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Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou ((?)???) (534-560), personal name Yuwen Yu, nickname Tongwantu, was an emperor
Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress is the female equivalent. As a title, "empress" may indicate the wife of an emperor or a woman who rules in her own right ....
 of the Chinese
History of China

China civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River valley in the Neolithic era. The written history of China begins with the Shang Dynasty ....
/Xianbei
Xianbei

The Xianbei were a significant nomadic people residing in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Greater Khingan. They were descendants of Donghu before migrating into areas of the modern Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning....
 dynasty Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou

The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei Dynasty, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was followed by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and Eastern Wei in 535....
, although at the start of his reign he used the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
Tian Wang

Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a History of China regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an emperor title....
).






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(Bei) Zhou Mingdi ((?)???)
Family name
Chinese name

Personal names in Culture of China follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John"....
:		Yuwen
Yuwen

The Yuwen is a Chinese compound surname first originated from the a pre-state clan of Xianbei ethnicity of Xiongnu origin during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms in China, until its destruction by Former Yan's prince Murong Huang in 345....
 (??, yu wén)
Given name
Chinese name

Personal names in Culture of China follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John"....
:		Yu (?, yù)
Temple name
Temple name

Temple names are commonly used when naming most Table of Chinese monarchs, List of Korean monarchs , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names....
:		Shizong (??, shì zong)
Posthumous name
Posthumous name

A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of Table of Chinese monarchs, List of Korean monarchs, Vietnam and emperors of Japan....
:
(full)
Xiaoming (??, xiào míng)
literary meaning:
"filial and understanding"
Posthumous name
Posthumous name

A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of Table of Chinese monarchs, List of Korean monarchs, Vietnam and emperors of Japan....
:
(short)
Ming (?, míng)
"understanding"


Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou ((?)???) (534-560), personal name Yuwen Yu, nickname Tongwantu, was an emperor
Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress is the female equivalent. As a title, "empress" may indicate the wife of an emperor or a woman who rules in her own right ....
 of the Chinese
History of China

China civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River valley in the Neolithic era. The written history of China begins with the Shang Dynasty ....
/Xianbei
Xianbei

The Xianbei were a significant nomadic people residing in Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, or Greater Khingan. They were descendants of Donghu before migrating into areas of the modern Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Liaoning....
 dynasty Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou

The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei Dynasty, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was followed by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and Eastern Wei in 535....
, although at the start of his reign he used the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
Tian Wang

Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a History of China regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an emperor title....
). He was made emperor after his younger brother Emperor Xiaomin
Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou

Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Jue , nickname Tuoluoni , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou ...
 was deposed and killed by the regent
Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "reigning", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present or debilitated....
 Yuwen Hu
Yuwen Hu

Yuwen Hu , courtesy name Sabao , formally Duke Dang of Jin , was a regent of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. He first came into prominence as the nephew of Western Wei's paramount general Yuwen Tai, and after Yuwen Tai's death in 556, he became the guardian to Yuwen Tai's son Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou....
. Emperor Ming himself assumed some, but not all, powers from Yuwen Hu, and was generally considered able. Because of this, Yuwen Hu became apprehensive, and in 560, he poisoned Emperor Ming to death. While near death, however, Emperor Ming appointed his brother Yuwen Yong
Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yong , nickname Miluotu , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou....
 (Emperor Wu) as his successor, believing Yuwen Yong to be intelligent and capable, and in 572, Yuwen Yong was finally able to kill Yuwen Hu and assume full imperial powers.

Background

Yuwen Yu was born in 534, as the oldest son of the then-Northern Wei
Northern Wei

The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"....
 general Yuwen Tai
Yuwen Tai

Yuwen Tai , nickname Heita , formally Duke Wen of Anding , later further posthumously honored by Northern Zhou initially as Prince Wen then as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu , was the paramount general of the History of China/Xianbei state Western Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei....
. His mother was Yuwen Tai's concubine Lady Yao. His nickname of Tongwantu was derived from the fact that Lady Yao gave birth to him at the important city of Tongwan (??, in modern Yulin
Yulin, Shaanxi

Yulin is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanxi province of the People's Republic of China. It has an area of 43,578 km? and a population of 3,380,000....
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi

is a north-central political divisions of China of the People's Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of the province....
) while accompanying Yuwen Tai on an inspection of the city. Also in 534, Northern Wei divided into two rival states, Western Wei
Western Wei

The Western W?i Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and ruled northern China from 535 to 556.After the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu was killed by the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai, Yuan Baoju was installed as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler....
 and Eastern Wei
Eastern Wei

The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550.In 534 Gao Huan, the potentate of the eastern half of what was Northern Wei territory following the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty installed Yuan Shanjian a descendant of the Northern Wei as ruler of Easter...
, with Yuwen Tai as the paramount general of Western Wei. In 548, Emperor Wen of Western Wei
Emperor Wen of Western Wei

Emperor Wen of Western Wei , personal name Yuan Baoju , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei....
, to further honor Yuwen Tai, created Yuwen Yu the Duke of Ningdu. In 550, he was made a provincial governor, and for the next several years, he was rotated between several provinces. During his term as a provincial governor, he married the daughter
Empress Dugu (Ming)

Empress Dugu , formally Empress Jing , was an empress of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou .She was the oldest daughter of Dugu Xin , a major general under Yuwen Tai, Yuwen Yu's father and paramount general of Western Wei....
 of the key general Dugu Xin as his wife.

