Yuan Cha

Yuan Cha (Chinese: 元叉) (486 - 17 April 526^[1]), courtesy name Bojun (伯雋), nickname Yecha (夜叉),^[2] was an official of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty of China, who initially came to power as the brother-in-law of Emperor Xiaoming's mother and regent Empress Dowager Hu. In 520, after a conflict with her lover Yuan Yi (元懌) the Prince of Qinghe, he killed Yuan Yi and put Empress Dowager Hu under house arrest, effectively taking over as regent. In 525, a countercoup by Empress Dowager Hu restored her, and bowing to public pressure, she forced him to commit suicide.

^ Emperor Xiaoming's biography in Book of Wei indicated that Yuan Cha was demoted to commoner status on the xinmao day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Xiaochang era. The date corresponds to 24 May 525 in the Julian calendar. Yuan Cha's biography in Book of Wei indicated that he and his brother were forced to commit suicide shortly after this. Yuan Cha's epitaph (魏故使持节侍中骠骑大将军仪同三司尚书令冀州刺史江阳王元公之墓志铭) indicate that he died at the age of 41 (by East Asian reckoning) on the 20th day of the 3rd month of the 2nd year of the Xiaochang era; the date corresponds to 17 Apr 526 in the Julian calendar. (孝昌二年三月廿日，诏遣宿卫禁兵二千人夜围公第。公神色自若，都无惧容，乃启太师，开门延使者，与第五弟给事中山宾同时遇害。春秋卌有一。)
^ (叉，继长子，字伯俊，小字夜叉。) Wei Shu, vol.16

[1] Emperor Xiaoming's biography in Book of Wei indicated that Yuan Cha was demoted to commoner status on the xinmao day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Xiaochang era. The date corresponds to 24 May 525 in the Julian calendar. Yuan Cha's biography in Book of Wei indicated that he and his brother were forced to commit suicide shortly after this. Yuan Cha's epitaph (魏故使持节侍中骠骑大将军仪同三司尚书令冀州刺史江阳王元公之墓志铭) indicate that he died at the age of 41 (by East Asian reckoning) on the 20th day of the 3rd month of the 2nd year of the Xiaochang era; the date corresponds to 17 Apr 526 in the Julian calendar. (孝昌二年三月廿日，诏遣宿卫禁兵二千人夜围公第。公神色自若，都无惧容，乃启太师，开门延使者，与第五弟给事中山宾同时遇害。春秋卌有一。)

[2] (叉，继长子，字伯俊，小字夜叉。) Wei Shu, vol.16

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