Xiao Yuanming (蕭淵明) (d. 556), courtesy name Jingtong (靖通), often known by his pre-ascension title of Marquess of Zhenyang (貞陽侯), at times known by his post-removal title Duke of Jian'an (建安公), honored Emperor Min (閔皇帝) by Xiao Zhuang, was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor Emperor Wu. In 555, with Liang in disarray after Western Wei had captured and killed Emperor Yuan, Northern Qi, which had held Xiao Yuanming as an honored captive since 547, used force to force the general Wang Sengbian to accept Xiao Yuanming as emperor. Soon, however, Wang's subordinate Chen Baxian killed Wang and removed Xiao Yuanming from the throne, replacing him with Emperor Yuan's son Xiao Fangzhi (Emperor Jing). Xiao Yuanming died the following year. Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. ... Hsiao is a Japanese surname. ... Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. ... A posthumous name (Traditional Chinese: 諡號/謚號 Simplified Chinese: 谥号; Pinyin: shì hào; Romaji: shigō/tsuigō; Revised Romanization of Korean: siho) is a honorary name given to royalty in some cultures posthumously, that is, after the persons death. ... Events End of the Western Wei Dynasty in China. ... Cha can also refer to a Latin American dance, also called the Cha-cha-cha. ... Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Zhuang Wen (zh: 孝莊太后 HiyooÅ¡ungga AmbalinggÅ« GenggiyenÅ¡u HÅ«wanghu as the Empress in Manchu; 1613-1688) was the grandmother of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ... Emperor Wu of Liang (梁武帝) (464-549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), nickname Lianer (ç·´å…’), was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ... For other uses, see number 555. ... The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556. ... Emperor Yuan of Liang (梁元帝) (508-555), personal name Xiao Yi (è•­ç¹¹), courtesy name Shicheng (世誠), nickname Qifu (七符), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ... The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577. ... Events Ida founds the kingdom of Bernicia at Bamburgh (traditional date). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Emperor Jing of Liang (梁敬帝) (544-558), personal name Xiao Fangzhi (蕭方智), courtesy name Huixiang (慧相), nickname Fazhen (法真), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ...

Early life

It is not known when Xiao Yuanming was born. His father Xiao Yi (蕭懿) was a major general during late Southern Qi, and of Xiao Yi's sons, five (perhaps all) are known to history. Xiao Yuanming was the youngest among these sons. As Xiao Yi was forced to commit suicide by Southern Qi's cruel emperor Xiao Baojuan (often known by his posthumously demoted title of Marquess of Donghun) in 500, Xiao Yuanming could not have been born any later than 501. The Southern Qi Dynasty 齊朝 (479-502) was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. ... Marquess of Donghun (東昏侯) (483-501), personal name Xiao Baojuan (蕭寶卷), né Xiao Mingxian (蕭明賢), courtesy name Zhizang (智藏), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi. ... Events Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon army that may have been led by the bretwalda Aelle of Sussex (approximate date; suggested dates range from 490 to 510) Note: This battle may have influenced the legend of King Arthur. ...

After Xiao Yi's death, Xiao Yi's younger brother and Xiao Yuanming's uncle Xiao Yan rebelled at his post of Xiangyang (襄陽, in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), seeking to avenge Xiao Yi. By 502 he put the capital Jiankang under siege, and Xiao Baojuan was killed by his own generals. Later that year, Xiao Yan seized the throne from Xiao Baojuan's younger brother Emperor He of Southern Qi, ending Southern Qi and establishing Liang Dynasty (as Emperor Wu). Emperor Wu was said to love Xiao Yuanming greatly, and he created Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang. Emperor Wu of Liang (梁武帝) (464-549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), nickname Lianer (ç·´å…’), was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ... Xiangfan (Simplified Chinese: 襄樊; Pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city in Hubei province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Events End of the Qi Dynasty and beginning of the Liang Dynasty in southern China. ... Jiankang (建康城 in pinyin: Jiànkāng chéng), formerly known as Jianye (建業 Jiànyè) until Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420), is an ancient city in China, located west of present-day Nanjing, in south Jiangning County (江寧縣 Jiāngníng Xi... Emperor He of Southern Qi ((南)齊和帝) (488-502), personal name Xiao Baorong (蕭寶融), courtesy name Zhizhao (智昭), was the last emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi. ... Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ...

