Chinese emperors, counted one by one
This site lists the 365 people who actually claimed the title of emperor in China, from Qin Shi Huang (221–210 BC) to Puyi, with each one's reign, age, cause of death and path to the throne, read from the official histories.
- 365
- Emperors
- 89
- Dynasties and regimes
- 148
- Violent deaths
- 40.5%
- Share of violent deaths
Rankings
- Longest-reigning Chinese emperorsThe longest reign was that of Kangxi Emperor (Qing): 61 years.
- Shortest-reigning Chinese emperorsThe shortest reign was that of Emperor Mo of Jin: less than a day. 72 of the 365 emperors reigned for less than a year.
- Chinese emperors who took the throne youngestThe youngest to take the throne was Emperor Shang of Han (Eastern Han), at 1 (East Asian reckoning).
- Longest-lived Chinese emperorsThe longest-lived was Qianlong Emperor (Qing), who died at 89 (East Asian reckoning).
- Chinese emperors who died youngestThe youngest to die was Emperor Shang of Han (Eastern Han), at 2 (East Asian reckoning).
- Chinese emperors who were assassinated93 of the 365 emperors were assassinated (25.5%). All are listed in chronological order.
- Chinese emperors who were executed33 of the 365 emperors were executed (9.0%). All are listed in chronological order.
- Chinese emperors who took their own lives14 of the 365 emperors took their own lives (3.8%). All are listed in chronological order.
- Chinese emperors killed in battle8 of the 365 emperors were killed in battle (2.2%). All are listed in chronological order.
- Chinese emperors who returned to the throne8 emperors were deposed or abdicated and later took the throne again.
- Chinese emperors with the most era namesThe emperor who changed the era name most often was Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Wu Zetian (Wu Zhou): 14 times.
- Chinese emperors who led the most campaigns in personThe emperor who led the army in person most often was Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei: 15 campaigns.
Dynasties by era
Dynasties with two or more emperors have their own page.
- Qin and Western Han
- Qin秦(2)Western Han漢(14)
- Xin to early Eastern Han
- Xuan Han玄漢(1)Xin新(1)Han (Red Eyebrows)漢(1)Chengjia成家(1)Liang (Liu Yong)梁(1)
- Eastern Han
- Eastern Han漢(14)Zhongjia仲家(1)
- Three Kingdoms
- Cao Wei魏(5)Shu Han蜀漢(2)Eastern Wu吳(4)
- Sixteen Kingdoms
- Former Liang前涼(1)Han Zhao前趙(5)Former Yan前燕(2)Cheng Han成漢(5)Later Zhao後趙(7)Former Qin前秦(5)Helian Xia夏(3)Later Yan後燕(6)Western Yan西燕(4)Southern Yan南燕(2)Later Qin後秦(3)
- Northern and Southern Dynasties
- Liu Song宋(10)Southern Qi齊(7)Liang梁(9)Western Liang西梁(3)Chen陳(5)Han (Hou Jing)漢(1)Northern Wei北魏(18)Eastern Wei東魏(1)Northern Qi北齊(8)Western Wei西魏(3)Northern Zhou北周(4)
- Sui
- Sui隋(5)
- Late Sui
- Xu許(1)Zheng鄭(1)Dingyang定楊(1)Liang (Liang Shidu)梁(1)Qin (Xue Ju)秦(2)Liang (Li Gui)涼(1)Liang (Xiao Xian)梁(1)Wu (Li Zitong)吳(1)Chu (Lin Shihong)楚(1)Song (Fu Gongshi)宋(1)Chu (Zhu Can)楚(1)
- Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
- Later Liang後梁(3)Later Tang後唐(4)Later Jin後晉(2)Later Han後漢(2)Later Zhou後周(3)Yang Wu吳(1)Former Shu前蜀(2)Southern Han南漢(4)Later Shu後蜀(2)Southern Tang南唐(2)Min閩(4)Northern Han北漢(4)Yan (Liu Shouguang)燕(1)
- Liao, Western Xia and Jin
- Liao遼(9)Western Liao西遼(3)Jin金(10)Western Xia西夏(10)Chu (Zhang Bangchang)楚(1)Qi (Liu Yu)齊(1)