生平

才能

萧衍年轻时多才多艺，学识广博。他的政治、军事才能，在南朝诸帝中堪称翘楚，不在另三位开国皇帝之下。在南齐武帝永明年间，他经常在当时的文化中心、竟陵王萧子良的西邸出入，与沈约、谢朓等人合称「竟陵八友」，在这期间发表了许多诗作，在学术研究和文学创作上皆有所成就。《梁书》纪载他：「六艺备闲，棋登逸品，阴阳纬候，卜筮占决，并悉称善。……草隶尺牍，骑射弓马，莫不奇妙。」他很好学，从小就受到正统的儒家教育，「少时习周孔，弱冠穷六经」，即位之后，「虽万机多务，犹卷不辍手，燃烛侧光，常至午夜」。

建国

齐武帝驾崩时，萧衍没有参与王融意图拥立萧子良的政变，反支持皇太孙萧昭业登基。后又助权臣萧鸾篡位，是为齐明帝。皇叔荆州刺史随郡王萧子隆性温和、有文才，明帝欲徵之回朝，恐其不从。萧衍说：「随王虽有美名，其实能力庸劣，手下没有智谋之士，爪牙只有司马垣历生、武陵太守卞白龙，而且二人唯利是从，若以显职相诱，都会来；随王只需要折简就能召来了。」齐明帝从之，徵垣历生为太子左卫率、卞白龙为游击将军，二人果然都到任。明帝再召萧子隆为侍中、抚军将军，后杀之。

齐明帝死后，继任的东昏侯萧宝卷暴虐无道，爆发的乱事在各地将帅们的努力下皆被平息，当中最为得力的是萧衍的兄长、时任豫州刺史的萧懿。永元二年（500年），萧懿被诬告谋反，遭东昏侯赐死。喜好乐府诗的萧衍上任后派人搜集当地的民歌，恢复自晋朝以来就已停止的民歌搜集工作。同时他积极招兵，暗中寻找机会推翻东昏侯。他秘密的派人在襄阳大伐竹木，沉于湖底，直到一年后举兵之时，马上派人去湖中打捞起事先砍伐好的竹木，并让早已召集好的数千工匠在最短时间内建造战船，此即后世成语「伐竹沉木」（意略同于「未雨绸缪」）的典故。

萧衍写信给荆州行府事萧颖胄，劝他同举义旗。萧宝卷派遣将军刘山阳领兵联合萧颖胄攻打雍州。萧衍派手下也是萧颖胄的心腹王天虎劝说周边一同起兵，但给萧颖胄及其弟萧颖达的信只写了「天虎口具」，即由王天虎口述，而王天虎因未得到萧衍的事先交代，无话可说。这样萧颖胄就无法通过上交信件取信于刘山阳，刘山阳也就不敢在荆州入城。萧颖胄夜间召部下席阐文、柳忱商议。席阐文建议斩刘山阳，跟随萧衍一起起兵，拥立荆州刺史南康王萧宝融为帝。柳忱同样劝说，萧颖达也赞同，萧颖胄同意。萧颖胄斩王天虎首级，取信刘山阳后诱杀之，首级送给萧衍，发檄文以讨伐东昏侯近臣茹法珍、梅虫儿为口号，与萧衍一共起兵，拥立萧宝融为主，又拥立为帝，即齐和帝。

中兴元年（501年），萧衍领兵攻郢城，围攻两百馀日，城破，「积尸床下而寝其上，比屋皆满。」然后攻打首都建康。同年十二月，东昏侯在政变中被将军王珍国所杀，萧衍遂攻占建康。中兴二年（502年），皇太后王宝明临朝称制，萧衍以她的名义表面迎接和帝回京，期间给自己加官进爵加殊礼，以谋反为由杀死明帝的其他儿子和侄子，仅明帝庶长子晋安王萧宝义因聋哑、嫡六子鄱阳王萧宝夤因寻机北逃幸免；之后未等和帝回京就以太后名义迫使其禅位而登基，改国号为梁，是为梁武帝，改封和帝为巴陵王，次日就赐死，改以萧宝义为巴陵王。

梁武帝昔日的好友沈约、范云等世族后人在梁朝当上宰相，与武帝弟前朝重臣萧秀等人合力推动各种改革，改正南齐时施政上的种种问题。此外，武帝登基后对乐府诗的兴趣不减当年，仍参与乐府诗的创作及编修。在他的影响和提倡下，南朝文化的发展达到了东晋以来最繁荣的阶段。《南史》作者李延寿评价道：「自江左以来，年逾二百，文物之盛，独美于兹。」

多次出家还俗

520年，梁武帝改元普通，这一年被中国历史学家视为南朝梁发展的分水岭。在这年开始，梁武帝开始笃信佛法，多次舍身出家。

普通八年（527年）三月八日，梁武帝第一次前往同泰寺舍身出家，三日后还俗返宫，大赦天下，改年号大通，是为大通元年（527年）。同年，隶领军曹仲宗伐涡阳（今安徽蒙城），在关中侯陈庆之的奋斗下梁军大败北魏军、俘斩甚众，又乘胜进击至城父。梁武帝诏下令涡阳之地设置西徐州，并以手诏嘉勉陈庆之：「本非将种，又非豪家，觖望风云，以至于此。可深思奇略，善克令终。开朱门而待宾，扬声名于竹帛，岂非大丈夫哉！」

大通三年（529年）九月十五日，梁武帝第二次至同泰寺举行「四部无遮大会」，脱下龙袍，换上袈裟，舍身出家，九月十六日讲解《涅盘经》。当月二十五日群臣捐钱一亿，向「三宝」祈求赎回「皇帝菩萨」，二十七日萧衍还俗。

梁武帝的太史奏称「荧惑侵斗」，让梁武帝感到紧张，当时童谣：「荧惑入南斗，天子下殿走」，就赤脚下殿跑步，希望能化解灾厄，以应天意。之后传来北魏孝武帝西奔的消息，得知此事的武帝羞惭地以华夷之辨的理论说：「绑著辫子的胡虏（索虏）也配符应天象吗？」，由于天象应于北魏，意味北魏孝武帝才是得到天命的法统天子。

大同十二年（546年）四月十日，萧衍第三次出家，此次群臣用两亿钱将其赎回；太清元年（547年），三月三日萧衍又第四次出家，在同泰寺住了三十七天，四月十日、朝廷出资一亿钱赎回武帝。郭祖深形容：「都下佛寺五百馀所，穷极宏丽。僧尼十馀万，资产丰沃。」。

侯景之乱

侯景原为东魏的将领，由于他与东魏丞相高澄的矛盾，于太清元年（547年）正月据河南十三州叛归西魏，但西魏宇文泰对其不信任。迫于无奈，侯景致函萧衍，许愿献出河南十三州来投奔南朝梁。萧衍接纳了侯景，并任命他为大将军，封河南王。不久，东魏攻击侯景，萧衍派侄子萧渊明支援，结果战败，萧渊明被俘。侯景败退后占据寿阳。高澄假意提出和解，意在离间侯景和梁朝。司农卿傅岐认为高澄议和是离间之计。而朱异等人则极力主张与东魏和好。萧衍不听臣下劝告，与东魏使者往来，侯景感到恐慌。

