Xiao Yan (464 - 549) reigned as emperor Liang Wudi from 502 - 550, with his capital in nanjing. He was a strong Confucian in government but a Buddhist in personal life, several times while emperor joining a monastery as monk. He was a strong patron of the arts as well as a noted scholar and poet. Towards the end of his reign Hou Jing³ overthrew Wudi. Hou Jing also killed Wudi's third son, Xiao Gang⁴ (503 - 551), who had succeeded his father.

Prominent literary personages in Liang during the reign of Wudi included

YFSJ has poems by Xiao Yan but none in qin section. QSCM, #27 is said to be his Qin Yao.

Xu Jian quotes him concerning the qin player Liu Yun.

The original biography in Qin Shi Bu is as follows.

Further details in preparation. 3

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 Sources for Liang Wudi and Yuandi are given as: 梁書 Liang Shu; 隋書 Sui Shu; 古琴疏 Gu Qin Shu; 樂府詩集 Yuefu Shiji (has many poems for both). (Return)

2 (Return)

3 侯景 Hou Jing (502 - 552)
Hou Jing was a native of Gansu who joined the Wei military service, became governor of Henon, then switched his allegiance from Wei to Liang. However, he then rebelled against Liang and tried to set up a new dynasty. (Return)

4 蕭綱 Xiao Gang, 梁簡文帝 Emperor Jianwen of Liang (503 - 551; r. 550 - 551)
Xiao Gang (ICTCL, p. 266 etc.), the third son of Xiao Yan, is said to have commissioned New Songs from the Jade Terrace. As crown prince he succeeded his father in 549, but was killed by 侯景 Hou Jing in 551. He has a number of poems in Yuefu Shiji, including

5 See 蕭統 Xiao Tong under Wen Xuan. (Return)

6 See 徐陵 Xu Ling (507 - 583) and 玉臺新詠 Yutai Xinyong under Wen Xuan (Return)

7 沈約 Shen Yue (441 - 513) (Return)

8 (Return)

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