Emperor Wu of Liang
Emperor Wu of Liang (Chinese: 梁武帝) (464 – 549), personal name Xiao Yan (蕭衍), was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang dynasty, during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. His reign, until its end, was one of the most stable and prosperous among the Southern dynasties.
Emperor Wu established universities and extended the Confucian civil service exams, demanding that sons of nobles study. He was well read himself and wrote poetry and patronized the arts. Although for governmental affairs he was Confucian in values, he embraced Buddhism as well. He himself was attracted to many Indian traditions. He banned the sacrifice of animals and was against execution.
It was said that he received the Buddhist precepts during his reign, earning him the nickname The Bodhisattva Emperor. The emperor is the namesake of the Emperor Liang Jeweled Repentance (梁皇寳懺; Liang Huang Bao Chan), a widely read and major Buddhist text in China and Korea.
He is said to have engaged in dialog with the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma.
Further reading
Emperor Wu of Liang, Wikipedia
