Liang Dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Liang Dynasty (502-557), also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of the Southern dynasties
in China
and was followed by the Chen Dynasty
. The Western Liang Dynasty (西梁), with its capital established at Jiangling in 555 by Emperor Xuan
, a grandson of Liang's founder Emperor Wu
, claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Liang Dynasty; it was subservient to the successive Western Wei Dynasty, Northern Zhou Dynasty, and Sui Dynasty
, and was abolished by Emperor Wen of Sui
in 587.
embassy paid tribute to the Liang, amber was recorded as originating from Persia by the Liang Shu (Liang Book).
The ending date for Liang Dynasty itself is a matter of controversy among historians. Many historians consider the end of Emperor Jing
's reign in 556, when he was forced to yield the throne to Chen Baxian
, who established Chen Dynasty, to be Liang's end date. Others regard the abolition of Western Liang in 587 to be the true end of Liang.
The best surviving example of the Liang Dynasty's monumental statuary is perhaps the ensemble of the Tomb of Xiao Xiu
(475–518), a brother of Emperor Wu, located in Qixia District
east of Nanjing
.
Southern dynasties
The Southern dynasties comprise the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang Dynasty and Chen Dynasty, whose capital were at Jiankang , and Emperor Yuan of Liang, as well as the later Western Liang emperors , also set their...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and was followed by the Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty
The Chen Dynasty , also known as the Southern Chen Dynasty, was the fourth and last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty....
. The Western Liang Dynasty (西梁), with its capital established at Jiangling in 555 by Emperor Xuan
Emperor Xuan of Western Liang
Emperor Xuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Cha , courtesy name Lisun , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
, a grandson of Liang's founder Emperor Wu
Emperor Wu of Liang
Emperor Wu of Liang , personal name Xiao Yan , courtesy name Shuda , nickname Lian'er , was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...
, claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Liang Dynasty; it was subservient to the successive Western Wei Dynasty, Northern Zhou Dynasty, and Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
, and was abolished by Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...
in 587.
Rule
During the Liang Dynasty, in 547 a PersianSassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
embassy paid tribute to the Liang, amber was recorded as originating from Persia by the Liang Shu (Liang Book).
The ending date for Liang Dynasty itself is a matter of controversy among historians. Many historians consider the end of Emperor Jing
Emperor Jing of Liang
Emperor Jing of Liang , 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 general Chen Baxian in 555, but in 557 Chen forced him to yield the throne and...
's reign in 556, when he was forced to yield the throne to Chen Baxian
Emperor Wu of Chen
Emperor Wu of Chen , personal name Chen Baxian , courtesy name Xingguo , nickname Fasheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He first distinguished himself as a Liang Dynasty general during the campaign against the rebel general Hou Jing, and he was progressively promoted...
, who established Chen Dynasty, to be Liang's end date. Others regard the abolition of Western Liang in 587 to be the true end of Liang.