此时，侯景假托东魏名义写信给萧衍，提出用萧渊明交换侯景，萧衍居然表示接受。侯景十分气愤，遂起兵叛变。他以萧正德为内应，轻易渡过了长江，并在公元549年三月围攻建康。城中久被围困，粮食断绝，饥病困扰，人多浮肿气急，横尸满路，能登城抗击者不到四千人。南梁诸王手握重兵，却彼此猜忌按兵不动，无人讨叛。十二日，侯景攻入建康，纵兵洗劫，萧家宗室、世族琅琊王氏、陈郡谢氏皆遭血洗，史称侯景之乱。

据说梁武帝曾经在志公禅师临终时向其询问自己寿命，志公说：「我的墓塔倒了，陛下的大限就到了。」志公涅盘后，寺方造了木制的灵塔，梁武帝担心志公的木造灵塔不坚固就拆除打算重建，拆了以后不久侯景之乱就发生了。

城陷之后，侯景的武士随意进出皇宫、甚至佩带武器。萧衍见了很奇怪问左右侍从，侍从说是侯丞相的卫兵。萧衍生气地喝道：「甚么丞相！不就是侯景吗！」侯景听说了非常生气，于是派人监视萧衍，萧衍的饮食也被侯景裁减。萧衍年事已高，口苦乾渴，索蜂蜜水，未得实现，大喊数声以后，便在饥渴交加、气急攻心中去世。死时86岁，葬于修陵（今江苏丹阳市陵口）。谥号武帝，庙号高祖。

学术成就

梁武帝除了帝王的身分，也身为学者在经文、史、诗词、佛学等领域留下大量著述而出名的「和尚皇帝」。

• 在经学方面，他撰有《周易讲疏》、《春秋答问》、《孔子正言》等二百馀卷。天监十一年（512年），又制成吉、凶、军、宾、嘉五礼，共一千馀卷，八千零十九条，颁布施行。

• 在史学方面，他不满《汉书》等断代史的写法，因而主持编撰了六百卷的《通史》，并「躬制赞序」。命殷芸将无法入史的剩馀材料（主要是异闻杂谈），编入小说。但这些著作大都没有流传下来。

• 在文学方面，梁武帝也非常喜欢诗赋创作，现存古诗、乐府诗等诗歌有80多首。萧衍和王融、谢朓、任昉、沈约、范云、萧琛、陆倕七人共称竟陵八友，在齐永明时代的文学界颇负盛名。

• 在宗教方面，今日汉传佛教的素食主义即以梁武帝为首。佛教的梁皇宝忏是他编制成的，他又著有《大般涅盘经》、《大品般若经》、《净名经》、《三慧经》等诸经义记数百卷。在道教学说中，他把儒家的「礼法」、道家的「无」和佛教「因果报应」揉合，创立了「三教同源说」，在中国古代思想史上占有极其重要的地位。由于梁武帝对佛教流通的贡献，寺庙时以梁武帝与其长子昭明太子合祀为护法神。

宗教信仰

梁武帝的学问路线，是先习儒，再奉道，后入佛。少年时代是习儒阶段，「少时学周孔，弱冠穷六经」。二十岁以后，改奉道教，一直到即位为帝后，仍未舍道。《隋书·经籍志》载，「武帝弱年好事，先受道法，及即位，犹自上章」。称帝后的萧衍和道士陶弘景的关系极善，他每当遇到国家大事，经常要派人到茅山去向陶弘景请教，以致于陶弘景有「山中宰相」之称。不过，在即位后的第二个年头，即天监三年（504），萧衍就颁布了《舍事道法诏》，宣布舍道归佛。而据其《述三教诗》，则称「晚年开释卷，犹月映众星」。到晚年才开始研读佛经。这也许说明，他虽然已经颁布了事佛诏，实际上还未真正彻底放弃道教。但总的来说，颁诏以后，他是以事佛为主的。有关《舍事道法诏》的真实性在学术界存疑，但无论其真伪，萧衍的奉佛则是事实。

梁武帝对佛教的支持，表现为两大方面：一是亲身修佛，二是从各方面扶持佛教的发展。

梁武帝本人归佛后，逐渐过上了佛教徒的生活。在武帝发表《断酒肉文》前，汉传佛教「律中无有断肉法」（反而是与释迦佛作对的天启，提倡素食），萧衍把佛教五戒中的不杀生引申为素食，颁布了《断酒肉文》，禁止僧众吃肉，自己也行素食，开启了汉传佛教素食的传统，之后汉传佛教僧团开始遵守《梵网经》规定的菩萨戒，不再食肉。对那些敢于饮酒食肉的僧侣，他以世俗的刑法治罪。他又颁布《断杀绝宗庙牺牲诏》，禁止宗庙的牺牲，这是有违儒家祭祀礼仪的，但他坚持推行。他还正式受戒，据《续高僧传》卷六记载，他于天监十八年（519）「发宏誓心，受梵网经菩萨戒」。

梁武帝晚年奉佛更甚，经常日食一餐，过午不食，所食也只是豆羹、粗饭而已。笃信佛教，由于不近女色，曾经四十年无幸后宫，最突出的奉佛行为，是多次舍身出家，先后四次舍身同泰寺，每次都是朝廷花了大量的香火钱才把他赎出来还俗。他的第四次舍身是在太清元年（547）三月，历时一个月，所花赎钱为「一亿万」，这为同泰寺带来了巨额资金。

武帝本人是可以划入「义学」一类的，他对佛经很有研究，尤重《般若经》、《涅盘经》、《法华经》等，他常常为大家讲经说法，召开各种法会，开设过千僧会、无遮大会。中大通元年（529）开设的无遮大会，参加者有道俗五万多人。他的佛教撰述，则有《摩诃般若波罗蜜经注解》（现仅存序）、《三慧经义记》（《三慧经》本是《摩诃般若经》中的《三慧品》，萧衍认为此品最重要，因而独列为《三慧经》）、《制旨大涅盘经讲疏》、《净名经义记》、《制旨大集经讲疏》、《发般若经题论义并问答》（均佚），另著有《立神明成佛义记》、《敕答臣下神灭论》、《为亮法师制涅盘经疏序》、《断酒肉文》、《述三教诗》等，均存。

武帝在哲学上对中国佛教的贡献，突出之处是把中国传统的心性论、灵魂不灭论和佛教的涅盘佛性说结合起来了，他本人是属于涅盘学派的，主张「神明成佛」，所谓「神明」，是指永恒不灭的精神实体，它是众生成佛的内在根据，「神明」也就是佛性。他又提出三教同源论，认为儒、道二教同源于佛教，老子、孔子，都是释迦牟尼的弟子，所以从这个角度来看，三教可以会通，同时，三教的社会作用也是相同的，都是教化人为善。

除了自身奉佛，萧衍还大力扶持佛教事业的发展。他非常支持外僧的译经，僧伽婆罗被他召入五处译场从事译经，所译经典，又请宝唱等人写疏，他甚至「躬临法座，笔受其文，然后乃付译人」。真谛在萧衍门下也受到礼遇，只是因为侯景之乱，真谛的译事难申。萧衍和国内法师的关系也很密切，宝亮、智藏、法云、僧旻等人，都是萧衍非常器重的。他组织僧人编撰佛教著作，编成的作品至少有十二种。他还广造伽蓝，所建有大爱敬寺、智度寺、光宅寺、同泰寺等十一座，各寺铸有佛像，大爱敬寺有金铜像，智度寺的正殿铸有金像，光宅寺有丈九无量寿佛铜像，同泰寺有十方银像。

