Chen Bozong | |
---|---|
Emperor of Chen Dynasty | |
Born | 551 552 or 554 |
Died | 570 |
Reign | 566-568 |
Predecessor | Chen Qian |
Successor | Chen Xu |
Names | |
Traditional Chinese | 陳伯宗 |
Simplified Chinese | 陈波宗 |
Pinyin | Chén Bōzǒng |
Wade–Giles | Ch‘ên Po tsung |
Courtesy name | Fengye |
Posthumous name |
|
Other names | Yaowang |
Emperor Fei of Chen (陳廢帝) (554? – 570), personal name Chen Bozong (陳伯宗), courtesy name Fengye (奉業), nickname Yaowang (藥王), also known by his post-removal title of Prince of Linhai (臨海王), was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He was the son and heir of Emperor Wen, but after he came to the throne in 566, the imperial administration fell into infighting almost immediately. The victor, Emperor Fei's uncle Chen Xu, deposed Emperor Fei in winter 568 and took the throne himself.
Traditionally histories indicate that Chen Bozong was born in 554, but he could have been born in 552 or another year. At the time of his birth, his father Chen Qian was serving as a general under Chen Baxian, Chen Bozong's granduncle, who was one of the more prominent generals of Liang Dynasty at that time. His mother was Chen Qian's wife Shen Miaorong. He was their first son. (Lady Shen would bear one more son, Chen Bomao (陳伯茂), after him.)
In 555, Chen Baxian became even more prominent after overthrowing his commanding general Wang Sengbian and replacing the emperor Xiao Yuanming with Emperor Jing. During the next few years, Chen Baxian consolidated power, and in 557, he had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing Chen Dynasty as its Emperor Wu. Chen Qian, as the emperor's nephew and the only close male relative of the new emperor in Chen territory, was created the Prince of Linchuan. In 558, Chen Bozong received the title of Heir Apparent of Linchuan.
In 559, Emperor Wu died after a sudden illness. As Chen Qian was his only close male relative in Chen territory, the imperial officials supported Chen Qian to succeed him, and Chen Qian did so (as Emperor Wen). He created Chen Bozong crown prince and created Chen Bozong's mother Princess Shen empress.