Xiao Yan (464 - 549) reigned as emperor Liang Wudi from 502 - 550, with his capital in Nanjing. He was a strong Confucian in government but a Buddhist in personal life, several times while emperor joining a monastery as monk. He was a strong patron of the arts as well as a noted scholar and poet. Towards the end of his reign Hou Jing⁴ overthrew Wudi. Hou Jing also killed Wudi's third son, Xiao Gang⁵ (503 - 551), who had succeeded his father.

Prominent literary personages in Liang during the reign of Wudi included

YFSJ has poems by Xiao Yan but none in qin section. QSCM, #27 is said to be his Qin Yao.

Xu Jian quotes him concerning the qin player Liu Yun.

The Qin Shi Bu entry also concerns Xiao Yan's seventh son 蕭繹 Xiao Yi (508-555; ruled 552-555 as 梁元帝 Liang Yuan Di).

The original Qin Shi Bu entry for Xiao Yan (and Xiao Yi) is as follows:⁹

1. Xiao Yan: Liang Wudi (蕭衍﹕梁武帝)
Sources for Liang Wudi, as well as Liang Yuandi, are given as: 梁書 Liang Shu; 隋書 Sui Shu; 古琴疏 Gu Qin Shu; 樂府詩集 Yuefu Shiji (has many poems for both).
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2 7 lines; sources are mentioned in previous footnote.
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4. 侯景 Hou Jing (502 - 552)
Hou Jing was a native of Gansu who joined the Wei military service, became governor of Henon, then switched his allegiance from Wei to Liang. However, he then rebelled against Liang and tried to set up a new dynasty.
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5. 蕭綱 Xiao Gang, 梁簡文帝 Emperor Jianwen of Liang (503 - 551; r. 550 - 551)
Xiao Gang (ICTCL, p. 266 etc.), the third son of Xiao Yan, is said to have commissioned New Songs from the Jade Terrace. As crown prince he succeeded his father in 549, but was killed by 侯景 Hou Jing in 551. He has a number of poems in Yuefu Shiji, including

6. See 蕭統 Xiao Tong under Wen Xuan.
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7. See 徐陵 Xu Ling (507 - 583) and 玉臺新詠 Yutai Xinyong under Wen Xuan
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8. 沈約 Shen Yue (441 - 513)
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9. Qinshi Bu entry for Xiao Yan
The original Chinese is as follows:

Not yet translated.
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