Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou (周宣帝)

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 10 passages from 5 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou	周宣帝	Zhōu Xuān Dì
Title	crown prince	太子
Temple name	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuān dì
Temple name	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuandi
Title	Emperor Xuan	宣帝
Regnal	Emperor Xuan	宣帝
Title	Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou	周宣帝
Title	Emperor Xuan of Zhou	周宣帝
Personal name		周宣
Title	皇太子	皇太子

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · suishu:036:s0022, suishu:043:s0127, suishu:044:s0011, suishu:052:s0132, zhoushu:021:s0001

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Manner: burial mentioned / 葬
Explicit · suishu:043:s0127
Source Date: Text: 周宣帝崩 · Western Year: AD 580
Explicit · suishu:036:s0101
Explicit · suishu:044:s0012

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 周宣嗣位 · Western Year: AD 579
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:036:s0022
Source Date: Text: 周宣帝崩 · Western Year: AD 580
Explicit · suishu:036:s0101
Source Date: Text: 周宣帝葬 · Western Year: AD 580
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:043:s0127
Source Date: Text: 宣帝即位 · Western Interval: Start: AD 578 · End: AD 579
Explicit · suishu:044:s0011
Source Date: Text: 宣帝即位 · Western Year: AD 578
Explicit event contextual date · zhoushu:021:s0057
Source Date: Text: 宣帝嗣位 · Western Year: AD 578
Explicit · suishu:052:s0136

Family

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

Child of Emperor Wu of Zhou (周武帝)
Kinship Term: crown prince / 太子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Spouse of Eldest daughter of Empress Wenxian (文獻皇后長女)
Kinship Term: empress / 后 · Union Category: marriage
Kinship Term: empress / 后 · Union Category: marriage

Career and standing

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 宣帝嗣位 · Western Year: AD 578
Explicit · suishu:052:s0136
Source Date: Text: 周宣嗣位 · Western Year: AD 579
Explicit · suishu:036:s0022

Places and affiliations

Polity: Northern Zhou / 北周 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · suishu:036:s0022

References in the histories

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

Book of Sui, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 3 passages

Open chapter

周宣嗣位，不率典章，衣褘翟、稱中宮者，凡有五。 When Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou succeeded to the throne, he did not follow the canonical regulations: five women in all wore the empress's hui and di robes and were styled ladies of the Central Palace.

后姊為周明帝后，長女為周宣帝后，貴戚之盛，莫與為比，而后每謙卑自守，世以為賢。 Her elder sister was empress to Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou, and her eldest daughter became empress to Emperor Xuan; no consort kin in the realm was more exalted. Yet the empress always kept herself humble and restrained, and the world regarded her as worthy.

及周宣帝崩，高祖居禁中，總百揆，后使人謂高祖曰：「大事已然，騎獸之勢，必不得下，勉之！」 When Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou died, Emperor Wen remained within the palace and took charge of all government affairs. The empress sent word to him: "The decisive moment has come. Once you are mounted on a beast, you cannot dismount—press forward!"

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 1 passage

Open chapter

周宣帝葬，備諸王有變，令雄率六千騎送至陵所。 At Emperor Xuan of Zhou's funeral, fearing the princes might cause trouble, the court ordered Xiong to escort the procession to the tomb with six thousand cavalry.

Book of Sui, Chapter 44Volume 44 Biographies 9: Teng Mu Wangzan, Daodao Wangjing, Caiwang Zhiji · 1 passage

Open chapter

宣帝即位，遷吏部中大夫，加上儀同。 After Emperor Xuan came to the throne, Zan was promoted to Grand Master in the Ministry of Personnel and granted the rank of Senior Palace Attendant Companion.

Book of Sui, Chapter 52Volume 52 Biographies 17: Han Qinhu, He Ruobi · 3 passages

Open chapter

周武帝時，上柱國烏丸軌言於帝曰：「太子非帝王器，臣亦嘗與賀若弼論之。」 During the reign of Northern Zhou's Emperor Wu, Supreme Pillar of State Wuwan Gui told the emperor, "The crown prince is no emperor's material. I have discussed this with He Ruo Bi as well."

帝呼弼問之，弼知太子不可動搖，恐禍及己，詭對曰：「皇太子德業日新，未睹其闕。」 The emperor summoned Bi and questioned him. Bi knew the crown prince's position could not be moved and feared for his own life, so he evasively answered, "The crown prince's virtue grows by the day. I have seen no flaw in him."

及宣帝嗣位，軌竟見誅，弼乃獲免。 When Emperor Xuan came to the throne, Gui was eventually executed—and Bi was spared.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 21Volume 21 Biographies 13: Wei Chijiong; Wang Qian; Sima Xiaonan · 2 passages

Open chapter

宣帝即位，以迥為大前疑，出為相州總管。 When Emperor Xuan succeeded, Yuchi Jiong was made grand mentor and posted as governor-general of Xiang Province.

宣帝崩，隋文帝輔政，以迥望位夙重，懼為異圖，乃令迥子魏安公惇齎詔書以會葬徵迥。 After Emperor Xuan's death Yang Jian, later Emperor Wen of Sui, took power as regent; fearing that Yuchi Jiong, long eminent in rank and reputation, might plot against him, he sent Jiong's son Dun, Duke of Wei'an, with an edict summoning Jiong to the capital for the funeral.