Hou Jing
MilitaryAfter capturing Taicheng, he established Xiao Gang as emperor, proclaimed himself the General of the Universe, and hijacked the government. In 551, he abolished and killed Xiao Gang, and soon proclaimed himself emperor.
Dynasties of ChinaNorthern and Southern DynastiesXiao Liang
Emperor JianwenXiao Gang
Dabao · Reign 549—551
An advocate of imperial poetry, he was established as a puppet emperor during the Hou Jing Rebellion and was eventually killed by Hou Jing.
IBiography
- Reign
- 2 years
- Reign era
- Dabao
- Order of accession
- Ruler #2 · Xiao Liang
- Life dates
- 503—551
- Titles
- Temple name: Taizong · Posthumous title: Emperor Jianwen · Buried at Zhuangling Mausoleum
Xiao Gang, courtesy name Shizhen, was the third son of Emperor Wu of Liang. He was born to Ding Guifei together with ZhaomingCrown Prince Xiao Tong. He was smart since he was a child and could write at the age of six. He traveled to various places in the town for a long time. After Xiao Tong died in 531, he was established as Crown Prince. He was elegant and fond of literature, and he was in harmony with scribes such as Xu Zhen, Yu Jianwu, Xu Ling, and Yu Xin. He advocated "palace poetry" with colorful words and more about palace life, which had a great influence on the literary style of the late Southern Dynasty.
After the fall of Taicheng and the death of Liang Emperor Wu in 549, Hou Jing established Xiao Gang as emperor and changed it to Yuan Dabao the following year. He was under the control of Hou Jing and was like a prisoner. The clans from all over the country gathered their own troops and attacked each other. In August 551, Hou Jing deposed him, and in October he was crushed to death with a bag of earth. He was forty-nine years old. While in confinement, he wrote poems and essays on the wall, saying, "Liang Zhengshi, Lanling Xiao Shizuan, upholding the Tao, have always been consistent."
IITimeline
Before accession
PoliticsEstablished as Crown Prince
Zhaoming Crown Prince Xiao Tong passed away. Emperor Liang Wu did not name Xiao Tong's son, but instead named his third son Xiao Gang as Crown Prince. This matter aroused discussion between the government and the public.
During the reign · 549—551
CultureAdvocate palace style poetry
Xiao Gang gathered scribes around the East Palace and wrote palace-style poems that described palace life and paid attention to rhythm and vocabulary. Xu Ling compiled "New Odes of Yutai" and was commissioned by him as soon as he wrote it.
Lasting legacy"New Odes of Yutai" has preserved a large number of poems since the Han and Wei dynasties. The long poem "Peacock Flying Southeast" was first published in this book, titled "Ancient Poetry Written by Jiao Zhongqing's Wife".
MilitarySiege of Taicheng
During Hou Jing's siege of Taicheng, Xiao Gang took charge of the city's defense as Crown Prince. The soldiers and civilians in the city were trapped for more than 130 days, but the city was finally defeated because foreign aid failed to arrive.
PoliticsThe puppet ascends the throne
In May, Emperor Liang Wu died, and Hou kept secrets without announcing his mourning, and then he came to the throne with Xiao Gang. The following year, he was changed to Yuan Dabao, and Hou Jing proclaimed himself the General of the Universe and the Commander-in-Chief of all military affairs in Liuhe, assuming sole power.
PoliticsDeposed and killed
After August, Jing deposed Xiao Gang and made him King'an of Jin, and established Xiao Dong, the grandson of Xiao Tong. In October, he sent Wang Wei and others to get Xiao Gang drunk and crushed him to death with an earth bag.
IIIPeople of this reign
Xu Ling
LiteratureXiao Gang, a literary minister in the East Palace, was known as "Xu Yu" together with Yu Xin. He compiled "New Odes of Yutai" and served as the post official of Chen Dynasty to Shangshu Zuopushe.
Yu Xin
LiteratureIn his early years, he and Xu Ling were both representatives of palace poetry in the East Palace. After the Hou Jing Rebellion, he was sent to the Western Wei Dynasty as an envoy and was detained in the north. In his later years, he wrote "Ai Jiangnan Fu".