禅宗祖师菩提达摩南北朝时期来中国弘法，与梁武帝会谈。但因理念不合，话不投机，离开梁朝而北去。

在梁武帝的支持下，梁代佛教达到了南朝佛教的最盛期，他最后在侯景之乱时，饥病交加，死于寺中。但武帝之后，梁简文帝和梁元帝也都笃信佛法。

评价

• 《梁书》评价其晚年「及乎耄年，委事群幸。」

• 钱穆于《国史大纲》云：「独有一萧衍老翁，俭过汉文，勤如王莽，可谓南朝一令主。」

• 王夫之于《读通鉴论》亦云：「梁氏享国五十年，天下且小康焉。」

家庭

父母

• 父：萧顺之，临湘懿侯，追尊太祖文皇帝

• 母：张尚柔，追尊文献皇后

兄弟

• 长兄：萧懿，字元达，袭封临湘县侯，为萧宝卷所杀，梁朝追赠长沙宣武王

• 第二兄：萧敷，字仲达，早卒，梁朝追赠永阳昭王

• 第四弟：萧畅，字季达，为萧宝卷所杀，梁朝追赠衡阳宣王

• 第五弟：萧融，字幼达，为萧宝卷所杀，梁朝追赠桂阳简王

• 第六弟：萧宏，字宣达，临川靖惠王

• 第七弟：萧伟，字彦达，南平元襄王

• 第八弟：萧秀，字文达，安成康王

• 第九弟：早卒

• 第十弟：萧恢，字弘达，鄱阳忠烈王

• 第十一弟：萧憺，字僧达，始兴忠武王

妻妾

妻

• 郗徽，生萧玉姚、萧玉婉、萧玉嬛

妾

• 贵嫔丁令光，生萧统、萧纲、萧续

• 修容阮令嬴，生萧绎，原为萧宝卷宫人

• 淑媛吴景晖，生萧综，原为萧宝卷宫人

• 董淑仪，生萧绩

• 丁充华，生萧纶

• 葛修容，生萧纪

• 余氏，原为萧宝卷妃

子女

子

• 长子：萧统，字德施，皇太子→皇帝（追尊），諡昭明太子→昭明皇帝

• 第二子：萧综，字世谦，豫章郡王（养子，生父萧宝卷（存疑））

• 第三子：萧纲，字世赞，晋安郡王→皇太子→皇帝，諡简文皇帝

• 第四子：萧绩，字世谨，南康郡王，諡简王

• 第五子：萧续，字世欣，庐陵郡王，諡威王

• 第六子：萧纶，字世调，邵陵郡王，諡携王/忠壮王

• 第七子：萧绎，字世诚，湘东郡王→皇帝，諡孝元皇帝

• 第八子：萧纪，字世询，武陵郡王→皇帝，諡贞献王

女

• 永兴公主，萧玉姚。

• 永世公主，萧玉婉。

• 永康公主，萧玉嬛。

• 安吉公主，萧玉娡。

• 信安公主，天监十年（511年）出嫁。

• 富阳公主，萧氏，下嫁张缵，生有一女为西梁明帝萧岿的皇后，外孙女为炀愍皇后。

• 长城公主，萧玉姈，下嫁柳偃，生有一女柳敬言为陈宣帝的皇后，她是陈后主的外祖母。

延伸阅读

影视形象

• 2020年电视纪录片《中国》第一季：秦楚明 饰

Background

Xiao Yan was born in 464, during the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Song. His father Xiao Shunzhi (萧顺之), who claimed ancestry from the great Han dynasty prime minister Xiao He, was a distant cousin of the Liu Song general Xiao Daocheng, and was part of Xiao Daocheng's close circle of advisors in Xiao Daocheng's eventual seizure of the Liu Song throne and establishment of Southern Qi (as its Emperor Gao) in 479. For Xiao Shunzhi's contributions, Xiao Daocheng created him the Marquess of Linxiang and made him a general. Xiao Yan was Xiao Shunzhi's third son, and his mother was Xiao Shunzhi's wife Zhang Shangrou (张尚柔), who was also the mother of his older brothers Xiao Yi (萧懿) and Xiao Fu (萧敷), his younger brother Xiao Chang (萧畅) and his younger sister Xiao Lingyi (萧令嫕). Lady Zhang died in 471, predating Xiao Shunzhi's becoming a marquess during Southern Qi.

Xiao Yan had six other brothers born of Xiao Shunzhi's concubines. One of them, Xiao Xiu (475–518) is now mainly remembered because of his comparatively well-preserved funerary statuary ensemble near Nanjing.

Around 481 or 482, Xiao Yan married Chi Hui (郗徽), the daughter of Liu Song official Chi Ye (郗烨) and the Princess Xunyang. They had three daughters—Xiao Yuyao (萧玉姚), Xiao Yuwan (萧玉婉), and Xiao Yuhuan (萧玉嬛), but no sons.

Career as Southern Qi official and general

Xiao Yan was considered intelligent and handsome in his youth, and he started his career as a Southern Qi official by serving as military assistant for Emperor Wu's son Xiao Zilun (萧子伦) the Prince of Baling, and later served on the staff of the prime minister Wang Jian. Wang was said to be impressed by Xiao Yan's talents and appearance, and he once said, "Mr. Xiao will be Shizhong a high-level post before he turns 30, and his honor will be innumerable after he turns 30." Xiao Yan also associated with Wang's successor as prime minister, Emperor Wu's son Xiao Ziliang (萧子良) the Prince of Jingling, and became one of eight young officials talented in the literary arts particularly befriended by Xiao Ziliang—along with Fan Yun, Xiao Chen (萧琛), Ren Fang (任昉), Wang Rong (王融), Xie Tiao (谢朓), Shen Yue, and Lu Chui (陆倕). After his father Xiao Shunzhi died in 490, he temporary left governmental service, but subsequently returned, and by 493 was serving on Xiao Ziliang's staff, but he did not join Wang Rong's plan to start a coup to have Xiao Ziliang made emperor when Emperor Wu grew ill in 493; the throne, instead, went to the crown prince, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye. Xiao Yan subsequently was invited by the prime minister Xiao Luan to serve on his staff, and when Xiao Luan subsequently overthrew the frivolous Xiao Zhaoye in a coup, Xiao Yan was made a general and ordered to defend the important city Shouyang (寿阳, in modern Lu'an, Anhui). When Xiao Luan later took the throne (as Emperor Ming), Xiao Yan was created the Baron of Jianyang. In 495, when Northern Wei forces invade, Xiao Yan was on the frontline fighting Northern Wei troops, and he distinguished himself under the command of Wang Guangzhi (王广之). Later that year, when Emperor Ming suspected the general Xiao Chen (萧谌) of treason and executed him, it was Xiao Yan that he sent to arrest and execute Xiao Chen's brother Xiao Dan (萧诞) the governor of Si Province (司州, modern southeastern Henan).

