Xiao Cha 蕭詧, Emperor Xuan of Later Liang

Xiao Cha 蕭詧 (519–562), zi Lisun 理孫. Emperor Xuan 宣 of Later Liang (r. 555–562). Liang period literatus and ruler.

Xiao Cha's ancestral home was Nan Lanling 南蘭陵 (northwest of modern Changzhou, Jiangsu). He was the third son of Xiao Tong 蕭統 (501–531). In 525, he was granted the title Duke of Qujiang 曲江 county. When Xiao Tong died in 531, Xiao Cha was only twelve, but he was resentful that Xiao Gang 蕭綱 (503–551) was selected as crown prince instead of Xiao Tong's oldest son, Xiao Huan 蕭歡 (d. 540). At this time Xiao Cha was given the title Prince of Yueyang 岳陽 commandery. In 538, he was assigned as regional inspector of Eastern Yangzhou 東揚州 (administrative seat, modern Shaoxing). Xiao Cha was beginning to become concerned about Emperor Wu's increasing senility and the corruption of the Liang court. In 540, he was appointed regional inspector of Yongzhou 雍州, which was the area in which Emperor Wu mobilized an army when he rose up against the Southern Qi. With Xiangyang as his headquarters, Xiao Cha governed Yongzhou with great skill and achieved strong support from some of the more powerful people in the area. Thus, by the time of the Hou Jing uprising in 548, Xiao Cha had created a semi-independent regime in Yongzhou. Concerned about Xiao Cha's growing power and influence, Xiao Yi 蕭繹 (508–555), who had established his own regime in Jiangling located southeast of Xiangyang, sent Zhang Zuan 張纉 (499–549) to replace Xiao Cha as regional inspector. Xiao Cha refused to hand over his position to Zhang Zuan. Zhang Zuan incited Xiao Yi to send an army against Xiao Cha and his brothers. Xiao Cha then declared allegiance to the Western Wei who granted him the title Prince of Liang. In 554, the Western Wei sent Yu Jin 于謹 (493–568) to lead an attack against Xiao Yi. Xiao Yi was killed. The Western Wei occupied Xiangyang and installed Xiao Cha as Lord of Liang with his “capital” at Jiangling. He ruled as a puppet emperor for eight years dying in 554 at the age of forty-four. His posthumous title is Emperor Xuan of Later Liang.

Already in his youth Xiao Cha was quite learned and attained unusual skill as a writer. He also was well versed in Buddhism. Xiao Cha had a collection of his writings in fifteen juan. The monograph on bibliography of the Sui shu lists a collection in ten juan. This was lost already in the Tang. His biography in the Zhou shu contains the text of a long fu titled “Min shi fu” 愍時賦 (Fu on lamenting the times). At the time of the Western Wei invasion of Jiangling and Xiangyang, Yin Deyi 尹德毅, a military man from Xiangyang, advised him to launch a surprise attack on Yu Jin. However, he did not follow Yin's advice. He regretted that he had not done so. He composed the “Min shi fu” to lament the fall of the Liang state.

DRK