Yuwen Tai (507–556), nickname
Heita (黑獺), formally
Duke Wen of Anding (安定文公), later further posthumously honored by
Northern Zhou initially as
Prince Wen (文王) then as
Emperor Wen (文皇帝) with the
temple name Taizu (太祖), was the paramount general of the
Chinese/
Xianbei state
Western Wei, a branch successor state of
Northern Wei. In 534,
Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei, seeking to assert power independent of the paramount general
Gao Huan, fled to Yuwen's domain, and when Gao subsequently proclaimed
Emperor Xiaojing of Eastern Wei emperor, a split of Northern Wei was effected, and when Yuwen subsequently poisoned Emperor Xiaowu to death around the new year 535 and declared his cousin
Yuan Baoju emperor (as Emperor Wen), the split was formalized, with the part under Gao's and Emperor Xiaojing's control known as
Eastern Wei and the part under Yuwen's and Emperor Wen's control known as Western Wei. For the rest of his life, Yuwen endeavored to make Western Wei, then much weaker than its eastern counterpart, a strong state, and after his death, his son
Yuwen Jue seized the throne from
Emperor Gong of Western Wei, establishing Northern Zhou.