Tuoba Yu

Biography

Early Investiture and Guarding the Capital

Tuoba Yu was a son of Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, Tuoba Tao, and his

Major Activities

Yuan Yu's rule was concentrated in the period after the palace coup of 452 (2nd year of the Zhengping era, Northern Wei). He secured his newly granted position by lavishing gifts on the officials and by raising Zong Ai ever higher, and thereby let the man who had made him emperor control the core of military and political power. When he tried to reduce Zong Ai's authority, the palace guards were still on Zong Ai's side and he was murdered by him. Both encyclopedic accounts and the Book of Wei agree on this main line of shifting power; the era name, the exact day of accession and the conversion of his death date differ in wording, and no second regnal year is invented from them.

He was killed by Zong Ai after a reign of little more than a month, the Northern Wei throne passing afterwards to Tuoba Jun.

He was raised by Zong Ai and killed by him as well.

The grants and appointments of his reign were all made at Zong Ai's wish.

Neither his era name nor the orders of his reign are recorded in detail.

After his killing the Northern Wei court was restored under Tuoba Jun.

His title Prince of Nan'an during his reign appears in his biography.

His reign of a little more than a month can be set out by events: after the palace coup of 452 (second year of Zhengping, Northern Wei) he was raised to the throne by the regular attendant Zong Ai and enfeoffed as Prince of Nan'an; to secure his new position he lavished gifts on the officials and raised Zong Ai higher, which gave the man who had made him emperor control of the core of military and political power; when he tried to strip Zong Ai of power the palace guards were still on Zong Ai's side, and he was killed by men sent by him. The conversion of his era name and of the days of accession and death differs in wording, so no second regnal year is invented from variants; after his killing Tuoba Jun succeeded and buried him with princely rites, and Zong Ai was executed.

Only a month separated his accession from his death, and palace coups continued in the Northern Wei afterwards.

His posthumous and temple titles are variously given in the sources.

After his killing Zong Ai was executed and the Northern Wei court settled.

The orders of his reign all passed through Zong Ai's hands.

After his death the relation between the imperial clan and the eunuchs in the Northern Wei was readjusted.

The dominance of Zong Ai in his reign is one instance of eunuch interference in the earlier Northern Wei.

Neither a temple name nor a posthumous title for him appears formally in the Book of Wei.

He was killed at the Eastern Temple.

The absence of a temple name shows that his imperial position was never formally recognised in later ancestral ritual.

The record of his mother, Consort Zuo of the Lü clan, is bound up with his origin.

After his murder Zong Ai installed Tuoba Jun, and Northern Wei politics turned.

The military and political arrangements of his reign can no longer be examined in detail.

Neither his title at accession nor any cultural policy of his reign is systematically recorded.

After his killing the eunuch power in the Northern Wei was checked for a time.

The records of his era name differ, so no month is inferred from them.

He had no time to build a following of his own during his reign.

During his reign Zong Ai held the offices of grand marshal and grand general.

The absence of a temple name relates to his short reign and his murder.

Military power in his reign lay with Zong Ai, so his attempt to reduce it had no base.

After his killing the palace guards passed to Tuoba Jun's line.

The orders of his reign generally corresponded to Zong Ai's requests.

Politics changed three times in his brief reign, and Northern Wei palace politics entered a new phase.

The absence of a temple name shows that the Northern Wei ancestral temple did not formally honour him.

His title Prince of Nan'an and his imperial title both appear in the records.

With his killing the troubles caused by Zong Ai in the Northern Wei came to an end.

Zong Ai's dominance during his reign was only settled after Tuoba Jun's accession.

He had no time to hold the suburban and ancestral sacrifices.

After his murder clan politics in the Northern Wei turned to the reign of Tuoba Jun.

The calendar and ceremonial of his reign continued those of the previous reign.

After Emperor Taiwu's murder, the chief ministers had intended to enthrone the Prince of Dongping, Tuoba Han; Zong Ai killed Han and raised Tuoba Yu instead under the era name Chengping, so many at court withheld their allegiance. Once enthroned he lavished gifts to buy support, yet gave himself to wine and hunting, leaving government and frontier affairs to favorites. Zong Ai, holding both the palace guards and the inner night watch, grew overmighty; when Tuoba Yu plotted to strip him of command, the plan leaked and Zong Ai had him killed after only eight months. Emperor Gaozong reburied him with princely rites and granted the posthumous name Yin.

Personal Relations

• Tuoba Tao: father and predecessor as emperor, killed by Zong Ai.
• Consort Zuo of the Lü clan: mother.
• Tuoba Huang: half-brother and late crown prince; his son Tuoba Jun later came to the throne.
• Tuoba Han: brother, once a candidate for the succession after the death of Emperor Taiwu and killed by Zong Ai.
• Zong Ai: the regular attendant who raised Tuoba Yu to the throne and afterwards sent men to murder him.
• Jia Zhou: the minor yellow-gate official sent by Zong Ai who took part in the killing at the Eastern Temple.
• Tuoba Jun: nephew and succeeding emperor, who executed Zong Ai and buried Tuoba Yu with the rites of a prince.

Historical Assessment

The Book of Wei criticises Tuoba Yu for being "especially fond of hunting, going out and returning without restraint" and says that he took no thought for trouble on the frontiers; the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government likewise points to his heavy drinking, music and neglect of government. The appraisals in both books concern mainly his manner of life and attitude to government during a very short reign, yet his accession and his murder both took place in an environment where Zong Ai controlled violence at court. Explaining his death by "idleness" alone would leave out the verifiable political process: Zong Ai raising him to the throne, granting offices, controlling the guards and conspiring to strip his authority. The title "Emperor Jingshou" found in another account does not appear as a settled temple or posthumous name in either encyclopedic account or the standard history, and is not used here as a formal designation.