Northern Wei
Encyclopedia
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...
from 386 to 534 (de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
until 535). It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change". It is perhaps most noted for the unification of northern 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...
in 439, but was also a period when foreign ideas were introduced, and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
became firmly established. Many antiques and art works, both Daoist and Buddhist, from this period have survived. During the Taihe period under the Emperor Xiaowen, court advisers instituted sweeping reforms and introduced changes that eventually led in 494 AD to the dynasty moving its capital from Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
to Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
. It was the time of the construction of the Buddhist cave sites of Yungang by Datong during the mid-to-late 5th century, and towards the latter part of the dynasty, the Longmen Caves outside the later capital city of Luoyang, in which more than 30,000 Buddhist images from the time of this dynasty have been found. It is thought the dynasty originated from the Tuoba
Tuoba
Tuoba, or Tabgach, were a clan of Xianbei people of ancient China.-Xianbei Tuoba:Tuoba was a clan of the Xianbei people in the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD. They established the State of Dai from 310 to 376 AD, and the Northern Wei Dynasty from 386 to 536 AD...
clan of the Xianbei
Xianbei
The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...
tribe. The Tuoba renamed themselves the Yuan as a part of systematic Sinicization
Sinicization
Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...
. Towards the end of the dynasty there was significant internal dissension resulting in a split into Eastern Wei Dynasty and Western Wei Dynasty.
Rise of the Tuoba Xianbei
The Jin DynastyJìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
had developed an alliance with the Tuoba against the Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
state Han Zhao
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
. In 315 the Tuoba chief was granted the title of the Prince of Dai
State of Dai
Dai was a state of the Xianbei clan of Tuoba, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China. It existed from 310 to 376 AD, with its capital at Shengle ....
. After the death of its founding prince, Tuoba Yilu
Tuoba Yilu
Tuoba Yilu was the chieftain of the western Tuoba territory from 295 to 307, supreme chieftain of the Tuoba from 307 to 316, Duke of Dai from 310 to 315, first prince of the Tuoba Dai from 315 to 316...
, however, the Dai state stagnated and largely remained a partial ally and a partial tributary state to Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
and Former Yan
Former Yan
The Former Yan was a state of Xianbei ethnicity during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.Initially, Murong Huang and his son Murong Jun claimed the Jin Dynasty -created title "Prince of Yan," but subsequently, in 352, after seizing most of the former Later Zhao territory, Murong Juan would...
, finally falling to Former Qin
Former Qin
The Former Qin was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China. Founded by the Fu family of the Di ethnicity, it completed the unification of North China in 376. Its capital had been Xi'an up to the death of the ruler Fu Jiān. Despite its name, the Former Qin was much later and less powerful than...
in 376.
After Former Qin's emperor Fu Jiān
Fu Jian
Fu Jian may refer to:* Fú Jiàn , founding emperor of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Jingming* Fú Jiān , ruler of Former Qin, posthumous name Emperor Xuanzhao-See also:...
was defeated by Jin forces at the Battle of Fei River
Battle of Fei River
The Battle of Fei River or “Feishui” was a battle in 383, where Fu Jiān of the Di Former Qin Empire was decisively defeated by the numerically inferior Jin army of Eastern Jin....
in his failed bid to unify China, the Former Qin state began to break apart. By 386, Tuoba Gui
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
, the son (or grandson) of Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian
Tuoba Shiyijian was the last prince of the Tuoba Dai and ruled from 338 to 376 when Dai was conquered by the Former Qin. He was the son of Tuoba Yulü and the younger brother of Tuoba Yihuai , whom he succeeded in 338. In 340 he moved the capital to Shengle...
(the last Prince of Dai), reasserted Tuoba independence initially as the Prince of Dai. Later he changed his title to the Prince of Wei, and his state was therefore known as Northern Wei. In 391, Tuoba Gui defeated the Rouran
Rouran
Rouran , Mongolia name Jujan or Nirun Ruanruan/Ruru , Tan Tan , Juan-Juan or Zhu-Zhuwas the name of a confederation of nomadic tribes on the northern borders of Inner China from the late 4th century until the middle 6th century...
tribes and killed their chief, Heduohan, forcing the Rouran to flee west.
