Xiao Zhangmao , courtesy nameYunqiao, nickname Baize, formally Crown Prince Wenhui, later further posthumously honored as Emperor Wen with the temple name of Shizong, was a crown prince of the Chinese dynastySouthern Qi. He was Emperor Wu 's oldest son, but predeceased his father. After his death, his son Xiao Zhaoye became crown prince and eventually succeeded Emperor Wu, but was soon thereafter overthrown by Emperor Wu's cousin Xiao Luan, who took over the throne. By 498, all of Xiao Zhangmao's descendants had been exterminated.
Background
Xiao Zhangmao was born in 458, when his father Xiao Ze was just 18, and because he was the oldest grandson of his grandfather Xiao Daocheng, who was a Liu Song general at the time, he was much favored by his grandfather. His mother was Xiao Ze's wife Pei Huizhao. In 477, after Xiao Daocheng had seized power after assassinating the violent Emperor Houfei of Liu Song and made Emperor Houfei's brother Liu Zhun emperor, the general Shen Youzhi rose against him from Jing Province, and as Xiao Ze defended Penkou in preparation for a possible eventual attack by Shen, he made Xiao Zhangmao his assistant in reviewing the troops. After Shen was defeated, Xiao Zhangmao initially returned to the capital Jiankang to serve under his grandfather, but subsequently was made the governor of Yong Province.
In 479, Xiao Daocheng seized the throne from Emperor Shun, ending Liu Song and starting Southern Qi, as its Emperor Gao. Xiao Ze was created crown prince, and in an unprecedented action, Xiao Zhangmao was created the Prince of Nan Commandery. In 480, he was recalled to Jiankang to serve as the defender of the key fortress Shitou. When his mother Crown Princess Pei died later that year, by suggestion of the prime ministerWang Jian, Prince Zhangmao was prevented from carrying out full mourning customs for his mother, due to the importance of his post, but his defense post was moved from Shitou to the important suburb of Xizhou. In 482, he was made the governor of South Xu Province. After Emperor Gao died in 482, Xiao Ze succeeded him, and Xiao Zhangmao was created crown prince. His wife Princess Wang Baoming was created crown princess, and their oldest son Xiao Zhaoye was created the Prince of Nan Commandery.
As crown prince
Xiao Zhangmao was close to his brother, Xiao Ziliang the Prince of Jingling, and both were adherents of Buddhism. Despite his Buddhist beliefs, however, Xiao Zhangmao was wasteful and luxurious in his living—using many items that were appropriate only for emperors, although he was also praised as kind and hospitable. However, he was apprehensive of his impulsive but militarily-minded brother Xiao Zixiang the Prince of Badong, and when Xiao Zixiang executed a number of his staff members in 490, drawing Xiao Ze's ire in sending troops against him, Xiao Zhangmao secretly instructed the general Xiao Shunzhi not to permit Xiao Zixiang to return to Jiankang alive, and later, even though Xiao Zixiang submitted to Xiao Shunzhi and requested to meet his father to confess his crimes, Xiao Shunzhi strangled Xiao Zixiang to death. Xiao Zhangmao disliked Emperor Wu's cousin Xiao Luan the Marquess of Xichang, and once told Xiao Ziliang: Xiao Ziliang, who was friendly with Xiao Luan, tried to defend Xiao Luan, but Xiao Zhangmao would not hear it. Late in Emperor Wu's reign, he favored time on feasting and tours, and he often had Crown Prince Zhangmao rule on important matters, and therefore the crown prince's authority was well established in the empire. However, he was also often ill, perhaps aggravated by his large build. In spring 493, he died. Emperor Wu soon created his son Xiao Zhaoye to succeed him as crown prince, and when Emperor Wu died later that year, Xiao Zhaoye became emperor, but was overthrown and killed by Xiao Luan in 494. Xiao Luan initially made Xiao Zhangmao's another son Xiao Zhaowen emperor, but later that year deposed and killed him as well and took over as emperor directly. By 498, Emperor Ming had also killed Xiao Zhangmao's other two sons Xiao Zhaoxiu the Prince of Baling and Xiao Zhaocan the Prince of Guiyang, exterminating Xiao Zhangmao's line. Traditional historians attribute Emperor Ming's killing of Xiao Zhangmao's sons as payback for Xiao Zhangmao's dislike of him, but as modern historianBo Yang observed, Emperor Ming also killed the sons of Emperors Gao and Wu, both of whom treated him with kindness and respect.
