Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou

Full name
	Family name: Yuwen (宇文); Given name: Yong (雍);
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)

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou
北周武帝
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
Reign	31 May 560 – 21 June 578
Predecessor	Emperor Ming
Successor	Emperor Xuan
Regent	Yuwen Hu (until 572)
Born	543
Died	578 (aged 34–35)
Burial	Xiao Mausoleum (孝陵)
Consorts	Empress Wucheng; Empress Dowager Li Ezi
Issue	Emperor Xuan; Yuwen Zan; Yuwen Zhi; Yuwen Yun; Yuwen Chong; Yuwen Dui; Yuwen Yuan; Princess Qingdou; Princess Yiyang
Full name
Full name
	Family name: Yuwen (宇文); Given name: Yong (雍);
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)
House	Yuwen
Dynasty	Northern Zhou
Father	Yuwen Tai
Mother	Empress 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.

^ (武成二年夏四月...壬寅，即皇帝位，大赦天下。) Book of Zhou, vol.05
^ 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.

[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.

[1]

[2]