Western Wei

The Western Wei (/weɪ/;[5] Chinese: 西魏; pinyin: Xī Wèi) followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 535 to 557. As with the Northern Wei state that preceded it, the ruling family of Western Wei were members of the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei.

Wei 魏
535–557
Western Wei and neighbors
Capital	Chang'an
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 535–551	Emperor Wen of Western Wei
• 552–554	Emperor Fei of Western Wei
• 554–557	Emperor Gong of Western Wei
Historical era	Southern and Northern Dynasties
• Establishment of Eastern Wei, start of division of Northern Wei	8 November 534[1]
• Emperor Wen's ascension, often viewed as establishment	18 February 535[2] 535
• Disestablished	14 February 557[3] 557
Area
557[4]	1,300,000 km2 (500,000 sq mi)
Currency	Chinese coin, Chinese cash
Preceded by Succeeded by Northern Wei Liang Dynasty Northern Zhou
Today part of	China

History of China
ANCIENT
Neolithic c. 8500 – c. 2070 BC
Xia c. 2070 – c. 1600 BC
Shang c. 1600 – c. 1046 BC
Zhou c. 1046 – 256 BC
Western Zhou
Eastern Zhou
Spring and Autumn
Warring States
IMPERIAL
Qin 221–207 BC
Han 202 BC – 220 AD
Western Han
Xin
Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms 220–280
Wei, Shu and Wu
Jin 266–420
Western Jin
Eastern Jin	Sixteen Kingdoms
Northern and Southern dynasties 420–589
Sui 581–618
Tang 618–907
(Wu Zhou 690–705)
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907–979	Liao 916–1125
Song 960–1279
Northern Song		Western Xia
Southern Song	Jin		Western Liao
Yuan 1271–1368
Ming 1368–1644
Qing 1636–1912
MODERN
Republic of China on mainland 1912–1949
People's Republic of China 1949–present
Republic of China on Taiwan 1949–present
Related articles Chinese historiography Timeline of Chinese history Dynasties in Chinese history Linguistic history Art history Economic history Education history Science and technology history Legal history Media history Military history Naval history Women in ancient and imperial China

After the Xianbei general Yuwen Tai killed the Northern Wei emperor Yuan Xiu, he installed Yuan Baoju as emperor of Western Wei while Yuwen Tai would remain as the virtual ruler. Although smaller than the Eastern Wei in territory and population, Western Wei was able to withstand the attacks from the eastern empire. Due to its better economical conditions, Western Wei was even able to conquer the whole western part of the Liang empire in the south and occupied the territory of modern Sichuan. In 557 Yuwen Tai's nephew Yuwen Hu deposed Emperor Gong and placed Yuwen Tai's son Yuwen Jue on the throne, ending Western Wei and establishing Northern Zhou.