Family tree of Chinese monarchs (453–1279)

This is a family tree of Chinese monarchs from the Northern and Southern dynasties period to the collapse of the Southern Song dynasty.

Liu Song

Liu Yu 刘裕 (363–422) Wudi (r. 420–422)1 Liu Yifu 刘义符 (406–424) Shao (r. 423–424)2 Liu Yilong 刘义隆 (407–453) Wen (r. 424–453)3 Liu Yikang 劉義康 (409–451) Liu Shao 刘劭 426–453; r. 4534 Liu Jun (430–464) Xiaowu (r. 453–464)5 Liu Jun 劉濬 (429–453) Prince Shixing Liu Yu 刘彧 (439–472) Ming (r. 465–472)7 Liu Xiufan 刘休范 (448–474) Liu Ziye 刘子业 (449–466) Qianfei (r. 464–466)6 Liu Zixun (劉子勛) (456–466; r. 466) Liu Yu (劉昱) (463–477) Houfei (r. 472–477)8 Liu Zhun (劉準) (469–479) Shun (r. 477–479)9

The following is a simplified family tree for the Sui dynasty (隋朝), which ruled China between AD 581 and 618. The dynasty was named for the family title: the Yang (楊) family were the Dukes of Sui.

Those who became emperor are listed in bold, with their years of reign large. The names given for emperors are posthumous names, the form by which Sui emperors were most commonly known.

The following is a simplified family tree for the Tang dynasty (唐朝), which ruled China between AD 618 and 907. The Tang dynasty was interrupted by the reign of Empress Wu Zetian (AD 690–705), who after deposing her sons, declared herself the founder of a Wu Zhou dynasty (武周); the Tang dynasty was resumed by her sons following her abdication. The dynasty was named for the family title: the Li (李) family were the Dukes of Tang.

The names given in bold for emperors are temple names, the form by which Tang emperors were most commonly known (with the exception of Shangdi/Shaodi (殤帝 / 少帝), whose posthumous titles mean simply "died young" and "the young emperor", and Aidi (哀帝), also known as Zhaoxuan (昭宣), neither of whom were awarded temple names). The names of Xuánzōng I (玄宗) and Xuānzōng II (宣宗) are originally different in Mandarin Chinese, but are rendered the same in Pinyin English transliteration (once the tones have been removed).

