Overview
Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei was a Third emperor of Northern Wei.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|
| Posthumous name |
Emperor Taiwu |
太武 |
Taiwu |
| Temple name |
Shizu |
世祖 |
Shìzǔ |
Life and dates
Attested activity
Show 2 more source-backed claims
AD 440 太武朝
AD 424 to AD 452 誅史官
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Ancestor of Yuan Xiaoyou (元孝友)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
- Child of Empress Mi of the Du clan (杜密皇后)
bore 生
- Sibling of Fan (範)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Sibling of Mi (彌)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Sibling of Chong (崇)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Sibling of Pi (丕)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
eldest 長 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Sibling of Jun (俊)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Sibling of Jian (健)
brother 兄弟 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
- Child of Emperor Mingyuan (明元皇帝)
father 父
Key source chapters
-
Book of Wei, Chapter 39
Volume 34: Wang Luo Er, Che Lutou, Lu Luyuan, Chen Jian, Wan Anguo
12 passages
-
Book of Wei, Chapter 19
Volume 17: Emperor Mingyuan's Six Princes
7 passages
-
Book of Wei, Chapter 93
Volume 87: Morality and Righteousness: Yu Shenmen, Duan Jin, Shi Wende, Ji Gu, Wang Xuanwei, Lou Ti, Liu Kehou
4 passages
-
Book of Wei, Chapter 111
Volume 105a Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 1
3 passages
-
Book of Wei, Chapter 110
Volume 104: Author's Preface
2 passages
Places and affiliations
Northern Wei 魏
Relation Served
- Polity Northern Wei 北魏 · Relation Ruled
Works and attributed material
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 28Volume 28 Biographies 20: Yuan Tan (Eastern Wei); Yuan Bin; Yuan Xiaoyou; Yuan Huiye; Yuan Bi; Yuan Shao (Eastern Wei) · 1 passage
Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 10Volume 10 Book of Later Liang 10: Later Emperors Annals 3 · 1 passage
History of Liao, Chapter 63Volume 63 Tables 1: Lineage · 1 passage
契丹國在庫莫奚東，異族同類，東部鮮卑之別支也，至是始自號契丹。為慕容氏所破，俱竄松漠之間。道武帝登國間，大破之，遂與庫莫奚分背。經數十年，稍滋蔓，有部落於和龍之北數百里。太武帝太平真君以來，歲致名馬。獻文時，使莫弗紇何辰來獻，始班諸國末，欣服。始班諸國末欣服 按此源於魏書一００契丹傳：「得班饗於諸國之末」，「心皆忻慕」，「莫不思服」，欣服二字，語義不完。萬丹部、何大何部、伏弗郁部、羽陵部、日連部、匹絜部、黎部萬丹部（至）黎部 萬丹部，按營衞志中及魏書一００、新唐書二一九契丹傳並作悉萬丹部。日連部，連原誤「速」，據營衞志中及魏書、新唐書契丹傳改。伏弗郁、羽陵、匹絜、黎等部參卷三二校勘記[二][三]。吐六于部以名馬文皮來貢，得交市于和龍、密雲之間。太和三年，高句麗與蠕蠕謀取地豆于以分之，契丹懼，莫弗賀勿于率其部落車三千乘、眾萬餘口內附，止於白狼水東。
The Khitan lay east of the Kumoxi: a distinct people of the same stock, an offshoot of the eastern Xianbei, and only then did they first call themselves Khitan. Broken by the Murong, they all fled into the Songmo steppe. Emperor Daowu crushed them during his Dengguo campaigns, after which they parted from the Kumoxi. Within decades they spread again, with camps several hundred li north of Helong. From Taiping Zhenjun of Emperor Taiwu they sent tribute horses each year. Under Emperor Xianwen the envoy Mofu Hechen presented tribute and was seated last among the tributary states in delighted submission — the text's "delighted submission" is corrupt; Wei Shu 100 reads that they were feasted after all other states and came away admiring and willing to obey. Tribes named Wandan (properly Xiwandan), Hedah, Fufuyu, Yuling, Rilian (not Su), Pijie, and Li — see juan 32 collation notes — joined the Tuliuyu in offering horses and furs and trading near Helong and Miyun. In Taihe year 3, when Goguryeo and Rouran schemed to seize and partition Didouyu, the Khitan were alarmed; Mofu Hewuyu led three thousand carts and more than ten thousand people to submit and settled east of the Bailang River.
Book of Wei, Chapter 19Volume 17: Emperor Mingyuan's Six Princes · 7 passages
杜密皇后生世祖太武皇帝。
Empress Mi of the Du clan bore Shizu Emperor Taiwu.
