Background and early career

Chen Baxian was born to Chen Wenzan (陳文讚) and Lady Dong in 503 CE, the second year of the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang (the founding emperor of Liang Dynasty). He was from Wuxing Commandery (吳興, roughly modern Huzhou, Zhejiang). His family traced its ancestry to Chen Shi (陳寔), a county magistrate and Confucian scholar during Han Dynasty. During the lineage that was traced, Chen's ancestors generally served as officials, although several were important figures in imperial governments of Jin Dynasty and the subsequent Southern dynasties, including Chen Baxian's grandfather Chen Daoju (陳道巨).

When Chen Baxian was young, he was considered ambitious, not caring about managing properties. As he grew, he studied military strategies and learned various fighting techniques. Initially, he married a daughter of Qian Zhongfang (錢仲方), who was also from Wuxing Commandery, but she died early. After Lady Qian's death, he married Zhang Yao'er, likewise from Wuxing Commandery. She bore him at least one son, Chen Chang. It is known that he had five sons before Chen Chang, but all, including Chen Ke (陳克), the only one whose name is preserved in history, appeared to have died early; it is not known who were their mothers.

In the late 530s, when Xiao Ying (蕭映) the Marquess of Xinyu, a nephew of Emperor Wu, was the governor of Wuxing Commandery, he had the chance to see Chen Baxian and was impressed by him. When Xiao Ying was made the governor of Guang Province (廣州, modern Guangdong) around 540, he invited Chen to serve on his staff, and subsequently, Xiao Ying made him an acting commandery governor.

War with Vạn Xuân

In 541, the people of Giao Châu Province (in modern northern Vietnam), dissatisfied with the cruel rule of Xiao Zi (蕭諮) the Marquess of Wulin (another nephew of Emperor Wu), rebelled under the leadership of Lý Bôn. Xiao Ying sent the generals Sun Jiong (孫冏) and Lu Zixiong (盧子雄) to attack Lý Bôn, with Xiao Ying overseeing the operations. In spring 542, Xiao Ying and Xiao Zi ordered Sun and Lu to attack, despite Sun and Lu's request to delay the attack to fall 542 due to fears that hot temperature could cause illnesses. When Lý Bôn crushed their forces with heavy casualties, Xiao Zi falsely accused Sun and Lu of working in concert with Lý Bôn, and Emperor Wu ordered Sun and Lu to commit suicide. Lu Zixiong's brothers Lu Zilüe (盧子略) and Lu Zilie (盧子烈) and subordinates, the brothers Du Tianhe (杜天合) and Du Sengming and Zhou Wenyu, attacked the capital of Guang Province, wanting to kill Xiao Zi and Xiao Ying to avenge Lu Zixiong. Xiao Ying ordered Chen to engage them, and he defeated them, killing Du Tianhe and capturing Du Sengming and Zhou. Believing that Du Sengming and Zhou were both good soldiers, he released them and retained them on his staff. For this accomplishment, Emperor Wu created Chen the Viscount of Xin'an, and while he did not summon Chen to the capital Jiankang, he had an artisan draw a portrait of Chen and deliver it to him.

In January 544, Lý Bôn proclaimed himself emperor and named the country Vạn Xuân, ending the Second Chinese domination of Vietnam. In winter 544, Xiao Ying died, and initially, Chen started escorting Xiao Ying's casket back to Jiankang for burial. On the way, while he was still at Dayu Mountain (大庾嶺, on the borders of modern Jiangxi and Guangdong), he was ordered to rendezvous with the new governor of Giao Châu Province, Yang Piao (楊瞟), and another nephew of Emperor Wu's, Xiao Bo (蕭勃), to attack Lý Bôn. Xiao Bao did not want to set out on the campaign, and therefore tried to persuade Yang not to advance. Chen persuaded Yang otherwise, and in spring 545, Yang, with Chen as his lieutenant, attacked Lý Bôn, defeating him and forcing him to flee into the mountains and conduct guerilla warfare instead. In 548, Lý Bôn's subordinates killed Lý Bôn, and when Lý Bôn's brother Lý Thiên Bảo succeeded him and attacked Ai Province (愛州, centered on modern Thanh Hóa Province, Vietnam), Chen defeated Lý Thiên Bảo. Emperor Wu made Chen the governor of Gaoyao Commandery (高要, roughly modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong) as well as the commander of the forces of the surrounding commanderies.

