kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Later Liang

907 CE – 923 CE · capital Kaifeng

The first of the Five Dynasties, founded by the former rebel Zhu Wen when he ended the Tang in 907, with its capital at Kaifeng.

Origins

Zhu Wen, a lieutenant of Huang Chao, defected to the Tang in 882 and was made governor at Bianzhou (Kaifeng). Over two decades he became the strongest warlord in northern China, took control of the court, killed Emperor Zhaozong in 904 and in 907 forced the last Tang emperor to abdicate, founding the Liang dynasty.

Rule and society

Later Liang held the central plains along the Yellow River and made Kaifeng, at the head of the canal system, its capital, a choice later dynasties followed. Its rule rested on a professional army, but it never subdued its rival Jin (Five Dynasties) at Taiyuan and lost a major battle at Bochao in 911. Many regional rulers in the south accepted its titles while governing independently.

Decline and legacy

Zhu Wen was murdered by his son Zhu Yougui in 912, who was overthrown by his brother Zhu Youzhen in 913. Jin steadily took Hebei, and in 923 Li Cunxu, now ruler of the Later Tang, captured Kaifeng; Zhu Youzhen had himself killed.

Lineage

Tang Dynasty 618 CE – 907 CELater LiangLater Tang 923 CE – 937 CE

Connections (4)

  • Wuyue paid tribute to Later Liang907 CE – 923 CE
  • Ma Chu paid tribute to Later Liang907 CE – 923 CE
  • Tinh Hai Circuit paid tribute to Later Liang907 CE – 923 CE
  • Min (Ten Kingdoms) paid tribute to Later Liang909 CE – 923 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Later Liang. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-liang
MLA
“Later Liang.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-liang. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Later Liang.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-liang.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Later Liang’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/later-liang (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