In 497, with Northern Wei again attacking, Xiao Yan was one of the generals that Emperor Ming sent to aid the embattled Yong Province (雍州, modern southwestern Henan and northwestern Hubei). Even though both he and his commander, Cui Huijing (崔慧景), were subsequently defeated by Northern Wei forces in battle, in 498 Xiao Yan was made the governor of Yong Province and the defender of Yong Province's capital, the important city Xiangyang (襄阳, in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), and he continued in that post after Emperor Ming's death and succession by his son Xiao Baojuan. It was at Xiangyang that Xiao Yan's wife Chi Hui died in 499. Xiao Yan would not take another wife for the rest of his life, although he would have a number of concubines.

Civil war against Xiao Baojuan

When Xiao Baojuan became Southern Qi's emperor in 498 at age 15, his power was initially curbed by several high-level officials that his father Emperor Ming left in charge—including Emperor Ming's cousins Jiang Shi (江祏) and Jiang Si (江祀), Xiao Baojuan's own uncle Liu Xuan (刘暄), Xiao Baojuan's cousin Xiao Yaoguang (萧遥光) the Prince of Shi'an, the senior official Xu Xiaosi (徐孝嗣), and the general Xiao Tanzhi (萧坦之). The six officials each handled important matters of state according to their will and paid the young emperor little deference, drawing his ire. Xiao Yan, hearing that the young emperor had a reputation for being violent and frivolous, secretly prepared for eventual civil war at his post at Yong Province, but was unable to persuade his older brother Xiao Yi, who was then the acting governor of Ying Province (郢州, modern eastern Hubei), to do the same.

In 499, receiving report that the high-level officials were planning to, on account of his irrational behavior, remove him from the throne, Xiao Baojuan acted first and executed Jiang Shi and Jiang Si. Xiao Yaoguang, who wanted to be emperor himself and feared being the next target, started an unsuccessful coup and was soon defeated and killed. However, despite the contributions of Xiao Tanzhi, Xu Xiaosi, Liu Xuan, and the generals Shen Wenji (沈文季) and Cao Hu (曹虎) in defeating Xiao Yaoguang, Xiao Baojuan soon had all of them killed as well on suspicion of plotting coups, leading to widespread sense of terror among central government officials. This led to a rebellion by the senior general Chen Xianda (陈显达) from his post at Jiang Province (江州, modern Jiangxi and Fujian), which was quickly defeated as well, fanning Xiao Baojuan's sense of invulnerability. In fear, the general Pei Shuye (裴叔业), who controlled Shouyang as the governor of Yu Province (豫州, modern central Anhui), surrendered Shouyang to Northern Wei in 500, despite Xiao Yan's counsel against it.

Xiao Baojuan sent Cui Huijing to try to recapture Shouyang. Cui Huijing, however, as soon as he left the capital Jiankang, turned his army around and marched on the capital, hoping to overthrow Xiao Baojuan and replace him with his brother Xiao Baoxuan (萧宝玄) the Prince of Jiangxia. Cui was initially successful, surrounding Xiao Baojuan's troops inside the palace complex. However, Xiao Yi, upon hearing news of Cui's rebellion, marched troops under his command to relieve the palace siege. He routed Cui's forces, and Cui was killed while trying to escape. Xiao Baojuan made Xiao Yi the prime minister, but soon killed him as well, on 19 November 500. Upon hearing of Xiao Yi's death, Xiao Yan gathered his officers on 15 December 500 and revealed to them his intention to rebel; he officially rose in rebellion in January or February 501.

Xiao Baojuan sent an army commanded by the general Liu Shanyang (刘山阳) against Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan convinced Xiao Yingzhou (萧颖胄), the chief of staff of Xiao Baojuan's younger brother Xiao Baorong the Prince of Nankang, who was then governor of Jing Province (荆州, modern central and western Hubei), that Liu was intending to attack both Jing and Yong Province. Xiao Yingzhou therefore entered into an alliance with Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yingzhou surprised and killed Liu, and then declared that his and Xiao Yan's intent was to declare Xiao Baorong emperor, although he did not immediately have Xiao Baorong take the imperial title. (Privately, Xiao Yan's staff was distrustful of Xiao Yingzhou and wanted to seize Xiao Baorong by force, but Xiao Yan, not willing to create a division in the coalition at that moment, concentrated on advancing east against Xiao Baojuan rather than to seize Xiao Baorong.)

In spring 501, Xiao Yingzhou declared Xiao Baorong emperor (as Emperor He), a declaration that Xiao Yan recognized. Xiao Yingzhou had himself and Xiao Yan given equivalent titles, and Xiao Yingzhou remained at Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), the capital of Jing Province, with the new emperor, while Xiao Yan continued to advance against the old emperor Xiao Baojuan. With Xiao Baojuan having lost the love of his generals (and having to fight off several more coup attempts within Jiankang itself), Xiao Yan was able to win battle after battle, capturing Yingcheng (郢城, in modern Wuhan, Hubei) in summer 501, and then forcing the surrender of Chen Bozhi (陈伯之), the governor of Jiang Province, in fall 501. In winter 501, he reached Jiankang and quickly captured the outer city, and then put the palace under siege. Meanwhile, Xiao Yingzhou, unable to fend off attacks that the general Xiao Gui (萧璝), loyal to Xiao Baojuan, was launching from the west, died in anxiety. Xiao Yan's brother Xiao Dan (萧儋) quickly arrived in Jiangling to take over custody of Emperor He, along with Xiao Yingzhou's lieutenant Xiaohou Xiang (夏侯详). From that point on, the control of the new emperor was no longer contested.

Around the new year 502, Xiao Baojuan's generals Wang Zhenguo (王珍国) and Zhang Ji (张稷), fearful that Xiao Baojuan would kill them because they were unable to lift the siege, assassinated Xiao Baojuan and surrendered. Xiao Yan entered the palace triumphantly, and, making Xiao Zhaoye's mother Empress Dowager Wang Baoming titular regent, he had himself made the supreme commander and the Duke of Jian'an.

Establishment of the Liang dynasty

Xiao Yan soon conspired to gain the throne for himself. Consulting with his old friends Shen Yue and Fan Yun, he put his brothers and associates into important posts, while having Empress Dowager Wang grant him higher and higher honors and titles, while delaying Emperor He's return to the capital. He also began to execute Emperor He's brothers and cousins one by one, to eliminate the possibility of resisting his moves. (Emperor He's brother Xiao Baoyin the Prince of Poyang, however, would escape to Northern Wei, and for decades would pose a threat as a Northern Wei general.) He had himself created as Duke of Liang and then Prince of Liang, and given the nine bestowments, all signs of an impending takeover. Only with these preparations in place did he have Emperor He sent back toward the capital. In the spring of 502 however, while Emperor He had only reached Gushu (姑孰, in modern Ma'anshan, Anhui), Xiao Yan had him issue an edict giving the throne to Xiao Yan, ending Southern Qi and beginning the Liang dynasty. Xiao Yan created Emperor He the Prince of Baling, but soon had him put to death, ending Emperor Ming's line (except for Xiao Baoyin, and Xiao Baoyi who was born disabled), although he treated Emperor Gao's and Emperor Wu's remaining progeny (most of those two emperors' progeny having been slaughtered by Emperor Ming) with honor and respect, making many of them his officials, reasoning that he and Southern Qi's imperial clan were of the same family. Emperor Wu created his infant son Xiao Tong, who was born of his concubine Consort Ding during the war against Xiao Baojuan, crown prince. (He had previously adopted his brother Xiao Hong (萧宏)'s son Xiao Zhengde as his son, and Xiao Zhengde wanted to be crown prince; instead, after creating Xiao Tong crown prince, Emperor Wu rescinded the adoption and returned Xiao Zhengde to Xiao Hong's household, drawing Xiao Zhengde's resentment.)

