Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou
北周武帝
Tang dynasty portrait of Emperor Wu by artist Yan Liben (c. 600–673)
Emperor of Northern Zhou
Reign31 May 560[1] – 21 June 578
PredecessorEmperor Ming
SuccessorEmperor Xuan
RegentYuwen Hu (until 572)
Born543
Died578 (aged 34–35)
Burial
Xiao Mausoleum (孝陵)
ConsortsEmpress Wucheng
Empress Dowager Li Ezi
IssueEmperor Xuan
Yuwen Zan
Yuwen Zhi
Yuwen Yun
Yuwen Chong
Yuwen Dui
Yuwen Yuan
Princess Qingdou
Princess Yiyang
Full name
Era dates
  • Bǎodìng (保定): 561-565
  • Tiānhé (天和): 566-572
  • Jiàndé (建德): 572-578
  • Xuānzhèng (宣政): 578
Posthumous name
Emperor Wu (武皇帝)
Temple name
Gaozu (高祖)
HouseYuwen
DynastyNorthern Zhou
FatherYuwen Tai
MotherEmpress Xuan

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou ((北)周武帝) (543 – 21 June 578[2]), personal name Yuwen Yong (宇文邕), Xianbei name Miluotu (禰羅突), was an emperor of the Xianbei-led Northern Zhou dynasty of China. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in April 572 he ambushed Yuwen Hu and seized power personally. He thereafter ruled ably and built up the power of his military, destroying the rivaling Northern Qi dynasty in 577 and annexing its territory. His death the next year, however, ended his ambitions of uniting China, and under the reign of his erratic son Emperor Xuan (Yuwen Yun), Northern Zhou itself soon deteriorated and was usurped by Yang Jian, who founded the Sui dynasty, in 581.

  1. ^ (武成二年夏四月...壬寅,即皇帝位,大赦天下。) Book of Zhou, vol.05
  2. ^ According to Yuwen Yong's biography in Book of Zhou, he died aged 36 (by East Asian reckoning) during the night of the dingyou day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the Xuanzheng era of his reign. This corresponds to 21 Jun 578 in the Julian calendar. ([宣政元年]六月丁酉,帝疾甚,还京。其夜,崩于乘舆。时年三十六。) Zhou Shu, vol.06. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 543.