Yan Yan (philosopher)

Yan Yan
Yan Yan in Half-Portraits of the Great Sage and Virtuous Men of Old (至聖先賢半身像), housed in the National Palace Museum
Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYán Yǎn
Wade–GilesYen Yen
Other names
Ziyou
(Courtesy name)
Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZǐyóu
Wade–GilesTzu-yu
Yan You
Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYán Yóu
Wade–GilesYen Yu
Yanzi
Chinese
Literal meaningMaster Yan
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYánzǐ
Wade–GilesYen-tzu

Yan Yan (b. 506 BC), also known by his courtesy name Ziyou and as Yan You or Yanzi, was a prominent disciple of Confucius, considered by Confucius to be his most distinguished disciple in the study of the classics. A native of the state of Wu, he was the only known southerner among Confucius' disciples.