Initially Northern Wei was a vassal of Later Yan
Later Yan
The Later Yan was a Murong-Xianbei state, located in modern day northeast China, during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China.All rulers of the Later Yan declared themselves "emperors". Later Yan fell to the Goguryeo dynasty.-Rulers of the Later Yan:...
, but by 395 had rebelled and by 398 had conquered most of Later Yan territory north of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. In 399 Tuoba Gui he declared himself Emperor Daowu, and that title was used by Northern Wei's rulers for the rest of the state's history. That same year he defeated the Tiele
Tiele people
The Tiele or Tele , were a confederation of nine Turkic peoples living to the north of China and in Central Asia, emerging after the disintegration of the Xiongnu confederacy...
tribes near the Gobi desert
Policies
Early in Northern Wei history, the state inherited a number of traditions from its initial history as a Xianbei tribe, and some of the more unusual ones, from a traditional Chinese standpoint:- The officials did not receive salaries, but were expected to requisition the necessities of their lives directly from the people they governed. As the empire's history progressed, this appeared to be a major contributing factor leading to corruption among officials. Not until the 2nd century of the empire's existence did the state begin to distribute salaries to its officials.
- Empresses were not named according to imperial favors or nobility of birth, but required that the candidates submit themselves to a ceremony where they had to personally forge golden statues, as a way of discerning divine favor. Only an imperial consort who was successful in forging a golden statue could become the empress.
- All men, regardless of ethnicity, were ordered to tie their hair into a single braid that would then be rolled and placed on top of the head, and then have a cap worn over the head.
- When a crown princeCrown PrinceA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
is named, his mother, if still alive, must be forced to commit suicide. (Some historians do not believe this to be a Tuoba traditional custom, but believed it to be a tradition instititued by the founding emperor Emperor DaowuEmperor Daowu of Northern WeiEmperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
based on Emperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
's execution of his favorite concubine Consort Zhao, the mother of his youngest son Liu FulingEmperor Zhao of HanEmperor Zhao of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 87 BC to 74 BC.Emperor Zhao was the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han. By the time Zhao was born, Emperor Wu was already 62. Zhao ascended the throne after the death of Emperor Wu in 87 BC. He was only 8 years old...
(the eventual Emperor Zhao), before naming Prince Fuling crown prince.)
- As a result, because emperors would not have mothers, they often honored their wet nurseWet nurseA wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...
s with the honorific title, "Nurse Empress DowagerNurse empress dowagerNurse empress dowager was an honorific title given to emperors' wet nurses during the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. The existence of the title owed itself to a peculiar institution of Northern Wei—that when a son of the emperor were to be made crown prince, his mother, if alive, must be...
" (保太后, bǎo tài hòu).
As sinicization of the Northern Wei state progressed, these customs and traditions were gradually abandoned.
Organization of the Peasants
- Five families formed a neighborhood (lin)
- Five lin formed a village (li)
- Five li formed a commune (tang)
At each of these levels, leaders that were associated with the central government were appointed. In order for the state to reclaim dry, barren areas of land, the state further developed this system by dividing up the land according to the number of men of an age to cultivate it. The Sui
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 Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
Dynasties later resurrected this system
Equal-field system
The Equal-field system land system was a historical system of land ownership and distribution in China used from the Six Dynasties to Mid-Tang dynasty....
in the 7th century.
Deportations
During the reign of Emperor DaowuEmperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
(386-409), the total number of deported people from the regions east of Taihangshan (the former Later Yan territory) to Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
was estimated to be around 460,000. Deportations typically took place once a new piece of territory had been conquered.
