Yan Chongnian

Yan Chongnian
阎崇年
Born April 1934
Penglai, Shandong
Citizenship China
Fields Qing history
Alma mater Beijing Normal University
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yan.

Yan Chongnian is a Chinese historian. He was born in Penglai City, Shandong, China in 1934. He established Beijing Manchu Institute, the first academic institute focussed on the Manchu history.

His publications include Biography of Yuan Chonghuan (ISBN 7-101-04869-2), True Stories of the 12 Qing Emperors (正説清朝十二帝, ISBN 7-101-04445-X), and Fall of Ming and Rise of Qing in 60 Years (明亡清興六十年, ISBN 7-101-05267-3）.

Face-slapping incident

Yan Chongnian was attacked in Wuxi on October 5, 2008, as he promoted his new book, The Kangxi Emperor. Yan was smacked twice in the face. It is claimed that Yan was labeled a traitor for advocating on the CCTV program Lecture Room the following view points:

  1. Wu Sangui, the Ming general who had opened the gates at Shanhai Pass to let 150,000 Manchu soldiers march into China proper, resulting in the annihilation of the Ming Dynasty, should be reevaluated for avoiding the mass bloodshed that may have resulted had he not surrendered.
  2. Censorship and Literary inquisition by the Qing should be viewed in the light of ensuring social stability and harmony.
  3. The Manchu invasion and the subsequent Yangzhou massacre, plus massacres of other ethnicities were designed to promote the integration of different ethnic groups.

Yan's responses to a reporter's question:

  1. "Yan: Let me make a statement here: I have checked up on all those quotes. I said none of them, they are pure fabrication. I have been critical of the Literary inquisition and never expressed any opinion on Han costume. If someone insists that I said such things, please point out in which book and on which page, or in which of my talks. The imprecision of the quotes is not scholarly at all.
  2. Yan: I can clear that up. I never write poems. I can show you my ID and tell you assuredly that I am a Han Chinese. I correct these Internet rumors every time someone asks. Someone even faked my blog and cooked up discussions between me and someone else. I can assure you that I do not blog....Those people, who probably haven't read my books at all or watched all the episodes of my show, act out of nationalist prejudice to take things out of context and even distort and fabricate. Those who disagree with my historical views are entitled to do so. But hitting me is not about academics.

An Internet opinion poll on www.people.com.cn conducted an opinion poll asking three questions:
(1)He asked for it.
(2)Objection to the use of slapping. But then, one needs to have the right to express one's opinion.
(3)I support Yan Chongnian.

As of 5 Nov 2008), 2,320,950 responses had been received. 42.7% picked (1), 49.7% picked (2), and 7.6% picked (3).

Like Confucius' Analects say, being old and still alive is the same as being a thief.
  1. Our current ethos is far inferior to older values. We only hear of how the person attacked, not of his higher moral authority.
  2. If violent behavior is now permissible, then all minorities in China should stand up for their independence, and drive the Han people back to the central plains where they came from.
  3. It's wrong to strike a human being, but not to strike a dog.
  4. Nazis should be slammed. Yan the Nazi deserved a lesson to let him know the power of justice.
  5. The issue isn't whether Yan should be hit, but whether he should be sent to trial.
  6. Good beating. Too bad I wasn't there or I would have joined in.
  7. You people are too extreme. How can you speak like this about an old man? Abusing Yan is too extreme, although I don't like him either. His unrealistic boasting about the Manchu Qing Dynasty is disgusting.
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