During the Hou Jing Disturbance

In summer 548, Hou Jing, formerly a general of Eastern Wei (a branch successor state of Northern Wei) whose defection Emperor Wu had accepted, rebelled, and in 549 captured Jiankang, taking Emperor Wu and his son and crown prince Xiao Gang hostage. After Jiankang's fall, Hou, who had initially claimed that he wanted to restore Northern Wei's imperial clan to power, from the control of the regent Gao Cheng, enticed the governor of Guang Province, Yuan Jingzhong (元景仲), a member of Northern Wei's imperial Yuan clan, to join him, and when Chen received the news, he publicly announced Yuan's treachery and gathered the troops of the nearby generals to attack Yuan. Yuan committed suicide, and Chen welcomed Xiao Bo, then the governor of Ding Province (定州, roughly modern Guigang, Guangxi) to take over Guang Province. In winter 549, against Xiao Bo's request, Chen took his troops and embarked on a campaign to join the fight against Hou, sending messengers to Emperor Wu's son Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong, the governor of Jing Province (荊州, modern central and western Hubei), pledging support and loyalty to Xiao Yi, then commonly viewed as the leader of the remaining Liang provinces not under Hou's control.

For the next year, Chen advanced north through modern Jiangxi, fighting the various local warlords and generals loyal to Hou, with his main struggle against Li Qianshi (李遷仕). In spring 551, he captured and killed Li. Xiao Yi made him the governor of Jiang Province (江州, roughly modern Jiangxi). By fall 551, he had rendezvoused with Xiao Yi's main general, Wang Sengbian, at Xunyang (尋陽, in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi). In 552, after they had sworn a solemn oath to Liang, they advanced east toward Jiankang, where Hou had killed Xiao Gang (who had succeeded Emperor Wu as Emperor Jianwen) and taken the throne himself as Emperor of Han. Chen was instrumental in the subsequent siege of Jiankang, and they defeated Hou together, causing Hou to flee. Subsequently, Hou was killed by his own men. For Chen's contributions, Xiao Yi created Chen the Marquess of Changcheng—Chen's home county. Wang put Chen in charge of the important city Jingkou (京口, in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu). For the next two years, Chen was several times involved in border battles against Northern Qi (Eastern Wei's successor state). At times, when Xiao Yi (who had by now taken the throne as Emperor Yuan but set up his capital at his headquarters of Jiangling rather than at Jiankang) summoned Wang on campaigns, Wang would put Chen in charge of Jiankang.

Seizure of power

In 554, Western Wei launched a major attack on Jiangling, and Emperor Yuan summoned Wang to come to his aid, putting Chen in charge of Jiankang. Before Wang could reach Jiangling, however, Western Wei had already captured Jiangling, killing Emperor Yuan and declaring his nephew Xiao Cha emperor instead (as Emperor Xuan). (Xiao Cha's state is known in history as the Western Liang.) Wang and Chen refused to recognize Emperor Xuan; instead, in spring 555, they welcomed Emperor Yuan's 11-year-old son Xiao Fangzhi the Prince of Jin'an—Emperor Yuan's only surviving son—to Jiankang, preparing to make him emperor and first having him take the title Prince of Liang. (When Jiankang fell, Chen's son Chen Chang and nephew Chen Xu, who had been serving in the imperial administration, were captured and taken to the Western Wei capital Chang'an as honored captives.)