| Northern Wei Dynasty Deportation Deportation Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation... s |
|||
| Year | People | Number | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 398 | Xianbei of Hebei and Northern Shandong Shandong ' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese... |
100,000 | Datong Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of... |
| 399 | Great Chinese families | 2,000 families | Datong Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of... |
| 399 | Chinese peasants from Henan | 100,000 | Shanxi Shanxi ' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period.... |
| 418 | Xianbei of Hebei | ? | Datong Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of... |
| 427 | Pop. of the Kingdom of Xia | 10,000 | Shanxi Shanxi ' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period.... |
| 432 | Pop. of Liaoning | 30,000 families | Hebei |
| 435 | Pop. of Shaanxi and Gansu | ? | Datong Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of... |
| 445 | Chinese peasants from Henan and Shandong | ? | North of Yellow River |
| 449 | Craftsmen from Chang'an | 2,000 families | Datong Datong Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of... |
Sinicization
As the Northern Wei state grew, the emperors' desire for Han ChineseHan Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
institutions and advisors grew. Cui Hao
Cui Hao
Cui Hao , courtesy name Boyuan , was a prime minister of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. Largely because of Cui's counsel, Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei was able to unify northern China, ending the Sixteen Kingdoms era and, along with the southern Liu Song, entering the Southern and...
(381-450), an advisor at the courts in Datong
Datong
Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province of North China, located a few hundred kilometres west by rail from Beijing with an elevation of...
played a great part in this process. He introduced Han Chinese administrative methods and penal codes in the Northern Wei state, as well as creating a Taoist theocracy
The Northern Celestial Masters
The Northern Celestial Masters type of the Way of the Celestial Master Daoist movement existed in the north of China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The Northern Celestial Masters were a continuation of the Way of the Celestial Masters as it had been practiced in Sichuan province by...
that lasted until 450. The attraction of Han Chinese products, the royal court's taste for luxury, the prestige of Chinese culture at the time, and Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
were all factors in the growing Chinese influence in the Northern Wei state. Chinese influence accelerated during the capital's move to Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
in 494 and Emperor Xiaowen
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei , personal name né Tuoba Hong , later Yuan Hong , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
continued this by establishing a policy of systematic sinicization
Sinicization
Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...
that was continued by his successors. Xianbei traditions were largely abandoned. The royal family took the sinicization
Sinicization
Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...
a step further by changing their family name to Yuan. Marriages to Chinese families were encouraged. With this, Buddhist temples started appearing everywhere, displacing Taoism as the state religion. The temples were often created to appear extremely lavish and extravagant on the outside of the temples.
Breakup and division
The heavy Chinese influence that had come into the Northern Wei state which went on throughout the 5th century had mainly affected the courts and the upper ranks of the Tuoba aristocracyAristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
. Armies that guarded the Northern frontiers of the empire and the Xianbei people who were less sinicized began showing feelings of hostility towards the aristocratic court and the upper ranks of civil society. Early in Northern Wei history, defense on the northern border against Rouran
Rouran
Rouran , Mongolia name Jujan or Nirun Ruanruan/Ruru , Tan Tan , Juan-Juan or Zhu-Zhuwas the name of a confederation of nomadic tribes on the northern borders of Inner China from the late 4th century until the middle 6th century...
was heavily emphasized, and military duty on the northern border was considered honored service that was given high recognition. After all, throughout the founding and the early stages of the Northern Wei, it was the strength of the sword and bow that carved out the empire and kept it. But once Emperor Xiaowen's sinicization campaign began in earnest, military service, particularly on the northern border, was no longer considered an honorable status, and traditional Xianbei warrior families on the northern border were disrespected and disallowed many of their previous privileges, these warrior families who had originally being held as the upper-class now found themselves considered a lower-class on the social hierarchy.
In 523, rebellions broke out on six major garrison-towns
Six Frontier Towns
The Six Frontier Towns , also known as Northern Frontier Towns , refers to six military towns that Northern Wei government built during Huangshi era and Yanhe era to prevent the southward invasion by Rouran...
on the northern border and spread like wildfire throughout the north. These rebellions lasted for a decade. Exacerbating the situation, Empress Dowager Hu
Empress Dowager Hu (Xiaoming)
Empress Dowager Hu , formally Empress Ling , was an empress dowager of the Chinese dynasty Northern Wei. She was a concubine of Emperor Xuanwu, and she became regent and empress dowager after her son Emperor Xiaoming became emperor after Emperor Xuanwu's death in 515...
