Wei
魏
535–557
Western Wei and neighbors
Western Wei and neighbors
CapitalChang'an
GovernmentMonarchy
• 535–551
Emperor Wen of Western Wei
• 552–554
Emperor Fei of Western Wei
• 554–557
Emperor Gong of Western Wei
Historical eraSouthern and Northern Dynasties
• Establishment of Eastern Wei, start of division of Northern Wei
8 November 534[1]
• Emperor Wen's ascension, often viewed as establishment
18 February 535[2] 535
• Disestablished
14 February 557[3] 557
CurrencyChinese coin,
Chinese cash
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Northern Wei
Liang Dynasty
Northern Zhou
Today part ofChina

Wei (/weɪ/), known in historiography as the Western Wei (Chinese: 西魏; pinyin: Xī Wèi), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the western part of northern China from 535 to 557. As with the Northern Wei dynasty that preceded it, the ruling family of the Western Wei were members of the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei.

History

After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler. Although smaller than the Eastern Wei in territory and population, Western Wei was able to withstand the attacks from the eastern empire, most notably at the Battle of Shayuan in 537. Due to its better economical conditions, Western Wei was even able to conquer the whole western part of the Liang empire in the south and occupied the territory of modern Sichuan. In 557 Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu deposed Emperor Gong and placed Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue on the throne, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou.

Marital alliances with the nascent Turkic Empire also took place, as Bumin Qaghan (r.552), first khagan of the Göktürks, married the Western Wei princess Changle (長樂公主) in June 551, before he was able to unite his tribes and revolt againt the Rouran Empire, thereby establishing the First Turkic Khaganate in 552.[4]

Religion and art

Buddhism and Buddhist art flourished under the Western Wei, even though the dynasty only lasted twenty-two years. Western Wei caves opened at Dunhuang and Maijishan.[5]

Rulers

Posthumous NamePersonal NamePeriod of ReignEra Name
Emperor Wen of Western Wei Yuan Baoju 535–551 Datong (大統) 535–551
Emperor Fei of Western Wei Yuan Qin 551–554 –
Emperor Gong of Western Wei Tuoba Kuo 554–557 –

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 156.
  2. ↑ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 157.
  3. ↑ Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 166.
  4. ↑ Venning, Timothy (30 June 2023). A Compendium of Medieval World Sovereigns. Taylor & Francis. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-000-86633-9.
  5. ↑ Juliano, Annette L. (2007). Buddhist Sculpture from China: Selections from the Xi'an Beilin Museum : Fifth Through Ninth Centuries. China Institute Gallery. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-9774054-2-8. Although Western Wei lasted only twenty-two years, and Northern Zhou just twenty-four years, Buddhism and Buddhist art flourished during these two regimes. Western Wei and Northern Zhou caves opened at Dunhuang , Maijishan...

Sources

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