At this time, however, Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi had other ideas, and he sent his brother Gao Huan (高渙) the Prince of Shangdang to command an army to escort Emperor Yuan's cousin Xiao Yuanming the Marquess of Zhenyang—whom Eastern Wei had taken captive in 547—back to Liang to be emperor. Wang initially rejected Xiao Yuanming, but after his forces lost a few battles to Northern Qi forces, changed his mind and decided to accept Xiao Yuanming as emperor after extracting a promise from Xiao Yuanming to make Xiao Fangzhi crown prince. In summer 555, Xiao Yuanming arrived at Jiankang to take the throne, and he created Xiao Fangzhi crown prince. Wang and Chen continued to be in charge of the military.

Chen, however, was unhappy about the situation, believing Xiao Yuanming to be unworthy of the throne. Despite Wang Sengbian's knowledge of Chen's displeasure, however, Wang did not suspect Chen of having any rebellious intentions, as they had been friendly, and Wang and Chen had agreed on having Wang Sengbian's son Wang Wei (王頠) marry Chen's daughter, although the marriage had not been established on account of the recent death of Wang Sengbian's mother. in fall 555, believing reports that Northern Qi was going to attack, Wang sent his secretary Jiang Gan (江旰) to Jingkou to alert Chen. Chen instead detained Jiang and started a surprise attack on Wang. With Wang not suspecting that an attack would occur, Chen quickly reached Wang's headquarters at Shitou (a fortress near Jiankang), capturing and killing Wang Sengbian and Wang Wei. He took over control of the imperial government, forcing Xiao Yuanming to abdicate and making Xiao Fangzhi emperor (as Emperor Jing).

Immediately, Chen faced resistance from the generals Xu Sihui (徐嗣徽), Ren Yue (任約), and Hou Tian (侯瑱), and Wang Sengbian's brother Wang Sengzhi (王僧智) and son-in-law Du Kan (杜龕). (Du was the governor of Chen's home commandery of Wuxing, and the historian Bo Yang had speculated that Du's disrespect for Chen and his curbing of special privileges that Chen's clan was exerting in Wuxing might have been an impetus for Chen's rebellion against Wang.) Chen initially sent his nephew Chen Qian and his general Zhou Wenyu against Du and Du's ally Wei Zai (韋載), but the campaign was inconclusive, and Chen subsequently went to attack himself. Meanwhile, Xu and Ren, aided by Northern Qi, made a surprise attack on Jiankang, nearly capturing it, but were repelled by Chen's general Hou Andu. Soon, Chen defeated Wei and Wei surrendered, and Chen returned to Jiankang, leaving Zhou to face Du.

Despite Northern Qi aid, Xu and Ren could not defeat Chen, and Chen put Shitou, which the Northern Qi general Liu Damo (柳達摩) had captured, under siege. Liu sought peace, but requested Chen to send his relatives as hostages to Northern Qi. Most officials advocated peace, and Chen, despite his skepticism about such a peace holding, agreed, and sent his nephew Chen Tanlang (陳曇朗), Emperor Yuan's grandson Xiao Zhuang the Prince of Yongjia, and Wang Min (王珉), the son of the key official Wang Chong (王沖), as hostages, permitting Northern Qi forces to withdraw, and Xu and Ren withdrew with them.

By spring 556, Du had either been captured or surrendered to Zhou and Chen Qian, and Chen Baxian executed Du. Wang Sengzhi fled to Northern Qi, and the capital region was largely under Chen Baxian's control. Meanwhile, Northern Qi forces were preparing another attack, but they invited Xiao Yuanming to their camp to discuss peace. Chen sent Xiao Yuanming to Northern Qi camp, but before talks could begin, Xiao Yuanming died from a severe infection on his back. By summer 556, Northern Qi forces were again descending on Jiankang, but once there, their forces stalemated with Chen's forces. Northern Qi forces' food supplies soon ran out, and Chen defeated them, killing Xu and capturing a number of Northern Qi generals, whom Chen executed. (In response, Northern Qi executed Chen Tanlang, although Chen Baxian never found out during his lifetime.) Meanwhile, Hou Tian, having been defeated by another general, Hou Ping (侯平), chose to submit to Chen.