poisoned her own son Emperor Xiaoming
Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
in 528 after Emperor Xiaoming showed disapproval of her handling of the affairs as he started coming of age and got ready to reclaim the power that had been held by the empress in his name when he inherited the throne as an infant, giving the Empress Dowager rule of the country for more than a decade. Upon hearing the news of the 18-year-old emperor's death, the general Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong , courtesy name Tianbao , formally Prince Wu of Jin , was a general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
, who had already mobilised on secret orders of the emperor to support him in his struggle with the Empress Dowager Hu, turned toward Luoyang. Announcing that he was installing a new emperor chosen by an ancient Xianbei method of casting bronze figures, Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong
Erzhu Rong , courtesy name Tianbao , formally Prince Wu of Jin , was a general of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
summoned the officials of the city to meet their new emperor. However, on their arrival, he told them they were to be punished for their misgovernment and butchered them, throwing the Empress Hu and her candidate (another puppet child emperor Yuan Zhao
Yuan Zhao
Yuan Zhao , also known in history as Youzhu , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
) into the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. Reports estimate 2,000 courtiers were killed in this Heyin (Ho-Yin) massacre on the 13th day of the second month of 528.
The Two Generals
Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Ziyou , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was placed on the throne by the general Erzhu Rong, who refused to recognize the young emperor Yuan Zhao that Emperor Xiaoming's mother Empress Dowager Hu placed on the...
, not wishing to remain a puppet emperor and highly wary of the Erzhu clan's widespread power and questionable loyalty and intentions towards the throne (after all, this man had ordered a massacre of the court and put to death a previous emperor and empress before), killed Erzhu Rong in 530 in an ambush at the palace, which lead to a resumption of civil war, initially between Erzhu's clan and Emperor Xiaozhuang, and then, after their victory over Emperor Xiaozhuang in 531, between the Erzhu clan and those who resisted their rule. In the aftermath of these wars, two generals set in motion the actions that would result in the splitting of the Northern Wei into the Eastern and Western Wei.
General Gao Huan
Gao Huan
Gao Huan , nickname Heliuhun , formally Prince Xianwu of Qi , later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu , then as Emperor Shenwu with the temple name Gaozu , was the paramount general of the...
was originally from the northern frontier, one of many soldiers who had surrendered to Erzhu, who eventually became one of the Erzhu clan's top lieutenants. But later, Gao Huan gathered his own men from both Han and non-Han troops, to turn against the Erzhu clan, entering and taking the capital Loyang in 532. Confident in his success, he set up a nominee emperor on the Loyang throne and continued his campaigns abroad. The emperor, however, together with the military head of Loyang, Husi Chun
Husi Chun
Husi Chun , courtesy name Fashou , formally Prince Wenxuan of Changshan , was a general and official of the Chinese/Xianbei state Northern Wei and Northern Wei's branch successor state Western Wei.-Early career:...
, began to plot against Gao Huan
Gao Huan
Gao Huan , nickname Heliuhun , formally Prince Xianwu of Qi , later further formally honored by Northern Qi initially as Emperor Xianwu , then as Emperor Shenwu with the temple name Gaozu , was the paramount general of the...
. Gao Huan succeeded, however, in keeping control of Loyang, and the unfaithful ruler and a handful of followers fled west, to the region ruled by the powerful warlord Yuwen Tai
Yuwen Tai
Yuwen Tai , nickname Heita , formally Duke Wen of Anding , later further posthumously honored by Northern Zhou initially as Prince Wen then as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu , was the paramount general of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei...
. Gao Huan then announced his decision to move the Loyang court to his capital city of Ye. "Within three days of the decree, 400,000 families--perhaps 2,000,000 people--had to leave their homes in and around the capital to move to Yeh as autumn turned to winter." There now existed two rival claimants to the Northern Wei throne, leading to the state's division in 534-535 into the Eastern Wei
Eastern Wei
The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550.In 534 Gao Huan, the potentate of the eastern half of what was Northern Wei territory following the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty installed Yuan Shanjian a descendant of...
and Western Wei
Western Wei
The Western Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler...
.
