Wei: Rulers and Emperors: 386-532Each ruler since 399 is recorded under the following protocol: temple name (miàohào | 廟號) || personal name (míng | 名), considered tabooed (huì | 諱) upon accession; posthumous name (shì | 諡). The courtesy name (zì | 字) is included where applicable. The years of bestowal or change are given in brackets. |
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| Ruling House: Tuòbá (拓跋) [386-496, 554-557]; Yuán (元) [496-554] [1] | |
| Dài wáng (代王) | |
| 20 Feb 386 - May/Jun 386 | Tuòbá Guī (拓跋珪) |
| Wèi wáng (魏王) [2] | |
| May/Jun 386 - 24 Jan 399 | Tuòbá Guī (拓跋珪) |
| Huángdì (皇帝) [3] | |
| 24 Jan 399 - 6 Nov 409 | Tàizǔ (太祖) [410] || Tuòbá Guī (拓跋珪) |
| posthumous name: Xuān wǔ huángdì (宣武皇帝) [410]; Dào wǔ huángdì (道武皇帝) [420] | |
| 10 or 20 Nov 409 - 24 Dec 423 | Tàizōng (太宗) [424] || Tuòbá Sì (拓跋嗣) [4] |
| posthumous name: Míng yuán huángdì (明元皇帝) [424] | |
| 27 Dec 423 - 11 Mar 452 | Shìzǔ (世祖) [452] || Tuòbá Tāo (拓跋燾) [5] |
| courtesy name: Fólí (佛釐) | |
| posthumous name: Tài wǔ huángdì (太武皇帝) [452] | |
| on or after 11 Mar 452 - 29 Oct 452 | no temple name bestowed || Tuòbá Yú (拓跋余) |
| 31 Oct 452 - 20 Jun 465 | Gāozōng (高宗) [465] || Tuòbá Jùn (拓跋濬) |
| posthumous name: Wén chéng huángdì (文成皇帝) [465] | |
| 21 Jun 465 - 20 Sep 471 | Xiǎnzǔ (顯祖) [476] || Tuòbá Hóng (拓跋弘) [455] [6] |
| posthumous name: Xiàn wén huángdì (獻文皇帝) [476] | |
| 20 Sep 471 - 26 Apr 499 | Gāozǔ (高祖) [499] || Tuòbá Hóng (拓跋宏) [469]; Yuán Hóng (元宏) [496] |
| posthumous name: Xiào wén huángdì (孝文皇帝) [499] | |
| 7 May 499 - 12 Feb 515 | Shìzōng (世宗) [515] || Tuòbá Kè (拓跋恪); Yuán Kè (元恪) [496] |
| posthumous name: Xuān wǔ huángdì (宣武皇帝) [515] | |
| 12 Feb 515 - 31 Mar 528 | Sùzōng (肅宗) [528] || Yuán Xǔ (元詡) [510] |
| posthumous name: Xiào míng huángdì (孝明皇帝) [528] | |
| 1 Apr 528 - 17 May 528 | no temple name bestowed || Yuán Zhāo (元釗) |
| 15 May 528 - 6 Jan 531 | Jìngzōng (敬宗) [532] || Yuán Zǐyōu (元子攸) [7][8] |
| posthumous name: Wǔ huái huángdì (武懷皇帝) [532]; Xiào zhuāng huángdì (孝莊皇帝) [532] | |
| 5 Dec 530 - 1 Apr 531 | no temple name bestowed || Yuán Yè (元曄) [9][10] |
| childhood courtesy name: Pénzǐ (盆子) | |
| courtesy name: Huáxìng (華興) | |
| 1 Apr 531 - 6 Jun 532 | no temple name bestowed || Yuán Gōng (元恭) |
| courtesy name: Xiūyè (脩業) | |
| posthumous name: Jié mǐn huángdì (節閔皇帝) | |
| common reference (byname): Qián fèidì (前廢帝) [11] | |
| 31 Oct 531 - 6 Jun 532 | no temple name bestowed || Yuán Lǎng (元朗) [12] |
| courtesy name: Zhòngzhé (仲哲) | |
| common reference (byname): Hòu fèidì (後廢帝) [13] | |
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| [1] | Family name (shì | 氏) was changed on 2 Feb 496. Reverted to Tuòbá (拓跋) in 554. |
| [2] | The change of the title occurred in the fourth month of the lunar year (15 May 386 - 12 Jun 386). |
| [3] | The imperial style was changed to Dì (帝) in accordance with an edict of 2 Apr 531. This decision apparently did not affect the successors of Yuán Gōng. |
| [4] | According to Book of Wei, ch. 3, and Zīzhì Tòngjiàn, ch. 115, Tàizōng acceded on 10 Nov 409. Alternative date of accession: 20 Nov 409 (History of the Northern Dynasties, ch. 1). |
| [5] | Shìzǔ was assassinated on 11 Mar 452 in accordance with Zīzhì Tòngjiàn, ch. 126. Book of Wei, ch. 4, and History of the Northern Dynasties, ch. 2 refer to a wrong month. |
| [6] | Honorific title (after abdication): Tàishàng huángdì (太上皇帝) [471] |
| [7] | Yuán Ziyōu assumed the title of emperor (15 May 528) shortly before the revolting army, supporting him, entered the capital, Luoyang. He entered the city on 16 May 528. The former emperor, Yuán Zhāo, a minor, and the queen mother were killed on 17 May 528. |
| [8] | Huángdì (皇帝) (in dissidence) * |
| Apr/May 529 - 13 Aug 529 no temple name bestowed || Yuán Hào (元顥) | |
| courtesy name: Zǐmíng (子明) | |
| * Proclaimed emperor in Suiyang (modern Shangqiu, Henan province); captured Luoyang (16 or 17 Jun 529); abandoned the capital after a military defeat (8 Aug 529) and was murdered shortly after. | |
| [9] | Yuán Yè was proclaimed emperor probably at Zhangzi (modern Changzhi, Shanxi province) by a rival faction seeking to dethrone Yuán Ziyōu. |
| [10] | Abdicated and was demoted to prince: Dōnghǎi wáng (東海王) [531]. |
| [11] | The epithet Qián fèidì (前廢帝), used by historians, is the term meaning "the former deposed emperor". |
| [12] | Yuán Lǎng was proclaimed emperor in Xindu (modern Hengshui, Hebei province) by a rival faction seeking to dethrone Yuán Gōng; compelled to abdicate at Heyang (in modern Shaanxi province) before reaching the capital, Luoyang. Later he was demoted to prince: Āndìng jùnwáng (安定郡王) [532]. |
| [13] | The epithet Hòu fèidì (後廢帝), used by historians, is the term meaning "the latter deposed emperor". |
Last update: 25 Dec 2023