Xiao Gang (蕭綱) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xiao Gang was an emperor Jianwen of Liang, crown prince, and poet.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Shizuan	世纘	Shizuan
Childhood name	Liutong	六通	Liutong
Posthumous name	Emperor Jianwen	簡文皇帝	Jianwen huangdi
Temple name	Taizong	太宗	Taizong

Life and dates

Birth

AD 503 天監二年十月丁未
At Xianyang Hall 顯陽殿
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 4

Death

AD 551 大寶二年
Suffocated with earth bag · At Yongfu Palace 永福省 · Authority Hou Jing (侯景)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 115, 126
AD 551 終罹懷、愍之酷
suffered a cruel end like Emperors Huai and Min 罹懷、愍之酷
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
Killed
Directly stated · Book of Chen 19, passage 15

Age

49
AD 551 大寶二年 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 126

Attested activity

prior Liang reign (Jianwen)
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 6, passage 37
AD 532 四年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 36, passages 41-42
AD 549 太清三年
Directly stated · Book of Liang 30, passage 166
AD 548 to AD 551 Hou Jing rebellion
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 13, passage 111
AD 546 中大同元年
Dated from the passage context · Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance 159, passage 193; zizhitongjian:159:s0193a; zizhitongjian:159:s0240b
AD 531 中大通三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passages 20, 27

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AD 548 to AD 552 侯景亂
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 16, passage 32
AD 546 冬，十月，乙亥
Dated from the passage context · zizhitongjian:159:s0263a
AD 535 大同元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 24, passages 151-152
AD 551 大寶二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passages 115, 126
AD 551 大寶二年八月
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passage 224
AD 550 大寶元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passages 52, 68
AD 502 to AD 519 天監中
Directly stated · Book of Liang 19, passage 97
AD 503 天監二年十月丁未
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 4
AD 506 天監五年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 5
AD 549 太清三年五月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passages 29-30
AD 549 太清三年五月
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passage 222
AD 547 to AD 549 太清中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 14, passages 52-53
AD 548 太清二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 37, passages 131, 135; Book of Liang 43, passages 15-16, 61
AD 547 太清初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 32, passages 19-20
AD 531 to AD 549 幼年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 151
AD 552 往荊州
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 14, passage 12
AD 520 普通元年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 12
AD 523 普通四年
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passages 216-217; Book of Liang 30, passage 141
AD 549 to AD 551 梁簡文
Dated from the passage context · Book of Chen 18, passage 34
AD 549 to AD 551 簡文第三而踐尊位
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 79, passage 190
AD 551 to AD 551 簡文遇害
Directly stated · Book of Chen 19, passage 15
AD 551 終罹懷、愍之酷
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
AD 549 繼統
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 153
AD 531 to AD 549 養德東朝
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 153

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Honored Consort Mu (穆貴嬪)
birth mother 所生 · maternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 17
Spouse of Principal Consort of Taizong
chief consort 嫡 · Primary marriage
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 8, passage 216
Spouse of Empress Jian (簡皇后)
consort 妃 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 41
Child of Emperor Wu of Liang (梁武帝)
Crown Prince 太子
sons 諸子
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance 159, passage 240; Book of Liang 4, passage 3; zizhitongjian:159:s0263a; zizhitongjian:159:s0240b
Parent of Princess Nan'a (南沙公主)
daughter 女
Directly stated · Book of Chen 24, passage 151
Parent of Xiao Daqi (大器)
father 父
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passage 216; Book of Liang 4, passage 43
Parent of Xiao Dagun (蕭大鈞)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Daxin (蕭大昕)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Daqiu (蕭大球)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Dazhi (蕭大摯)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Dawei (蕭大威)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Dayuan (蕭大圜)
imperial son 皇子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 94
Parent of Xiao Dakuan (蕭大款)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Daxin (蕭大心)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Dacheng (蕭大成)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Dalian (蕭大連)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Dachun (蕭大春)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Dazhuang (蕭大莊)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 47
Parent of Xiao Dalin (蕭大臨)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Parent of Xiao Dafeng (蕭大封)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 4, passage 44
Sibling of Crown Prince Zhaoming (昭明太子)
younger brother by the same mother 母弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 3

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Palace Attendant 侍中
AD 518 天監十七年 · Added
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 11
Crown Prince 皇太子
AD 531 中大通三年五月丙申 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 25-27
Yangzhou inspector 揚州刺史
AD 530 中大通二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 19
South Yanzhou inspector 南兗州刺史
AD 510 天監九年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 7
General of the Cloud Banner 雲麾將軍
AD 509 天監八年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 6
Jingzhou inspector 荊州刺史
AD 514 天監十三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 9

