He Yan

Also known as Zi Pingshu

He Yan, courtesy name Pingshu, was from Wan in Nanyang and a grandson of the Han regent He Jin. Cao Cao took his mother as a consort, and the boy grew up in Cao's household dressed like an heir, which made Cao Pi scorn him as a stepson; he later married the Princess of Jinxiang. Sidelined under the first two Wei emperors, he joined Cao Shuang in the Zhengshi era and rose to head the Board of Civil Office, controlling appointments. Fond of Laozi and Zhuangzi, he wrote an Essay on the Dao and its Virtue and with Wang Bi argued that being rests on non-being, later called the voice of Zhengshi. With Sun Yong, Zheng Chong, Cao Xi and Xun Yi he submitted the Collected Explanations of the Analects (Lunyu jijie). When Sima Yi seized power in 249, He Yan was executed with Cao Shuang and his whole clan. His commentary is the oldest complete one on the Analects and is included in the Thirteen Classics with Commentaries.