Gan Heritage Centre China Chapter

Yan You was the first king of the Xiao Zhu state and was originally known as Cao You. His ancestor was called Yan An who inherited a piece of land, which later flourished into the Zhu Kingdom, a feudal state of Lu Guo. According to the judicial rules of that time, Cao You had to give up his surname in order to ascend the throne. He adopted his father Yi Fu's style name Bo Yan. From then on Cao You was known as Yan You. This officially made Yan You the first Yan in Chinese history. Yan You left a legacy of cultural heritage to later generations. In 653 BC, when Zhen Shun Li conquered Xiao Zhu, the state flourished under his rule and the people became wealthy. The state also enjoyed peace with the neighbouring state. Xiao Zhu was hailed as the “Gentleman State of the East” The 7th king, Mu Kong, ruled the kingdom for 41 years. The kingdom reached its peak during his reign.

A memorial hall was built in memory of Confucius’ mother in a manor at Yan Mu Mall. The memorial hall, which has grey clay roof tiles, was built in 1493 AD. There is a main entrance leading to 3 secondary halls that are surrounded by a walled boundary.Confucius was China’s greatest philosopher, thinker and educator. The Yan family played a significant role in the education and upbringing of Confucius before he was sanctified a Sage.  It is no exaggeration to state that Confucius mother’s great influence had contributed to the latter’s journey to becoming great Sage. She was bestowed the title of Mother of Sage (Sheng Mu or Yan Mu).When Confucius was 17, his mother died and his maternal grandfather Yan Xiang took over the role as the educator of young Confucius.  His relentless efforts in educating and guiding his grandson enabled Confucius to create a legacy of learning.If you have the chance to visit Yan Mu Hall, you will feel the presence of Confucius in this revered place.

Yan Zhenqing (709–785 AD) was a leading Chinese calligrapher and a loyal governor of the Tang Dynasty. His artistic accomplishment in Chinese calligraphy parallels that of the greatest master calligraphers in Chinese history. His regular script style, Yan, is often imitated by admirers. Yan Zhenqing is popularly known as the only calligrapher who shared the same standing as Wang Xizhi, the "Calligraphy Sage". He specialised in kaishu (楷) Script and caoshu (草) Script, although he also mastered other forms of writings. His Yan style of Kai Script, which brought Chinese calligraphy to a new realm, emphasised strength, boldness and grandness. Yan Zhenqing set an unsurpassed standard in terms of his calligraphy accomplishments, knowledge and character. In the period of the An Lushan Rebellion, when Yan Zhenqing was fifty years old, he penned his representative work, "Funeral Address for Nephew Ji-ming”, which was later hailed as "the Second Best Running Hand in the World” (Wang Xizhi’s Orchid Pavilion ranks as the best).

Yan Shiqi’s style name was Zhen Quan (1589–1625 AD). He hailed from Fujian, Long Hai County. Since young, he had been an advocate of justice and was skilled in martial arts. When he killed someone to address an insult, he went on the run from the law and escaped to Japan, where he made underworld acquaintances. His growth in influence resulted in his appointment by the Japanese government to head the Chinese community. In 1624, his displeasure with the Tokugawa Shogunate Government led him to plot a rebellion. When his plot was exposed, he escaped by sea to the North Harbour of Taiwan, where he built ten colonies and taught the basics of agriculture to the natives. People from Zhang Zhou and Quan Zhou, China, later migrated to Taiwan and settled down in Yan Cuo Liao, a region populated by the Yans. Yan Shi Qi is considered the founding father of Taiwan.

Yanzi (521 BC–481 BC), named Hui, styled Ziyuan, was a native of Lu in the late Spring-Autumn period. As Confucius' most favourite disciple, he was known for his virtue and self-cultivation. He exerted a great influence on the later generation of scholars, and ranked first among the ten chief disciples of Confucius, who fell into four classes. After Confucius passed on, the Confucianists were divided into eight schools of teaching, one of which was the Yan school.

 

In the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), Yanzi was ranked the first of the 72 famous disciples of Confucius. In the first year of the Zhengshi reign period of the State of Wei in the Three Kingdoms period (475 BC–221 AD), Yanzi was the only disciple who worshipped together with Confucius at memorial ceremonies.  In the eighth year of the Kaiyuan reign period (713 AD–741 AD) of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, he was named the Second Sage. In the ninth year of the Jiajing reign period (1522–1566 AD) of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty, he was given the title Continuator of the Sage. The temple of the Continuator of the Sage was built in honour of him in Qufu, Shandong Province.

The Prince of Wei schemed against Confucius and created turmoil. After nearly one year in Wei, Confucius left the State with his disciples.  When they passed by Kuang City, Confucius was mistaken for Yang Hu whom they resented and thus they were besieged by the locals.  At that time, Confucius and his disciples had run out of food and faced hostile weather. Yan Hui persuaded the locals to let him find a witness. On the fifth day, Yan Hui sent for Ning Wuzi to resolve the misunderstanding.

Confucius and his disciples ran out of food during their besiegement.  Zi Gong managed to find a little grain. When the food was ready, Zi Gong caught Yan Hui eating first and doubted his character.  But the reality was, Confucius had requested to offer sacrifices when Yan Hui first served the food to him.  Yan Hui replied that the food cannot be used for sacrifice due to the dust that had dropped into the pot.  He found it a pity to throw the food away so he picked it out and ate it.  Confucius esteemed Yan Hui very highly for his noble and humanistic behaviour. 

The earliest Yans lived in the Lu state (Shandong Qufu). To seek a better life, the Yans left their homeland to resettle in new places, from Dong Han to Bei Song. The migratory pattern of the Yan spans five major waves over a period of 1,000 years.

The second wave surged southwards to Jian Ye (259–307 AD), during the tumultuous reign of Jin Hui. This happened in the time of Yan Han.

The fourth wave came full circle, reverting to the Lu state towards the end of the Tang Dynasty period (907-979 AD). Due to the unstable political situation in 952 AD, the 43rd-generation descendant of Yanzi, Yan Man, left Chang-an and headed eastwards to Jian Kang and Lang Ya.

Qufu, historically known as Lu County, was the capital of the State of Lu during the Spring-Autumn Warring period. It was the hometown of Confucius, the founder of Confuciuanism and also the birthplace of prominent figures such as Yanzi, Zuo Qiuming and Lu Ban, as well as Confucian culture. Qufu has exerted far-reaching influence on the Confucian cultural sphere in Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, and is a key starting point for the development of eastern culture.