Yue Wan (died 368) was a general and politician of Former Yan during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He defended Fancheng (凡城, in modern Kazuo County, Liaoning) from Later Zhao in 339 and helped defeat Ran Min with Yao Xiang and Shi Zhi during the Wei-Xianbei war in 351. He was mostly known for his reforms in 368, in which he attempted to fix Yan's Hukou system that was being abused by the nobility and corrupted officials. Following his conquest of Yan in 370, Former Qin ruler, Fu Jian, lamented that he was unable to recruit Yue Wan while he was still alive.
When the Zhao soldiers arrived, the Yan officials within the city were shaken. They all considered abandoning the city, but Yue Wan told them, "I have been given orders to resist the enemy, and will do so whether I live or die. If we rely upon the city's defences, each one of us will be able to take on a hundred of them. Those who dare mislead the others will be executed!" The officials thus remained with Yue Wan. Yue personally lead the troops out to fight throughout the siege, going as far as exposing himself to enemy projectiles. Even after ten days of battle, Li Nong and Zhang Ju were still unable to take the city, so they retreated.(虎以撫軍將軍李農為使持節、監遼西、北平諸軍事、征東將軍、營州牧,鎮令支。農帥眾三萬與征北大將軍張舉攻燕凡城。燕王皝以榼盧城大悅綰為御難將軍,授兵一千,使守凡城。及趙兵至,將吏皆恐,欲棄城走。綰曰:「受命禦寇,死生以之。且憑城堅守,一可敵百,有敢妄言惑眾者斬!」眾然後定。綰身先士卒,親冒矢石;舉等攻之經旬,不能克,乃退。虎以遼西迫近燕境,數遭攻襲,乃悉徙其民於冀州之南。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 96
Yao Xiang and the general Shi Kun (石琨) were the first to arrive at the outskirts of Xiangguo. Ran Min gathered his army and marched out to attack Yao Xiang head-on, but just as he did, Yue Wan, too would arrive to reinforce Xiang. As Yue approached the Wei army, Yue Wan ordered his cavalry to ride about with their horses dragging bundles of wood behind them. This created a huge cloud of dust, giving the impression to the Wei army that Yue Wan's army is bigger than it actually was. Yue Wan's tactic worked as the Wei army's morale fell. He, Yao Xiang and Shi Kun attacked Ran Min from three sides and was later joined by Shi Zhi, who marched out Xiangguo to attack Min from behind. Surrounded, Ran Min suffered a great defeat and barely escaped back to Yecheng with a few remaining riders.(悅綰適以燕兵至,去魏兵數里,疏布騎卒,曳柴揚塵,魏人望之恟懼,襄、琨、綰三面擊之,趙王祗自後沖之,魏兵大敗,閔與十餘騎走還鄴。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 99
Although Ran Min was driven back, Shi Zhi was assassinated by his subordinate Liu Xian (劉顯) shortly after, who then surrendered Xiangguo to Ran Min, ending Later Zhao. Because of this, Yue Wan returned to Murong Jun with his army. Previously, Zhao had sent Zhang Ju as an envoy to Yan, and Zhang had promised Murong Jun the imperial seal which he claimed was with Shi Zhi. However, seeing that Yue Wan returned empty-handed, Murong Jun realized Zhang Ju was lying, and had him executed.
In 358, Murong Ping was sent to pacify Bing Province, which was controlled by the semi-independent warlord, Zhang Ping. After more than a hundred fortified places surrendered to Yan, Yue Wan was appointed Inspector of Bingzhou to settle the people in the province.
Yue Wan had grown to the position of Left Supervisor of the Masters of Writing and was bestowed the title of Duke of Guangxin. Realizing this growing issue, in 368, Yue Wan said to Murong Wei, "The balance of power now lies in three states, with each side seeking to swallow the other. Yet, the administration of our state has not been upheld. The nobility is so arbitrary in their behaviour that they have caused the civil registry to be exhausted. The transport of goods to offices have ceased, the clerks are rarely given their salaries and the soldiers are cut from their food supply. The officials even have to borrow grain and silk to support themselves. Our enemies must know none of this, as this is not the way to govern. We ought to stop this herding of people in private fiefs and return them to their respective counties and commanderies."
Murong Wei agreed with his statement and ordered him to implement his reforms at once. Yue managed to uncover the ministers guilty of contributing to the problem and brought them to light. He also restored around 200,000 people to the public register from the fiefs. Though they greatly benefitted the state, Yue Wan became feared and despised by court officials who bore the brunt of his reforms. At the time of his reforms, however, Yue Wan was already ill, and while he was verifying the census registers, his condition began to worsen. He soon died in the winter of 368.(燕王公、貴戚多占民為廕戶,國之戶口少於私家,倉庫空竭,用度不足。尚書左僕射廣信公悅綰曰:「今三方鼎峙,各有吞併之心。而國家政法不立,豪貴恣橫,至使民戶殫盡,委輸無入,吏斷常俸,戰士絕廩,官貸粟帛以自贍給;既不可聞於鄰敵,且非所以為治,宜一切罷斷諸廕戶,盡還郡縣。」燕主暐從之,使綰專治其事,糾擿奸伏,無敢蔽匿,出戶二十餘萬,舉朝怨怒。綰先有疾,自力厘校戶籍,疾遂亟。冬,十一月,卒。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 101(先綰先有疾, 乃自力厘校戶籍, 疾遂益亟而卒。) Spring and Autumn Annals of the Sixteen Kingdoms, Volume 32
In 370, Former Qin invaded Yan and conquered the state. Qin's ruler, Fu Jian, heard of Yue Wan's services after his conquest and became regretful with the fact that he was unable to meet him. Because of this, he appointed Yue Wan's sons to serve as Household Gentlemen in his government.(堅聞悅綰之忠,恨不及見,拜其子為郎中。) Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 102
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