During the next year, Chen began to receive greater and greater titles and offices, progressing from being the Marquess of Changcheng to Duke of Changcheng to Duke of Yixing to Duke of Chen to Prince of Chen. In 557, Xiao Bo declared a resistance against Chen from Guang Province. Soon, however, Zhou defeated Xiao Bo's general Ouyang Wei (歐陽頠), and Xiao Bo was killed by his own generals. At the same time, Wang Lin, who controlled modern Hunan and eastern Hubei, suspicious of Chen's intentions, refused his summon to Jiankang and prepared for battle instead. Chen sent Zhou and Hou Andu against Wang Lin. In winter 557, Chen had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing Chen Dynasty as its Emperor Wu. He created Emperor Jing the Prince of Jiangyin. He posthumously honored his parents emperor and empress, his deceased wife Lady Qian empress, and his deceased son Chen Ke crown prince. He created his wife Zhang Yao'er empress.

Reign

While it is not known when Emperor Wu became a Buddhist, once he became emperor he immediately took steps to officially sanction Buddhism, as he displayed a relic believed to be a Buddha's tooth and held a major Buddhist festival. He also, following the lead of Liang's Emperor Wu, offered himself to Buddha's service on one occasion. He made several requests to Western Wei's successor state Northern Zhou to return Chen Chang and Chen Xu, and while Northern Zhou promised to do so, they would actually not be returned in Emperor Wu's lifetime.

Meanwhile, news that Emperor Wu had accepted the throne had reached the front where Zhou Wenyu and Hou Andu were engaging Wang Lin, greatly depressing Zhou and Hou's forces, as this removed a major appeal that they had—that Wang was being a rebel for refusing to follow Emperor Jing's orders. Wang defeated Zhou and Hou and captured them. After doing so, however, both Chen forces and Wang Lin's forces were stalemated by the fact that the general Lu Xida (魯悉達), who controlled Northern Jiang Province (北江州, roughly modern Anqing, Anhui), was accepting overtures from both sides but refusing to actually obey either side. Not able to make progress in his campaign against the new Chen state, Wang sought help from Northern Qi and requested that it return Xiao Zhuang to be emperor. Soon, Northern Qi returned Xiao Zhuang, and Wang Lin declared Xiao Zhuang emperor at Ying Province (郢州, modern eastern Hubei).

In summer 558, Emperor Wu had the former Emperor Jing of Liang killed. He sent Hou Tian and Xu Du (徐度) to attack Wang Lin, but soon negotiated a peace with Wang Lin, after Wang's general Yu Xiaoqing (余孝頃) was defeated by the independent general Zhou Di (周迪), satrap of Linchuan (Jiangxi). (Meanwhile, Zhou Wenyu and Hou escaped from Wang's custody and returned to Chen, although Zhou was soon assassinated by the independent general Xiong Tanlang (熊曇朗).)

In summer 559, Emperor Wu suffered a major illness and died suddenly. At that time, the only close relative of his in Chen territory, his nephew Chen Qian the Prince of Linchuan, was away building a fort at Nanhuan (南皖, in modern Anqing, Anhui). Empress Zhang, after consulting the officials Du Leng (杜稜) and Cai Jingli (蔡景歷), chose not to announce Emperor Wu's death and summoned Chen Qian back from Nanhuan. The imperial officials decided to support Chen Qian as emperor, and while Empress Zhang was initially hesitant, hoping that Chen Chang would return, she eventually agreed, and Chen Qian took the throne as Emperor Wen.

