China's First "Monk Emperor": Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty
 
Xiao Yan, whose courtesy name was Shuda, lived in the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420 – 589 AD). He was born in 464 AD in Zhongdouli, Nanlanling County (the current Wujin County of Jiangsu Province). Xiao Yan was Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty (one of the Southern Dynasties).
 
Xiao Yan Was a Gifted Person
 
Xiao Yan was a descendant of Han Dynasty Prime Minister Xiao He. Xiao Yan lived for 85 years (464 – 549 AD) and ruled the nation for 48 years (502 – 549 AD). Among the Chinese emperors since Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 BC, and the first emperor of unified China), Xiao Yan enjoyed the second greatest longevity behind Emperor Qianlong (1711 – 1799 AD) of the Qing Dynasty.
 
Xiao Yan was a rare emperor in Chinese history because he was gifted in both literature and military talent. According to Zizhi Tongjian [literally: "Comprehensive Mirror to Aid Government," a famous Chinese history book by the great historian Sima Guang (1019 – 1086 AD) that covers sixteen dynasties and spans across 1363 years], Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty was "erudite and good at writing and literature, yin yang, divination, riding and archery, recital of poetry, calligraphy of Cao (a fully cursive style) and Li (Clerical Script), and Go [an ancient board game]." His natural talents in literature and military arts earned him an outstanding reputation at the age of seven or eight years old.
 
Xiao Yan was intelligent and enjoyed reading, even when he was a child. He was very knowledgeable and multi-talented. He was especially gifted in literature. At that time, he and his seven friends were collectively called "The Eight Friends." This group included such famous individuals in history as Shen Yue, Xie Tiao, and Fan Yun. Shen Yue later wrote Song Shu (The History of the Liu Song Dynasty covering the period from 420 – 479 AD), Qi Ji (The History of the Qi Dynasty), and other books. Xie Tiao was a famous poet during his time. However, among the eight, Xiao Yan's courage and insights were far above that of the others.
 
An Emperor for Forty-eight Years in the Period of the Southern Dynasties
 
Xiao Yan was an emperor for 48 years. He maintained the longest reign among all of the emperors in the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
 
Xiao Yan's achievements in government were outstanding during the early years of his rule. He noted the demise of the Qi Dynasty and he worked diligently in his handling of state affairs. He always got up before 5am to review the submitted reports regardless of the time of year. To encourage opinions from others and find talented people, he had two boxes placed in front of the palace gate. One box was called the Criticism Box, the other the Suggestion Box. If there were accomplished officials or gifted individuals who had not been awarded or promoted for their accomplishments, or if there were talented persons who had not been utilized by the government, people could put their recommendations in the Suggestion Box. If the common citizens wanted to criticize or make suggestions to the government, they could put their letters in the Criticism Box.
 
Xiao Yan paid a lot attention to choosing and appointing officials. He expected local officials to be honest, uncorrupted, and righteous. He also made a decree to the nation: If a magistrate of a small county made outstanding contributions or achievements, he could be promoted and become a magistrate of a larger county. If a magistrate of a larger county made outstanding achievements, he could be promoted to a prefect. After this order of recognition was implemented, the officials' performance and the official appointment system in the government of the Liang Dynasty became much improved.
 
Wholeheartedly Believing in Buddhism and Willing to Give Up the Throne
 
The Northern and Southern Dynasties were a very important period in the development of Buddhist culture in China. Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty did his best to promote Buddhism, which resulted in Buddhism becoming more widely spread throughout Southern China. While he was Emperor, he went to a temple to become a monk four times; he thus was the first "Monk Emperor" in China.
 
Xiao Yan believed in Daoism when he was young. In the third year after he became Emperor, he led 20,000 people, including both monks and common citizens, to hold a Buddhist assembly, where he claimed that he "gave up Daoism for Buddhism." He hoped to "use Buddhist principles to rule the nation," so as to enable people to relinquish their attachments to fame and self-interest and pursue eternal life and transcendence.
 
After Emperor Wu declared himself a believer of Buddhism, he went to live in Tongtai Temple four times. In 527 AD, he went to the temple and lived in a plain room with a simple bed; he used earthenware teapots, cups, and bowls. He recited the scriptures; he struck the bell in the morning and beat the drum in the evening. He also cleaned the temple along with the other monks. Because a nation cannot function without a leader, his officials begged him to return. After many requests by the officials, he accepted the return back to the palace.
 
