Background

Xiao Gang was born in 503, as the third son of Emperor Wu. His mother Consort Ding Lingguang (丁令光) also gave birth to Emperor Wu's firstborn son and crown prince Xiao Tong, and therefore carried a special status within his palace even though she was never empress. In 506, at the age of three, Xiao Gang was made the Prince of Jin'an. As he grew in age, he was given a number of progressively higher offices. In 526, when Consort Ding died, he resigned those offices to observe a mourning period for her, but Emperor Wu restored him to those offices before the mourning period was over.

Consort Ding's death would bring about a disastrous effect in the relationship between Xiao Gang's father Emperor Wu and Xiao Gang's brother Xiao Tong. Xiao Tong sought out an appropriate place to bury Consort Ding, but while he was doing so, a land owner bribed the eunuch Yu Sanfu (俞三副) into convincing Emperor Wu that that piece of land would bring good fortune for the emperor, and so Emperor Wu bought the land and buried Consort Ding there. However, once Consort Ding was buried, a Taoist monk informed Xiao Tong that he believed that the land would bring ill fortune for Consort Ding's oldest son—Xiao Tong. Xiao Tong therefore allowed the monk to bury a few items intended to dissolve the ill fortune, such as wax ducks, at the position reserved for the oldest son. Later on, when one of Xiao Tong's attendants, Bao Miaozhi (鮑邈之), was squeezed out of Xiao Tong's inner circles by another attendant, Wei Ya (魏雅), he, in resentment, reported to Emperor Wu that Wei had carried out sorcery on Xiao Tong's behalf. When Emperor Wu investigated, waxed ducks were found, and Emperor Wu became surprised and angry, and wanted to investigate further. He only stopped the investigation when he was advised to do so by the prime minister Xu Mian, executing only the Taoist monk who had suggested the burial of wax ducks. Xiao Tong became humiliated in the affair, and was never able to clear himself completely in his father's eyes.

Xiao Tong died in 531. Under Confucian rules of succession, his oldest son Xiao Huan (蕭歡) the Duke of Huarong was expected to succeed him as crown prince, and Emperor Wu summoned Xiao Huan back to the capital Jiankang in order to do so. However, still resentful over the wax duck affair, he hesitated for days without carrying out the creation, and finally did not do so. Instead, against popular opinion, he installed Xiao Gang, his then-surviving oldest son, as crown prince. Xiao Gang's staff advisor Zhou Hongzheng (周弘正) wrote a memo to Xiao Gang advising him to decline, but Xiao Gang did not do so, although he subsequently avenged Xiao Tong's disgrace by executing Bao Miaozhi.

As crown prince

As crown prince, Xiao Gang was a distinguished poet, as well as patron of the poets Liu Zun and Xu Li (徐攡), as well as Xu Ling, the anthologist of New Songs from the Jade Terrace. The poem "Multitudinous Blossoms" by Liu Zun describes the luxurious but ultimately pitiful life of a professional male prostitute. One of the crown prince's own poems describes a languid life of lolling on an ivory inlaid bed, surrounded by feather curtains, with a male lover. Given his own writing, some have asserted that Xiao Gang was homosexual. Others have pointed to the numerous children claimed by him later in life as evidence of heterosexuality. There is no way to prove either assertion, and the notion of a powerful man pointedly limiting himself to one gender or the other would in fact have been alien in a culture where class hierarchy affected male sex lives far more than the genders of their partners. The poet Xu's writing style became known as "palace style", and initially, Emperor Wu was displeased about this development, but once Emperor Wu met Xu, he was impressed by Xu's talents, and became a patron of Xu himself as well.