Era name

• Yongding (永定 yǒng dìng) 557-559

Family

Consorts and Issue:

• Empress Zhao, of the Qian clan (昭皇后 錢氏)

　• Chen Ke, Crown Prince Xiaohuai (孝懷皇太子 陳克)

• Empress Xuan, of the Zhang clan (宣皇后 章氏; 506–570), personal name Yao'er (要兒)

　• Chen Chang, Prince Hengyangxian (衡陽獻王 陳昌; 537–560), sixth son

　• Princess Yuhua (玉華公主)

• Unknown

　• Chen Li, Prince Yuzhangxian (豫章獻王 陳立)

　• Chen Quan, Prince Changshasi (長沙思王 陳權)

　• Princess Yongshi (永世公主), first daughter

　　• Married Qian Chan (錢蕆), and had issue (one son)

　• Princess Kuaijimu (會稽穆公主)

　　• Married Shen Junli of Wuxing, Marquis Wangcai (吳興 沈君理; 525–573), and had issue (Lady Shen Wuhua)

Ancestry

生平

早期生涯

梁武帝天監二年（503年）出生，自幼家境貧寒，卻好讀兵書。初仕鄉為里司，後到建康為油庫吏，之後又為新渝縣侯蕭暎傳教（傳令吏）。當時，蕭映是廣州刺史，于是陳霸先隨蕭暎來到廣州，任中直兵參軍。因陳霸先平亂有功，被提任為西江督護，很快又因平交州李賁之亂有功，封為交州司馬兼領武平太守（越南永福省永安市附近），後任振遠將軍、高要太守。梁武帝蕭衍授予陳霸先直閣將軍一職，封號新安子。

侯景之亂

侯景叛亂，陳霸先于梁大寶元年（550年）正月，在始興（今廣東韶關）起兵討侯景，次年與征東將軍王僧辯會合共進。天正二年（552年）三月，領軍圍石頭城（在今南京），大敗侯景。因功授征虜將軍、開府儀同三司，封司空，領揚州（非今日之揚州市）刺史，鎮京口（今江蘇鎮江）。

立帝之爭

梁承聖三年（554年），西魏破江陵，梁元帝被殺。陳霸先與王僧辯請晉安王蕭方智以太宰承制，又遣長史謝哲奉箋勸進，晉安王入居朝堂，稱梁王。承聖四年（555年），王僧辯屈事北齊，迎立北齊扶植的蕭淵明為梁帝，陳霸先苦勸無效，遂誅王僧辯，立蕭方智為帝。後又擊退北齊的南下侵略，剷平了王僧辯餘黨的反抗，晉封陳公，受九錫。

王僧辯的部下王琳得知陳霸先立蕭方智為帝，並不服氣，太平二年五月，進攻陳霸先。六月。陳霸先命平西將軍周文育、平南將軍侯安都等征討王琳。侯安都至沌口（今武昌）與王琳對峙多日，侯安都軍大敗。陳霸先再派遣侯瑱、徐度進攻王琳，再派謝哲調解。八月，王琳退軍湘州（今湖南長沙），陳霸先以大軍進駐大雷（今安徽望江），同年十月，陳霸先因此功晉爵陳王。雙方再度對峙，直到陳霸先病逝。

建立陳朝

梁太平二年（557年）梁敬帝蕭方智禪位，陳霸先代梁稱帝建立陳朝，史稱南陳。陳朝疆域從江南到嶺南數省。王琳也立永嘉王蕭莊，稱帝于荊州。陳永定三年（559年）六月十二日，生病。六月二十一日病逝。因唯一在世親子陳昌被北周扣留，遺詔追兄子臨川王陳蒨入纂。八月甲午，群臣上謚號曰武皇帝，廟號高祖。丙申，葬萬安陵（在今南京市江寧區）。隋滅陳後，王僧辯之子王頒是隋軍大將，為報父仇，掘陳霸先之墓，挖出骨骸，焚化成灰水喝進肚裡。

