Qi Hedi ((南)齊和帝)
Family 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"... :	Xiao Hsiao Xiao is a Chinese surname. In the Wade-Giles system of romanization, it is rendered as Hsiao. It may also be romanized as Siew, Siow or Siu....  (蕭, xiāo)
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"... :	Baorong (寶融, bǎo róng)
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... :	He (明, míng), literary meaning: "moderate"

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

Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

 of the Chinese

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

 dynasty Southern Qi

Southern Qi

The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...

. He was put on the throne by the generals Xiao Yingzhou (蕭穎冑) and Xiao Yan

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...

 in 501 as a competing candidate for the throne to his violent and arbitrary older brother Xiao Baojuan. In 502, with Xiao Baojuan having been defeated and killed and Xiao Yingzhou dead, Xiao Yan seized the throne from Emperor He and took the throne himself, ending Southern Qi and starting Liang Dynasty

Liang Dynasty

The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...

. Soon, Xiao Yan had the 14-year-old former Emperor He put to death.

Background

Xiao Baorong was born in 488, when his father Xiao Luan

Emperor Ming of Southern Qi

Emperor Ming of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Luan , courtesy name Jingqi , nickname Xuandu , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...

 was the Marquess of Xichang and a mid-high level official under Emperor Wu

Emperor Wu of Southern Qi

Emperor Wu of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Ze , courtesy name Xuanyuan , nickname Long'er , was the second emperor of the Chinese Southern Qi Dynasty...

, a cousin of Xiao Luan's. His mother was Xiao Luan's wife Marchioness Liu Huiduan (劉惠端), who died the following year (489). After Xiao Luan seized power from and killed Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye in a coup in 494, and then further took the throne later that year from Xiao Zhaoye's brother Xiao Zhaowen as Emperor Ming, Xiao Baorong, as the new emperor's son, was created the Prince of Sui Commandery. In 499 (after Emperor Ming's death in 498), Xiao Baorong's older brother Xiao Baojuan, who had inherited the throne, changed his title to Prince of Nankang instead. (Sometime between 494 and 499, Xiao Baorong married Wang Shunhua

Empress Wang Shunhua

Empress Wang Shunhua was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi. Her husband was the final emperor of the dynasty, Emperor He.Wang Shunhua's grandfather Wang Jian was an early Southern Qi prime minister, and her clan was one of the two most powerful ones among the honored clans of the...

, the granddaughter of the early Southern Qi prime minister Wang Jian

Wang Jian (Southern Qi)

Wang Jian , courtesy name Zhongbao , formally Duke Wenxian of Nanchang , was an official of the Chinese dynasties Liu Song and Southern Qi, who was particularly powerful during the reigns of the first two emperors of Southern Qi, Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu .-Family background:Wang Jian came from...

, as his wife.) Also in 499, Xiao Baojuan made Xiao Baorong the governor of the important Jing Province (荊州, modern central and western Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

), although the actual responsibilities for governing the province were in staff members' hands, particularly those of the chief of staff, Xiao Yingzhou.

Rebellion against Xiao Baojuan

Xiao Baojuan was an arbitrary and violent ruler, and he often executed high level officials based on his perception of them as threats to his rule. in winter 500, he executed his prime minister Xiao Yi (蕭懿), and Xiao Yi's brother Xiao Yan

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...

, the governor of Yong Province (雍州, modern northwestern Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

) declared a rebellion from the capital of Yong Province, Xiangyang (襄陽, in modern Xiangfan

Xiangfan

Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China. It was formed from two famous ancient cities, Xiangyang and Fancheng...

, Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

). In response, Xiao Baojuan sent the general Liu Shanyang (劉山陽) to Jing Province, ordering him to rendezvous with Xiao Yingzhou and then attack Xiangyang. Xiao Yan, however, persuaded Xiao Yingzhou that Liu's orders were to attack both Jing and Yong Provinces, and Xiao Yingzhou, after making Liu believe his good faith by executing Xiao Yan's messenger Wang Tianhu (王天虎), surprised and killed Liu, seizing his forces. He then openly declared rebellion and supported Xiao Baorong as nominal leader. Xiao Yingzhou and Xiao Baorong remained at Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou

Jingzhou

Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...

, Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

), the capital of Jing Province, which was then made into the provisional capital, while Xiao Yan advanced east against Xiao Baojuan's forces. In spring 501, Xiao Baorong was proclaimed emperor (as Emperor He), but actual powers were in Xiao Yingzhou's hands.

While Xiao Yan's campaign east initially stalemated at Yingcheng (郢城, in modern Wuhan

Wuhan

Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...

, Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

), by fall 501 he had captured Yingcheng and continued to advance east. He quickly arrived at the capital Jiankang

Jiankang

Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...

, putting it under siege. (During the siege of Jiankang, Xiao Yingzhou, anxious over the facts that Xiao Baojuan's general Xiao Gui (蕭璝) was approaching Jianling and that Xiao Yan was so easily able to reach Jiankang and becoming popularly supported, died; from that point on, Emperor He was controlled by Xiao Yingzhou's lieutenant Xiahou Xiang (夏侯詳) and Xiao Yan's brother Xiao Dan (蕭憺), both of whom supported Xiao Yan.) Xiao Baojuan's forces, commanded by the generals Wang Zhenguo (王珍國) and Zhang Ji (張稷) were initially able to hold the defenses. However, Xiao Baojuan's associates then told him that they believed that the reason why Jiankang remained undersiege was being Wang and Zhang were not fighting with all their strength—which led Wang and Zhang to be apprehensive, and they assassinated Xiao Baojuan and surrendered.

After Xiao Baojuan's defeat

Xiao Yan, after triumphing over Xiao Baojuan, for several months appeared to act as if Emperor He did not exist, having Xiao Zhaoye's mother Empress Dowager Wang Baoming

Empress Dowager Wang Baoming

Empress Dowager Wang Baoming , formally Empress An , semi-formally Empress Dowager Xuande , was an empress dowager of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...

 serve as titular regent

Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

 in Jiankang instead and effectively ruling in her name. He had her grant him progressively higher titles, including the titles of Duke of Liang and then Prince of Liang, and also granting him the nine bestowments

Nine bestowments

The nine bestowments were awards given by Chinese emperors to extraordinary officials, ostensibly to reward them for their accomplishments. The nine bestowments were awards given by Chinese emperors to extraordinary officials, ostensibly to reward them for their accomplishments. The nine...

. All of Xiao Baorong's brothers were gradually killed, except for Xiao Baoyi (蕭寶義) the Prince of jin'an, who was disabled, and Xiao Baoyin

Xiao Baoyin

Xiao Baoyin , courtesy name Zhiliang , was an imperial prince of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi. In 502, as Southern Qi was on the edge of being taken over by the general Xiao Yan, who was preparing by killing the imperial princes, Xiao Baoyin fled to rival Northern Wei and became an official...

 the Prince of Poyang, who fled to Northern Wei

Northern Wei

The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...

. Only late spring 502 did Xiao Dan send Emperor He on a journey back east toward the capital, but before he reached the capital, Xiao Yan had him issue an edict yielding the throne to Xiao Yan, ending Southern Qi and starting Liang Dynasty

Liang Dynasty

The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...

. The edict was confirmed by Empress Dowager Wang.

Xiao Yan (as Emperor Wu of Liang) initially created Xiao Baorong the Prince of Baling, issuing orders to have a palace built at Gushu (姑孰, in modern Ma'anshan

Ma'anshan

Ma'anshan , also written as Maanshan, is a prefecture-level city in the east of Anhui province in Eastern China. An industrial city stretching across the Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders Hefei to the west, Wuhu to the southwest, and Nanjing to the east...

, Anhui

Anhui

Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

) for Xiao Baorong. However, just one day later, on advice of the official Shen Yue

Shen Yue

Shen Yue , courtesy name Xiuwen , was a poet, statesman, and historian born in Huzhou, Zhejiang. He served emperors under the Liu Song Dynasty, the Southern Qi Dynasty, and the Liang Dynasty....

, who believed that Xiao Baorong would pose a future threat, Xiao Yan sent messengers to force Xiao Baorong to commit suicide by drinking poisoned wine. Xiao Baorong refused to commit suicide, but indicated that he was willing to be killed, and he got himself drunk. Xiao Yan's messenger Zheng Boqin (鄭伯禽) then killed him. He was buried with honors due an emperor.

Personal information

• Father
  • Emperor Ming of Southern Qi
    Emperor Ming of Southern Qi
    Emperor Ming of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Luan , courtesy name Jingqi , nickname Xuandu , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...
    
    
• Mother
  • Marchioness Liu Huiduan (劉惠端) (d. 489), posthumously honored as Empress Jing
• Wife
  • Empress Wang Shunhua
    Empress Wang Shunhua
    Empress Wang Shunhua was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi. Her husband was the final emperor of the dynasty, Emperor He.Wang Shunhua's grandfather Wang Jian was an early Southern Qi prime minister, and her clan was one of the two most powerful ones among the honored clans of the...
    
     (created 501)

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