Early reign

The early reign of Emperor Wu was considered to be Liang dynasty's prime. He was considered diligent and frugal, and he tried to foster willingness for his officials to have different opinions than his. However, an immediate troubling sign for his reign, which would become increasingly serious as time went on, was how he appeared to be willing to tolerate corruption by his own family members, particularly his brother Xiao Hong the Prince of Linchuan, and those high-level officials who he felt contributed to his establishment of Liang.

Emperor Wu also became the first emperor in Southern dynasties' history to explicitly grant prime ministerial authorities to designated officials who were not prime ministers in name. He first granted those authorities to Fan Yun, and after Fan's death in 503, granted those authorities to Zhou She and Xu Mian, even though neither officially carried a high rank until late in their careers.

Two immediate threats that Emperor Wu had to deal with upon ascending the throne were rebellions by Chen Bozhi, who did not feel secure in his position despite Emperor Wu's permitting him to remain as the governor of Jiang Province, and Liu Jilian (刘季连) the governor of Yi Province (modern Sichuan and Chongqing), who was similarly apprehensive. By winter 502, however, Chen had been defeated by Emperor Wu's general Wang Mao (王茂) and was forced to flee to Northern Wei. In spring 503, Liu surrendered to Emperor Wu's general Deng Yuanqi (邓元起), and the realm was pacified.

However, in fall 503, Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei, with a mind of having Xiao Baoyin reestablish Southern Qi as a puppet state, commissioned Xiao Baoyin and Chen with armies, and further sent his father Emperor Xiaowen's cousin Yuan Cheng (元澄) the Prince of Rencheng to lead a force to attack Liang, starting a war that lasted several years. Both sides had victories. However, Liang lost the important border city Yiyang (义阳, in modern Xinyang, Henan) in fall 504, and in spring 505, the general Xiahou Daoqian (夏侯道迁) rebelled and surrendered another important border city, Nanzheng (南郑, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi) to Northern Wei. (It was in the aftermaths of Xiahou's rebellion that the first serious instance of Emperor Wu's refusal to punish a family member happened, as his nephew Xiao Yuanzao (萧渊藻) the Marquess of Xichang, angry that when he rendezvoused with Deng Yuanqi that Deng took the best horses, assassinated Deng and falsely accused Deng of treason. While Emperor Wu discovered that Xiao Yuanzao's accusations were false and posthumously honored Deng, he took no punishment against Xiao Yuanzao other than demoting his rank.) In 505, Emperor Wu launched a major counterattack, commanded by Xiao Hong, with Liang's best troops. However, the apprehensive Xiao Hong stopped his army at Luokou (洛口, in modern Bengbu, Anhui) and refused to advance, despite his generals' urging. Meanwhile, in spring 506, the general Wei Rui (韦睿) was able to capture Hefei (合肥, in modern Hefei, Anhui), taken by Northern Wei when Pei Shuye surrendered Shouyang to Northern Wei. In fall 506, Xiao Hong's army, stationed at Luokou for nearly a year without advancing, had an attack of night terror, and Xiao Hong, in fear, fled, causing his army to collapse without a battle. When Northern Wei forces next attacked the fortress of Zhongli (锺离, in modern Bengbu as well), however, they were defeated by a Liang army commanded by Wei and Cao Jingzong (曹景宗) in spring 507, allowing Liang to keep Zhongli and effectively ending the war. After the battle of Zhongli, there would continue to be border battles from time to time, but no large scale war for years.

In 511, when Emperor Wu received petition from an old peasant, who stopped him on the road when he was in the vicinity of Jiankang to offer sacrifices to heaven, that his criminal laws were too severe for the commoners (in particular, if one person committed a crime, the entire clan is punished), while being overly relaxing for officials and nobles, Emperor Wu considered revisions to the law. However, at the end, all he carried out was that criminals' clan members would not be required to undergo hard labor if they had seniors or children in their household, and he did not further reform his laws.

Starting in 514, Emperor Wu started carrying out a major construction project, downstream from Shouyang on the Huai River—a major dam that was intended to create a reservoir to flood Shouyang to allow Liang to capture the city. He started the project despite opposition from his engineers (who believed that the Huai River contained too much dirt in its water for a dam of the size necessary to be built). Despite engineering difficulties, however, the dam was successfully built by the general Kang Xuan (康绚) -- albeit at a major loss of life among the workers, due to the amount of work necessary and the diseases that occurred among them. (Zizhi Tongjian described the casualty rate to be at 70% to 80%.) Northern Wei's regent Empress Dowager Hu (who became regent over Emperor Xiaoming after Emperor Xuanwu's death in 515) sent armies commanded by Li Ping (李平) to attack Kang's escort forces, but could not damage the dam, which was finally completed in summer 516. it was described to be four and a half kilometers long, and the army pitched camp on the dam itself. Kang skillfully maintained the dam, and Shouyang began to be flooded. However, Emperor Wu recalled Kang to the capital and put the general Zhang Baozi (张豹子) in charge of the dam. Zhang, far less skillful and attentive than Kang, did not maintain the dam. With Huai River's water level greatly rising in winter 516, the dam collapsed, leading to more than 100,000 deaths downstream, and Shouyang was saved.

It is unclear when Emperor Wu began to be a devout Buddhist, but by 517 Buddhist influences on his policies began to be plain. That year, he ordered that imperial textile factories not weave gods and animals on clothes, because when the clothes undergo further manufacturing, the patterns might be damaged, showing disrespect to the gods and hurtfulness to the animals. In a further break from Confucian tradition, he considered making sacrifices to imperial ancestors vegetarian, instead of traditional animal sacrifices of goats, pigs, and cows, and the sacrifices were first changed to using dried meat, and then eventually to mock animals made from flour, vegetables, and fruits, and this change was despite popular opinion that this would bring displeasure from the ancestors.

Middle Reign

In 522, Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Zhengde—whom he had previously adopted but then unadopted when Xiao Tong was born—resentful that he was not created crown prince, fled to Northern Wei, claiming to be the deposed crown prince and requesting Northern Wei aid. However, Northern Wei did not take his claim seriously, and in 523 Xiao Zhengde fled back to Liang. Instead of punishing Xiao Zhengde, however, Emperor Wu merely rebuked him tearfully, and in fact restored him to his title of Marquess of Xifeng.

In winter 523, with his state plagued by forgeries of its copper coins, Emperor Wu abolished copper coins and started minting iron coins. (The actual fiscal impact of this act was unclear, but traditional Chinese historians generally considered iron to be unsuitable to use for coinage.)

In 524, Emperor Wu launched a number of attacks on Northern Wei's southern territory, with Northern Wei forces occupied with fighting agrarian rebellions to the north and west. Liang forces largely met little resistance. Further, in spring 525, the Northern Wei general Yuan Faseng (元法僧) surrendered the key city of Pengcheng (彭城, in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) to Liang. However, in summer 525, Emperor Wu's son Xiao Zong (萧综), who suspected that he was actually the son of Southern Qi's emperor Xiao Baojuan (because his mother Consort Wu was formerly Xiao Baojuan's concubine and had given birth to him only seven months after she became Emperor Wu's concubine), in turn surrendered Pengcheng to Northern Wei, ending Liang's advances in the northeast, although in summer 526, Shouyang fell to Liang troops after Emperor Wu successfully reemployed the damming strategy. For the next several years, Liang continued to make minor gains on the borders with Northern Wei.

