Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Ruler

Chen Baxian 陳霸先

Died AD 559

Passages
129
Chapters
19
Histories
6

Overview

The translated histories identify Chen Baxian as a family member, general, military officer, and official. This record brings together 129 passages from 19 chapters across 6 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal Chen Baxian 陳霸先 Chen Baxian
Given Baxian 霸先
Given Baxian 霸先 Baxian
Personal name Chen Baxian 陳霸先 Chen Baxian
Personal name Chen Baxian 陳霸先
Title Chen Wudi 陳武帝
Temple name Chen Wudi 陳武帝 Chen Wudi
Title Duke of Chen 陳公
Title Duke of Yixing 義興郡公
Temple name Emperor Wu 高祖
Posthumous name Emperor Wu of Chen 陳武帝 Chen Wu Di
Title Emperor Wu of Chen 武帝
Title Founder 高祖 Gaozu
Alternate Founder 高祖 Gāozǔ
Alternate Founder 高祖
Temple name Founder 高祖
Personal Founder 高祖 Gaozu
Temple name Founder 高祖 Gāozǔ
Title Founder 高祖
Alternate name Founder
Temple name Gaozu 高祖
Temple Gaozu 高祖 Gaozu
Temple name Gaozu 高祖 Gaozu
Title King of Chen 陳王
Posthumous name Martial Emperor 武皇帝
Title the Founder 高祖
Title the Founder
Title The Founder 高祖武皇帝
Temple name 高祖

Identity

Historicity
Historical
Identification
Named
Sex
Male

Roles

  • Family Member
  • General
  • Military Officer
  • Official
  • Ruler
  • Statesman
  • Strategist
  • Warlord

Life and dates

Death

  • Date Context: Source Date: Text: 是月 · Western Year: AD 559
    Explicit · zhoushu:004:s0125

Attested activity

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Career and standing

  • Label: Chancellor of State / 相國 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平二年九月 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0114
  • Label: Chancellor / 丞相 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平元年 · Western Year: AD 556
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0064
  • Label: Marshal / 司馬 · Action: appointed
  • Label: Vanguard / 前鋒 · Action: appointed
  • Title: King of Chen / 陳王 · Action: advanced · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平二年十月 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0117
  • Title: Duke of Chen / 陳公 · Action: enfeoffed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平二年九月 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0114
  • Label: Nine Bestowals / 九錫 · Action: granted · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平二年九月 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0114
  • Action: ascended · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太平二年 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · liangshu:006:s0179
  • Title: Emperor Wu of Chen / 陳武帝 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 是月 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · zhoushu:004:s0193
  • Date Context: Source Date: Text: 高祖受禪 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · chenshu:029:s0008
  • Date Context: Source Date: Text: 高祖踐祚 · Western Year: AD 557
    Explicit · chenshu:015:s0011

