Yan Fei was from Jibei.[2] When Cao Pi was the presumptive heir to the Cao Wei throne, Yan was one of his attendants.[2] After Cao became the emperor, Yan was appointed a Gentleman-in-Attendance of the Yellow Gates [zh], an official who served at the palace.[2] After Jingzhao experienced a civil war and was conquered by the general Ma Chao, Yan "restored good and popular government" upon becoming the region's grand administrator.[2][3] People at the time largely had little experience in farming.[4] Yan encouraged his people to do urban agriculture work, suggesting that they use their leisurely time to farm.[3] At his home, Yan started vegetable plots.[3] Observing that the citizenry were in the predicament of lacking carts and cattle, he urged them to make carts, sell pigs and dogs, and buy cattle.[4] Within two years, nearly all households had carts and cattle.[5] According to the Chinese historical text Weilüe, under Yan's leadership, Jingzhao became the best of Yongzhou's ten prefectures.[6]
^ ab王明前 (December 2011). 张明海 (ed.). "三国两晋十六国南北土地制度的分与合" [The division and integration of the land systems in the north and south of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin dynasty and the Sixteen Kingdoms] (PDF). Journal of Henan Business College (in Chinese). 24 (6). Henan University: 69. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1008-3928.2011.06.018. ISSN1008-3928. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
^萬繩楠 (2002). 魏晉南北朝史論稿 [On the History of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties] (in Chinese). Taipei: 雲龍出版社. p. 33. ISBN986-7938-02-X. Retrieved 2022-03-18 – via Google Books.
