Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei

Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei ( 魏孝靜帝), personal name Yuan Shanjian (元善見), was the founder and the only emperor of China's Eastern Wei dynasty. In 534, the Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei had fled the capital Luoyang to reestablish the imperial government at Chang'an. Northern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan made Emperor Xiaojing emperor as Emperor Xiaowu's replacement. Gao Huan moved the capital from Luoyang to Yecheng, thus dividing Northern Wei into two. Emperor Xiaojing's state became known as Eastern Wei. Although Gao Huan treated him with respect, real power was in the hands of Gao Huan, and then Gao Huan's sons Gao Cheng and Gao Yang. In 550, Gao Yang forced Emperor Xiaojing to yield the throne to him, ending the Eastern Wei and establishing the Northern Qi dynasty. Around the new year 552, the former Emperor Xiaojing was poisoned to death on the orders of the new emperor.²