It is unclear whether Xiao Gang carried out much decision-making duties in the imperial administration, as Xiao Tong did before his death. As Emperor Wu aged, Xiao Gang's younger brothers Xiao Xu (蕭續) the Prince of Luling, Xiao Guan (蕭綸) the Prince of Shaoling, Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong, and Xiao Ji the Prince of Wuling grew less obedient of his edicts, and effectively exercised imperial powers in their provincial domains. Fearing that his brothers would seize power, Xiao Gang selected elite troops to be the palace guards for the crown prince's palace. He honored Taoist philosophies, and often lectured on the Tao Te Ching and the Zhuangzi.

In 547, the Eastern Wei general Hou Jing, in a conflict with the new regent Gao Cheng, surrendered the 13 provinces (the region between the Yellow River and the Huai River) to Liang, seeking aid from Liang. However, both Xiao Gang's cousin Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang, and Hou himself, were defeated by the Eastern Wei general Murong Shaozong (慕容紹宗). Xiao Yuanming was captured, while Hou fled and, surprising the Liang governor of Southern Yu Province (南豫州, modern central Anhui), Wei An (韋黯), seized the key city Shouyang (壽陽, in modern Lu'an, Anhui), the capital of Southern Yu Province. Instead of punishing Hou, however, Emperor Wu allowed him to serve as the governor of Southern Yu Province. It is unclear whether Xiao Gang was involved in making these decisions, but he was clearly informed about them, as he revealed these decisions to his assistant He Jingrong (何敬容).

Soon, however, Hou, believing that Emperor Wu, who engaged in peace talks with Eastern Wei and appeared to be willing to betray him to exchange for Xiao Yuanming, rebelled in summer 548. Hou's army quickly advanced on Jiankang, assisted by Xiao Gang's cousin Xiao Zhengde the Prince of Linhe, putting Jiankang under siege. Emperor Wu put Xiao Gang in charge of the defenses, but Xiao Gang was unsuccessful in preventing the outer city from falling. The imperial troops were forced to withdraw into the palace. When Hou then claimed that it was the corrupt official Zhu Yi that he wanted to kill, Xiao Gang confirmed that Zhu was indeed corrupt, but advised against executing Zhu in that it would serve nothing in the campaign against Hou. Soon, Hou declared Xiao Zhengde emperor. While provincial troops gathered near Jiankang to try to relieve the besieged palace, those troops, commanded by Liu Zhongli (柳仲禮) and Xiao Guan, were unsuccessful, and ultimately, after Liu was nearly killed in a battle, Liu refused to engage Hou any further, leaving the palace troops to fend for themselves. (Xiao Yi and Xiao Ji, although they each had large numbers of troops in their domains, largely stood and sent only token troops.) In winter 548, Hou's general Fan Taobang (范桃棒) offered to rebel against Hou, and while Emperor Wu was initially in favor of the idea, Xiao Gang spoke against it, and it was not carried out. Soon, Fan was killed by Hou, and an opportunity was lost.

In spring 549, Xiao Gang tried to negotiate peace with Hou, whose troops had by then tired. Hou initially agreed—with the terms being that he would be given the provinces west of the Yangtze River. However, Hou soon reneged on the peace agreement and resumed the siege of the palace. Soon, the palace fell, and Emperor Wu and Xiao Gang were effectively taken as hostages, although Hou continued to formally honor them as emperor and crown prince, despite his earlier agreement with Xiao Zhengde to have them killed. (Hou soon deposed Xiao Zhengde and killed him.) Xiao Gang's attendants all fled, except for Xu Li and Yin Buhai (殷不害). The provincial troops which had come to Jiankang's aid were disbanded, and Hou was now in control of the capital region.

Meanwhile, Emperor Wu, while he was under Hou's control, was unwilling to yield, and he refused to carry out some of the acts that Hou wanted him to. Xiao Gang tried to urge Emperor Wu to follow Hou's requests, but Emperor Wu refused. Hou put Emperor Wu under closer guard, and Emperor Wu, in anger, soon grew ill and died. (Some historians believe that Hou starved Emperor Wu to death.) Xiao Gang did not dare to weep for Emperor Wu's death, and Hou made him emperor to succeed Emperor Wu (as Emperor Jianwen).

