Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty ( Chinese 梁朝 , Pinyin Liang Chao ; 502–557), also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty (Nan Liang 南 梁), was the third of the Southern Dynasties in China , followed by the Chen- Dynasty . The Western Liang Dynasty (Xi Liang 西 梁), who established their capital in Jiangling in 555 , claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Liang Dynasty. It was eliminated by Emperor Sui Wendi in 587. Some scholars believe that this dynasty represented a "golden age" for ancient China and that the fall of this dynasty seriously prevented China from becoming a great power. However, this theory is controversial.
Ruler of the Liang Dynasty (502–557)
| Posthumous name | Surname and first name | Time of rule | Era names and their duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convention: Liang + posthumous name | |||
Emperor Wu of Liang - 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 von Liang - 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 | 551- 552 | Tianzheng (天正 tiān zhèng) 551–552 |
Emperor Yuan of Liang - Yuan Di
|
蕭 繹 xiāo yì | 552- 555 | Chengsheng (承 聖 chéng shèng) 552–555 |
Marquis of Zhenyang - Zhen Yang Hou
|
蕭 淵明 xiāo yuān míng | 555 | Tiancheng (天成 tiān chéng) 555 |
Emperor Jing of Liang - 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 Hou Liang 555 - 587
| Temple name ( Miao Hao廟號 miào hào) | Posthumous Name ( Shi Hao諡 號) | Personal name | Time of reign | Era names (Nián Hào 年號) and their duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convention: Nan Liang + posthumous name | ||||
| Note: Some historians consider the Western Liang Hou Liang to be a continuation of the Liang Dynasty because it was founded by Xiao Cha (Emperor Xuan), a grandson of Xiao Yan (Emperor Wu), the founder of the Liang Dynasty. | ||||
| Emperor Zhong Zong (中 宗 zhōng zōng) | 宣帝 xuān dì | 蕭 詧 xiāo chá | 555 - 562 | Dading (大定 dà dìng) 555-562 |
| Emperor Shi Zong (世宗 shì zōng) | 孝 明帝 xiào míng dì | 蕭 巋 xiāo kuī | 562 585 | Tianbao (天保 tiān bǎo) 562-585 |
| does not exist | 孝 靜 帝 xiào jìng dì or Ju Gong | 莒 公 jǔ gōng | 蕭 琮 xiāo cóng | 585- 587 | Guangyun (廣 運 guǎng yùn) 585-587 |