Southern Liang (502–557 CE), the third dynasty of the Southern Dynasty, was established by Southern Qi Yongzhou Assassin Shi Xiaoyan instead of Southern Qi. Because Xiao Yan's fiefdom was in Guliang County, the state name was Liang.
Emperor Wu – Xiao Yan (464 –549 CE), courtesy name Shuda (叔達), courtesy name Shuda (小字練兒), was a native of Dongcheng, Nanlanling Commandery (present-day Dongcheng Village, Picheng Town, Danyang, Jiangsu Province), the 25th grandson of Xiao He, and the son of Yin Xiaoshun of Danyang, Southern Qi. The founding emperor of Southern Liang, he was also the most famous emperor of Southern Liang, and also the longest-reigning emperor of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
In 502, Xiao Yan accepted Xiao Baorong's throne and ascended to the throne to establish Southern Liang. In the early days of his rule, he was diligent in government affairs and corrected the maladministration since the Song and Qi dynasties. At the same time, the situation of cannibalism between the Song and Qi sects was changed, and the clan rooms were lenient. Militarily, it actively resisted the invasion of the Northern Wei dynasty and carried out the Northern Expedition many times, but the results were average. In the late reign of Xiao Yan, due to his increasing age, he began to slack off in political affairs. In 548, Hou Jing was imprisoned after the outbreak of the Rebellion, and died in Taicheng in 549. Emperor Wu and Gaozu were buried in Xiuling.
Emperor Jianwen (簡文帝) – Xiao Gang (503–551 CE), courtesy name Shizan, Xiao Yan's third son, Xiao Tong,zhaoming's crown prince Xiao Tong's half-brother, and his mother was the concubine Ding Lingguang.
In 531, after the death of Xiao Tong, the crown prince of Zhaoming, he was made crown prince. In 549, after Xiao Yan was starved to death, Xiao Gang took the throne as emperor. In 551, Xiao Gang was deposed by Hou Jing as the King of Jin'an, and killed by Hou Jing in the same year. Emperor Jianwen and Emperor Taizong were buried in Zhuangling.
Xiao Dong(?) ~552), courtesy name Yuanji, great-grandson of Xiao Yan, grandson of Xiao Tong, and son of Xiao Huan the Prince of Yuzhang'an. In 551, after Hou Jing deposed Xiao Gang, he established Xiao Dong as emperor with the era name Tianzheng. In the same year, forced to take a position in Houjing, Xiao Dong was demoted to the title of King of Huaiyin and imprisoned in a secret chamber. After hou jing's rebellion ended, Xiao Dong was able to escape, but was killed by Xiao Yi.
Emperor Yuan ( 萧绎 ) ( 508 – 555 CE ) , courtesy name Shicheng , nicknamed Qifu ( 七符 ), was the seventh son of Xiao Yan , and his mother was Ruan Lingyin.
In his early years, he lost sight due to illness and left the town of Jingzhou in 547 AD. In 549, after learning that Xiao Yan had starved to death in Taicheng, he attacked his nephew Xiao Yu the Prince of Hedong and his brother Xiao Lun the Prince of Shaoling, and forced Xiao Yan to defect to Western Wei. Only after this did he order Wang Sheng to lead an army to the east to eliminate Hou Jing.
In 552, after Hou Jing's death, Xiao Yi was located in Jiangling and refused to return to Jiankang. He then engaged Xiao Ji and asked Western Wei to send troops to attack Yizhou. Xiao Ji was eventually destroyed, but Yizhou fell into the hands of Western Wei. Subsequently, he offended Yuwen Tai, causing Yuwen Tai to send troops to attack. Xiao Xuan was defeated and surrendered, and was later suffocated by Xiao Zhen with an earthen bag, and was buried in Yingling Tombs.
Emperor Min – Xiao Yuanming (?) ~2 June 556), courtesy name Jingtong, was Xiao Yan's nephew and son of his brother Xiao Yi the Prince of Sha Xuanwu. In 547, in the process of receiving Hou Jing, he was captured by the Eastern Wei general Gao Cheng. In 555, after learning that Xiao Xuan had been killed by Western Wei, he went south to Jiankang with the support of Gao Yang and was proclaimed emperor by Wang Sheng, with the era name Tiancheng. However, after only four months on the throne, he was deposed by Chen Baxian and demoted to the position of King of Jian'an and Ren Taifu. 556 AD. Died of an attack of poisonous sores. Posthumously honored as Emperor Min.
Emperor Jing – Xiao Fangzhi (萧方智) (543 – 558 CE), courtesy name Huixiang, was Xiao Yi's ninth son, and his mother was Concubine Xia Xian. After Xiao Xuan was killed, Wang Shengquan and Chen Baxian were made heirs and entered the imperial government. In 555, due to the intervention of Northern Qi, Xiao Yuanming became emperor and Xiao Fangzhi became crown prince. In the same year, Chen Ba first attacked and killed Wang Shengxuan, deposed Xiao Yuanming, and established Xiao Fangzhi as emperor, with the era name Shaotai, but the power fell into the hands of Chen Baxian. In 557, Xiao Fangzhi was in Chen Baxian, Southern Liang was destroyed, and Xiao Fangzhi was demoted to the king of Jiangyin. In 558, he was killed by Chen Baxian and honored as Emperor Jing.