Chen Yan (. 891) was a Chinese warlord in Fujian during the late Tang dynasty. He served as governor (观察使 guāncháshǐ) of the Fujian Circuit, headquartered in what is now Fuzhou. Life It is not known when Chen Yan was born, but it is known that he was from Jian Prefecture ( now Nanping). In or around 878, when the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao was pillaging the Fujian region on his way south toward Guang Prefecture (廣州 in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), Chen gathered several thousand men around him to protect their home territory, and named the army Jiulong Army (). Then-governor of Fujian, Zheng Yi () thus made Chen his deputy in his position as the military prefect (團練使 Tuanlianshi) of Fujian's capital Fu (now Fuzhou). While Chen was serving as deputy military prefect, there was an occasion when Li Lian () the prefect of Quan Prefecture (泉州, in modern Quanzhou, Fujian) was found guilty of a crime. Fearful of punishment, Li hid in mountainous caves and gathered troops to attack Fu Prefecture. Chen led his army and repelled Li's attack. Zheng became apprehensive of Chen's hold on the army, and he made a recommendation to then-reigning Emperor Xizong that Chen be made the governor instead. In 884, Emperor Xizong approved of the request, and Chen became governor. It was said that Chen ruled with authority and grace, and that the people of the region were pacified. His rule extended over the entire Fujian region, with such places as Ting Prefecture (汀州 modern Longyan, Fujian) and Jian Prefecture falling under his command of the circuit government in Chen's later life. At some point, his family and that of Dong Chang, the military governor (Jiedushi) of neighboring Weisheng Circuit (威勝 headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), entered into a marriage relationship. In 886, Wang Chao, the leader of a roving army that had originated from Guang Prefecture (光州 in modern Xinyang, Henan), captured Quan Prefecture and killed its then-prefect Liao Yanrou (). However, hearing of Chen's might, Wang did not dare to attack Fu Prefecture, and sent messengers to submit to Chen. Chen made Wang the prefect of Quan Prefecture. In 891, Chen Yan fell ill. He sent messengers to summon Wang Chao, intending to entrust the circuit to him. However, before Wang could arrive, Chen died. Chen's brother-in-law Fan Hui () persuaded the soldiers to support him, and Fan and