Fall
Neither Eastern Wei nor Western Wei was long-lived. In 550, Gao Huan's son Gao YangEmperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
Emperor Wenxuan of Qi , personal name Gao Yang , courtesy name Zijin , was the first emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. He was the second son of Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan, and the death of his brother and Gao Huan's designated successor Gao Cheng in 549 became the regent...
forced Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei
Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei
Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei , personal name Yuan Shanjian , was the only emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Eastern Wei – a branch successor state to Northern Wei...
to yield the throne to him, ending Eastern Wei and establishing the Northern Qi
Northern Qi
The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577.-History:The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan...
. Similarly, in 557, Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu
Yuwen Hu
Yuwen Hu , with Chinese title Sabao , formally Duke Dang of Jin , was a regent of the Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou in China...
forced Emperor Gong of Western Wei
Emperor Gong of Western Wei
Emperor Gong of Western Wei , personal name né Yuan Kuo , later changed to Tuoba Kuo , was the last emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei. He was made emperor in 554 after his older brother Emperor Fei was deposed by the paramount general...
to yield the throne to Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue
Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou
Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Jue , nickname Tuoluoni , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou ((北)周孝閔帝) (542–557), personal name Yuwen Jue (宇文覺), nickname Tuoluoni (陀羅尼), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty...
, ending the Western Wei and establishing the Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou
The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was overthrown by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and...
, finally extinguishing Northern Wei's imperial rule.
Sovereigns of the Northern Wei Dynasty
| Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號) | Born Names | Period of Reigns | Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according ranges of years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Wei Dynasty 386-535 | |||
| Convention: Northern Wei + posthumous name | |||
| The imperial Tuoba family changed their family name to 元 (yuán) during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen in 496 so their names in this table will also thus be "Yuan" subsequently. | |||
| Dao Wu Di Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the... (道武帝 daò wǔ dì) |
Tuoba Gui (拓拔珪 tuò bá guī) | 386-409 | Dengguo (登國 dēng guó) 386-396 Huangshi (皇始 huáng shǐ) 396-398 Tianxing (天興 tiān xīng) 398-404 Tianci (天賜 tiān cì) 404-409 |
| Ming Yuan Di Emperor Mingyuan of Northern Wei Emperor Mingyuan of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Si , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the oldest son of the founding emperor Emperor Daowu... (明元帝 míng yuán dì) |
Tuoba Si (拓拔嗣 tuò bá sì) | 409-423 | Yongxing (永興 yǒng xīng) 409-413 Shenrui (神瑞 shén ruì) 414-416 Taichang (泰常 tài cháng) 416-423 |
| Tai Wu Di Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Tao , nickname Foli , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (太武帝 tài wǔ dì) |
Tuoba Tao (拓拔燾 tuò bá táo) | 424-452 | Shiguang (始光 shǐ guāng) 424-428 Shenjia (神䴥 shén jiā) 428-431 Yanhe (延和 yán hé) 432-434 Taiyan (太延 tài yán) 435-440 Taipingzhenjun (太平真君 tài píng zhēn jūn) 440-451 Zhengping (正平 zhèng píng) 451-452 |
| Nan An Wang (南安王 nán ān wáng) | Tuoba Yu Tuoba Yu Tuoba Yu , formally Prince Yin of Nan'an , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was placed on the throne by the eunuch Zong Ai after Zong assassinated his father Emperor Taiwu in spring 452, and Zong was largely in control of the regime during his reign... (拓拔余 tuò bá yú) |
452 | Chengping (承平 chéng píng) 452 |
| Wen Cheng Di Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Jun , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (文成帝 wén chéng dì) |