Sovereigns of Liang Dynasty (502-557)
| Posthumous Name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... | Family name and given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... s | Period of Reigns | Era name Chinese era name A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back... s and their according range of years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convention: Liang + posthumous name | |||
| Emperor Wu of Liang Emperor Wu of Liang Emperor Wu of Liang , personal name Xiao Yan , courtesy name Shuda , nickname Lian'er , was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... - Wu Di |
Xiao Yan (蕭衍 Xiāo Yǎn) | 502-549 | Tianjian (天監 tiān-jiān) 502-519 Putong (普通 pǔ-tōng) 520-527 Datong (大通 dà-tōng) 527-529 Zhongdatong (中大通 zhōng-dà-tōng) 529-534 Datong (大同 dà-tóng) 535-546 Zhongdatong (中大同 zhōng-dà-tóng) 546-547 Taiqing (太清 tài-qīng) 547-549 |
| Emperor Jianwen of Liang Emperor Jianwen of Liang Emperor Jianwen of Liang , personal name Xiao Gang , courtesy name Shizuan , nickname Liutong , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was initially not the crown prince of his father Emperor Wu, the founder of the dynasty, but became the crown prince in 531 after his older brother Xiao... - Jianwen Di |
Xiao Gang (蕭綱 xiāo gāng) | 549-551 | Dabao (大寶 dà bǎo) 550-551 |
| Prince of Yuzhang - Yu Zhang Wang | 蕭棟 xiāo dòng Xiao Dong Xiao Dung , courtesy name Yuanji , sometimes known by his pre-ascension title of Prince of Yuzhang , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... |
551-552 | Tianzheng (天正 tiān zhèng) 551-552 |
| Emperor Yuan of Liang Emperor Yuan of Liang Emperor Yuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Yi , courtesy name Shicheng , nickname Qifu , was an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... - Yuan Di |
蕭繹 xiāo yì | 552-555 | Chengsheng (承聖 chéng shèng) 552-555 |
| Marquess of Zhenyang - Zhen Yang Hou | 蕭淵明 xiāo yuān míng Xiao Yuanming Xiao Yuanming , courtesy name Jingtong , often known by his pre-ascension title of Marquess of Zhenyang , at times known by his post-removal title Duke of Jian'an , honored Emperor Min by Xiao Zhuang, was briefly an emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor... |
555 | Tiancheng (天成 tiān chéng) 555 |
| Emperor Jing of Liang Emperor Jing of Liang Emperor Jing of Liang , 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 general Chen Baxian in 555, but in 557 Chen forced him to yield the throne and... - Jing Di |
蕭方智 xiāo fāng zhì | 555-557 | Shaotai (紹泰 shào tài) 555-556 Taiping (太平 tài píng) 556-557 |
Western Liang Dynasty (555-587)
| Temple Names ( Miao Hao 廟號 miào hào) | Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號 ) | Personal Names | Period of Reigns | Era Names (Nián Hào 年號) and their relevant range of years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convention: Xi Liang + posthumous name | ||||
| Note: some historians consider Western Liang as a continuation of the Liang Dynasty since it was founded by Xiao Cha (Emperor Xuan), a grandson of Xiao Yan (Emperor Wu), the founder of the Liang Dynasty. | ||||
| Zhong Zong (中宗 zhōng zōng) | Xuan Di Emperor Xuan of Western Liang Emperor Xuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Cha , courtesy name Lisun , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... |
蕭詧 xiāo chá | 555-562 | Dading (大定 dà dìng) 555-562 |
| Shi Zong (世宗 shì zōng) | Xiao Ming Di Emperor Ming of Western Liang Emperor Ming of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Kui , courtesy name Renyuan , was a emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... |
蕭巋 xiāo kuī | 562-585 | Tianbao (天保 tiān bǎo) 562-585 |
| Did not exist | Xiao Jing Di Emperor Jing of Western Liang Emperor Jing of Western Liang , personal name Xiao Cong , courtesy name Wenwen , known during Sui Dynasty as the Duke of Ju then Duke of Liang , was the final emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty... |
蕭琮 xiāo cóng | 585-587 | Guangyun (廣運 guǎng yùn) 562-585 |
Artistic heritage
Tombs of a number of members of the ruling Xiao family, with their sculptural ensembles, in various states of preservation, are located near Nanjing.The best surviving example of the Liang Dynasty's monumental statuary is perhaps the ensemble of the Tomb of Xiao Xiu
Xiao Xiu
Xiao Xiu , styled Prince Anchengkang ,was a younger half-brother of Emperor Wu, the first emperor of China's Liang Dynasty...
(475–518), a brother of Emperor Wu, located in Qixia District
Qixia District
Qixia District , Jiangsu, China a city district of the City of Nanjing directly northeast across the Yangtze River from Nanjing.It has an area of 80 km2 and the population of 400,000.-Natural and historical sights:...
east of Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
.