Yan Feng (燕風), courtesy name Zizhang, was a native of Northern Wei Dynasty Commandery (present-day Wei County, Zhangjiakou). The Book of Wei has a biography.
Yan Feng is very studious, knowledgeable about the history of the classics, and is good at the study of yin and yang. When the Daiwang Tuoba Shiyi heard of his name, he sent someone to hire him with a generous gift, but yanfeng refused. So Tuoba Shiyi's army surrounded the Daicheng (present-day northeast of Wei County), where Yan Feng lived, and said to the people in the city: "If Yan Feng does not come, I will kill you all." The people in the city were very frightened and quickly sent Yan Feng out. Tuoba Shiyi was very happy to see Yan Feng, treated him as a courtesy, talked to him, and admired his talent even more, so he worshipped him as the acting king Zuo Changshi, who had a very important position, and participated in state affairs. He also asked him to teach the Confucian classics to the prince together with his fellow villager Xu Qian.
Former Emperor Gongjian sent envoy Niu Tian to pay tribute, and Tuoba Shiyi asked Yan Feng to visit Former Qin as an envoy. Jian Jian asked Yan Feng, "What kind of person is the DaiWang?" Yan Feng replied, "Kuan and benevolent, slightly lofty and far-reaching, are temporary heroes, and often have the ambition to annex the world." Jian Jian said, "You northerners, without steel armor and sharp weapons, the enemy will advance if it is weak, and retreat when the enemy is strong, and you can still annex the world?" Yan Feng said: "The northerners are strong and strong, holding three kinds of heavy weapons on horseback, and they are still driving like flying." Moreover, our acting king Xiongxiu, who was supported by all the people in the north, rode horses, pulled bows, controlled millions of strings, and gave orders. The army is not as heavy as you are fighting in a car, and we travel lightly and quickly, because the enemy takes money. This is why the South is tired and the North is always victorious. Jian Jian asked, "How many people and horses are there in your country?" Yan Feng replied, "There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers on horseback and millions of horses." Jian Jian said: "The number of people you said can be believed, the number of horses is too much, it is a false statement." Yan Feng said: "Yunzhongchuan is two hundred miles from The East Mountain to the West River, and the North Mountain is more than a hundred miles from the South Mountain, and every autumn, the horses gather together and occupy the entire Yunzhong River." According to this, the number I just said is less. Erudite and deeply cultivated in Han culture, Jian Jian also respected Yan Feng's talent, and when Yan Feng returned, he gave him many valuable gifts.
In the first year of the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin (376), the daiguo was destroyed by Former Qin, who unified the north. Tuoba Shiyi died in the war, and ShiYiqian's grandson Tuoba Jue was also taken to Chang'an by the Former Qin army. Yan Feng, citing Tuoba Jue's weakness as an excuse, ran to Chang'an and asked Jian Jian to say: "The acting lord has just died, the courtiers have rebelled, this child is young, you take him away, the people below are likely to be in turmoil, affecting the stability of the north." When Tuoba Jue grows up, he can make him king and make his descendants forever unviolent subjects, which is a good strategy for Anbian and a kind kindness of His Majesty to the daiguo. Jian Jian agreed to Yan Feng's request and preserved the bloodline for Northern Wei. In the eleventh year (386) of emperor Xiaowu of Jin, Tuoba Jue changed the name of the state to Wei and became the founder of Northern Wei.
After Tuoba Jue's restoration, Yan Feng was more heavily used, successively serving as an official, a waiter at the Yellow Gate, and a Shangshu of Xingtai, which shows the importance that the emperor placed on him. After Tuoba Si succeeded to the throne, as an old courtier, he and Cui Xuanbo, Feng Yi, Liang Yue, etc. entered the sermons and discussed the government of the dynasty. During the Tuoba Dynasty, Yan Feng was given the title of Marquis of Pingshu (平舒侯) and given the title of General of Zhenyuan (镇遠將軍).