Xiao Zhuang
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Xiao Zhuang (蕭莊; 548–577?), often known by his princely title of Prince of Yongjia (永嘉王), was a grandson of
Emperor Yuan of Liang Emperor Yuan of Liang () (16 September 508 – 27 January 555), personal name Xiao Yi (), courtesy name Shicheng (), childhood name Qifu (), was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. After his father Emperor Wu and brother Emperor Jianwen we ...
, who was declared by the general Wang Lin to be the legitimate emperor of the
Liang dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was preceded by the South ...
in 558, under military assistance by
Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It ruled the eastern part of northern China ...
. He thus was one of the three claimants to the
Southern dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered as ...
throne, competing with
Emperor Xuan of Western Liang Emperor Xuan of (Western) Liang ((西)梁宣帝; 519 – March or April 562), personal name Xiao Cha (蕭詧), courtesy name Lisun (理孫), was the founding emperor of the Western Liang dynasty of China. He took the throne of the Liang dynasty ...
, who was supported by
Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty and ...
, and the Chen dynasty's founder
Emperor Wu of Chen Emperor Wu of Chen (; 503– 9 August 559According to Chen Baxian's biography in ''Book of Chen'', he died aged 57 (by East Asian reckoning) on the ''bingwu'' day (written as "jingwu" to avoid the naming taboo of Li Bing, father of Tang Gaozu Li Y ...
and later his nephew
Emperor Wen of Chen Emperor Wen of Chen (陳文帝) (522–566), personal name Chen Qian (陳蒨), also called Chen Tanqian(陳曇蒨),《 新唐書·宰相世系表》 courtesy name Zihua (子華), was the second emperor of the Chinese Chen dynasty. He was a nephew ...
. In 560, with Wang Lin defeated by Chen troops, both Wang and Xiao Zhuang fled to Northern Qi, ending their rivalry with Chen and the Western Liang. While Northern Qi emperors made promises to return Xiao Zhuang to the Liang throne, Northern Qi was never able to accomplish that promise, and Xiao Zhuang died shortly after Northern Qi's own destruction in 577.


Early life

Xiao Zhuang was born in 548, as the son of Xiao Fangdeng (), the oldest son and
heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
of Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong, and Lady Xu Zhaopei. The name of his mother is not known to history. At the time of Xiao Zhuang's birth, his great-grandfather Emperor Wu was under siege by the rebel general
Hou Jing Hou Jing (; died June 552), courtesy name Wanjing (萬景), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician. He was a general of Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Liang, and briefly, after controlling the Liang imperial regime for several ...
inside the capital
Jiankang Jiankang (), or Jianye (), as it was originally called, was capital city of the Eastern Wu (229–265 and 266–280 CE), the Jin dynasty (317–420 CE) and the Southern Dynasties (420–552), including the Chen dynasty (557–589 CE). Its walls ...
, and Xiao Yi had sent Xiao Fangdeng to Jiankang as part of the confluence of provincial troops trying to lift the siege on Jiankang. Xiao Fangdeng distinguished himself during the campaign, but eventually Hou captured Jiankang in 549, taking Emperor Wu and Xiao Yi's older brother
Xiao Gang Xiao Gang (; born 1958 in Ji'an, Jiangxi) was the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission from March 2013 until 20 February 2016. He was previously chairman of the board of directors of Bank of China Limited, of the Bank of China ( ...
the
Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
hostage. After Jiankang's fall, the provincial troops disbanded, and Xiao Fangdeng took his troops back to Xiao Yi's headquarters at Jiangling. Later that year, Xiao Fangdeng died while battling his cousin Xiao Yu () the Prince of Hedong. In 552, Xiao Yi, after defeating Hou, declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan). He created Xiao Zhuang the Prince of Yongjia. In late 554,
Western Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Western Wei (), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the weste ...
forces attacked and captured Jiangling, which Emperor Yuan had made capital. Around the new year 555, Western Wei forces put Emperor Yuan to death and declared his nephew
Xiao Cha Emperor Xuan of (Western) Liang ((西)梁宣帝; 519 – March or April 562), personal name Xiao Cha (蕭詧), courtesy name Lisun (理孫), was the founding emperor of the Western Liang dynasty of China. He took the throne of the Liang dynasty ...
emperor (as Emperor Xuan). All but one of Emperor Yuan's sons,
Xiao Fangzhi Emperor Jing of Liang (; 543 – 5 May 558), personal name Xiao Fangzhi (), courtesy name Huixiang (), nickname Fazhen (), was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. As the only surviving son of Emperor Yuan, he was declared emperor by the gen ...
the Prince of Jin'an (who was not at Jiangling), were put to death as well. Most Liang provinces refused to recognize Emperor Xuan as emperor, and the chief of Emperor Yuan's generals,
Wang Sengbian Wang Sengbian (王僧辯) (5th century-555), courtesy name Juncai (君才), was a general of the History of China, Chinese dynasty Liang Dynasty. He came to prominence as the leading general under Emperor Yuan of Liang, Emperor Yuan (Xiao Yi)'s c ...
, welcomed Xiao Fangzhi to Jiankang, which he controlled, and declared him the Prince of Liang, preparing to make him emperor. Meanwhile, when Jiangling fell, Xiao Zhuang was hidden by the
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
nun Famu () and therefore was spared from his grandfather's and his uncles' fate. Eventually, he was delivered to one of Emperor Yuan's generals, Wang Lin, and Wang Lin delivered him to Jiankang. Despite Wang Sengbian's intent to make Xiao Zhuang's uncle Xiao Fangzhi emperor, he soon changed his mind when he became fearful of
Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties era. It ruled the eastern part of northern China ...
after Northern Qi forces scored several victories against his. He accepted the proposal of
Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi Emperor Wenxuan of (Northern) Qi ((北)齊文宣帝) (526–559), personal name Gao Yang (高洋, Wade–Giles: Kao Yang), courtesy name Zijin (子進), Xianbei name Hounigan (侯尼干), was the founding emperor of the Northern Qi dynasty of Chin ...
to make Emperor Yuan's cousin
Xiao Yuanming Xiao Yuanming (蕭淵明) (died 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) ...
emperor, and he declared Xiao Yuanming emperor in summer 555. Wang Sengbian's lieutenant
Chen Baxian Emperor Wu of Chen (; 503– 9 August 559According to Chen Baxian's biography in ''Book of Chen'', he died aged 57 (by East Asian reckoning) on the ''bingwu'' day (written as "jingwu" to avoid the naming taboo of Li Bing, father of Tang Gaozu Li Y ...
was displeased by Wang Sengbian's decision, and in fall 555, he made a surprise attack on Jiankang, killing Wang Sengbian and deposing Xiao Yuanming. He declared Xiao Fangzhi emperor (as Emperor Jing). Northern Qi forces almost immediately attacked, and while Chen was able to repel them, in order to try to make peace with Northern Qi, he sent Xiao Zhuang, as well as his nephew Chen Tanlang (), and Wang Min () the son of the key official Wang Chong () as hostages to Northern Qi.


