Wang Sengbian
MilitaryGeneral Xiao Yi led his army eastward to recover Jiankang and put down the Houjing rebellion. After the fall of Jiangling, he welcomed Xiao Yuanming, who was attacked and killed by Chen Baxian in 555.
Dynasties of ChinaNorthern and Southern DynastiesXiao Liang
Emperor YuanXiao Yi
Chengsheng · Reign 552—554
The vassal king who was erudite and good at books proclaimed himself emperor in Jiangling after the pacification of the Jing Dynasty. When the city was destroyed, he burned more than 100,000 volumes of books and was killed by the Western Wei Dynasty.
IBiography
- Reign
- 2 years
- Reign era
- Chengsheng
- Order of accession
- Ruler #3 · Xiao Liang
- Life dates
- 508—554
- Titles
- Temple name: Shizu · Posthumous title: Emperor Xiaoyuan
Xiao Yi, courtesy name Shicheng, was the seventh son of Liang Emperor Wu. He was blind in one eye since he was a child. He was well-read and good at poetry, calligraphy and painting. He served as the governor of Jingzhou for a long time and was in charge of Jiangling. During the Hou Jing Rebellion, he waited with troops and was not in a hurry to rescue Taicheng. Instead, he successively attacked and killed his nephew Xiao Yu, king of Hedong, and forced his other nephew Xiao Cha to defect to the Western Wei Dynasty. Starting in 551, he sent Wang Sengbian eastward to join forces with Chen Baxian. In 552, he recaptured Jiankang, but Hou Jing was defeated and killed.
In November 552, Xiao Yi ascended the throne in Jiangling. The following year, his younger brother Xiao Ji, King of Wuling, proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu and went east. Xiao Yi asked the Western Wei Dynasty to send troops to contain him, and the Western Wei Dynasty took the opportunity to seize Yizhou. In 554, the army of the Western Wei Dynasty captured Jiangling. Xiao Yi burned more than 100,000 volumes of ancient and modern books, sighing that "I have read thousands of volumes, but I still have this day." He was killed after surrendering. The Western Wei Dynasty captured tens of thousands of Jiangling people and went north as slaves, and made Xiao Cha the emperor.
IITimeline
Before accession
CulturePainting "Picture of Job Tribute"
When Xiao Yi was out of town, he drew the "Tong Tribute Map", which depicts the envoys from various countries who came to the Liang Dynasty. He also added an inscription to introduce the customs of his country. There are different opinions on the date range of the book.
Lasting legacyThe fragment of the Song Dynasty's copy of "Zong Gong Tu" is now in the National Museum of China. It contains portraits of envoys from twelve countries. It is a precious image material for studying the Southern Dynasty's foreign exchanges.
MilitarySit back and watch Taicheng
When Hou Jing besieged Taicheng, Xiao Yi supported Jiangling and refused to advance; after the fall of Taicheng, he first attacked and killed Xiao Yu, the governor of Xiangzhou and his nephew, and then attacked Xiao Cha in Yongzhou, forcing Xiao Cha to defect to the Western Wei Dynasty.
During the reign · 552—554
MilitaryPingding Hou Jing
Wang Sengbian and Chen Baxian joined forces eastward and captured Jiankang in March. Hou Jing fled by boat and was killed by his subordinates in April. The Hou Jing rebellion, which lasted for nearly four years, finally subsided.
PoliticsGangneung ascended the throne
In November, Xiao Yi ascended the throne as emperor in Jiangling and changed his name to Chengsheng. Because Jiankang was in ruins, he was unwilling to return eastward and still made Jiangling his capital.
MilitaryLost in Yizhou
Xiao Ji, the king of Wuling, proclaimed himself emperor in Chengdu and led his army eastward to fight for the throne. Xiao Yi asked the Western Wei Dynasty to send troops to attack its rear. Western Wei general Yuchi Jiong took the opportunity to capture Chengdu. Xiao Ji was defeated and killed, and Bashu returned to the Northern Dynasty.
CultureBook Burning in Jiangling
In the Western Wei Dynasty, Yu Jin and Yuwen Hu led their troops to conquer Jiangling. Xiao Yi ordered the burning of more than 100,000 ancient and modern books in his collection, and was killed after surrendering. The Western Wei Dynasty captured tens of thousands of Jiangling people and went north as slaves.
IIIPeople of this reign
Chen Baxian
RulersWuxing Changcheng people raised troops from Lingnan and went northward, fought with Wang Sengbian at Hou Jing, and later took over the power of the Liang Dynasty, 557Date range Liang Jianchen.
Xiao Cha
RulersThe son of ZhaomingCrown Prince Xiao Tong, he became enemies with his uncle Xiao Yi and defected to the Western Wei Dynasty. After the fall of Jiangling, he was made the leader of Liang by the Western Wei Dynasty and established the vassal regime of Later Liang.
Yu Jin
MilitaryIn 554, he led his army to conquer Jiangling and captured Xiao Yi. Later he became a veteran of the Northern Zhou Dynasty and rose to the rank of Taifu.