后赵并派了悦绾救援襄国。同年冉闵被击败，襄国之围解除，但悦绾没有获得传国玺，慕容儁于是杀掉当日前来求援的后赵太尉张举。慕容儁又派兵夺取中山和赵郡，又进攻鲁口，击败王午派来迎击的军队。

消灭冉魏

永和八年(352年)，前燕王慕容儁派广威将军慕容军、殿中将军慕舆根、右司马皇甫真等人率二万人步、骑兵协助慕容评攻打冉魏邺城。

永和八年（352年），冉闵攻陷襄国，将杀后赵皇帝石祗的将领刘显势力消灭。同年四月甲子日（5月5日），慕容儁命慕容恪等攻伐冉魏，最终击败冉闵并将其俘虏。己卯日（5月20日），冉闵被押送到蓟城，慕容儁指责冉闵：「你只是配当奴仆的低下才干，凭甚么去称帝？」冉闵却说：「天下大乱，你这些夷狄禽兽都能称帝，那我这种中土英雄，怎能不称帝呀！」慕容儁听后大怒，鞭打他三百下并送到龙城处死。同时，先前叛燕的段勤既受慕容垂进攻据地绎幕，看见慕容恪进据常山后就因畏惧而请降。

甲申日（5月25日），慕容儁命慕容评等进攻邺城，冉魏太子冉智与将领蒋干闭城门自守，得晋将戴施率百馀人入邺助守，并以传国玺向东晋请粮。不过，慕容评终于八月庚午日（9月8日）攻下邺城，俘冉智等人至中山。冉魏亡后，当时拥兵据守州郡的后赵官员都派使者向前燕请降。

称帝自立

攻下邺城后，慕容儁假称冉闵皇后董氏献传国玺予他，赐董氏号「奉玺君」。十一月丁卯日（353年1月3日），慕容儁置百官，次日即位为皇帝，改年号为「元玺」，追尊慕容廆和慕容皝为皇帝并上庙号。当时东晋使者到了前燕，慕容儁就对他说：「你回去告诉你的天子，中原无主，我被士民推举为主，已经做了皇帝了！」

大举扩张

前燕南侵幽州时据守鲁口的王午在永和八年（352年）自称安国王，同年被杀，由吕护承袭称号并继续据守鲁口。永和九年（353年），卫将军慕容恪、抚军将军慕容军、左将军慕容彪等人屡次荐举给事黄门侍郎慕容霸，说他有显赫于世之才，应总揽重任。前燕皇帝慕容儁任命慕容霸为使持节、安东将军、北冀州刺史、镇守常山。永和九年（353年），慕容儁派慕容恪进兵讨伐，终令吕护于永和十年（354年）归降。后慕容儁又命慕容恪镇守洛水，以慕容强为前锋都督，进据黄河以南地方。永和十年（354年），慕容儁封弟弟慕容恪为太原王，慕容评为上庸王，封左将军慕容彭为武昌王，封抚军将军慕容军为襄阳王，封安东将军慕容霸为吴王，左贤王慕容友为范阳王，散骑常侍慕容厉为下邳王，散骑常侍慕容宜为庐江王，宁北将军慕容度为乐浪王。慕容桓为宜都王，慕容遵为临贺王，慕容徽为河间王，慕容龙为历阳王，慕容纳为北海王，慕容秀为兰陵王，慕容岳为安丰王，慕容德为梁公，慕容默为始安公，慕容偻为南康公。儿子慕容臧为乐安王，慕容亮为勃海王，慕容温为带方王，慕容涉为渔阳王，慕容暐为中山王。

永和十一年（355年），东晋兰陵太守孙黑、济北太守高柱、建兴太守高瓮及前秦河内太守王会、黎阳太守韩高都以所在郡投降前燕。而先前屯据莸城，归降前秦的前车骑将军刘宁亦率二千户人到蓟城归降请罪，慕容儁亦任命刘宁为后将军。高句丽王高钊亦向前燕进贡。同年，据守广固并向东晋称藩的段龛写信非议慕容儁称帝之事，触怒了慕容儁并令他派了慕容恪进讨段龛，终于在次年攻陷广固，俘虏了段龛。升平元年（357年），慕容儁又命慕容垂等率八万兵到塞北进攻丁零敕勒，大败对方并俘杀十多万人，夺去十三万匹马和亿万头牛羊。及后匈奴单于贺赖头率部归降前燕。