Tang and Wu Zhou dynasties

The Tang emperors claimed descent from people such as Li Guang and Laozi Li Yuan 李淵 566–635 Gaozu 高祖 618–6261 1 2 4 Li Jiancheng 李建成 589–626 Cr. Prince Yin 隱太子 Li Shimin 李世民 598–649 Taizong 太宗 626–6492 Li Yuanji 李元吉 603–626 Prince of Qi 齊王 Wu Shiyue 武士彠 559–635 King Zhongxiao 忠孝王 1 3 4 8 9 WU ZHOU DYNASTY Li Chengqian 李承乾 619–645 Prince Min of Hengshan 恆山愍王 Li Ke 李恪 d. 653 Prince of Yulin 鬱林王 Li Tai 李泰 618–652 Prince Gong of Pu 濮恭王 Li Zhen 李貞 d. 688 Prince Jing of Yue 越敬王 Li Zhi 李治 628–683 Gaozong 高宗 649–6833 Wu Zhao 武曌 624–705 Wu Zetian 武則天 690–7051(6) 1 4 5 (1) 6 (2) 7 (3) 8 (4) (6) Li Zhong 李忠 643–665 Prince of Yan 燕王 Li Sujie 李素節 646–690 Prince of Xu 許王 Li Hong 李弘 652–675 Xiaojing 孝敬 Li Xian 李賢 653–684 Cr. Prince Zhanghuai 章懷太子 Li Xian 李顯 656–710 Zhongzong 中宗 684, 705–7104 Li Dan 李旦 662–716 Ruizong 睿宗 684–690, 710–7125 Princess Taiping 太平公主 665(?)–713 2 1 2 3 4 1 3 Li Shouli 李守礼 672–741 Cr. Prince Xima Li Chongrun 李重潤 682–701 Cr. Prince Yide 懿德太子 Li Chongfu 李重福 680–710 Prince Qiao 譙王 Li Chongjun 李重俊 d. 707 Cr. Prince Jiemin 節愍太子 Li Chongmao 李重茂 695/698–714 Shangdi 殤帝 7107 Li Guo'er 李裹兒 684(?)–710 Princess Anle 安樂公主 Li Chengqi 李成器 679–742 Rangdi 讓帝 Li Longji 李隆基 685–762 Xuanzong 玄宗 712–7568 1 1 2 3 16 Li Chenghong 李承宏 Pr. of Guangwu 廣武王 Emperor in Chang'an 763 Li Cong 李琮 d. 752 Fengtian 奉天 Li Ying 李瑛 d. 737 Crown Prince Li Heng 李亨 711–762 Suzong 肅宗 756–7629 Li Lin 李璘 d. 757 Prince of Yong 永王 1 3 9 Li Yu 李豫 727–779 Daizong 代宗 762–77910 Li Tan 李倓 d. 757 Chengtian 承天 Li Guang 李僙 d. 791 Prince of Xiang 1 1 Li Gua 李适 742–805 Dezong 德宗 779–80511 Li Xuan 李宣 Prince of Yiwu 伊吾郡王 1 Li Song 李誦 761–806 Shunzong 順宗 80512 □ 1 Li Chun 李純 778–820 Xianzong 憲宗 805–82013 Li Yun 李熅 d. 887 Prince of Xiang 襄王 Emperor in Chang'an 886–887 1 3 6 13 Li Ning 李寧 793–812 Cr. Prince Huizhao Li Heng 李恆 795–824 Muzong 穆宗 820–82414 Li Wu 李悟 d. 826 Prince of Jiàng 絳王 Li Chen 李忱 810–859 Xuānzong 宣宗 846–85918 1 2 3 4 5 1 5 Li Zhan 李湛 809–827 Jingzong 敬宗 824–82715 Li Ang 李昂 809–840 Wenzong 文宗 827–84016 Li Cou 李湊 d. 835 Cr. Prince Huaiyi Li Rong 李溶 812–840 Prince of An 安王 Li Yan 李炎 814–846 Wuzong 武宗 840–84617 Li Cui 李漼 833–873 Yizong 懿宗 859–87319 Li Zi 李滋 d. 897 Prince of Tong 通王 1 1 5 7 Li Pu 李普 824–828 Cr. Prince Daohuai 悼懷太子 Li Chengmei 李成美 d. 840 Prince of Chen 陳王 Li Yong 李永 d. 838 Cr. Prince Zhuangke 莊恪太子 Li Xuan 李儇 862–888 Xizong 僖宗 873–88820 Li Yue 李曄 867–904 Zhaozong 昭宗 888–90421 1 9 Li Yu 李裕 d. 905 Prince of De 德王 Li Zhu 李柷 892–908 Aidi 哀帝 or Zhaoxuan 昭宣 904–90722

The fifty years between the fall of the Tang dynasty and the establishment of the Song dynasty were a time of upheaval known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. During this period, five short-lived imperial dynasties ruled the heart of China, while a series of small independent kingdoms were established in the south.

The Later Liang ruled between 907 and 923.

Later Liang
Zhu Wen 朱溫 852–912 Taizu 太祖 907–912 3 8 Zhu Yougui 朱友圭 d. 913 912–913 Zhu Zhen 朱瑱 888–923 Modi 末帝 913–923

The Later Tang ruled between 923 and 937.

The Later Jin ruled between 936 and 947.

The Later Han ruled between 947 and 951. Liu Min, brother of Emperor Gaozu the founder of the Later Han, established the Northern Han kingdom, which ruled the area north of the Chinese heartland until it was overrun by Emperor Taizong of Song in 979.

The Later Zhou ruled between 951 and 960.

The Later Shu kingdom gained independence from the Later Tang in 934, remaining an independent state until conquered by the Song dynasty in 965.

The Wu kingdom existed as an independent state 907–937. In 937 Li Bian (also known as Xu Zhigao), at one point an adopted son of Yang Xingmi and later the adopted son of the paramount general Xu Wen, usurped power and established the Southern Tang kingdom, which remained an independent state until conquered by the Song dynasty in 975.