Career as Liang official

Nothing is known about Xiao Yuanming's career as an official until 547, when it was recorded that he was the governor of Yu Province (豫州, modern central Anhui). The people were said to be so impressed by his governance that they made a stone monument commemorating his term of office. However, it became known later that the artisans who carved the monument were associated with and paid by Xiao Yuanming. Therefore, it became widely believed that he had encouraged the people to create the monument to praise himself. Events Ida founds the kingdom of Bernicia at Bamburgh (traditional date). ... Anhui (Chinese: 安徽; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: An-hui; Postal System Pinyin: Ngan-hui, Anhwei or An-hwei) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

In 547, the Eastern Wei general Hou Jing, in conflict with the regent Gao Cheng, surrendered his domain -- 13 provinces between the Yellow River and the Huai River -- to Liang. Emperor Wu accepted Hou's surrender and commissioned an army to aid Hou, to be commanded by Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Huili (蕭會理) the Prince of Nankang. Xiao Yuanming requested to accompany Xiao Huili, and was made Xiao Huili's assistant. However, Xiao Huili was cowardly and arrogant, and he refused to meet his subordinate generals, even Xiao Yuanming. Xiao Yuanming secretly informed Emperor Wu of this, and Emperor Wu relieved Xiao Huili of his command and put Xiao Yuanming in command. The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550. ... Hou Jing (侯景) (d. ... Gao Cheng (高澄) (521-549), courtesy name Zihui (子惠), formally Prince Wenxiang of Bohai (勃海文襄王), later further posthumously honored by Northern Qi as Emperor Wenxiang (文襄皇帝), was the paramount official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Eastern Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei. ... The Yellow River or Golden River (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin:  ; Wade-Giles: Hwang-ho, sometimes simply called the River in ancient Chinese) is the second longest river in China (after Yangtze River) and the seventh longest in the world. ... Huai He The Huai River (Chinese: 淮河; pinyin: ) is about mid-way between the Yellow River (Huang He) and the Yangtze River. ...

The Liang army, commanded by Xiao Yuanming, advanced on the Eastern Wei city Pengcheng (彭城, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), and Xiao Yuanming camped at Hanshan (寒山), in Pengcheng's vicinity, and built a dam over Si River (泗水) to use water to attack Pengcheng. Xiao Yuanming's lieutenant, the general Yang Kan (羊侃), quickly completed the dam, but when Yang advised Xiao Yuanming to attack Pengcheng, Xiao Yuanming hesitated. Because Xiao Yuanming could not come up with a coordinated strategy, the generals under him began to carry out their own actions, including pillaging the people in the region, and Xiao Yuanming was unable to stop them, save the units directly under his own command. Xuzhou (Chinese: 徐州; Hanyu Pinyin: ), known as Pengcheng (Chinese: 彭城; Hanyu Pinyin: ) in ancient times, is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Jiangsu province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Jiangsu (Simplified Chinese: 江苏; Traditional Chinese: 江蘇; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-su; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsu) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. ...

