Moving the Capital to Luoyang

Under the influence of Empress Dowager Feng, Tuoba Hong had studied the Confucian classics since childhood and was rather familiar with the Han culture. As soon as he assumed the reins of government he began to carry out radical reforms. The first significant step was to move the capital from Pingcheng(present Datong City of Shanxi Province) in the north to Luoyang,a city situated in the Central Plains[3] famous for its historical associations.

Tuoba Hong’s original intention was to make it convenient for the Northern Wei to embrace the more civilized Han culture so as to maintain the power and prosperity of his empire. However, this decision met with strong opposition from the courtiers and the members of the imperial family who showed stubborn resistance to change and would rather stick to old ways. They protested, but Tuoba Hong carried on regardless.

In the autumn of 493, the emperor personally led 300,000 troops, whilst forcing all the civil and military officials to follow the army, to go on an assumed expedition against the Southern Qi but with Luoyang as the real destination. The next year he broke through all sorts of obstacles created by the nobility, and moved the whole apparatus of government to the new capital.

Course Map of Emperor Xiaowen

Moving the Capital to Luoyang

course Map of Emperor Xiaowen Moving the capitalto Luoyang Pursuing a Policy of Sinicization After moving to Luoyang, Tuoba Hong was more determined to put an end to the barbarian Xianbei customs. In 496 he changed his own family name from Tuoba to Yuan, and ordered all Xianbei people to adopt Han surnames. He also laid a prohibition against the use of Xianbei costume and language, whilst encouraging his clansmen to wear Han-styled clothes, speak Chinese, and get related by marriage with Han people. Chinese then became the official language of the Northern Wei Dynasty. People above 30 might be allowed to learn it gradually, but those under 30 must have a good command of Chinese in a short time. Any court officials who spoke Xianbei language on formal occasions would be removed from office.

The policy of Sinicization had greatly promoted the merging of various nomadic nationalities in north China and speeded up the process of their feudalization.

Northern wei Dynasty Dying in His Prime Nonetheless, the biggest resistance to reform came from crown prince Yuan Xun. He often wore Xianbei clothing in private regardless of his father’s prohibition, and even plotted with those who hadopposed the moving of the capital to return to Pingcheng secretly. After learning of the crown prince’s conspiratorial act, Yuan Hong took him into custody in Wubi City of Heyang(in the east of present Meng County in Henan), and finally deposed him.

The Northern Wei and the Southern Qi had been at war for years. After Xiao Baojuan of the Southern Qi succeeded to the throne, he provoked a war again. In 499 Yuan Hong led his troops south, but died of ilness in Liangcheng(present Fangcheng County in southern Henan) at the age of 32.

In 430 the Northem Wei Dynasty unified north China, and various ethnic Backgroundgroups ling in the Yellow Rver valley tended to merge together.

Emperor Xiaowen’s Reform

Salary System

Policy of Sinicization

Officials drew salaries paid ||The govemment distributed Emperor Xiaowen moved

by the govemment, and| the land equaly among

Han-styled clothes, speak Chinese, and get related by marmage with Han people.

Emperor Xiaomen’s reform had greatly promoted the merging of various nomadic

|significance

nationalities in north China and speeded up the process of their feudalization.

Emperor Xiaowen’s Reform

Emperor Xiaowen first moved the capital to Luoyang, aiming to make it convenient for the Northern Wei to embrace the more civilized Han culture so as to maintain the ul The xianbei(or spelled sienpi) people was an ancient ethnic group inhabiting areas in present northeast china and Inner Mongolia, establishing the Northern wei, Northern Qi(550-577), and Northern Zhou(557-581) dynasties successfully in the 4th-6th centuries.

In order to prevent an emperors in-laws from abusing power, the royal family of the Northern Wei followed a cruel tradition that once a crown prince was designated, his own mothermust be killed. Therefore, Empress Dowager Feng who wasethnically lHan was actully Emperor Xianwen’s stepmother and Emperor Xiaowen’s step-grandmother;

An ancient geographical term for the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, comprising most of present Henan Province, the western part of Shandong Province, and the southern parts of Hebei and Shanxi provinces.

Yang Guang: Emperor of the Sui Dynasty Craving for Grandeur and Success

Portrait of Yang Guang(569-618)

yang Guang was the second son of Yang lian who established the sui pynasty. He was first made the prince of in in 581, and was then designated crown prince in 600. After murdering hisown father four yearslater, he acededto the throne and occupiedit for 14 years (604-617). He was given the posthumous title of Emperor Yang.

Yang Guang(569-618) of the Han nationality, also named Yang Ying and nicknamed A-mo, was of Huayin of Shaanxi origin and was born in Chang’ an. The second emperor of the Sui Dynasty(581-618), he went in for large-scale construction and wantonly engaged in military ventures during his reign of 14 years(604-617), which eventually brought about the downfall of his empire.

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