As emperor

Emperor Jianwen was formally recognized by the governors of the provinces not under Hou's control, but they saw his edicts as coerced and not binding on them, and they continued to resist Hou, and yet at the same time fought each other for territorial control and were largely ineffective when Hou attacked them, allowing Hou to seize additional territory. Eastern Wei (and its successor state Northern Qi, established in 550 as Gao Cheng's brother Gao Yang seized the throne from Emperor Xiaojing) largely seized the Liang provinces north of the Yangtze. Emperor Jianwen himself tried to foster a relationship with Hou, to ensure his own safety, and in 550, he married his daughter the Princess Liyang to Hou as Hou's wife. Hou favored the princess greatly, and for the time being, the emperor appeared safe. He created his oldest son Xiao Daqi crown prince. However, Hou still kept the emperor under heavy guard, and only several officials, including his cousin Xiao Zi (蕭諮) the Marquess of Wulin, Wang Ke (王克), and Yin Buhai were allowed to see him. Meanwhile, most of the provincial governors eventually accepted the command of Emperor Jianwen's brother Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong, the governor of Jing Province (荊州, modern western Hubei).

In summer 550, Hou sent his general Ren Yue (任約) to try to conquer the central empire. Ren first defeated and captured Emperor Jianwen's son Xiao Daxin (蕭大心) the Prince of Xunyang and governor of Jiang Province (江州, modern central and northern Jiangxi), and then continued on to try to attack Xiao Yi's territory. When Ren was unable to prevail against Xiao Yi's general Xu Wensheng (徐文盛), and Hou himself commanded a force to aid Ren. In winter 550, while Hou was away from Jiankang, Emperor Jianwen's nephew Xiao Huili plotted with his brother Xiao Aili (蕭乂理), the general Liu Jingli (柳敬禮), and Emperor Jianwen's cousins Xiao Quan (蕭勸) the Marquess of Xixiang and Xiao Mian (蕭勔) the Marquess of Dongxiang, to start a rebellion at Jiankang and overthrow Hou Jing's lieutenant Wang Wei. The plot was discovered, however, and Xiao Huili and his coconspirators were executed by Wang. While Wang could not show that Emperor Jianwen was involved, Hou and Wang became even more suspicious of Emperor Jianwen thereafter. In fear, Wang Ke and Yin stopped seeing the emperor, but Xiao Zi continued. In response, Hou had Xiao Zi assassinated. Emperor Jianwen believed that eventually he would be killed as well, and he commented as such to Yin.

Removal and death

In summer 551, Hou was again aiding Ren, taking Xiao Daqi with him as hostage. Initially, with Hou backing him, Ren took the important city of Jiangxia (江夏, in modern Wuhan, Hubei), and Hou next approached Xiao Yi's headquarters at Jiangling (江陵, in modern Jingzhou, Hubei). However, Hou's forces then became bogged down while trying to siege Baling (巴陵, in modern Yueyang, Hunan), with Xiao Yi's general Wang Sengbian successfully defending Baling. Soon, Hou's food supplies ran out, and his forces collapsed. Ren was captured, and two other key generals, Song Zixian (宋子仙) and Ding He (丁和) were killed. Hou fled back to Jiankang.

Hou, believing that his days of power might be numbered, wanted to become emperor. Meanwhile, Wang had disputes with Emperor Jianwen's daughter Princess Liyang, and believing that she would eventually harm him, persuaded Hou that he should remove the emperor to show off his power. In fall 551, Hou deposed Emperor Jianwen and demoted him back to the title of Prince of Jin'an, and made Xiao Huan's son Xiao Dong the Prince of Yuzhang emperor. Hou had all of Emperor Jianwen's sons who were under his control, including Xiao Daqi the Crown Prince, executed. (He soon regretted these actions, and considered restoring Emperor Jianwen to the throne and making Xiao Dong crown prince, but Wang persuaded him not to do so.) He put Emperor Jianwen under house arrest.

