Northern Qi dynasty

Northern Qi
北齊
550–577
Asia in 565 AD, showing the Northern Qi Dynasty and its neighbors
Capital		Yecheng
Government		Monarchy
Emperor
•	550–559	Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
•	559–560	Emperor Fei of Northern Qi
•	560–561	Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi
•	561–565	Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi
•	565–577	Gao Wei
•	577	Gao Heng
Historical era		Northern Dynasties
•	Established	9 June 550 550
•	Gao Wei and Gao Heng's capture by Northern Zhou, usually viewed as disestablishment	28 February 577 577
•	Gao Shaoyi's capture by Northern Zhou	27 July 580
Area
•	550	1,000,000 km² (386,102 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Eastern Wei Northern Zhou

The Northern Qi (simplified Chinese: 北齐; traditional Chinese: 北齊; pinyin: Běi Qí; Wade–Giles: Pei³-Ch'i²) was one of the Northern dynasties of Chinese history and ruled northern China from 550 to 577. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Wenxuan, and it was ended following attacks from Northern Zhou.

The Chinese state of Northern Qi was the successor state of the Chinese/Xianbei state of Eastern Wei and was founded by Emperor Wenxuan. Emperor Wenxuan had a Han Chinese father Gao Huan, and a Xianbei mother, Lou Zhaojun. As Eastern Wei's paramount general Gao Huan was succeeded by his sons Gao Cheng and Gao Yang, who took the throne from Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei in 550 and established Northern Qi as Emperor Wenxuan.

Northern Qi was the strongest state of the three main Chinese states (the other two being Northern Zhou state and Chen Dynasty) when it was established. Northern Qi however was plagued by violence and/or incompetent emperors (in particular Houzhu), corrupt officials, and deteriorating armies. In 571, an important official who guide the emperors Emperor Wucheng and Houzhu, He Shikai, was killed. Houzhu attempted to strengthen the power of throne, instead he triggered a series of purges that became violent in late 573.