Late in 547, the Eastern Wei forces commanded by Murong Shaozong (慕容紹宗) arrived, and instead of engaging the Eastern Wei forces quickly as Yang suggested, Xiao Yuanming became drunk with wine and allowed Murong's army to settle in. When the armies did engage, the Liang forces were initially successful, but Murong's counterattack caused Liang forces to collapse, and Xiao Yuanming was captured. However, the people of the region was impressed by his refusal to pilllage them, and gave him the epithet "the righteous prince" (義王, yi wang). He was taken to the Eastern Wei capital Yecheng (鄴城, in modern Handan, Hebei), where Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei formally received and rebuked him, and then released him, sending him to Gao Cheng's headquarters at Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), where Gao treated him with honor -- intending to use Xiao Yuanming as a pawn in negotiations with Liang. Subsequently, Gao allowed Xiao Yuanming to write to Emperor Wu and offered to return Xiao Yuanming -- causing Hou, who had by that point lost the 13 provinces but controlled Yu Province, to rebel in 548, capturing Jiankang in 549, taking Emperor Wu and his crown prince Xiao Gang hostages, and throwing Liang into a general state of confusion and unrest. Handan (Simplified: 邯郸; Traditional: 邯鄲; Hanyu Pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China. ... Hebei (Chinese: 河北; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hopeh) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei ((東)魏孝靜帝) (524-552), personal name Yuan Shanjian (元善見), was the only emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Eastern Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei. ... Location within China Taiyuan (Chinese: ; pinyin: Tàiyuán; Wade-Giles: Tai-yüan) is a prefecture-level city in China, capital of the Shanxi province. ... Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shansi) is a province in the northern part of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Events Belisarius is relieved of command over the Byzantine forces in Italy and replaced with Narses. ... Events Emperor Jinwen succeeds Emperor Wu as ruler of the Liang Dynasty in China. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ... Emperor Jianwen of Liang (梁簡文帝) (503-551), personal name Xiao Gang (蕭綱), courtesy name Shizuan (世纘), nickname Liutong (六通), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ...

Return to Liang

Little is known about Xiao Yuanming's activities while in Eastern Wei and its successor state Northern Qi (as Gao Cheng's successor and brother Gao Yang seized the throne from Emperor Xiaojing in 550 and established Northern Qi as its Emperor Wenxuan), although it was said that Xiao Yuanming cried bitterly when he heard about the fall of Jiankang. He was given the office of sanqi changshi (散騎常侍) -- an honorific office with little responsibilities. The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Events By Place Byzantine Empire Silk reaches Constantinople (approximate date). ...

In 552, Emperor Wu's son Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong defeated Hou and declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan), setting his capital at Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei) rather than the war-devastated Jiankang, but in 554, Western Wei forces captured Jiangling, capturing and then executing Emperor Yuan. In light of Emperor Yuan's death, his most important general Wang Sengbian and Wang's lieutenant Chen Baxian, who together controlled the eastern empire, welcomed Emperor Yuan's 12-year-old son Xiao Fangzhi to Jiankang, preparing to make him emperor, and in spring 555, Xiao Fangzhi took the title Prince of Liang. Events July - Battle of Taginae: The Byzantine general Narses defeats and kills Totila, king of the Ostrogoths. ... Emperor Yuan of Liang (梁元帝) (508-555), personal name Xiao Yi (è•­ç¹¹), courtesy name Shicheng (世誠), nickname Qifu (七符), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ... Jingzhou (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: JÄ«ngzhōu) is a city in the Hubei province of the Peoples Republic of China, on the banks of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Events The Byzantine general Narses reconquers all of Italy. ... The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Emperor Jing of Liang (梁敬帝) (544-558), personal name Xiao Fangzhi (蕭方智), courtesy name Huixiang (慧相), nickname Fazhen (法真), was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. ... For other uses, see number 555. ...

