kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia
Yan (An-Shi rebellion)
Origins
An Lushan, a general of Sogdian and Turkic descent and favourite of Emperor Xuanzong, commanded three frontier armies in the north-east. Fearing the chief minister Yang Guozhong, he rebelled at the end of 755, took Luoyang and early in 756 proclaimed himself emperor of Great Yan, capturing Chang'an that summer.
Rule and society
The state was a military regime of frontier soldiers, including many Sogdian, Turkic and Khitan troops. It never governed securely: An Lushan was murdered by his son An Qingxu in 757, and Tang forces, aided by Uyghur cavalry, retook both capitals that year. Shi Siming killed An Qingxu in 759, retook Luoyang and was in turn murdered by his son Shi Chaoyi in 761.
Decline and legacy
Shi Chaoyi was defeated and killed himself in 763 as his generals surrendered. Millions had died or been displaced, and the Tang Dynasty survived only by leaving the Hebei provinces to hereditary military governors, while the Tibetan Empire seized the north-west.
Lineage
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Yan (An-Shi rebellion). In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yan-an-shi-rebellion
- MLA
- “Yan (An-Shi rebellion).” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yan-an-shi-rebellion. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Yan (An-Shi rebellion).” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yan-an-shi-rebellion.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Yan (An-Shi rebellion)’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/yan-an-shi-rebellion (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