Chen Yan

Chen Yan (. 891) was a Chinese warlord in Fujian during the late Tang dynasty. He served as governor (观察使 guāncháshǐ) of the Fujian Circuit, headquartered in what is now Fuzhou.

Life It is not known when Chen Yan was born, but it is known that he was from Jian Prefecture ( now Nanping). In or around 878, when the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao was pillaging the Fujian region on his way south toward Guang Prefecture (廣州 in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), Chen gathered several thousand men around him to protect their home territory, and named the army Jiulong Army . Then-governor of Fujian, Zheng Yi thus made Chen his deputy in his position as the military prefect (團練使 Tuanlianshi) of Fujian's capital Fu (now Fuzhou).

In 886, Wang Chao, the leader of a roving army that had originated from Guang Prefecture (光州 in modern Xinyang, Henan), captured Quan Prefecture and killed its then-prefect Liao Yanrou . However, hearing of Chen's might, Wang did not dare to attack Fu Prefecture, and sent messengers to submit to Chen. Chen made Wang the prefect of Quan Prefecture. and Fan and Wang subsequent engaged in several years of warfare. In 893, Fu Prefecture fell to the siege by Wang's cousin Wang Yanfu and brother Wang Shenzhi, and Fan was killed in flight. Wang took over the circuit governorship. He buried Chen with respect, and gave a daughter in marriage to Chen's son Chen Yanhui . and to replace the Liao as the formal suzerains investing his successor Injong. The God of Yanyu's temple was subsequently known as the Zhaoli ("Manifesting Merit") Temple by imperial proclamation. The miracle was also credited to Mazu, the deified form of the Meizhou shamaness Lin Moniang.