During the house arrest period, Emperor Jianwen, filled with sadness and fear, wrote several hundred poems—and because he was not given paper to write on, wrote the poems on the walls and screens of his residence. Less than two months after Emperor Jianwen's removal, Wang persuaded Hou that Emperor Jianwen must be removed, and Hou sent Wang, Peng Jun (彭雋), and Wang Xiuzuan (王修纂) to visit Emperor Jianwen one night. Emperor Jianwen, knowing what their intentions were, feasted and drank with them, becoming very intoxicated. Once he fell asleep, they suffocated him, and then placed him in a makeshift casket, storing the casket in a brewery. In 552, after Wang Sengbian captured Jiankang, he had Emperor Jianwen's casket placed in the palace and then buried with imperial honors.

Era name

• Dabao (大寶 dà bǎo) 550-551

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Jianwenjian, of the Wang clan of Langya (簡文簡皇后 琊瑯王氏; 505–549), personal name Lingbin (靈賓)

　• Xiao Daqi, Crown Prince Ai (哀皇太子 蕭大器; 524–551), first son

　• Xiao Dalian, Prince Nan (南王 蕭大連; 527–551), fifth son

　• Princess Changshan (長山公主), personal name Miaohong (妙纮)

• Furen, of the Zuo clan (夫人 左氏; d. 537)

　• Xiao Dalin, Prince Nanhai (南海王 蕭大臨; 527–551), fourth son

　• Xiao Dachun, Prince Anlu (安陸王 蕭大春; 530–551), sixth son

• Furen, of the Xie clan (夫人 謝氏)

　• Xiao Daya, Duke Liuyang (瀏陽公 蕭大雅; 533–549), 12th son

• Furen, of the Zhang clan (夫人 張氏)

　• Xiao Dazhuang, Prince Xinxing (新興王 蕭大莊; 534–551), 13th son

• Furen, of the Fan clan (夫人 范氏)

　• Xiao Dawei, Prince Wuning (武寧王 蕭大威; 539–551), 15th son

• Furen, of the Chen clan (夫人 陳氏; d. 544)

　• Xiao Daxin, Prince Yi'an (義安王 蕭大昕; 541–551), 18th son

• Furen, of the Zhu clan (夫人 朱氏)

　• Xiao Dazhi, Prince Suijian (綏建王 蕭大摯; 542–551), 19th son

• Shufei, of the Fan clan (淑妃 范氏)

　• Princess Liyang (溧陽公主; b. 536)

　　• Married Hou Jing (503–552) in 549

• Xiurong, of the Chen clan (淑容 陳氏)

　• Xiao Daxin, Prince Xunyang (潯陽王 蕭大心; 523–551), second son

• Zhaohua, of the Bao clan (昭華 包氏)

　• Xiao Dajun, Prince Xiyang (西陽王 蕭大鈞; 539–551), 14th son

• Xiuhua, of the Chu clan (修華 褚氏)

　• Xiao Daqiu, Prince Jianping (建平王 蕭大球; 541–551), 17th son

• Meiren, of the Pan clan (美人 潘氏)

　• Xiao Daxun (蕭大訓; 540–549), 16th son

• Unknown

　• Xiao Dakuan, Prince Linchuan (臨川王 蕭大款), third son

　• Xiao Dacheng, Prince Guiyang (桂陽王 蕭大成; b. 531), eighth son

　• Xiao Dafeng, Prince Runan (汝南王 蕭大封; b. 531), ninth son

　• Xiao Dahuan, Prince Jinxi (晉熙王 蕭大圜; 542–581), 20th son

　• Princess Nansha (南沙公主)

　　• Married Yuan Xian of Chen (陳郡 袁憲; 529–598)

　• Princess Yuyao (餘姚公主)

　　• Married Wang Pu of Langya (琊瑯 王溥) in 549

　• Princess Haiyan (海鹽公主), ninth daughter

　　• Married Zhang Xi of Fanyang (范陽 張希)

