Later Yan in the context of "Sixteen Kingdoms"

Yan, known in historiography as the Former Yan (Chinese: 前燕; pinyin: Qián Yān; 337–370), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. From Liaoning, the Former Yan later conquered and ruled over Hebei, Shaanxi, Shandong and Henan at its peak. They were notably the first of several Xianbei states to have establish their rule over the Central Plains. The prefix of "Former" is used in historiography to distinguish them from the other Yan states that came after them such as Later Yan.

Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Eastern Jin-created title "Prince of Yan", but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Jun would declare himself emperor, and after that point, the rulers of the Former Yan declared themselves "emperors". The Yan changed their capital from time to time, with their last capital, Ye being the most prestigious due to its status as a major population hub.

Yan, known in historiography as the Northern Yan (Chinese: 北燕; pinyin: Běi Yān; 407 or 409–436), Eastern Yan (simplified Chinese: 东燕; traditional Chinese: 東燕; pinyin: Dōng Yān) or Huanglong (simplified Chinese: 黄龙; traditional Chinese: 黃龍), was a dynastic state of China during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms. Some historians consider Gao Yun, a member of the Goguryeo royal family, to be the first Northern Yan monarch, while others consider Feng Ba of Han ethnicity to be the founder.

All rulers of the Northern Yan took the title of Tiān Wáng (Heavenly King). The Northern Yan inherited what was left of the preceding Later Yan regime, whose territory occupied western Liaoning and parts of northeastern Hebei. In historiography, they are given the prefix of "Northern" to distinguish it with the contemporaneous Southern Yan, and unlike the Later Yan, their capital remained at Longcheng in the north throughout their existence.

Yan, known in historiography as the Southern Yan (Chinese: 南燕; pinyin: Nán Yān; 398–410), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Murong clan of the Xianbei during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms. Its founder Murong De (Emperor Xianwu) was a son of Murong Huang (Emperor Wenming) and brother of Murong Jun (Emperor Jingzhao) and Murong Chui (Emperor Chengwu), and therefore was an imperial prince of both the Former Yan and Later Yan dynasties.

All rulers of the Southern Yan declared themselves "emperors". Initially ruling from Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang, Henan) in northern Henan, they later moved to Shandong and established Guanggu (廣固, in modern Qingzhou, Shandong) as their capital. As one of many Yan states from the period, they were given the prefix of "Southern" by historiographers to distinguish them with the others as they were based south of the Yellow River.

Qin, known as the Former Qin and Fu Qin (苻秦) in historiography, was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Fu (Pu) clan of the Di peoples during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Founded in the wake of the Later Zhao dynasty's collapse in 351, it completed the unification of northern China in 376 during the reign of Fu Jiān (Emperor Xuanzhao), being the only state of the Sixteen Kingdoms to achieve so. Its capital was Chang'an up to Fu Jiān's death in 385. The prefix "Former" is used to distinguish it from the Later Qin and Western Qin dynasties that were founded later.

In 383, the severe defeat of the Former Qin by the Jin dynasty at the Battle of Fei River encouraged uprisings, splitting Former Qin territory into two noncontiguous pieces after the death of Fu Jiān. One remnant, at present-day Taiyuan, Shanxi was soon overwhelmed in 386 by the Xianbei under the Later Yan, Western Yan and the Dingling. The other struggled in greatly reduced territories around the border of present-day Shaanxi and Gansu until its final disintegration in 394 following years of invasions by Western Qin and Later Qin.

Wei (Chinese: 魏; pinyin: Wèi), known in historiography as Zhai Wei (Chinese: 翟魏), was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Dingling people that existed from 388 to 392, during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Its founder Zhai Liao had previously been vacillating between being a vassal of the Later Yan, Western Yan, and Eastern Jin dynasties, and in 388, after his last overture to reconcile with Later Yan's emperor Murong Chui was rejected, he founded his own dynasty, over the territory of modern central and eastern Henan. In 392, Zhai Wei, then under Zhai Liao's son Zhai Zhao, was destroyed by Later Yan forces. Because of its relatively small size and short lifespan, Zhai Wei is not included by historians among the Sixteen Kingdoms.

The rulers of Zhai Wei used the title "Heavenly King" (Tian Wang).

Yan, known in historiography as the Western Yan (Chinese: 西燕; pinyin: Xī Yān; 384–394) was a dynastic state of China ruled by the Xianbei ethnicity. The dynasty existed during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms, but it is not counted among the 16. It was founded by Murong Hong in 384 in the aftermath of the Former Qin's defeat by the Eastern Jin in the Battle of Fei River, with the stated intent of permitting the Xianbei, whom the Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān had relocated to Former Qin's capital region after destroying the Former Yan in 370. It initially also was intended to rescue the last Former Yan emperor Murong Wei, until he was executed by Fu Jiān in 385. It was a state that was characterized by extreme political instability and internal fighting, as all seven of its rulers (during a short span of 10 years) died of unnatural causes. After eviscerating the Former Qin, the people of the state abandoned the Guanzhong region and headed east back toward their homeland, but eventually settled down in modern Shanxi. It was destroyed in 394 as Later Yan's emperor Murong Chui wanted to reunite the people formerly of Yan and conquered it.

Some rulers of the Western Yan declared themselves emperors while some declared themselves wang (translatable as either "king" or "prince").

The Murong (Chinese: 慕容; pinyin: Mùróng; Wade–Giles: Mu-jung; LHC: *mɑ-joŋ; EMC: *mɔ-juawŋ) or Muren refers to an ethnic Xianbei tribe who are attested from the time of Tanshihuai (r. 156–181). Different strands of evidence exist linking the Murong to the Mongol nomadic confederation in Central Asia. The Former Yan (337–370), Later Yan (384–409), Western Yan (384–394), Southern Yan (398–410) dynasties as well as Tuyuhun (285–670) were all founded by Murong peoples.

Murong is also a surname, predominantly used by people of Xianbei descent. Prominent individuals who bear the surname include the Emperors and family of Former Yan and Later Yan, Murong Ke, Murong Long, Murong Sanzang (慕容三藏), Murong Yanzhao (慕容延钊), Murong Yanchao, Murong Nong, Murong Han, Murong Chuqiang (慕容楚强), Murong Haoran (慕容浩然), and the fictional character Murong Fu (慕容復). When Han peoples during the reign of Yuwen Tai were forced to change their surnames, Murong was one of three officially mandated Xianbei surnames. This policy was reversed by Emperor Wen of Sui, but some Han people retained the Murong surname.