Reign
Upon hearing of Emperor Houfei's death, the general Shen Youzhi accused Xiao Daocheng of wanting to usurp the throne, and he started a rebellion from his Jing Province (荊州, modern central and western Hubei), although he then ill-advisedly became bogged down in his progress in sieging Yingcheng (郢城, in modern Wuhan, Hubei). Meanwhile, an attempted coup by Yuan Can and Liu Bing to seize back power for the imperial clan failed in late 477, and both Yuan and Liu Bing were killed, permitting Xiao to further consolidate his power. By spring 478, Shen also had been defeated, and he committed suicide. Xiao no longer had opposition. He began to have himself bestowed with higher and higher offices and honors, posturing himself for the throne. He was also gradually assassinating some of Emperor Shun's brothers.
In winter 478, Emperor Shun created Xie Fanjing, the granddaughter of the official Xie Zhuang (謝莊), as his wife and empress.
In 479, Xiao first had Emperor Shun create him the Duke of Qi and grant him the nine bestowments, and then create him the Prince of Qi. in summer 479, Xiao was prepared to seize the throne, and he prepared a ceremony at which Emperor Shun was to ascend a high platform and issue an edict giving the throne to him. However, the 12-year-old Emperor Shun was fearful, and he hid under a statue of a buddha, crying. Xiao sent his general Wang Jingze (王敬則) into the palace, and Empress Dowager Wang, fearful of what the consequences might be, personally led the eunuchs to search for Emperor Shun as well, finally finding him. Wang Jingze calmed Emperor Shun with false promises, finally getting him to get on the wagon that Wang Jingze prepared. He asked Wang, "Are you going to kill me?" Wang responded, "I will not kill you -- just letting you live elsewhere. Do not be sad -- this is what your Liu clan did to the Sima clan as well." (This was a reference to how Emperor Shun's great-grandfather Emperor Wu had seized the throne from Jin Dynasty.) Emperor Shun resumed crying, and said, "When I am reincarnated, may it be that I will never be again reborn in an emperor's household!" Wang brought Emperor Shun to the platform and had him complete the ceremony. Xiao accepted the throne, ending Liu Song and starting Southern Qi (as its Emperor Gao).
Read more about this topic: Emperor Shun Of Liu Song
Famous quotes containing the word reign:
“The reign of imagagology begins where history ends.”
—Milan Kundera (b. 1929)
“See how peaceful it is here. The sea is everything. An immense reservoir of nature where I roam at will.... Think of it. On the surface there is hunger and fear. Men still exercise unjust laws. They fight, tear one another to pieces. A mere few feet beneath the waves their reign ceases, their evil drowns. Here on the ocean floor is the only independence. Here I am free.”
—Earl Felton, and Richard Fleischer. Captain Nemo (James Mason)
“Fatalism, whose solving word in all crises of behavior is “All striving is vain,” will never reign supreme, for the impulse to take life strivingly is indestructible in the race. Moral creeds which speak to that impulse will be widely successful in spite of inconsistency, vagueness, and shadowy determination of expectancy. Man needs a rule for his will, and will invent one if one be not given him.”
—William James (1842–1910)