Places and affiliations

Works and attributed material

Events and relationships

Assessments and attributes

Source notes

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 33Volume 33 Biographies 25: Xiao Yuanming; Xiao Zhi (Liang); Xiao Tui; Xiao Fang (Liang); Xu Zhicai · 6 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 4Volume 4: Emperor Fei · 1 passage
Book of Chen, Chapter 7Volume 7: Empresses and Consorts · 13 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 13Volume 13: Xu Shipu; Lu Xida; Zhou Fu; Xun Lang; Zhou Jiong · 11 passages
悉達對曰:「臣鎮撫上流,願為蕃屏,陛下授臣以官,恩至厚矣,沈泰襲臣,威亦深矣,然臣所以自歸於陛下者,誠以陛下豁達大度,同符漢祖故也。」 Xida replied, "I guarded and pacified the upper reaches and wished to serve as a shield. Your Majesty granted me office, and the favor was generous indeed; Shen Tai attacked me, and the show of force was also severe. Yet I submitted myself to Your Majesty because Your Majesty is open-hearted and magnanimous, matching the Founder of Han."
Book of Chen, Chapter 15Volume 15: Imperial Family · 12 passages
高祖踐祚,詔曰:「維城宗子,實固有周,盤石懿親,用隆大漢,故會盟則異姓為後,啟土則非劉勿王,所以糾合枝幹,廣樹蕃屏,前王懋典,列代恆規。 When the Founder took the throne, an edict declared: 'Royal kinsmen who buttress the realm were the true foundation of Zhou; steadfast, rock-like relatives were what raised Han to greatness. At covenant assemblies collateral houses took second place; when fiefs were opened, none but the house of Liu could be made kings. By such means trunk and branch were bound together and a broad screen of feudal lords set up—an earnest canon of former kings and a constant rule of every age.
Book of Chen, Chapter 17Volume 17: Wang Chong; Wang Tong; Yuan Jing · 8 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 18Volume 18: Shen Zhong; Yuan Bi; Liu Zhongwei; Lu Shancai; Wang Zhi; Wei Zai · 15 passages
文育攻之甚急,載所屬縣卒並高祖舊兵,多善用弩,載收得數十人,繫以長鎖,命所親監之,使射文育軍,約曰十發不兩中者則死,每發輒中,所中皆斃。 Wenyü attacked hard. Zai's county levies were many of the Founder's old soldiers and crack crossbowmen. He took several dozen, chained them in a row, set trusted men over them, and made them shoot at Wenyü's host on pain of death if they missed twice in ten tries. Every bolt found its mark and every man hit went down.
Book of Chen, Chapter 20Volume 20: Dao Zhongju; Han Zigao; Hua Jiao · 2 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 22Volume 22: Lu Zilong, Qian Daoji, Luo Ya · 3 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 23Volume 23: Shen Junli; Wang Yang; Lu Shan · 5 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 25Volume 25: Pei Ji; Sun Yang · 9 passages
〔一〕 自錢塘直趣吳郡 按通鑑梁敬帝紹泰元年胡注云:「按陳霸先自義興還建康,遣裴忌助黃他攻吳郡,自錢塘直趣吳郡,非路也。『錢塘』必誤。」 Note 1, on "went straight from Qiantang toward Wu commandery": Hu Sanxing notes in the Comprehensive Mirror that Chen Baxian returned from Yixing to Jiankang and sent Pei Ji to help Huang Ta attack Wu commandery; a route straight from Qiantang to Wu commandery makes no sense, so Qiantang must be an error.
Book of Chen, Chapter 29Volume 29: Zong Yuanrao; Sima Shen; Mao Xi; Cai Zheng · 4 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 32Volume 32: Filial Piety · 2 passages
Book of Liang, Chapter 4Volume 4: Emperor Jianwen · 1 passage
Book of Liang, Chapter 6Volume 6: Emperor Jing · 19 passages
乙卯,司空陳霸先授衆軍節度,與齊軍交戰,大破之,斬齊北兗州刺史杜方慶及徐嗣徽、弟嗣宗,生擒徐嗣產、蕭軌、東方老、王敬寶、李希光、裴英起、劉歸義等,皆誅之。 On yimao Minister of Works Chen Baxian took command of the armies, met the Qi force, and won a great victory; he beheaded Qi's North Yanzhou inspector Du Fangqing, Xu Sihui, and Sihui's brother Sizong; he captured Xu Sichan, Xiao Gui, Dongfang Lao, Wang Jingbao, Li Xiguang, Pei Yingqi, Liu Guiyi, and others alive and executed them all.
Book of Liang, Chapter 46Volume 46: Hu Sengyou; Xu Wensheng; Du Ze; Du An; Du You'an; Du Kan; Yin Zichun · 7 passages
Book of Sui, Chapter 72Volume 72 Biographies 37: Filial Piety · 4 passages
Book of Zhou, Chapter 4Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming · 2 passages
Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance, Chapter 159Volume 159 Liang Records 15 · 5 passages