Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou

Full name
	Family name: Yǔwén (宇文); Given name: Yù (毓);
Era dates
	None: 557-559; Wǔchéng (武成): 559-560;
Posthumous name
	Emperor Xiàomíng (孝明皇帝, "filial and understanding")
Temple name
	Shizong (世宗)

Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou
北周明帝
Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou; 北周明帝
Emperor of Zhou
Emperor of Northern Zhou
Reign	5 November 557 – 30 May 560
Predecessor	Emperor Xiaomin
Successor	Emperor Wu
Regent	Yuwen Hu
Born	534
Died	May 30, 560
Burial	Zhao Mausoleum (昭陵)
Full name
Full name
	Family name: Yǔwén (宇文); Given name: Yù (毓);
Era dates
	None: 557-559; Wǔchéng (武成): 559-560;
Posthumous name
	Emperor Xiàomíng (孝明皇帝, "filial and understanding")
Temple name
	Shizong (世宗)
House	Yuwen
Dynasty	Northern Zhou
Father	Yuwen Tai
Mother	Lady Yao

Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou ((北)周明帝) (534 – 30 May 560^[2]), personal name Yuwen Yu (宇文毓), Xianbei name Tongwantu (統萬突), was an emperor of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Zhou dynasty, although at the start of his reign he used the alternative title "Heavenly Prince" (Tian Wang).^[3] He was made emperor after his younger brother Emperor Xiaomin was deposed and killed by the regent Yuwen Hu.^[4] 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) 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.

^ According to Yuwen Yu's biography in Book of Zhou, he ascended the throne as tianwang on the jiazi day of the 9th month of the 1st year of his reign. This corresponds to 5 Nov 557 in the Julian calendar. ([秋九月]甲子，群臣上表劝进，备法驾奉迎。帝固让，群臣固请，是日，即天王位，大赦天下。) Zhou Shu, vol.04
^ According to Yuwen Yu's biography in Book of Zhou, he died aged 27 (by East Asian reckoning) on the xinchou day of the 4th month of the 2nd year of the Wucheng era of his reign. This corresponds to 30 May 560 in the Julian calendar. ([武成二年夏四月]辛丑，崩于延寿殿，时年二十七...) Zhou Shu, vol.04. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 534.
^ "1 piece Chinese North Zhou Dy. Cash Coins(Bu Quan) - xiangxiangkafeizha". chinese-coins.auctivacommerce.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
^ Theobald, Ulrich. "Northern Zhou Dynasty 北周 (www.chinaknowledge.de)". www.chinaknowledge.de. Retrieved 2020-07-25.

[1] According to Yuwen Yu's biography in Book of Zhou, he ascended the throne as tianwang on the jiazi day of the 9th month of the 1st year of his reign. This corresponds to 5 Nov 557 in the Julian calendar. ([秋九月]甲子，群臣上表劝进，备法驾奉迎。帝固让，群臣固请，是日，即天王位，大赦天下。) Zhou Shu, vol.04

[2] According to Yuwen Yu's biography in Book of Zhou, he died aged 27 (by East Asian reckoning) on the xinchou day of the 4th month of the 2nd year of the Wucheng era of his reign. This corresponds to 30 May 560 in the Julian calendar. ([武成二年夏四月]辛丑，崩于延寿殿，时年二十七...) Zhou Shu, vol.04. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 534.

[3] "1 piece Chinese North Zhou Dy. Cash Coins(Bu Quan) - xiangxiangkafeizha". chinese-coins.auctivacommerce.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.

[4] Theobald, Ulrich. "Northern Zhou Dynasty 北周 (www.chinaknowledge.de)". www.chinaknowledge.de. Retrieved 2020-07-25.

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