Emperor Jianwen of Liang (梁簡文帝) (503–551), personal name
Xiao Gang (蕭綱),
courtesy name Shizuan (世纘), nickname
Liutong (六通), was an emperor of the
Chinese Liang Dynasty. He was initially not the
crown prince of his father
Emperor Wu, the founder of the dynasty, but became the crown prince in 531 after his older brother
Xiao Tong died. In 549, the rebellious general
Hou Jing captured the capital
Jiankang, and Hou subsequently held both Emperor Wu and Crown Prince Gang under his power, having Crown Prince Gang take the throne (as Emperor Jianwen) after Emperor Wu's death later that year. During Emperor Jianwen's reign, he was almost completely under Hou's control, and in 551, Hou, planning to take the throne himself, first forced Emperor Jianwen to yield the throne to his grandnephew
Xiao Dong the Prince of Yuzhang, and then sent messengers to suffocate the former emperor.