Northern Zhou: Rulers and Emperors: 557-581 - Archontology
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Northern Zhou: Rulers and Emperors: 557-581

Each ruler is recorded under the following protocol: temple name (miàohào | 廟號) || personal name (míng | ), considered tabooed (huì | ) upon accession; posthumous name (shì | ). The childhood courtesy name (xiǎozì | 小字) and/or courtesy name (zì | ) are included where applicable. The years of bestowal or change are given in brackets.
Ruling House: Yǔwén (宇文)
Tiānwáng (天王)
15 Feb 557 - on or after 1 Nov 557 no temple name bestowed || Yǔwén Jué (宇文覺) [1]
  courtesy name: Tuóluóní (陁羅尼/陀羅尼)
  posthumous name: Xiào mǐn huángdì (孝閔皇帝) [557]
   
5 Nov 557 - 1 Oct 559 Shìzōng (世宗) [560] || Yǔwén Yù (宇文毓)
  childhood name: Tǒngwàntū (統萬突)
  posthumous name: Míng huángdì (明皇帝) [560]
   
Huángdì (皇帝)
1 Oct 559 - 30 May 560 Shìzōng (世宗) [560] || Yǔwén Yù (宇文毓) 
   
31 May 560 - 21 Jun 578 Gāozǔ (高祖) [578] || Yǔwén Yōng (宇文邕)
  courtesy name: Míluótū (禰羅突)
  posthumous name: Wǔ huángdì (武皇帝) [578]
   
22 Jun 578 - 1 Apr 579 no temple name bestowed || Yǔwén Yūn (宇文贇) [2]
  courtesy name: Qiánbó (乾伯)
  posthumous name: Xuān huángdì (宣皇帝) [580]
   
1 Apr 579 - 4 Mar 581 no temple name bestowed || Yǔwén Yǎn (宇文衍); Yǔwén Chǎn (宇文闡) [3]
  posthumous name: Jìng huángdì (靜皇帝) [581]

[1] Abdicated and was demoted to duke: Lüèyáng gōng (略陽公) [557].
[2] Honorific title (after abdication): Tiān yuán huángdì (天元皇帝) [self-styled, 579].
[3] Nobility title (after relinquishing imperial dignity): Jièguó gōng (介國公) [conferred by the ruler of Sui, 581].