In spring 556, Yuwen Tai was pondering the issue of succession. His wife Princess Fengyi, the sister of Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei

Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei , personal name Yuan Xiu , courtesy name Xiaoze , at times known as Emperor Chu , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
, had one son, Yuwen Jue
Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou

Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Jue , nickname Tuoluoni , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou ...
, but he considered the fact of whether making Yuwen Jue heir apparent
Heir apparent

An heir apparent is an heir who cannot be displaced from inheriting; the term is used in contrast to heir presumptive, the term for a conditional heir who is currently in line to inherit but could be displaced at any time in the future....
 over Yuwen Yu would trouble Dugu Xin. On the advice of Li Yuan, who argued that the son of a wife always had precedence over the son of a concubine, Yuwen Tai made Yuwen Jue his heir apparent. Yuwen Tai died later that year, and Yuwen Jue inherited his titles, under the guardianship of Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu
Yuwen Hu

Yuwen Hu , courtesy name Sabao , formally Duke Dang of Jin , was a regent of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. He first came into prominence as the nephew of Western Wei's paramount general Yuwen Tai, and after Yuwen Tai's death in 556, he became the guardian to Yuwen Tai's son Emperor Xiaomin of Northern Zhou....
. In early 557, Yuwen Hu forced Emperor Gong of Western Wei
Emperor Gong of Western Wei

Emperor Gong of Western Wei , personal name n? Yuan Kuo , later changed to Tuoba Kuo , was the last emperor of the History of China/Xianbei state Western Wei -- a branch successor state to Northern Wei....
 to yield the throne to Yuwen Jue, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou
Northern Zhou

The Northern Zhou Dynasty followed the Western Wei Dynasty, and ruled northern China from 557 to 581. It was followed by the Sui Dynasty.Northern Zhou's basis of power was established by Yuwen Tai, who was paramount general of Western Wei, following the split of Northern Wei into Western Wei and Eastern Wei in 535....
 (with Yuwen Jue as its Emperor Xiaomin but using the alternative title of "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang
Tian Wang

Tian Wang , translatable as either "heavenly prince" or "heavenly king," was a History of China regal title that was most frequently used during the Sixteen Kingdoms era, among the kingdoms founded by members of the Wu Hu tribes, often used as an intermediate stage from claiming a prince/king title to an emperor title....
)).

Later in 557, the 15-year-old Emperor Xiaomin, wanting to exercise full imperial powers, plotted to have Yuwen Hu killed. When Yuwen Hu discovered the plot, he deposed and then killed Emperor Xiaomin. Yuwen Hu welcomed Yuwen Yu to the capital Chang'an
Chang'an

Chang'an is an ancient Capital of more than ten Dynasties in Chinese history in Chinese history. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese....
 to take over the throne, still with the Heavenly Prince title.

Reign

In spring 558, Emperor Ming created his wife Duchess Dugu the title of princess (as he was still using the Heavenly Prince title at this point). Three months later, however, she died. (The historian Bo Yang
Bo Yang

Bo Yang , also sometimes called Bai Yang , was a Chinese language writer based in Taiwan. According to his own memoir, the exact date of his birthday was unknown even to himself....
 speculated that because Yuwen Hu had in 557 forced her father Dugu Xin to commit suicide after Dugu Xin was implicated in a plot to overthrow Yuwen Hu, that Yuwen Hu had her murdered, but had no concrete evidence to show that that happened.)

In spring 559, Yuwen Hu formally returned his authorities to Emperor Ming, and Emperor Ming began to formally rule on all governmental matters, but Yuwen Hu retained authority over the military. Emperor Ming was generally credited with making sensible decisions and being humble toward elders, honoring them appropriately and listening to their advice.

In fall 559, Emperor Ming formally began to use the title of emperor and started using an era name
Era name

#REDIRECT Regnal year...
 -- which Yuwen Tai had earlier abolished during the time of Western Wei's Emperor Fei.