Tuoba Jun (拓拔濬 tuò bá jùn) | 452-465 | Xingan (興安 xīng ān) 452-454 Xingguang (興光 xīng guāng) 454-455 Tai'an (太安 tài ān) 455-459 Heping (和平 hé píng) 460-465 |
| Xian Wen Di Emperor Xianwen of Northern Wei Emperor Xianwen of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Hong, was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (獻文帝 xiàn wén dì) |
Tuoba Hong (拓拔弘 tuò bá hóng) | 466-471 | Tian'an (天安 tiān ān) 466-467 Huangxing (皇興 huáng xīng) 467-471 |
| Xiao Wen Di Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei , personal name né Tuoba Hong , later Yuan Hong , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei.... (孝文帝 xiào wén dì) |
Yuan Hong (元宏 yuán hóng) | 471-499 | Yanxing (延興 yán xīng) 471-476 Chengming (承明 chéng míng) 476 Taihe (太和 tìi hé) 477-499 |
| Xuan Wu Di Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei Tuoba Ke , later Yuan Ke was known as Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei during the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei.... (宣武帝 xuān wǔ dì) |
Yuan Ke (元恪 yuán kè) | 499-515 | Jingming (景明 jǐng míng) 500-503 Zhengshi (正始 zhèng shǐ) 504-508 Yongping (永平 yǒng píng) 508-512 Yanchang (延昌 yán chāng) 512-515 |
| Xiao Ming Di Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (孝明帝 xiào míng dì) |
Yuan Xu (元詡 yuán xǔ) | 516-528 | Xiping (熙平 xī píng) 516-518 Shengui (神龜 shén guī) 518-520 Zhengguang (正光 zhèng guāng) 520-525 Xiaochang (孝昌 xiào chāng) 525-527 Wutai (武泰 wǔ tài) 528 |
| Youzhu (幼主 yòu zhǔ) | Yuan Zhao Yuan Zhao Yuan Zhao , also known in history as Youzhu , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei.... (元釗 yuán xhāo) |
528 | None |
| Xiao Zhuang Di Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Ziyou , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was placed on the throne by the general Erzhu Rong, who refused to recognize the young emperor Yuan Zhao that Emperor Xiaoming's mother Empress Dowager Hu placed on the... (孝莊帝 xiào zhuāng dì) |
Yuan Ziyou (元子攸 yuán zǐ yōu) | 528-530 | Jianyi (建義 jiàn yì) 528 Yongan (永安 yǒng ān) 528-530 |
| Chang Guang Wang (長廣王 cháng guǎng wáng) | Yuan Ye Yuan Ye Yuan Ye , courtesy name Huaxing , nickname Penzi , often known as the Prince of Changguang , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (元曄 yuán yè) |
530-531 | Jianming (建明 jiàn míng) 530-531 |
| Jie Min Di Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei Emperor Jiemin of Northern Wei , also known as Emperor Qianfei , at times referred to by pre-ascension title Prince of Guangling , personal name Yuan Gong , courtesy name Xiuye , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Wei... (節閔帝 jié mǐn dì) |
Yuan Gong (元恭 yuán gōng) | 531-532 | Putai (普泰 pǔ tài) 531-532 |
| An Ding Wang (安定王 ān dìng wáng) | Yuan Lang Yuan Lang Yuan Lang , courtesy name Zhongzhe , frequently known by his post-removal title of Prince of Anding , at times known as Emperor Houfei , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (元朗 yuán lǎng) |
531-532 | Zhongxing (中興 zhōng xīng) 531-532 |
| Xiao Wu Di Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xiu , courtesy name Xiaoze , at times known as Emperor Chu , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei... (孝武帝 xiào wǔ dì) or Chu Di (出帝 chū dì) |
Yuan Xiu (元脩 yuán xiū) | 532-535 | Taichang (太昌 tài chāng) 532 Yongxing (永興 yǒng xīng) 532 Yongxi (永熙 yǒng3 xī) 532-535 |
See also
- Change of Xianbei names to Han namesChange of Xianbei names to Han namesThe Change of Xianbei family names to Han names was part of a larger sinicization campaign. It was at its peak intensity under Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei dynasty in 496.-Background:...
- Middle Binyang CaveMiddle Binyang CaveMiddle Binyang Cave is cave number 140 at the Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang, Henan, China.-History:Constructed by order of Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei in honour of his parents Emperor Xiaowen and Empress Wenzhao, the cave was supposed to imitate Lingyansi Cave at the Yungang Caves. Work...
- Empress Dowager Wenming tombEmpress Dowager Wenming tombThe Empress Dowager Wenming tomb is the final resting place of Empress Feng , formally Empress Wenming and the wife of Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The tomb and is located on the famed Silk Route. When her husband died in 465, Empress Dowager Wenming became regent until her...