　• Princess Anyang (安陽公主), 11th daughter

　　• Married Zhang Jiao of Fanyang (范陽 張交)

Ancestry

生平

梁簡文帝蕭綱生于天監二年十月丁未（503年12月2日），最早封為晉安王，食邑八千戶。天監八年（509年），任雲麾將軍，領石頭戍軍事。天監九年（510年），以輕車將軍改任使持節、都督南北兗、青、徐、冀五州諸軍事、宣毅將軍、南兗州刺史。天監十二年（513年），入朝任宣惠將軍、丹陽尹。天監十三年（514年），出為使持節、都督荊、雍、梁、南北秦、益、寧七州諸軍事、南蠻校尉、荊州刺史。天監十四年（515年），改任為都督江州諸軍事、雲麾將軍、江州刺史，持節如故。天監十七年（518年），征為西中郎將、領石頭戍軍事，不久複任宣惠將軍、丹陽尹，加侍中。

普通元年（520年）冬，出任為使持節、都督益、寧、雍、梁、南北秦、沙七州諸軍事、益州刺史；還未赴任，又改授雲麾將軍、南徐州刺史。普通四年（523年），改任使持節、都督雍、梁、南北秦四州郢州之竟陵司州之隨郡諸軍事，平西將軍、寧蠻校尉、雍州刺史。普通五年（524年）正月辛卯，進號安北將軍。普通七年（526年），擢升都督荊、益、南梁三州諸軍事。

大通二年（528年），蕭綱趁北魏發生爾朱榮之亂上表請求北伐，收複新野、南陽，寫信說降北魏南荊州刺史李志，北魏北青州刺史元雋等也投降，于是拓地千里，武帝為此大赦天下；中大通二年（530年）正月，征為都督南揚、徐二州諸軍事、驃騎將軍、揚州刺史。次年蕭統病故之後被封為皇太子。

548年侯景叛亂，蕭綱助守台城，梁武帝因自認為年老，授權蕭綱主軍國大事。侯景部下儀同三司范桃棒在被俘的雲旗將軍陳昕勸說下圖謀率所部襲殺侯景部下行台左丞王偉、部將宋子仙，再去建康投降。范桃棒寫信射入建康城中，再秘密派陳昕趁夜吊繩入城。武帝大喜，但蕭綱擔心有詐，猶豫不決。范桃棒又派陳昕寫信說：「現在僅帶所領五百人，如果到城門，都自己脫甲，乞求朝廷開門賜容。事成之後，保証擒侯景。」蕭綱見其懇切，愈發生疑。結果事洩，范桃棒被殺，陳昕出城接應後也被擒殺。

侯景攻陷台城後，梁武帝於549年被餓死，但是侯景認為目前仍然不能自立為皇帝，便擁立蕭綱為皇帝，但是梁簡文帝蕭綱不過是侯景的傀儡，侯景平時對他十分防範，只允許他的堂弟衛尉卿武林侯蕭諮、僕射王克、通事舍人殷不害這些文弱者出入臥室和他講談論議。次年梁簡文帝蕭綱想取《周易》「內文明而外柔順，以蒙大難，文王以之」之意改元「文明」以示自己被劫持，又擔心侯景覺察到，最後改元大寶。十一月，蕭綱侄南康王蕭會理因謀殺侯景被告發而被殺，王克、殷不害懼禍，稍稍疏遠了他，只有蕭諮不離開梁簡文帝蕭綱，不時朝請，侯景懷疑梁簡文帝蕭綱知道蕭會理的圖謀，派人刺殺蕭諮。551年八月戊午（10月2日），侯景派人廢梁簡文帝蕭綱為晉安王，改立豫章王蕭棟為皇帝，並大量殺死梁簡文帝蕭綱諸子；梁簡文帝蕭綱被囚禁於永福省。侯景曾有意複立梁簡文帝蕭綱，被勸止。梁簡文帝蕭綱被廢後兩個月，夢到吞土，很不快，告訴殷不害讓他試著解夢。殷不害說晉文公重耳流亡在外時得到當地人所送的土塊，後來回到晉國，此夢當是此兆。梁簡文帝蕭綱希望此言不虛，但不久（天正元年十月壬寅，551年11月15日）就被侯景派人用土袋壓死，享年49歲。

