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The Scourge from the North: Hou Jing’s Rebellion [Jin & Southern-Northern Dynasties]
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The Fractured North: Birth of Eastern and Western Wei Gao Huan’s fears proved prophetic. Just two years after installing Emperor Xiaojing in Yecheng (534 CE), his puppet emperor, Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei, grew restless. Seeking real power, he secretly conspired to eliminate Gao – and even tried to recruit Gao Qian, one of…
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The Two-Faced Strategist: Gao Huan [Jin & Southern-Northern Dynasties]
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Chaos in the North: The Collapse of Northern Wei While Emperor Wu of Liang busied himself with Buddhist ordinations in the south, the Northern Wei dynasty was tearing itself apart.
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The Emperor Who Became a Monk: Emperor Wu of Liang [Jin & Southern-Northern Dynasties]
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From Palace to Pagoda: The Rise of Emperor Wu of Liang After the death of Emperor Wu of Southern Qi, succession turmoil erupted. Though many hoped his cultured second son, Xiao Ziliang – patron of the famed West Lodge – would ascend, the throne went to his grandson Xiao Zhaoye, with Xiao Ziliang and…
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The Great Transformation: Emperor Xiaowen [Jin & Southern-Northern Dynasties]
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From Turmoil to Reform: The Rise of Empress Dowager Feng After the assassination of Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei by the eunuch Zong Ai, the court plunged into chaos. Eventually, Tuoba Jun, grandson of Taiwu and son of the wronged crown prince Tuoba Huang, was enthroned as Emperor Wencheng.
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King Wu of Zhou
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King Wu of Zhou (? – 1043 BCE) was the founder of the Western Zhou dynasty. His personal name was Ji Fa, and he was the second son of King Wen of Zhou. Because his elder brother, Bo Yikao, had been executed by the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang, Ji Fa became heir and…
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King Wen of Zhou
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King Wen of Zhou (c. 1152–1056 BCE) was the paramount leader of the Zhou people at the end of the Shang dynasty. His personal name was Ji Chang, and during the reign of the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang, he held the title “Western Count” (Western Lord or Xibo), ruling over the Zhou domain…