初，馮弘之奔高麗，世祖詔遣送之，高麗不遣，世祖怒，將討之。
Earlier, when Feng Hong fled to Goguryeo, Shizu ordered that he be sent back. Goguryeo did not send him, and Shizu was angry and intended to attack.
世祖以長安形勝之地，非範莫可任者，乃拜範都督五州諸軍事、衞大將軍、開府儀同三司、長安鎮都大將，高選才能，以為僚佐。
Shizu considered Chang'an a strategically commanding place and believed no one but Fan could be entrusted with it. He therefore appointed Fan commander of military affairs in five provinces, Grand General of the Guards, with an opened office and protocol equal to the Three Excellencies, and grand general of Chang'an Garrison, selecting able men of high quality to serve as his staff.
世祖未有子，嘗曰：「兄弟之子猶子也。」
Shizu had not yet fathered a son and once said, "A brother's son is as good as one's own."
從世祖破赫連昌，遂西略至木根山。
He followed Shizu in defeating Helian Chang and then campaigned west as far as Mugen Mountain.
世祖襲蠕蠕，越涿邪山。
When Shizu made a surprise attack on the Rouran, he crossed Zhuoxie Mountain.
仁亦驍勇，有父風，世祖奇之。
Ren was likewise fierce and brave, with his father's bearing, and Shizu took special notice of him.
Book of Wei, Chapter 39Volume 34: Wang Luo Er, Che Lutou, Lu Luyuan, Chen Jian, Wan Anguo · 12 passages
以忠謹給侍東宮，恭勤盡節，世祖親愛之。
For his loyalty and discretion he was assigned to the Eastern Palace, where he served with reverent diligence; Emperor Shizu held him in special affection.
及即位，以為中書侍郎，拾遺左右，寵待彌深，而魯元益加謹肅，世祖逾親信之，內外大臣莫不敬憚焉。
When Shizu took the throne, Luyuan was made Vice Director of the Secretariat with the duty of remonstrance at the emperor's side; his favor deepened, yet Luyuan grew only more grave and careful, and the emperor trusted him all the more, so that ministers within and without the court all regarded him with respect and awe.
世祖親追擊之，入其城門，魯元隨世祖出入。
Emperor Shizu personally pursued the enemy and entered their city gate, with Luyuan attending him in and out.
世祖貴異之，常從征伐，出入臥內。
Emperor Shizu prized him above others, taking him on campaign after campaign and admitting him to his private chambers.
世祖臨幸其第，不出旬日。
Emperor Shizu visited his mansion and stayed for nearly ten days.
及薨，世祖甚悼惜之。
When Luyuan died, Emperor Shizu mourned him deeply.
正平初，宮臣伏誅，世祖以魯元故，唯殺內而厚撫其兄弟。
Early in the Zhengping era, when palace officials were put to death, Emperor Shizu, for Luyuan's sake, executed only Nei and treated his brothers with generous favor.
世祖以元舅陽平王杜超女，南安長公主所生妻之。
Emperor Shizu married him to a daughter of Du Chao, Prince of Yangping and imperial maternal uncle, who had been born to Grand Princess Nan'an.
世祖討山胡白龍，意甚輕之，單將數十騎登山臨嶮，每日如此。
When Emperor Shizu campaigned against the Mountain Hu chieftain Bai Long, he took the enemy lightly and would ride up alone with only a few dozen horsemen to overlook the steep passes, doing so day after day.
白龍乃伏壯士十餘處，出於不意，世祖墮馬，幾至不測。
Bai Long had hidden stalwart warriors in more than ten places; they sprang out unexpectedly, the emperor was thrown from his horse, and he came within a hair's breadth of disaster.
世祖壯之，賜戶二十。
Emperor Shizu admired his courage and granted him twenty tax households.
祖真，世為酋帥，恒率部民從世祖征伐，以功除平西將軍、敦煌公，轉驃騎大將軍、儀同三司。
His grandfather Zhen had for generations been a tribal chieftain and regularly led his people to follow Emperor Shizu on campaign; for his service he was made General Who Pacifies the West and Duke of Dunhuang, and later promoted to Grand General of Agile Cavalry with the privilege of the Three Departments.
Book of Wei, Chapter 93Volume 87: Morality and Righteousness: Yu Shenmen, Duan Jin, Shi Wende, Ji Gu, Wang Xuanwei, Lou Ti, Liu Kehou · 4 passages
Book of Wei, Chapter 110Volume 104: Author's Preface · 2 passages
Book of Wei, Chapter 111Volume 105a Treatise 1: Celestial Phenomena 1 · 3 passages