Over the years, Emperor Wu had increasingly given additional authorities to Xiao Tong the Crown Prince, and the relationship between father and son was dear. However, in 526, after the death of Xiao Tong's mother Consort Ding Lingguang (丁令光), the relationship would deteriorate. Xiao Tong sought out an appropriate place to bury Consort Ding, but while he was doing so, a land owner bribed the eunuch Yu Sanfu (俞三副) into convincing Emperor Wu that that piece of land would bring good fortune for the emperor, and so Emperor Wu bought the land and buried Consort Ding there. However, once Consort Ding was buried, a Taoist monk informed Xiao Tong that he believed that the land would bring ill fortune for Consort Ding's oldest son—Xiao Tong. Xiao Tong therefore allowed the monk to bury a few items intended to dissolve the ill fortune, such as wax ducks, at the position reserved for the oldest son. Later on, when one of Xiao Tong's attendants, Bao Miaozhi (鲍邈之), was squeezed out of Xiao Tong's inner circles by another attendant, Wei Ya (魏雅), he, in resentment, reported to Emperor Wu that Wei had carried out sorcery on Xiao Tong's behalf. When Emperor Wu investigated, waxed ducks were found, and Emperor Wu became surprised and angry, and wanted to investigate further. He only stopped the investigation when he was advised to do so by the prime minister Xu Mian, executing only the Taoist monk who had suggested the burial of wax ducks. Xiao Tong became humiliated in the affair, and was never able to clear himself completely in his father's eyes.

In 527, Emperor Wu made his first offering of himself to the service of Buddha (舍身, sheshen) at Tongtai Monastery (同泰寺), spending three days there.

In 528, after a coup in Northern Wei, with the warlord Erzhu Rong overthrowing Empress Dowager Hu (after she killed her own son, Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei, with poison), a number of Northern Wei officials, including Yuan Yue (元悦) the Prince of Ru'nan, Yuan Yu (元彧) the Prince of Linhuai, and Yuan Hao the Prince of Beihai, fled to Liang, and a number of other officials surrendered territories they controlled to Liang. In winter 528, Emperor Wu created Yuan Hao the Prince of Wei—intending to have him lay claim to the Northern Wei throne and, if successful, become a Liang vassal—and commissioned his general Chen Qingzhi (陈庆之) with an army to escort Yuan Hao back to Northern Wei. Despite the small size of Chen's army, he won battle after battle, and in spring 529, after Chen captured Suiyang (睢阳, in modern Shangqiu, Henan), Yuan Hao, with Emperor Wu's approval, proclaimed himself the emperor of Northern Wei. In summer 529, with Northern Wei troops unable to stand up to Chen, Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei fled the Northern Wei capital Luoyang, and Yuan Hao took it. However, Yuan Hao secretly wanted to rebel against Liang, and when Chen requested Emperor Wu to send reinforcements, Yuan Hao sent Emperor Wu a submission advising against it, and Emperor Wu, believing Yuan Hao, did not send additional troops. Soon, Erzhu Rong and Emperor Xiaozhuang counterattacked, and Luoyang fell. Yuan Hao fled and was killed in flight, and Chen's own army was destroyed, although Chen himself was able to flee back to Liang. Emperor Wu, realizing the impossibility of the task he gave Chen, nevertheless created Chen the Marquess of Yongxing in recognition of his victories.

In fall 529, Emperor Wu made his second offering of himself to the service of Buddha at Tongtai Monastery—but contrary to the first time he did, when he simply spent three days at the monastery, he stripped himself of imperial clothing and wore those of monks, and spent all day carrying out monastic tasks, including daily chores and giving of lectures on the Nirvana Sutra. He spent 12 days at the monastery, and returned to the palace only after the imperial offices made a huge donation to it—formally, to ransom "the Emperor Bodhisattva."

In 530, Emperor Wu made another attempt to establish a vassal regime in Northern Wei—by creating Yuan Yue the Prince of Wei, and commissioning Yuan Yue's uncle Fan Zun (范遵) with an army to escort Yuan Yue back to Northern Wei. Yuan Yue made some advances, particularly in light of the disturbance precipitated soon thereafter when Emperor Xiaozhuang ambushed and killed Erzhu Rong and was in turn overthrown by Erzhu Rong's nephew Erzhu Zhao and cousin Erzhu Shilong. However, Yuan Yue realized that the Erzhus then became firmly in control of Luoyang and that he would be unable to defeat them, and so returned to Liang in winter 530.

Xiao Tongs Death

In 531, Xiao Tong who was the Crown Prince at the time died, and Emperor Wu personally attended his wake and buried him in a tomb appropriate for an emperor. He also summoned Xiao Tong's oldest son, Xiao Huan (萧欢) the Duke of Huarong back to the capital Jiankang, preparing to create Xiao Huan crown prince to replace his father, as would be appropriate under Confucian principles of succession. However, still resentful over the wax duck affair, he hesitated for days without carrying out the creation, and finally did not do so. Instead, against popular opinion, he created Xiao Tong's younger brother, also by Consort Ding, Xiao Gang crown prince. To compensate Xiao Tong's three sons, he created the princes of large commandery—Xiao Huan the Prince of Yuzhang, Xiao Yu (萧誉) the Prince of Hedong, and Xiao Cha the Prince of Yueyang, but his grandsons continued to resent him.

In 532, with Northern Wei again in civil war after the general Gao Huan rose against the Erzhus, Emperor Wu against sent an army to escort Yuan Yue back to Northern Wei, and subsequently, Gao Huan welcomed Yuan Yue, but then decided against making Yuan Yue emperor. Subsequently, Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei, whom Gao made emperor, had Yuan Yue executed.

In 534, with Mars seen in the Dipper constellation—traditionally thought to be a sign that the emperor would be forced to leave the palace—Emperor Wu tried to divert the ill fortune by walking barefoot around his palace. However, he soon heard that Northern Wei's Emperor Xiaowu had fled Luoyang in a dispute with Gao splitting Northern Wei into two separate countries. Wu, both glad and embarrassed, stated, "Is it that even barbarians correspond to astrological signs?"

Late Reign

With Northern Wei divided into Eastern Wei and Western Wei in light of Emperor Xiaowu's flight, Emperor Wu initially continued to send his forces to make minor territorial gains on the borders, against both Eastern Wei and Western Wei, for several years. It had been the case throughout Emperor Wu's reign that he was overly lenient to his relatives and high-level officials, but the trend appeared to become more severe late in his reign. His sons, all imperial princes, also grew increasingly disobedient of central authority, often acting as de facto emperors within their provincial domains.

By 537, Emperor Wu was at a détente with Eastern Wei, and ambassadors from both states often visited the other. While there was no such formal arrangement with Western Wei, there appeared to be few border conflicts after this point. With Eastern Wei and Western Wei locked into war, Liang was largely at peace. With Zhou She having died in 524 and Xu Mian having died in 535, Emperor Wu largely entrusted the government to Zhu Yi and He Jingrong (何敬容). While He was known for integrity, he lacked political skills, and Zhu became the de facto prime minister, wielding great power and amassing wealth. While Zhu was skillful and capable, he was also regarded as corrupt and jealous of others. His hold on power was particularly increased when He was dismissed in 544 over a corruption scandal involving the brother of his concubine.

