Liu Yan

Life Liu Yan was the eldest son of the famous official, Liu Yu, who was an influential advisor to the regent and Prince of Donghai, Sima Yue. He initially served as a Senior Clerk to the Grand Commandant before he was transferred to the position of Gentleman of Writing. His father died some time around 311, after which he resigned to carry out his mourning period. When he returned to the government, he inherited his father's title of Marquis of Dingxiang and was invited by Sima Yue to serve as his Registrar. Liu Yan was later moved to Zhongshuzi to the Crown Prince and then sent out of Luoyang to serve as Administrator of Yangping Commandery.

Not long after taking up his new position, Luoyang fell to the Han-Zhao dynasty during the Disaster of Yongjia in 311. At the time, his uncle, Liu Kun was serving as the Inspector of Bing province and continued to resist the growing Han threat from Jinyang. In 312, the Han generals Zhao Gu and Wang Sang (王桑) were ravaging the counties of Hebei Commandery (河北; in present-day Yuncheng, Shanxi), so Liu Kun appointed Liu Yan as General Who Assists the State and Administrator of Wei Commandery to defend the important city of Ye. Zhao Gu and Wang Sang feared retaliation from Liu Yan, so they sent the Chief Clerk, Lin Shen (臨深) as a hostage to Liu Kun.

Liu Yan was further appointed as General of the Household Gentlemen of the North. Not long after, Zhao Gu and Wang Sang planned on surrendering back to Han, but Lin Shen and another general, Mou Mu (牟穆) refused, bringing with them 10,000 to properly submit to Liu Yan. Wang Sang then decided against his original intent and tried to flee east to Qing province instead. Zhao Gu attacked Wang Sang, and Liu Yan took advantage of their infighting to strike at them. Wang Sang was killed in battle while Zhao Gu retreated. Wang's general, Zhang Feng also surrendered to Liu Yan with 7,000 of his remaining troops.

In 316, Linqiu came under attack from Shi Hu, and Liu Yan requested reinforcements from the Inspector of Ji province, Shao Xu, who was defending Yanci (厭次, around present-day Dezhou, Shandong). Shao Xu sent Duan Wenyang of the Duan tribe to rescue him, but Shi Hu fortified Luguan Crossing (盧關津; south of present-day Fan County, Henan), preventing Duan from advancing further. At the time, Zhang Ping (張平) and several local leaders in Yu province raised their armies to aid Liu Yan. Liu appointed Zhang Ping as Inspector of Yu province and another leader, Fan Ya (樊雅) as Administrator of Qiao princely fief. However, Shi Hu ambushed and routed their forces.

Without any support Liu Yan could no longer defend Linqiu and abandoned the city, fleeing to Duan Wenyang's army. His younger brother, Liu Qi (劉啓), was captured and sent to Xiangguo. Liu Yan followed Duan Wenyang and was stationed at Yanci, where he was eventually killed likely before or around the time the city fell to the Later Zhao in 321.