Western Wei
Western Wei 西魏 | |||||||||||
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535–557 | |||||||||||
Western Wei in orange | |||||||||||
Capital | Chang'an | ||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
Emperor | |||||||||||
• 535–551 | Emperor Wen of Western Wei | ||||||||||
• 552–554 | Emperor Fei of Western Wei | ||||||||||
• 554–557 | Emperor Gong of Western Wei | ||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
• Establishment of Eastern Wei, start of division of Northern Wei | 8 November 534[2] | ||||||||||
• Emperor Wen's ascension, often viewed as establishment | 18 February 535[1] 535 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 14 February 557[3] 557 | ||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||
557[4] | 1,300,000 km2 (500,000 sq mi) | ||||||||||
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The Western Wei (Chinese: 西魏; pinyin: Xī Wèi) followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556. As with the Northern Wei state that preceded it, the ruling family of Western Wei were members of the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei.
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. Although smaller than the Eastern Wei in territory and population, Western Wei was able to withstand the attacks from the eastern empire. Due to its better economical conditions, Western Wei was even able to conquer the whole western part of the Liang empire in the south and occupied the territory of modern Sichuan. In 557 Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu deposed Emperor Gong and placed Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue on the throne, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou.
Rulers
Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號) | Born Names | Period of Reigns | Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years |
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Northern dynasty | |||
Western Wei Dynasty 535-556 | |||
Convention: Western Wei + posthumous name | |||
Wen Di (文帝 wén dì) | Yuan Baoju (元寶炬 yuán bǎo jù) | 535-551 | Datong (大統 dà tǒng) 535-551 |
Fei Di (廢帝 fèi dì) | Yuan Qin (元欽 yuán qīn) | 552-554 | Did not exist |
Gong Di (恭帝 gōng dì) | Tuoba Kuo (拓拔廓 tuò bá kuò) | 554-556 | Did not exist |
Notes
References