There are many Yan States in history, but most of them refer to China, a vassal state in northern China from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is also one of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period. In the first 222 years, it was destroyed by Qin State, also known as the Northern Yan State.

Among the descendants of the Yellow Emperor was a man named Botong, who was sealed in Yan in Shang Dynasty and established the Yan State. Historically, it was called Southern Yan, which was different from the Yan State of Ji Di.

During the Western Han Dynasty and Wei and Jin Dynasties, Yan was once a first-class local administrative region, county and state. Later, there were Yan Qian, Houyan, Saixixi, Beiyan, Southern Yan, Dayan, Five Dynasties Yan and Ming Dynasty.

There are nine Yan States in the history of China.