At that time, however, Emperor Wenxuan, who had previously made an unsuccessful attempt to establish Xiao Yuanming's cousin Xiao Tui (蕭退) as Liang's emperor in 553, decided to again try to establish a vassal regime in Liang. He wrote Wang, suggesting that Xiao Fangzhi was too young to be emperor and proposing Xiao Yuanming as emperor -- and Xiao Yuanming apparently cooperated with Emperor Wenxuan in this attempt, as he wrote a letter to Wang as well. Wang initially wrote back to reject the offer. However, a few quick victories by Northern Qi escort forces, commanded by Emperor Wenxuan's brother Gao Huan (高渙) the Prince of Shangdang, made Wang fearful, and he wrote back, agreeing to support Xiao Yuanming as emperor -- but extracting a promise from Xiao Yuanming to create Xiao Fangzhi crown prince. Wang also allowedly only 1,000 soldiers to accompany Xiao Yuanming south of the Yangtze River. In summer 555, Xiao Yuanming arrived at Jiankang, and as he saw the main gate to the palace -- Zhuque Gate (朱雀門), he cried bitterly, and the Liang officials also crited bitterly. He then took the throne. Pursuant to his promise, he created Xiao Fangzhi crown prince. Wang and Chen continued to be in command of the armed forces. Events The Ostrogoth Kingdom is conquered by the Byzantines after the Battle of Mons Lactarius. ... Afternoon light on the jagged grey mountains rising from the Yangtze River gorge The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: )   is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. ...

Reign

Xiao Yuanming's reign did not last long. In fall 555, Chen, displeased with Xiao Yuanming's ascension -- which he had tried to persuade Wang not to accept -- made a surprise attack on Jiankang from his post at Jingkou (京口, in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). With everyone believing that Chen's army movement was in response to report that Northern Qi was planning to attack, Jiankang's defense forces made no effort to resist, and Chen surprised Wang, killing him and seizing power. Two days after Wang's death, Xiao Yuanming abdicated and moved out of the palace, returning to his private residence. Chen made Xiao Fangzhi emperor (as Emperor Jing). Zhenjiang (Simplified Chinese: 镇江; Traditional Chinese: 鎮江; pinyin: Zhènjiāng; Wade-Giles: Chen-chiang) is a prefecture-level city in the southwestern Jiangsu province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Jiangsu (Simplified Chinese: 江苏; Traditional Chinese: 江蘇; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-su; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsu) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. ...

After abdication

Emperor Jing formally made Xiao Yuanming prime minister and created him the greater title of Duke of Jian'an, although there is no evidence that Xiao Yuanming yielded much actual power.

In light of the coup, Northern Qi launched a major attack on Liang in winter 555, aided by Liang generals loyal to Wang. The Northern Qi and Liang armies following Chen's orders stalemated for months. In summer 556, Northern Qi generals invited Xiao Yuanming to their camp for peace negotiations, and Chen sent Xiao Yuanming to the Northern Qi camp. However, before any negotations could commence, Xiao Yuanming died from a severe infection on his back. In 558, Xiao Zhuang the Prince of Yongjia (Emperor Yuan's grandson), who was proclaimed Liang's emperor by the general Wang Lin following Chen's seizure of the throne from Emperor Jing earlier that year, honored Xiao Yuanming as Emperor Min -- a posthumous name recognized by but rarely used by traditional historians. Events End of the Western Wei Dynasty in China. ... Events May 7 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. ... Grand Empress Dowager Xiao Zhuang Wen (zh: 孝莊太后 Hiyoošungga Ambalinggū Genggiyenšu Hūwanghu as the Empress in Manchu; 1613-1688) was the grandmother of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty. ... Wang Lin (王琳) (526-573), courtesy name Ziheng (子珩), formally Prince Zhongwu of Baling (巴陵忠武王), was a general of the Chinese dynasties Liang Dynasty and Northern Qi. ... A posthumous name (Traditional Chinese: 諡號/謚號 Simplified Chinese: 谥号; Pinyin: shì hào; Romaji: shigō/tsuigō; Revised Romanization of Korean: siho) is a honorary name given to royalty in some cultures posthumously, that is, after the persons death. ...

Era name

• Tiancheng (天成 tiān chéng) 555

For other uses, see number 555. ...

Personal information

• Father
  • Xiao Yi (蕭懿), Southern Qi general, brother of Emperor Wu of Liang
• Children
  • Xiao Zhangchi (蕭章馳)