Huan Wen

Huan Wen
Born312
Died18 August 373 (aged 61)
SpouseSima Xingnan, Princess Nankang
IssueHuan Xuan
Posthumous name
Duke Xuanqu of Nan Commandery 南郡宣武公
Emperor Xuanwu 宣武帝
Temple name
Taizu 太祖
FatherHuan Yi

Huan Wen (桓溫) (312[1] – 18 August 373[2]), courtesy name Yuanzi (元子), formally Duke Xuanwu of Nan Commandery (南郡宣武公), was a general and regent of the Jin Dynasty (266–420), as well as the leader of Huan clan of Qiaoguo (谯国桓氏). He is commonly viewed as one of the greatest generals since Jin's loss of northern China, as he led the campaign that destroyed Cheng-Han and annexed its lands to Jin, and had some successes against the northern states Former Qin and Former Yan (although both campaigns ultimately ended in failure, perhaps due to his overcautiousness). After his death, the Huan clan would be entrenched in the Jin power struction for decades, after his son Huan Xuan temporarily usurped the Jin throne in 403 as the emperor of Chu (楚), he was posthumously honored as Emperor Xuanwu of Chu with the temple name of Taizu (太祖).

  1. ^ Huan Wen's biography in Book of Jin indicated that he was 62 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (锡文未及成而薨,时年六十二。) Jin Shu, vol.98. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 312.
  2. ^ jihai day of the 7th month of the 1st year of the Ningkang era, per Emperor Xiaowu's biography in Book of Jin