In 539, based on Zhu's recommendation, Emperor Wu carried out a reorganization of the provincial divisions, placing the provinces into five classes based on their sizes and populations. After the reorganization, there were 108 provinces in total (20 of the first class, 10 of the second class, eight of the third class, 23 of the fourth class, and 21 of the fifth class), with the smaller provinces often consisting of single villages in southern and southwestern border regions.

In 541, the Vietnamese people of Jiao Province (交州, roughly modern Hanoi, Vietnam), dissatisfied at the cruel rule of the governor Xiao Zi (萧谘) the Marquess of Wulin (Emperor Wu's nephew), declared a rebellion, led by Lý Bôn. The Liang forces could not put down Lý Bôn's rebellion quickly, and Lý Bôn eventually declared himself emperor of Vietnam in 544, fighting a guerilla war with Liang. Liang forces would not be driven out until 550.

In 545, Emperor Wu's official He Chen (贺琛) wrote a submission Emperor Wu to correct four matters—the corruption of officials, the wastefulness in the luxurious style of living among officials and the population at large, the harshness of penal laws, and the overspending on construction projects (mostly temples). Emperor Wu was exceedingly angry and rejected He's suggestions. Commenting on this incident, the historian Sima Guang wrote the following about Emperor Wu:

:The emperor was filially pious, loving, humble, frugal, knowledgeable, and good at writing. He extensively studied mysticism, astrology, horseriding, archery, music, calligraphy, and weiqi. He worked hard, and even in the coldest winter times, he would get up at the fourth watch 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. to review important matters of state, and as his pen-wielding hand is exposed to the cold air, his skin would break. Ever since the era of Tianjian 502 to 519, he became a Buddhist and ate only vegetarian meals, not meat, and his single daily meal only contained vegetables and rough rice grains. Sometimes, when he was busy, he would flush his mouth and no longer eat after noon. He wore cloth and used bed covers made of bombax ceiba. Each hat he wore, he would use for three years, and each comforter he used, he would use for two years. Within the palace, starting from Guifei consort, their skirts would not be long enough to reach the ground. The emperor disliked alcohol, and unless he was offering sacrifices to the ancestors, feasting with the imperial officials, or holding Buddhist ceremonies, he used no music. Even when he was alone in a dark room, he wore proper clothing and sat carefully. No matter how hot the weather was, he would not peel up his sleeves or expose his arms. He treated palace servants as honored guests. However, he was overly lenient to the officials. The provincial and commandery governors often extracted wealth from the people. The messengers that he sent out to the locales often improperly pressured, criticized, or extorted from the locales. He trusted evil people and liked to criticize people for minor faults. He built many Buddhist towers and temples, inflicting great burdens on the government and the people. The area south of the Yangtze River had long peace, and as a result became wasteful in lifestyle. All of what He Chen said was true, but it was particularly because what he said was true that the emperor became angry.

In 546, Emperor Wu made his third offering of himself to the service of the Buddha. He spent more than a month at Tongtai Temple, before a fire that destroyed the temple tower caused him to return to the palace.

The Hou Jing disturbance and death

In 547, Gao Huan died, and was succeeded as the paramount authority in Eastern Wei by his son Gao Cheng. The Eastern Wei general Hou Jing, because he disliked the young Gao Cheng and considered himself superior, rebelled. He first surrendered the 13 provinces that he was in charge—all south of the Yellow River and north of the Huai River, to Western Wei, but believing that he would also not be tolerated by Western Wei's paramount general Yuwen Tai, Hou then surrendered nine of the 13 provinces (minus the four that he had turned over to Western Wei forces in exchange for help) to Liang.

Emperor Wu initially hesitated himself at whether to accept Hou's surrender, particularly because a number of his officials, including Xie Ju (谢举), opposed, citing the long-standing peace with Eastern Wei. Zhu Yi, however, believing that approving of Hou's surrender would please Emperor Wu, argued that Hou should be accepted. Emperor Wu agreed, and he created Hou the Prince of He'nan, with acting imperial powers over the nine provinces. In the midst of this situation, Emperor Wu, while sending troops to aid Hou, offered himself to the service of the Buddha for the fourth time, spending 37 days at Tongtai Temple and only returning to the palace after his officials made another huge donation to Tongtai Temple.

Hou, with aid from Western Wei and Liang, initially stood Eastern Wei attacks. However, when Yuwen subsequently demanded that he proceed to the Western Wei capital Chang'an to greet Emperor Wen of Western Wei, Hou turned against Western Wei forces commanded by Wang Sizheng (王思政), although Western Wei largely held the cities that he had turned over. Meanwhile, Emperor Wu also commissioned a large army, commanded by his nephew Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang, to attack Eastern Wei to the east. By Emperor Wu's orders, Xiao Yuanming advanced to Hanshan (寒山), in Pengcheng's vicinity, to build a dam over the Si River (泗水) to use water to attack Pengcheng. Xiao Yuanming's lieutenant, the general Yang Kan (羊侃), quickly completed the dam, but when Yang advised Xiao Yuanming to attack Pengcheng, Xiao Yuanming hesitated. Meanwhile, Eastern Wei forces commanded by Murong Shaozong (慕容绍宗) arrived near Hanshan, and Yang advised Xiao Yuanming to attack them while they were still tired, but Xiao Yuanming failed to. Subsequently, when the armies engaged, the Liang forces were initially successful, but overextended themselves, and the Eastern Wei counterattack nearly destroyed the entire Liang army, capturing Xiao Yuanming and many of his officers.

Murong then turned his attention against Hou, meeting Hou at Woyang (涡阳, in modern Bozhou, Anhui). Initially, Hou defeated Murong in battle, forcing him to flee, but Murong then regrouped. Meanwhile, Hou's food supplies began to dwindle. In spring 548, Hou's troops collapsed, and he approached Shouyang. When the Wei An (韦黯), the acting governor of Southern Yu Province (南豫州, modern central Anhui) welcomed Hou, Hou took him by surprise and seized Shouyang. He then sent an apology to Emperor Wu, and Emperor Wu, not having the heart of forcing Hou away from Shouyang, made him the governor of Southern Yu Province.

With Eastern Wei having recovered all nine of the provinces that Hou had surrendered to Liang, Gao Cheng now sent overtures to Emperor Wu, requesting that peace be reinstated, offering to return Xiao Yuanming and Hou's relatives. Hou opposed peace, suspecting Gao Cheng's intentions, and he also did not trust Emperor Wu's subsequent guarantees never to betray him. Hou's fears were further increased when Emperor Wu sent ambassadors to mourn Gao Huan. Hou decided to test Emperor Wu by forging a letter from Gao Cheng, offering to swap Xiao Yuanming for Hou—and when Emperor Wu then responded, "If you return Yuanming in the morning, I will return Hou Jing in the evening" against the advice of Fu Qi (傅岐), Hou was outraged. Hou made an overture to Xiao Zhengde, promising to support him as the new emperor, and Xiao Zhengde agreed. Emperor Wu's nephew Xiao Fan (萧范) the Prince of Poyang, who believed that Hou was about to rebel, suggested a preemptory attack, but Zhu advised against it, and Emperor Wu took no action on Xiao Fan's recommendation. In summer 548, Hou finally declared a rebellion, claiming that his goal was to clear the court of evil officials—Zhu, Xu Lin (徐麟), Lu Yan (陆验), and Zhou Shizhen (周石珍) -- all corrupt officials that the people hated.