升平元年十一月癸酉日（357年12月14日），慕容儁迁都邺城。升平二年（358年），东晋泰山太守诸葛攸进攻东郡，被慕容恪等击败，慕容恪更乘机掠夺河南土地。不久东晋北中郎将荀羡攻陷山茌，处死太守贾坚，亦被前燕军队击败并收复失地。升平三年（359年）诸葛攸再攻前燕，在东阿被慕容评等人击败。同年十月，东晋西中郎将谢万与北中郎将郗昙北伐，但因郗昙因病退兵以及谢万统率失误而令军队惊溃败退，前燕得以乘机夺取许昌、颖川、谯及沛诸郡各城。

另一方面，前秦平州刺史刘特率众向前燕投降。慕容儁又于升平二年（358年）派了司徒慕容评等人进攻盘据并州自立的将领张平、李历等，令张平的部下诸葛骧、苏象等率当地一百三十八个壁垒归降前燕。及后张平等先后出奔，前燕于是收降了其部众。

此时前燕正与东晋、前秦形成三足鼎立之势，并且在当时是国力最强的。

统一未遂

升平二年（358年），慕容儁因于扩张领土的战争中屡次获胜，于是更图谋消灭东晋以及前秦。为此下令州郡核实男丁数目，每户只留下一个男丁，其馀都被徴为士兵，务求令全国步兵达至一百五十万人。慕容儁更命士兵于明年就要集合，并攻取洛阳。在刘贵的谏止下，慕容儁才与官员议论，最终改为「三五占兵」，并将集合期限宽贷至一年后，定于下一年冬季于邺城集合。

不过慕容儁于升平三年（359年）就患病，他向弟弟慕容恪表示他担心自己一病不起，而前秦和东晋尚未灭亡，忧心皇太子慕容暐未有足够能力治理国家，于是打算仿效宋宣公，以慕容恪继位。不过慕容恪坚决拒绝，更矢言会辅助慕容暐。升平四年（360年）正月，慕容儁于邺城阅兵后不久就于当月甲午日（2月23日）病死，临终遗命大司马太原王慕容恪、司徒上庸王慕容评、司空阳骛、领军将军慕舆根为辅政大臣，虚龄四十二，諡为景昭皇帝，庙号烈祖。

陵墓

慕容儁于建熙元年三月葬于龙城（今辽宁省朝阳市）的龙陵（具体方位不详）。

性格特徵

• 慕容儁长子，献怀太子慕容晔于永和十二年（356年）去世，慕容儁对此十分伤心。一次慕容儁在蒲池与群臣饮宴，因为谈及东周时周灵王的太子晋，竟流下泪来，更表示自己在慕容晔死后「须发中白」，更明白为何曹操和孙权昔日要分别为儿子曹冲和孙登早逝而痛惜不已。

• 慕容儁喜好文学典籍，即位以来都讲论不断，处理政务以外都是和侍臣交流典籍的义理，更有四十多篇著述。慕容儁亦于显贤里设小学教育胄子。

逸事

• 慕容儁曾梦见石虎咬他的手臂，令慕容儁十分厌恶，于是下令挖开石虎的墓穴，骂道：「死胡竟然敢梦中吓天子！」于是命御史中尉阳约数其残酷之罪，鞭尸后丢到漳水去。《资治通鉴》更谓慕容儁在石虎墓找不到石虎尸首，于是悬赏百金求尸；后因邺城女子李菟报告，在东明观找到石虎尸首，发现他竟僵硬不腐；石虎尸首被投进漳水后，更靠在柱边不流走。

家庭

后妃

• 皇后可足浑氏

• 昭仪段氏

子女

• 献怀太子慕容晔

• 乐安王慕容臧

• 前燕幽帝慕容暐

• 渤海王慕容亮，370年被宜都王慕容桓所杀

• 带方王慕容温，后燕乐浪王，389年被翟辽部将故堤设计刺杀，谥悼

• 渔阳王慕容涉

• 济北王慕容泓，后为西燕统治者

• 中山王慕容冲，后为西燕君主，谥威帝

• 清河公主慕容氏，为苻坚妃

约387年，西燕皇帝慕容永将其治下的慕容儁子孙不分男女全部杀死。

注释

Early career

Murong Jun was born in 319, while his father Murong Huang was still the heir apparent to his grandfather Murong Hui, the Jin-created Duke of Liaodong. In his youth, he was considered to be learned in both literary and military matters. Sometime after his father succeeded his grandfather in 333, he was made the heir apparent, a status that he retained after his father claimed the title Prince of Yan in 337 and after Jin retroactively acknowledged that title in 341.

