Emperor Jing of Han, born Liu Qi, was the sixth emperor of the Han dynasty from 157 to 141 BC. His reign saw the limiting of the power of the feudal kings and princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights to appoint ministers for their fiefs. This move helped to consolidate central power which paved the way for the long reign of his son Emperor Wu of Han.
Emperor Wu of Jin, personal name Sima Yan, courtesy name Anshi (安世), was a grandson of Sima Yi, nephew of Sima Shi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, last emperor of the state of Cao Wei, to abdicate to him. He reigned from 266 to 290, and after conquering the state of Eastern Wu in 280, was the emperor of a reunified China. Emperor Wu was also known for his extravagance and sensuality, especially after the unification of China; legends boasted of his incredible potency among ten thousand concubines.
Emperor Gao of Southern Qi, personal name Xiao Daocheng (蕭道成), courtesy name Shaobo (紹伯), childhood name Doujiang (鬥將), was the founding emperor of the Southern Qi dynasty of China. He served as a general under the preceding dynasty Liu Song's Emperor Ming and Emperor Houfei. In 477, fearful that the young, cruel Emperor Houfei would kill him, he assassinated Emperor Houfei and seized power, eventually taking the throne in 479 to start Southern Qi.
Empress Chen of Wu (孝武陳皇后) was empress of the Han dynasty and the first wife of Emperor Wu of Han. She was also known as Chen Jiao or as her milk name ChenA'Jiao (陈阿娇). She was born to Chen Wu (father) and Liu Piao (mother), also making her Liu Che's older cousin. Her given name Jiao means talented and beautiful and features in various Chinese poems and idioms.
Empress Xiaojing, of the Wang clan, also known by her birth name Wang Zhi (王娡) and by the title Madame Wang, was an empress during the Han dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Jing and the mother of Emperor Wu. She was also the first known empress of China who was previously married to another man before becoming empress.
Emperor Wen of Liu Song, personal name Liu Yilong (劉義隆), childhood name Che'er (車兒), was an emperor of the Liu Song dynasty of China. He was the third son of the dynastic founder Emperor Wu. After his father's death in 422, Liu Yilong's eldest brother Liu Yifu took the throne as Emperor Shao. In 424, a group of officials, believing Emperor Shao to be unfit to be emperor, deposed Emperor Shao and placed Liu Yilong on the throne as Emperor Wen.
Li Lingrong, formally Empress Dowager Xiaowuwen was an empress dowager during the Jin dynasty. She was a concubine of Emperor Jianwen and the mother of Emperor Xiaowu.
Emperor Wu of (Liu) Song, personal name Liu Yu (劉裕), courtesy name Dexing (德興), childhood name Jinu (寄奴), was a statesman and strategist of Imperial China, and the founding emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. He came from a humble background, but became prominent after leading a rebellion in 408 to overthrow Huan Xuan, who had usurped the Eastern Jin throne in 403. After that point, using a mixture of political and military skills, Liu Yu gradually concentrated power in his own hands while expanding Jin's territory. In 420, he forced Emperor Gong of Jin to yield the throne to him, thus ending the Eastern Jin dynasty and establishing the Liu Song dynasty. He ruled only briefly, for two years, before dying and passing the throne to his son, Emperor Shao of Liu Song. An outstanding commander, perhaps the greatest of his era, he conquered two of the Sixteen Kingdoms and remained undefeated throughout his military career. The History of the Southern Dynasties described Liu Yu as seven chi and six cun tall
Emperor Xiaowu of Song, personal name Liu Jun (劉駿), courtesy name Xiulong (休龍), childhood name Daomin (道民), was an emperor of the Liu Song dynasty of China. He was a son of Emperor Wen. After his older brother Liu Shao assassinated their father in 453 and took the throne, he rose in rebellion and overthrew Liu Shao. He was generally regarded as a capable, but harsh and sexually immoral emperor. He curtailed the powers of the officials and imperial princes greatly during his reign.
Lu Huinan, formally Empress Dowager Zhao, semi-formally Empress Dowager Chongxian (崇憲太后), was an empress dowager of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. She had been a concubine of Emperor Wen, and she became empress dowager because her son Liu Jun later became emperor.
Emperor Xianwen of Northern Wei ( 魏獻文帝), personal name Tuoba Hong, Xianbei name Didouyin (第豆胤), courtesy name Wanmin (萬民), was an emperor of the Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty of China. He was the first emperor in Chinese history who, after retiring at age 17 in favor of his 4-year-old son Emperor Xiaowen to become Taishang Huang in 471, continued to hold on to power until his death in 476—when the official history states vaguely that he may have been killed by his stepmother Empress Dowager Feng.
Former Deposed Emperor of Liu Song or Emperor Qianfei, personal name Liu Ziye (劉子業), childhood name Fashi (法師), was an emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. His brief reign as a teenager was known for his violent and impulsive acts, including the slaughter of many high-level officials and his sexually immoral behavior. He was assassinated less than 18 months after becoming emperor.
Empress Lu was an empress of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Qianfei.
Emperor Ming of Liu Song, personal name Liu Yu (劉彧), courtesy name Xiubing (休炳), childhood name Rongqi (榮期), was an emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. He became emperor after his violent and impulsive nephew Liu Ziye was assassinated in January 466, as he was regarded as more lenient and open-minded at first. However, he soon turned cruel and suspicious as well after becoming emperor, and during his reign, his nephews and brothers were nearly all slaughtered on his orders. This greatly weakened the Liu Song dynasty and contributing to its fall in 479, just seven years after his death.
Liu Zixun, courtesy name Xiaode (孝德), was an imperial prince and pretender to the throne of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty, who received claims of allegiance from most provinces of the state during the year 466 after his staff made a claim to the throne on his behalf, rivaling that of his uncle Emperor Ming, following the assassination of his half-brother Emperor Qianfei in January 466. The inability of his troops to defeat the outnumbered troops of Emperor Ming, however, eventually led to the collapse of his regime, and Emperor Ming's general Shen Youzhi captured and executed him at the age of 10.
Shen Youzhi (沈攸之), courtesy name Zhongda (仲達), was a general during the Chinese Liu Song dynasty, who, in the final moments of the dynasty, made a final failed attempt to prevent Xiao Daocheng from seizing the throne.
Liu Chuyu (劉楚玉), often known by her title Princess Shanyin (山陰公主), although her title at death was the greater title of Princess Kuaiji (會稽公主), was a princess of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. She was a daughter of Emperor Xiaowu.
Wang Baoming (王寶明), formally Empress An, semi-formally Empress Dowager Xuande (宣德太后), was an empress dowager of the Chinese Southern Qi dynasty. She was never empress regnant or empress consort, being the wife of Xiao Zhangmao, the oldest son and crown prince of Emperor Wu, who was posthumously honored as an emperor, and the mother of his son Xiao Zhaoye, who later became emperor.
This article contains the family trees of members of the Cao clan, who ruled the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) in China. Only Cao Cao's lineage is shown in this article. The lineages of his relatives, such as Cao Ren, Cao Zhen and others, are not included here.
Xiao Shunzhi (蕭順之), courtesy name Wenwei (文纬), was a general of the Southern Qi dynasty. He was a distant cousin and advisor of the Liu Song general, later emperor, Xiao Daocheng. His son, Xiao Yan, would become the founding emperor of the Liang dynasty.