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Intendant of Danyang 丹陽尹
AD 513 天監十二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 8
Jiangzhou inspector 江州刺史
AD 515 天監十四年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 10
South Xuzhou inspector 南徐州刺史
AD 520 普通元年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 13
Yongzhou inspector 雍州刺史
AD 523 普通四年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 14
General Who Pacifies the North 安北將軍
AD 524 普通五年 · Promoted
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 15
Secretly appointed Xun Lang to fight Hou Jing
Directly stated · Book of Chen 13, passage 111
Prince of Jin'an 晉安王
AD 506 天監五年 · Enfeoffed · Fief Households 8000
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 5
cultivated virtue in the Eastern Palace 養德東朝
Heir apparent · Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 153
constrained by the rebel minister 受制賊臣
Constrained · Suffered
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
AD 551 大寶二年八月戊午
Imprisoned · At Yongfu Palace 永福省
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 115
Crown Prince 太子
Crown Prince
Directly stated · zizhitongjian:159:s0240b
AD 549 太清三年五月
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passage 222
AD 549 太清三年五月辛巳
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 29-30
AD 549 繼統
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 4, passage 153
AD 551 大寶二年八月
Authority Hou Jing (侯景)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 8, passage 224
AD 551 大寶二年八月戊午
Authority Hou Jing (侯景)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 115

Places and affiliations

Liang 梁
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Chen 24, passage 151
Liang
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Chen 18, passage 34
Polity Liang 梁 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 30
Polity Liang 梁 · Relation Served
Directly stated · zizhitongjian:159:s0263a
AD 552 次年四月乙丑
At Zhuang Mausoleum 莊陵 · Relation Buried at
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 129
At Eastern Palace 東朝 · Relation Resided as heir
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 153

Show 1 more source-backed claim

At Lanling 蘭陵 · Relation Ancestral place
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 130

Learning and skills

composed texts from age six 六歲便屬文
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 133
Belief Dark Learning / Neo-Daoist discourse 玄理 · Relation Practiced
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 141
Skill literary composition 文 · Level practiced but faulted for frivolous ornament
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 152
Skill composition and poetry 篇章辭賦 · Level proficient
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 140, 148

Works and attributed material

Biographies of the Princes 諸王傳
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Biography of the Heir Apparent Zhaoming 昭明太子傳
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Great Meaning of the Rites 禮大義
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Linked Pearls 連珠
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 132
Meaning of the Laozi 老子義
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Meaning of the Zhuangzi 莊子義
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150

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Recorded Meaning of Eternal Spring 長春義記
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Treasured Laws Linked Pearls 法寶連璧
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 150
Order · Author · About Person Id Kong Xiuyuan (孔休源) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Liang 36, passages 57-61
Edict · Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 31-35, 53-68
Historian appraisal · Subject · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 151-154
Self account · Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 130-131
Speech · Speaker · With He Jingrong (何敬容)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 37, passage 131
Speech · Speaker · With Wei Can (韋粲)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 43, passages 14, 61
Speech · Speaker · With Yin Buhai (殷不害)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 119
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Chen 32, passage 25
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passages 123, 125

Events and relationships

Buried
AD 552 次年四月乙丑 · Ritual · Subject · At Zhuang Mausoleum 莊陵
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 129
Constrained by rebel minister
Political · Ruler · Outcome Could not unfold his latent capacity
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
Cultivated virtue
Political · Heir · At Eastern Palace 東朝 · Outcome Fame reached barbarians and Chinese alike
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 153
Kept picked troops to guard the Eastern Palace against his brothers
AD 546 中大同元年 · Palace security · Principal
Directly stated · Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance 159, passage 240; zizhitongjian:159:s0240a; zizhitongjian:159:s0240b
Northern campaign
Military · Commander · At Xiangyang 襄陽
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 144
Expositions on the Five Classics 五經講疏
Scholarly · Lecturer · Presented · At Dark Garden 玄圃
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 147

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Suffered cruel end
Political · Victim · Outcome Compared to the fates of Emperors Huai and Min
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
Political · Confined ruler · With Hou Jing (侯景)
Directly stated · Book of Chen 32, passage 23
Relation Student of · Person Kong Xiuyuan (孔休源)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 36, passage 33

Assessments and attributes

Assessment clever, perceptive, and of unmatched heavenly talent from youth · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 151
Assessment faulted for frivolous ornament; Palace Style · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 149
Assessment fit to match Emperors Wen and Jing · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 154
Assessment gifted in letters; naturally filial · Mode edict Source Person Id Emperor Wu of Liang (梁武帝)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 25
Assessment literature at times burdened by frivolous ornament, not taken up by gentlemen · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 152
Assessment truly had a ruler's excellence · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 153

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square cheek, full below, beard and temples like painted lines; sidelong glance lit upon men
Physical description
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 137
Item curved-neck pipa 曲項琵琶 · Relation Used
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 124
Item earth bag 土囊 · Relation Killed with
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 126

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 151; Book of Liang 37, passage 131
His sons (諸子) were posthumously honored; count unspecified
Field descendants
Directly stated · Book of Liang 6, passage 37
AD 551 大寶二年八月戊午
From Emperor 皇帝 · To Prince of Jin'an 晉安王
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 115