[1] Yan was ambitious ruler, during his reign, Song had succeeded in beating troops from Chu, Wei and Qi and annexing Teng.
[1] According to Mencius, though Song was a small state, he was setting about to practise the "true royal government" (王政).
[2][3] However, in Records of the Grand Historian and many other history books, he was described as a tyrant and oppressor.
[1][4] Song was at odds with its powerful neighbors, including Qi and Wei.
In 286 BC, King Min of Qi plotted with the states of Chu and Wei for a joint expedition against Song, Yan fled to Wei and died there.