In spring 560, with Xiao Zhuang
Xiao Zhuang

Xiao Zhuang , often known by his princely title of Prince of Yongjia , was a grandson of Emperor Yuan of Liang, who was declared by the general Wang Lin to be the legitimate emperor of Liang Dynasty in 558, under military assistance by Northern Qi....
 -- a rival claimant to the Liang Dynasty
Liang Dynasty

Liang Dynasty , also known as Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. Western Liang Dynasty , with its capital established at Jiangling in 555 by Emperor Xuan of Western Liang, a grandson of Liang's founder Emperor Wu of Liang, claimed to be the legitimate successor of...
 throne to Emperor Xuan of Western Liang
Emperor Xuan of Western Liang

Emperor Xuan of Liang , personal name Xiao Cha , courtesy name Lisun , was a emperor of the History of China Liang Dynasty. He took the Liang throne under support from Western Wei after Western Wei forces had defeated and killed his uncle Emperor Yuan of Liang in 554, but many traditional historians, because he controlled litt...
, who was a Northern Zhou vassal and whom Northern Zhou supported -- attacking Chen Dynasty
Chen Dynasty

Chen Dynasty was the fourth and the last of the Southern dynasties in China, eventually destroyed by the Sui Dynasty.When the dynasty was founded by Emperor Wu of Chen, it was exceedingly weak, possessing only a small portion of the territory once held by its predecessor Liang Dynasty -- and that portion was devastated by wars that had do...
 territory with his paramount general Wang Lin
Wang Lin

Wang Lin , courtesy name Ziheng , formally Prince Zhongwu of Baling , was a general of the History of China dynasties Liang Dynasty and Northern Qi....
, Northern Zhou sent its general Shi Ning to attack Xiao Zhuang's capital Jiangxia (??, in modern Wuhan
Wuhan

is the capital of Hubei province, and is the most populous city in central People's Republic of China. It lies at the east of Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and Han River ....
, Hubei
Hubei

is a central province of China of the People's Republic of China. Its abbreviation is ? , an ancient name associated with the eastern part of the province since the Qin Dynasty....
). Soon, however, after Xiao Zhuang and Wang were defeated by the Chen general Hou Tian and forced to flee to Northern Qi
Northern Qi

The Northern Qi Dynasty was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577. It was the successor state of the Xianbei state of Eastern Wei, as Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan was succeeded by his sons Gao Cheng and Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi, who took the throne from Emperor Xiaojing o...
 and Chen forces subsequently approaching Jiangxia, Northern Zhou abandoned the campaign on Jiangxia, but were able to seize part of Xiao Zhuang's former territory -- modern Hunan
Hunan

is a province of China of People's Republic of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting . Hunan is sometimes called wikt:? for short, after the Xiang River which runs through the province....
, which Northern Zhou turned over to Western Liang but sent forces to help defend. In spring 560, Chen made peace overtures to Northern Zhou, which Northern Zhou accepted.

in summer 560, Yuwen Hu, apprehensive of Emperor Ming's intelligence and abilities, instructed the imperial chef Li An to poison sugar cookies that were submitted to the emperor. Emperor Ming ate them and became ill. Knowing that he was near death, he instructed that, because his sons were young, the throne should be passed to his younger brother Yuwen Yong
Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yong , nickname Miluotu , was an emperor of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou....
 the Duke of Lu. He died soon thereafter, and Yuwen Yong took the throne as Emperor Wu.

Era name

  • Wucheng (?? wu chéng) 559-560


Personal information

  • Father
    • Yuwen Tai
      Yuwen Tai

      Yuwen Tai , nickname Heita , formally Duke Wen of Anding , later further posthumously honored by Northern Zhou initially as Prince Wen then as Emperor Wen with the temple name Taizu , was the paramount general of the History of China/Xianbei state Western Wei, a branch successor state of Northern Wei....
      , posthumously honored as Emperor Wen
  • Mother
    • Lady Yao, Yuwen Tai's concubine
  • Wife
    • Empress Dugu
      Empress Dugu (Ming)

      Empress Dugu , formally Empress Jing , was an empress of the History of China/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou .She was the oldest daughter of Dugu Xin , a major general under Yuwen Tai, Yuwen Yu's father and paramount general of Western Wei....
       (created 557), daughter of Dugu Xin
  • Major Concubines
    • Consort Xu, mother of Prince Xian
  • Children
    • Yuwen Xian, initially the Duke of Bi (created 564), later Prince La of Bi (created 574, executed by Yang Jian
      Emperor Wen of Sui

      Emperor Wen of Sui , personal name Yang Jian , also known by the Xianbei name Puliuru Jian during Northern Zhou, nickname Naluoyan , was the founder and first Emperor of China of China's Sui Dynasty....
       580)
    • Yuwen Zhen, initially the Duke of Feng, later the Prince of Feng (created 574, executed by Yang Jian
      Emperor Wen of Sui

      Emperor Wen of Sui , personal name Yang Jian , also known by the Xianbei name Puliuru Jian during Northern Zhou, nickname Naluoyan , was the founder and first Emperor of China of China's Sui Dynasty....
       581)
    • Yuwen Shi, initially the Duke of Song (created 561), later the Prince of Song (created 574, executed by Yang Jian
      Emperor Wen of Sui

      Emperor Wen of Sui , personal name Yang Jian , also known by the Xianbei name Puliuru Jian during Northern Zhou, nickname Naluoyan , was the founder and first Emperor of China of China's Sui Dynasty....
       581)
    • Princess Henan