Emperor Wu of Chen

Emperor Wu of Chen
陳武帝
Emperor of the Chen dynasty
Reign16 November 557[1] – 9 August 559
SuccessorEmperor Wen
BornChen Fasheng (陳法生)
503
Died9 August 559(559-08-09) (aged 55–56)
Burial
Wan'an Mausoleum (萬安陵, in present-day Jiangning District, Nanjing)
ConsortsEmpress Zhao
Empress Xuan
IssueChen Chang
Princess Yongshi
Princess Kuaijimu
Princess Yuhua
Names
Family name: Chen (陳)
Given name: Baxian (霸先)
Courtesy name: Xingguo (興國)
Childhood name: Fasheng (法生)
Era name and dates
Yǒngdìng (永定): 557-559
Posthumous name
Emperor Wu (武皇帝)
Temple name
Gaozu (高祖)
DynastyChen dynasty
FatherChen Wenzan
MotherLady Dong

Emperor Wu of Chen (Chinese: 陳武帝; 503– 9 August 559[2]), personal name Chen Baxian (陳霸先), courtesy name Xingguo (興國), childhood name Fasheng (法生), was the founding emperor of the Chen dynasty of China. He first distinguished himself as a Liang dynasty general during the campaign against the rebel general Hou Jing, and he was progressively promoted. In 555, he seized power after a coup against his superior, the general Wang Sengbian, and in 557 he forced Emperor Jing of Liang to abdicate the throne to him, thereby establishing the Chen dynasty. He died in 559, and as his only surviving son Chen Chang was held by the Northern Zhou dynasty, he was succeeded by his nephew Chen Qian (Emperor Wen).

  1. ^ Volume 167 of Zizhi Tongjian indicated that Chen Baxian ascended the throne on the yihai day of the 10th month of the 1st year of the Yongding era of his reign. This corresponds to 16 Nov 557 in the Julian calendar.
  2. ^ According to Chen Baxian's biography in Book of Chen, he died aged 57 (by East Asian reckoning) on the bingwu day (written as "jingwu" to avoid the naming taboo of Li Bing, father of Tang Gaozu Li Yuan, as Book of Chen was compiled during the Tang dynasty) of the 6th month of the 3rd year of the Yongding era of his reign. This corresponds to 9 Aug 559 on the Julian calendar. [(永定三年六月)景午,崩於璿璣殿,時年五十七。] Chen Shu, vol.02