侯景事後為梁簡文帝蕭綱上諡號曰明皇帝，廟號高宗，梁元帝在552年追諡蕭綱為簡文皇帝，廟號太宗。

文學造詣

蕭綱本人文學造詣很高，雅好詩賦，有大量詠物、宮體、閨怨之作，其中五言詩最多，並且與蕭子顯、蕭繹、徐擒、庾肩吾等人形成宮體詩流派，蕭綱是宮體詩的代表。侯景攻入建康期間，曾經「募人出燒東宮，東宮台殿遂盡。所聚百櫥圖籍，一皆灰燼」。

其曾于《菩提樹頌序》中著有「悲哉六識，沉淪八苦，不有大聖，誰拯慧橋」的名句。

家庭

父母

父母

• 梁武帝蕭衍

• 丁令光，其子蕭綱繼位後，追尊其為穆太后

兄弟

• 長兄 蕭統：皇太子→皇帝（追尊），字德施，謚昭明太子→昭明皇帝

• 第二兄 蕭綜：豫章郡王，字世謙

• 第四弟 蕭績：南康郡王，字世謹，謚簡王

• 第五弟 蕭續：廬陵郡王，字世訢，謚威王

• 第六弟 蕭綸：邵陵郡王，字世調，謚攜王/忠壯王

• 第七弟 蕭繹：湘東郡王→皇帝，字世誠，謚孝元皇帝

• 第八弟 蕭紀：武陵郡王→皇帝，字世詢，謚貞獻王

后妃

皇后

• 王靈賓：蕭綱當太子時的太子妃，於蕭綱登基前逝世，蕭綱登基前後追封為皇后。

妃嬪

• 范淑妃：生溧陽公主

• 褚修華：生建平王蕭大球

• 陳淑容：生潯陽王蕭大心

• 包昭華：生西陽王蕭大鈞

• 左夫人：生南海王蕭大臨、安陸王蕭大春

• 謝夫人：生瀏陽公蕭大雅

• 張夫人：生新興王蕭大莊

• 范夫人：生武寧王蕭大威

• 陳夫人：生義安王蕭大昕

• 朱夫人：生綏建王蕭大摯

兒女

兒

• 長子 蕭大器：宣城王→哀太子

• 二子 蕭大心：當陽公→尋陽王

• 三子 蕭大款：石城公→江夏王→臨川王

• 四子 蕭大臨：寧國公→南海王

• 五子 蕭大連：臨城公→南郡王

• 六子 蕭大春：西豐公→安陸王

• 八子 蕭大成：新淦公→山陽王→桂陽王

• 九子 蕭大封：臨湘公→宜都王→汝南王→（北周）晉陵公

• 十二子 蕭大雅：瀏陽公

• 十三子 蕭大莊：高唐公→新興王

• 十四子 蕭大鈞：西陽王

• 十五子 蕭大威：武寧王

• 十六子 蕭大訓

• 十七子 蕭大球：建平王

• 十八子 蕭大昕：義安王

• 十九子 蕭大摯：綏建王

• 二十子 蕭大圜：樂梁王→晉熙王→（北周）始寧公

• 第七、十、十一子早亡，未命名。

女

• 南沙公主：下嫁袁憲

• 蕭妙紘：長山公主

• 溧陽公主：母范淑妃。後為侯景之妃。

• 餘姚公主：下嫁王溥

• 第九女 海鹽公主：下嫁張希

• 第十一女 安陽公主：下嫁張交，又稱定陽公主。

參考資料及註釋

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