Historical accounts indicate that Murong Huang also considered Murong Jun's younger brother Murong Ba as the heir apparent, being impressed with Murong Ba's intelligence, but was dissuaded from it by his officials; those sources also attribute this as the reason why Murong Jun was jealous and apprehensive of Murong Ba. If this were true, it did not stop Murong Jun from granting his brother substantial authority during his reign.

The first historical mention of his being involved in leading the army was in 344, when he, along with his uncle Murong Ping, was commissioned to lead an army against Dai, but as the Dai prince Tuoba Shiyijian refused to engage his army, no significant battle occurred.

In 346, Murong Huang commissioned him to command an army against Buyeo (Fuyu (夫馀) in Chinese), although the actual command appeared to be held by his brother Murong Ke. The army was successful in capturing the capital of Buyeo and its king Fuyu Xuan (夫馀玄).

In 348, Murong Huang died. Murong Jun succeeded him as the Prince of Yan.

As prince of Yan

In 349, following the death of rival Later Zhao's emperor Shi Hu, Later Zhao fell into internecine wars with Shi Hu's sons and his adoptive grandson Shi Min (who later changed his family name back to his father's original "Ran"). Under the suggestion of Murong Ba (whom he had renamed Murong Chui by this point; see Murong Chui's article for more details), Murong Jun prepared for expansion into Later Zhao's territory. He commissioned Murong Ke, Murong Ping, Yang Wu, and Murong Chui as major generals, preparing for a major attack against Later Zhao's border region.

In spring 350, Murong Jun launched the attack, and they quickly captured the important city of Jicheng (蓟城, in modern Beijing). Murong Jun then moved the capital from Longcheng (龙城, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning) to Jicheng. In short order, the entire Youzhou (幽州, modern Beijing, Tianjin, and northern Hebei) became Former Yan possession. He then continued to march south, but temporarily halted his advances after nearly being defeated by the Later Zhao general Lubo Zao (鹿勃早).

Murong Jun resumed his campaign in winter 350, as Ran Min, who had by now established the new state of Ran Wei, was battling Later Zhao's remnants under Shi Zhi. He quickly captured a number of commanderies in Ji Province (冀州, modern central Hebei), approaching Shi Zhi's provisional capital Xiangguo (襄国, in modern Xintai, Hebei). Shi Zhi, under attack by Ran Min, sought Murong Jun's assistance in early 351, offering to surrender to Murong Jun the imperial seals (which, however, he did not actually have). Murong Jun sent his general Yue Wan to join Shi Zhi and his general Yao Xiang, and their joint forces dealt Ran Min a major defeat, forcing Ran Min to give up on sieging Xiangguo for the time being, although soon thereafter Ran Min was able to persuade Shi Zhi's general Liu Xian (刘显) to kill Shi Zhi, ending Later Zhao.

In summer 352, Murong Jun's and Ran Min's forces engaged in a major battle. Murong Ke, in command of Murong Jun's primary forces, tricked Ran Min's infantry into entering the plains, then dealt him a major defeat with attacks by cavalry forces. During the heat of the battle, Ran Min's horse was killed; he fell and the Murong troops captured him. When Ran was taken to Murong Jun, the latter famously rebuked him: "How could a lowly knave like you have the audacity to be a Pretender to the Throne?" (汝奴仆下才，何得妄称帝) However Ran Min, an ethnic Han, accused Murong Jun of being "an over-ambitious barbarian Pretender" in turn. (尔曹夷狄禽兽之类犹称帝) Enraged, Murong had Ran Min whipped 300 times, exiled and later beheaded; although he soon became apprehensive about the possibilities of Ran's vengeful spirit causing a draught, and eventually Ran was buried with honours.

Murong Jun next marched against the Ran Wei capital Ye (in modern Handan, Hebei). Ran Wei's crown prince Ran Zhi, Empress Dong, and key officials sought assistance from Jin.

At this time Murong Jun was still technically a Jin vassal, but clearly was not going to continue to submit to Jin. Even with Jin assistance, however, Ye's defenses were soon breached, and Former Yan forces captured Ran Zhi and Empress Dong, ending Ran Wei. Murong Jun created both Ran Zhi and Empress Dong honorable titles (Marquess of Haibin for Ran Zhi, Lady of Fengxi for Empress Dong) and apparently treated them with kindness, claiming that Empress Dong had surrendered the imperial seals to him. (In actuality, the imperial seals—which were Jin's in the first place until they were captured by Han Zhao and subsequently passed through Later Zhao—had been given to Jin as collateral for Jin assistance.) Most of Later Zhao's eastern territories were securely in Former Yan's hands, although Former Yan, Former Qin, and Jin would fight over their borders for years to come.

In winter 352, Murong Jun formally declared independence from Jin and declared himself emperor.

