Northern Wei Eastern Wei Northern Zhou Northern Qi To escape the power of the potentate Gao Huan 高歡, Northern Wei (Beiwei 北魏) emperor Yuan Xiu 元修 in 534 fled to Chang’an 長安 (modern Xi’an) where the Xiongnu 匈奴 general Yuwen Tai 宇文泰 resided. But only one year later, Yuwen Tai killed Yuan Xiu and installed Yuan Baoju 元寶炬 (posthumous Xiwei Wendi 西魏文帝 - see titles of emperors) as emperor of Western Wei (Xiwei 西魏). Yuwen Tai, as the virtual ruler, promulgated a set of laws (liutiao zhaoshu 六條詔書 “edicts in six articles”) to enforce economy, agriculture and tax revenue, as well as the moral of his officials. The two most important initiatives are the further implementation of the equal field system (juntianfa 均田法) and the garrison militia system (fubingzhi 府兵制) with eight commanding generals (ba zhu guo 八柱國 “pillars of the state”) that should envigorate the central government. The state of Western Wei - although smaller than Eastern Wei (Dongwei 東魏) in territory and population - could withstand the attacks of the eastern empire, also due to its better economical conditions Eastern Wei was even able to conquer the whole eastern part of the Liang 梁 empire in the south and occupied the territory of modern Sichuan. In 557 Yuwen Jue 宇文覺 deposed emperor Yuan Kuo 元廓 (posthumous Xiwei Gongdi 西魏恭帝) and founded his own dynasty, the Northern Zhou (Beizhou 北周). See also titles of rulers. Rulers of Western Wei (Xiwei) 西魏 (535-556) Capital: Chang'an 長安 (modern Xi'an 西安/Shaanxi) dynastic title -----reign periods personal name Xiwei Wendi 西魏文帝 535-551 -----Datong 大統 535-551 Usurper Xianyu Chen 鮮于琛 535 -----Shangyuan 上願 535 Yuan Baoju 元寶炬 The Deposed Emperor (Feidi) 西魏廢帝 551-553 Yuan Qin 元欽 Xiwei Gongdi 西魏恭帝 554-556 Yuan Kuo 元廓

Map and Geography Event History Emperors and Rulers (Jin) Government and Administration (Jin) Literature and Philosophy (Jin) Religion (Jin) Technology and Inventions Economy (Jin) Arts