Reign

In 557, Chen Baxian had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing the Chen dynasty as its Emperor Wu. In spring 558, Wang Lin, who had been resisting Chen and had wanted to try to continue the Liang dynasty, requested assistance from Northern Qi and asked that Xiao Zhuang be returned so that he could be declared emperor. Northern Qi did so, and Wang declared Xiao Zhuang emperor at his headquarters of Jiangxia (江夏, in modern
Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...
,
Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...
). Wang served as prime minister, and it appeared that Xiao Zhuang did not actually exercise much imperial power due to his young age. Ten provinces pledged allegiance to him as emperor, making up roughly modern
Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...
and central and eastern
Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...
. In 559, after the death of Chen Baxian and succession by Chen Baxian's nephew
Emperor Wen of Chen Emperor Wen of Chen (陳文帝) (522–566), personal name Chen Qian (陳蒨), also called Chen Tanqian(陳曇蒨),《 新唐書·宰相世系表》 courtesy name Zihua (子華), was the second emperor of the Chinese Chen dynasty. He was a nephew ...
, Wang launched a major attack on Chen, leaving Xiao Zhuang at Jiangxia under the protection of his lieutenant Sun Yang (). In spring 560, when Western Wei's successor state
Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern dynasties of China's Northern and Southern dynasties period, it succeeded the Western Wei dynasty and ...
heard of Wang's campaign, it launched an attack on Jiangxia and put it under siege. Meanwhile, Wang, engaging Chen general Hou Tian (), was defeated and forced to flee to Northern Qi. Xiao Zhuang soon fled to Northern Qi as well, and his territory was divided between Chen and Northern Zhou's vassal Emperor Xuan.


After reign

Northern Qi kept Xiao Zhuang as an honored guest, and in 570, the emperor
Gao Wei Gao Wei (高緯) (29 May 556 – November 577According to volume 10 of ''History of the Northern Dynasties'', Gao Wei was killed in the 10th month of the 6th year of the ''Jiande'' era of Yuwen Yong's reign. This corresponds to 28 Oct to 25 Nov ...
created Xiao Zhuang the Prince of Liang and made a promise to try to return him to the Liang throne. However, faced with internal issues with corruption and infighting, Northern Qi itself was weakening, and in 573, Wang Lin, a major proponent of Xiao Zhuang's cause, was captured and killed by the Chen general
Wu Mingche Wu Mingche (吳明徹) (512–578), courtesy name Tongzhao (通昭), was a general of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He first served under the dynasty's founder Emperor Wu but became the most prominent general of the state during the reign of Emperor W ...
during a major Chen attack on Northern Qi. In 577, Northern Qi fell to Northern Zhou. Xiao Zhuang was said to be so upset that he died shortly after at the Northern Qi capital Yecheng.


Era name

* ''Tianqi'' (天啟 tiān qǐ) 558–560


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xiao, Zhuang Liang dynasty emperors Northern Qi politicians 548 births 577 deaths Politicians from Jingzhou