Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Ruler

Emperor Wucheng 武成皇帝

Wucheng Huangdi

Attested AD 550 - AD 565

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Wucheng was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 565 乙酉之歲
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 142-143, 145
AD 560 to AD 561 乾明、皇建之時
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 130
AD 550 to AD 559 天保世
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 131
AD 561 to AD 565 武成皇帝
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 39, passages 125-126, 132-133, 145

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Empress of Wucheng (皇后)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 133
Parent of Later Sovereign (後主)
Later Sovereign 後主
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 133
Parent of Prince Dongping Yan (東平王儼)
younger son 少子
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 133

Career and standing

AD 561 卽位為武成皇帝
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 125

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Qi 北齊 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 125

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · With Zu Ting (祖珽)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 124

Events and relationships

Followed advice to yield
AD 565 乙酉之歲 · Abdication · Abdicated · With Later Sovereign (後主)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 145
Found succession hard to shift
Succession · Sovereign · With Later Sovereign (後主)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 133
Frequently blamed
AD 550 to AD 559 天保世 · Political · Subject
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 131

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 39, passage 123

References in the histories

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 39Volume 39 Biographies 31: Cui Jishu; Zu Ting · 6 passages

珽善為胡桃油以塗畫，乃進之長廣王，因言「殿下有非常骨法，孝徵夢殿下乘龍上天」。 Ting knew how to make walnut oil for painting and offered it to the Prince of Changguang, saying, "Your Highness has the bones of an uncommon man. I, Xiaozheng, dreamed you rode a dragon into heaven."

及卽位，是為武成皇帝，擢拜中書侍郎。 When he took the throne as Emperor Wucheng, he promoted Ting to secretariat attendant.

初，珽於乾明、皇建之時，知武成陰有大誌，遂深自結納，曲相祗奉。 Early in the Qianming and Huangjian reigns Ting saw that Wucheng nursed great designs in secret and bound himself to him, flattering him at every turn.

武成於天保世頻被責，心常銜之。 In the Tianbao years Wucheng had been blamed again and again and carried the grudge in his heart.

珽至是希旨，上書請追尊太祖獻武皇帝為神武，高祖文宣皇帝改為威宗景烈皇帝，以悅武成，從之。 Ting now played to the throne and memorialized to posthumously honor Grand Ancestor Emperor Xianwu as Emperor Shenwu and change High Ancestor Emperor Wenxuan's temple style to Weizong Jinglie Emperor. Wucheng was pleased and assented.

時皇后愛少子東平王儼，願以為嗣，武成以後主體正居長，難於移易。 The empress then doted on her younger son, Prince Dongping Yan, and wanted him for heir. Wucheng, because the Later Sovereign stood first in proper order, found the succession hard to move.