評價

在位僅二年，是魏晉南北朝時期中屬於南朝方面十分難得的英明君主，其個性節儉樸素，「常膳不過數品，私宴用瓦器、蚌盤，肴核充事而已；後宮無金翠之飾，不設女樂」。在政治上寬政廉平，愛育為本，恆崇寬政，不行株連，懷柔攻心，誠貫天下。疆域有江南，嶺南，交州數個省。在經濟上，穩定保持了江南的發展。

• 南陳的吏部尚書姚察在陳亡被俘到隋朝後，為隋文帝撰寫陳朝歷史，仍認為陳霸先「英略大度，應變無方，」與漢高祖劉邦、魏武帝曹操一樣同屬偉人（《陳書》卷一：英略大度，應變無方，蓋漢高、魏武之亞矣）。

• 唐散騎常侍姚思廉（557年－637年），字簡之，自幼習史，父親是南陳的末任吏部尚書姚察。姚思廉曾任隋朝代王楊侑侍讀。唐朝李淵稱帝後，為李世民秦王府文學館學士。自玄武門之變，進任太子洗馬。貞觀初年，又任著作郎，「十八學士」之一。官至散騎常侍，受命與魏徵同修梁陳二史。貞觀十年（636年），成《梁書》（50卷）《陳書》（30卷），為二十四史之一。他評價陳霸先「智以綏物、武以寧亂、英謀獨運、人皆莫及」。

• 唐鄭國文貞公魏徵（580年－643年2月11日），字玄成，唐朝貞觀時諫臣，曾是《隋書》、《周書》、《北齊書》、《梁書》、《陳書》五部史書的總監修官。魏徵認為陳霸先效命舊王朝，立下豐功偉績，功勳不下曹操、劉裕；三分天下，能夠「決機百勝」，雄豪無愧劉備、孫權（高祖拔起壟畝，有雄桀之姿。始佐下藩，奮英奇之略。魏王之延漢鼎祚，宋武之反晉乘輿，懋績鴻勳，無以尚也。決機百勝，成此三分，方諸鼎峙之雄，足以無慚權、備矣）。

• 唐朝大史學家李延壽評價：用「雄武英略」、「性甚仁愛」、「恆崇寬簡」、「彌厲恭儉」 來稱讚陳霸先一生。

• 北宋《資治通鑒》編撰者司馬光用「臨戎制勝，英謀獨運」、「為政務崇寬簡」、「性儉素」等語言分別概括了陳霸先治軍、從政、為人的鮮明個性。

• 明朝南京太僕寺丞歸有光評價：恭儉勤勞，志度弘遠，江左諸帝，號為最賢。赫然陳祖，大業光燦。寂寞沛鄉，吾茲感歎。

• 中國共產黨中央委員會主席毛澤東說他欣賞的是陳霸先南征北戰所使用的戰術。毛澤東在晚年時曾要求人們讀讀《陳書》，瞭解陳霸先的身世經歷。

• 中華民國作者柏楊在他的一本名為《中國人史綱》的出版品中評道：「陳帝國是南北朝唯一沒有出過暴君的政權。」

聖井銘並敘碑

隆慶元年（1567年），長興縣令歸有光撰寫《聖井銘並敘碑》，由縣丞吳承恩親筆書寫，刻石立碑，原置于陳霸先出生地聖井旁，現藏于長興博物館。

家族

父親

• 陳文贊，追尊為太祖景皇帝

母親

• 董氏，安皇后，陳文讚之妻，陳武帝之母

皇后

• 昭皇后錢氏。

• 宣皇后章氏，名章要兒。

親生子女

• 陳克，孝懷太子，昭皇后之子，早夭

• 陳立，豫章獻王，早夭

• 陳權，長沙思王，早夭

• 陳昌，衡陽獻王，宣皇后之子

• 永世公主

• 會稽穆公主

嗣子

• 陳文帝陳蒨