In September of 529 AD, he held a religious service at Tongtai Temple. After finishing the ritual with his officials, he decided to stay overnight at the temple. The next day, he gave a lecture on Buddhist scriptures. Again, he did not want to go back to the palace, even after his officials tried many times to persuade him. It was only after the officials (from the ministers to those in the lower ranks) donated money in the amount of one hundred million to redeem him did he return to the palace in October.
 
In 546 AD, when Emperor Wu was 83 years old, he went to the temple again. In the end, the officials donated two hundred million to get him back. One year later, he went to Tongtai Temple for the fourth time and he lived there for a total of 37 days. He was willing to become a monk even when he was an Emperor who commanded everyone in the nation.
 
Through his devoted promotion of Buddhism, the influence of Buddhism greatly expanded in China. It reached its peak during the Northern and Southern Dynasties at the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang. At that time, all people, from the emperor to the royal family and from the noblemen to the common citizens, believed in Buddhism. Buddhism experienced unprecedented popularity at this time, and it became the religion of the whole nation.
 
中国第一个“和尚皇帝”──梁武帝萧衍
 
萧衍，字叔达，南朝（420─589）南兰陵中都里人（今江苏武进县），生于公元464年。
 
极具天赋
 
萧衍是汉代相国萧何的后代，在位48年，寿85岁，是秦始皇以来中国历史上第二长寿皇帝，仅次于清朝的乾隆。萧衍是中国历史上少有的文武都精专的帝王。《资治通鉴》说梁武帝“博学能文，阴阳、卜筮、骑射、声律、草隶、围棋无不精妙。”而其天生就具备的文采和军事才能，在他7、8岁时就给他带来了显赫的声誉。
 
萧衍少时就聪明且喜欢读书，是个博学多才的少年，尤其在文学方面很有天赋。当时他和另外七个好友被称为“八友”，其中包括历史上有名的沈约、谢眺、范云等。沈约后来写了《宋书》、《齐纪》等书，而谢眺则是这时期有名的诗人。不过，这八个人当中，萧衍的胆识却是其他七个人无法相比的。
 
做南朝皇帝四十八年
 
萧衍做皇帝时间长达四十八年之久，在南朝的皇帝中列第一位。
 
萧衍做皇帝初期的政绩是非常显著的。他吸取了齐灭亡的教训，自己很勤于政务，不分冬夏春秋，总是五更天起床，批改公文奏章。他为了广泛地纳谏，听取众人意见用好人才，下令在门前设立两个盒子（当时叫函），一个是谤木函，一个是肺石函。如果功臣和有才之人，没有因功受到赏赐和提拔，或者良才没有被使用，都可以往肺石函里投书信。如果是一般的百姓，想要给朝廷提什么批评或建议，可以往谤木函里投书。
 
萧衍很重视对官吏的选拔任用，他要求地方的长官一定要清廉，清正廉明。萧衍还下诏书到全国，如果有小的县令政绩突出，可以升迁到大县里做县令。大县令有政绩就提拔到郡做太守。政令执行起来后，梁的官治状况得到显著改善。
 
不做皇帝 一心向佛
 
南朝是中国佛教文化的重要发展时期，梁武帝的极力推崇使佛教在江南得以广泛传播。梁武帝在位期间曾四度舍身，成为中国第一位“和尚皇帝”。
 
梁武帝年轻时信奉道教，登基第三年，他便率僧俗二万人举行大法会，宣布自己“舍道归佛”。他希望通过“以佛化治国”的途径，将人们从对现实名利的关注引向对生命永恒的追求与超脱。
 
梁武帝皈依佛门后，曾四度舍身同泰寺。527年，他在同泰寺里住便房睡素床，用土瓦茶具和碗，每日晨钟暮鼓念诵经文，还与寺僧一起打扫佛殿。国不可无君，文武大臣们苦苦哀求，才把梁武帝请回到了皇宫。529年9月，梁武帝在同泰寺里举行“四部无遮大会”，他带领群臣拜完佛后不愿回宫，当晚便住在同泰寺里。第二天，他在佛堂上为四部大众开讲经，大臣们百般劝说无果，于是，朝廷自公卿以下的群臣出钱一亿（古代一亿为十万）奉赎，梁武帝方才于10月还宫。546年，83岁的梁武帝再次舍身，结果群臣花钱二亿再次将他奉赎。一年后，梁武帝第四次舍身同泰寺，他一共出家37天。贵为皇帝却舍身出家，梁武帝以身弘法，极大地扩大了佛教在中国的影响力。
 
由于帝王的推崇并以身事佛，南朝佛教至梁武帝时期达到了顶峰，上至帝王宗室，下至世家大族、平民百姓都崇信佛事，佛教乃成为国教，兴盛空前。
（图片来源：Pxhere)