As emperor

In 353, Murong Jun created his wife Princess Kezuhun empress and his heir apparent Murong Ye (慕容瞱) crown prince. In 354, Murong Jun further created many of his uncles, brothers, and sons princes.

In 355, angered that his cousin Duan Kan (段龛), who was in control of modern Shandong and nominally a Jin vassal (as Duke of Qi), wrote a letter to him denouncing him for claiming imperial title, Murong Jun sent Murong Ke and Yang Wu against him. In 356, despite the heavy fortifications that Duan's capital Guanggu (广固, in modern Qingzhou, Shandong) had, Murong Ke sieged it, and after Duan's food supplies ran out, he was forced to surrender. Murong Jun initially spared Duan, but for reasons unknown, he executed Duan in 357.

Also in 356, Murong Jun's crown prince Murong Ye died, and in 357, Murong Jun created his younger son Murong Wei as crown prince.

Later in 357, Murong Jun moved the capital from Jicheng to Ye.

In 358, Murong Jun started a large scale conscription—ordering that each family send its service-eligible men into the army except for one per household—preparing to attack Former Qin and Jin. After a petition by Liu Gui (刘贵), he scaled back the conscription plan, ordering that for every five service-eligible men of the household, three enter the army.

Later in 358, the grudges between Murong Jun and Murong Chui flared up again. Murong Chui's wife Princess Duan, because her clan was an honored one—being previously on equal standing as the Murongs, with the title of Duke of Liaoxi—was not respectful of Murong Jun's wife Empress Kezuhun. The eunuch Nie Hao (涅浩), believing it to be the emperor and empress' wishes, falsely accused Princess Duan and Murong Chui's assistant Gao Bi (高弼) of witchcraft, with intent to drag Murong Chui into the case. However, despite torture, Princess Duan and Gao refused to admit, and Murong Chui avoided becoming entangled, although Princess Duan still died in prison. Murong Chui was effectively exiled to be the governor of remote Ping Province (平州, modern eastern Liaoning).

In 359, Jin forces under Zhuge You (诸葛攸) and Xie Wan (谢万) attacked Former Yan, but were defeated by Former Yan forces. This victory allowed Former Yan to gradually take over the modern Henan region, south of the Yellow River.

In early 360, Murong Jun grew ill, and he told Murong Ke that, in light of the rivalries with Former Qin and Jin, he was going to pass the throne to him instead, since he was an adult and highly capable, rather than the 10-year-old Murong Wei. Murong Ke declined—persuading Murong Jun that if his abilities were capable of ruling over the empire, then they were also capable of assisting the young emperor. He also summoned Murong Chui back to the capital. Afterwards, he grew slightly better, and with the men he conscripted gathered at Ye, he intended to have Murong Ke and Yang Wu make a major assault against Jin, but soon his illness grew worse. He then summoned Murong Ke, Yang, Murong Ping, and Muyu Gen (慕舆根) to entrust the crown prince to them. He died soon thereafter and was succeeded by Murong Wei.

Era names

• Yanwang ("Prince of Yan") (燕王 yàn wáng) 349–353

• Yuanxi (元玺 yuán xǐ) 353–357

• Guangshou (光寿 guāng shoù) 357–360

Personal information

• Father

　• Murong Huang (Prince Wenming)

• Mother

　• Likely Princess Duan, Murong Huang's wife

• Wife

　• Empress Kezuhun (created 353)

• Major Concubines

　• Consort Duan, posthumously honored by Murong Chui as Empress Jingde

• Children

　• Murong Ye (慕容瞱), Crown Prince Xianhuai (created 353, d. 356)

　• Murong Xian (慕容咸), later changed to Murong Zang (慕容臧), the Prince of Le'an (created 353)

　• Murong Liang (慕容亮), the Prince of Bohai (created 353, killed by Murong Huan (慕容桓) the Prince of Yidu 370)

　• Murong Wen (慕容温), the Prince of Daifang (created 353), later Prince Dao of Lelang during Later Yan (assassinated by Zhai Liao (翟辽)'s followers 389)

　• Murong She (慕容涉), the Prince of Yuyang (created 353)

　• Murong Wei (慕容暐), initially the Prince of Zhongshan (created 353), later the Crown Prince (created 357), later emperor

　• Murong Hong (慕容泓), the Prince of Jibei (created 359), later ruler of Western Yan

　• Murong Chong (慕容冲), the Prince of Zhongshan (created 359), later Emperor Wei of Western Yan

　• Murong Yuan (慕容渊), the Prince of Dingxiang

　• A daughter, later concubine of Fu Jiān