Initially, Emperor Wu did not take Hou's rebellion seriously, and he made the comment, "I can break off a tree branch and kill him with it." He sent his son Xiao Guan (萧纶) the Prince of Shaoling to command a four-pronged army, intending to trap Hou at Shouyang, but Hou, taking decisive action, marched toward Jiankang before Xiao Guan's forces could converge, and within a month, he crossed the Yangtze and approached Jiankang, catching the city unprepared. When Emperor Wu sent Xiao Zhengde to resist Hou, Xiao Zhengde turned against Emperor Wu and served as Hou's guide. Hou quickly surrounded Jiankang, and the populace of Jiankang, unaccustomed to war, panicked and collapsed. Emperor Wu and Xiao Gang put together the imperial guards to defend the palace, and initially, the defenses held, particularly because the key general, Yang Kan, was capable. In winter 548, Hou had Xiao Zhengde declared emperor and married Xiao Zhengde's daughter. When Hou's forces began to run out of food supply, he allowed his soldiers to pillage from the people, and the people began to starve in large numbers. (In the siege, the vegetables that Emperor Wu was accustomed to eat ran out, and Emperor Wu became forced to eat eggs.)

The provincial governors, led by Xiao Guan and Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong, meanwhile, were beginning to put a relief force together, and Xiao Guan arrived around the new year 549, but was defeated by Hou and was unable to lift the siege. Meanwhile, Yang died, and the people inside the palace walls grew increasingly desperate. As the siege went on, however, more Liang provincial forces converged, and they supported Liu Zhongli (柳仲礼) the governor of Si Province (司州, modern southern Henan) as their commander. Liu initially had some successes against Hou's forces, but in spring 549, Hou made a surprise attack on Liu's forces, and both sides incurred heavy losses, with Liu himself nearly dying of his injuries—after which, Liu became extremely hesitant to engage Hou. Liu grew very arrogant as well, even treating Xiao Guan was disrespect. Further, Liu's forces were pillaging the people as much as Hou's forces, and therefore the people saw no incentive to assist them.

With Hou's forces tired, however, Hou sued for peace, stating that he was willing to return to Shouyang if Emperor Wu was willing to cede four provinces west of the Yangtze River to him and willing to send Xiao Gang's oldest son Xiao Daqi the Prince of Xuancheng as a hostage. Emperor Wu agreed—except for sending Xiao Daqi's younger brother Xiao Dakuan (萧大款) the Duke of Shicheng instead of Xiao Daqi. Once the relief forces withdrew slightly (under Hou's demand) and Hou's forces had rested about 15 days and obtained some additional food supplies, however, Hou changed his mind and decided not to withdraw after all. He resumed sieging the palace, and yet Liu took no actions. In late spring 549, the palace fell to Hou's troops, and Hou met Emperor Wu, initially acting as if he were willing to remain a faithful subject. Hou remained formally deferential to Emperor Wu and Xiao Gang the Crown Prince, but meanwhile effectively put them under house arrest. He issued an edict in Emperor Wu's name, disbanding Liu's forces, and Liu did so. Hou also deposed Xiao Zhengde.

Meanwhile, Emperor Wu continued to resist some of Hou's demands, and when Hou requested that certain of his associates by named to high-level posts, Emperor Wu refused. Hou reacted by reducing Emperor Wu's supplies, and in summer 549, Emperor Wu died. (It is unclear whether he died from illness or from starvation.) It was recorded that as he was dying, his mouth was bitter, and he wanted honey, but no one responded to his request. Hou allowed Xiao Gang to take the throne (as Emperor Jianwen) to succeed him.

Buddhist legends

Emperor Wu is remembered by many Buddhists today for the many contributions he gave to the faith. There are a few stories that revolve around his involvement with Buddhism.

Emperor Wu features in the first case of the Blue Cliff Record. Imperial officials disapproved of the dialogue recited in the first case, viewing it as against the dignity of the throne.

Family

Consorts and issue

• Empress Wude, of the Xi clan of Gaoping (武德皇后 高平郗氏; 468–499), personal name Hui (徽)

　• Princess Yongxing (永兴公主; d. 529), personal name Yuyao (玉姚), first daughter

　　• Married Yin Jun (殷均)

　• Princess Yongshi (永世公主), personal name Yuwan (玉婉)

　　• Married Xie Mo of Chen (陈郡 谢谟), a son of Xie Tiao

　　• Married Wang Yin of Langya (琊琅 王𬤇)

　• Princess Yongkang (永康公主), personal name Yuhuan (玉嬛)

• Empress Dowager Mu, of the Ding clan (穆皇太后 丁氏; 484–526), personal name Lingguang (令光)

　• Xiao Tong, Emperor Zhaoming (昭明皇帝 萧统; 501–531), first son

　• Xiao Gang, Emperor Jianwen (简文皇帝 萧纲; 503–551), third son

　• Xiao Xu, Prince Wei of Luling (庐陵威王 萧续; 506–547), fifth son

• Empress Dowager Wenxuan, of the Ruan clan (文宣皇太后 阮氏; 477–542), personal name Lingying (令嬴)

　• Xiao Yi, Emperor Yuan (元皇帝 萧绎; 508–555), seventh son

• Shuyuan, of the Wu clan (敬淑媛 吴氏; d. 527), personal name Jinghui (景晖)

　• Xiao Zan, Prince of Yuzhang (豫章王 萧赞; 502–531), second son, adopted

• Shuyi, of the Dong clan (淑仪 董氏)

　• Xiao Ji, Prince Jian of Nankang (南康简王 萧绩; 505–529), fourth son

• Chonghua, of the Ding clan (充华 丁氏)

　• Xiao Lun, Prince Xie of Shaoling (邵陵携王 萧纶; 507–551), sixth son

• Xiurong, of the Ge clan (修容 葛氏)

　• Xiao Ji, Prince Zhenxian of Wuling (武陵贞献王 萧纪; 508–553), eighth son

• Unknown

　• Princess Anji (安吉公主), personal name Yuzhi (玉娡)

　　• Married Wang Shi of Langya, Duke Jiancheng (琊琅 王实)

　• Princess Dao of Fuyang (富阳悼公主), fourth daughter

　　• Married Zhang Zuan of Fanyang (范阳 张缵; 499–549), and had issue (two sons, two daughters)

　• Princess Changcheng (长城公主), personal name Yuling (玉姈)

　　• Married Liu Yan of Hedong (河东 柳偃; d. 550), and had issue (one child, Lady Liu)

　• Princess Yongjia (永嘉公主)

　　• Married Wang Quan of Langya (琊琅 王铨)

Genealogy

• Xiao Zheng (萧整)

　• Xiao Juan (萧隽)

　　• Xiao Lezi (萧乐子)

　　　• Xiao Chengzhi (萧承之)

　　　　• Xiao Daocheng

　• Xiao Xia (萧辖)

　　• Xiao Fuzi (萧副子)

　　　• Xiao Daoci (萧道赐)

　　　　• Xiao Shunzhi (萧顺之)

　　　　　• Xiao Yan