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Hello and welcome to the history of China.

Episode 65, what's in a name?

We've been spending a fair amount of time recently in What's in a name?

We've been spending a fair amount of time recently in the south of China, exploring the

implosion of the Leo Song Dynasty and then the self-emolation of Southern Chi in the latter half

of the 5th century.

Last episode, we ended off with the general,

Xayouyan, usurping and supplanting the last Chi emperor

with his own new Leong dynasty at the dawn of the 6th century.

But before pressing forward, we're going to use this episode to head back north to the

Toobah Way Dynasty, aka Northern Way.

We do this both to keep the south and the North on rough chronological parity, and also because

what the South was collapsing and then collapsing again, Northern China was undergoing its

own rapid and fundamental transformation, one just as revolutionary,

but significantly less violent than its southern counterpart.

So let's get to it.

When last we looked at Northern Wei, we had examined the vastly underrated rule of Emperor Wen-cheng,

beginning in 452 and lasting until his death in 465, leaving the throne of Wei to his son and heir, Prince Tobahong, who would be enthroned

as Emperor Shenwan, meaning the civil and wise.

He would, at least to an extent, grow into that name.

But at least at first, few in the imperial court sought to take heed of his wisdom.

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