Chinese sovereign

How to refer to a specific sovereign in a dynasty or kingdom

All sovereigns are denoted by a string of Chinese characters. I'll use

1) 'Han' Gao Zu Liu Bang ('漢' 高祖劉邦)
2) 'Tang' Tai Zong Li Shi Min ('唐' 太宗 李世民)
3) 'Wei' Wu Di Cao Cao ('魏' 武帝曹操)
4) 'Hou Han' Gao Zu Liu Zhi Yuan ('後漢' 高祖 劉知遠)
5) 'Han' Guang Wu Di Liu Xiu ('漢' 光武帝 劉秀)

as examples.

The first character(s) are the name of the dynasty or kingdom. e.g. 'Han', 'Tang', 'Wei' and 'Hou Han'.

Then come the characters of how the sovereign is commonly called, in most of the times the posthumous names or the temple names. e.g. Gao Zu, Tai Zong, Wu Di, Guang Wu Di

Then follow the characters of their personal names. e.g. Liu Bang, Li Shi Min, Cao Cao, Liu Zhi Yuan and Liu Xiu

In contemporary historical texts, the string including the name of dynasty and temple or posthumous names is sufficient enough as a clear reference to a particluar sovereign.

e.g. 'Han' Gao Zu

Note that 'Wei' Wu Di Cao Cao never was a sovereign but his son was. Thus he was revered as Wu Di.
Cao Cao is good enough for reference.

some rules of thumb and helpful tips for reading a list of sovereigns

All sovereigns starting from the Tang Dynasty are contemporarily referred using the temple names. They also had posthumous names but less used unless in traditional historical texts. Reversed situation before Tang as posthumous names are contemporarily used.

e.g. The posthumous name of 'Tang' Tai Zong Li Shi Min was Wen Di (文帝)

If sovereigns after Tang were referenced using posthumous names, they were the last ones of their sovereignties or their reigns were short and unpopular.

e.g. 'Tang' Ai Di Li Zhu (唐哀帝 李柷), also known as 'Tang' Zhao Xuan Di (唐昭宣帝), was last emperor of the Tang Dynasty reigning from 904 to 907.

'Han' Guang Wu Di is equivalent to 'Dong Han' Guang Wu Di since he was the founder of the Eastern Han Dynasty. All east-west, north-south, former-later conventions were invented only by past or present historiographers for denoting a new era in a dynasty. Never used during that era.

The most common convention of naming Chinese Sovereigns

1) Emperors before the Tang dynasty: use posthumous names. eg. Han Wu Di
2) Emperors between Tang dynasty and Ming dynasty: use temple ames eg. Tang tai zong
3) Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasty: use era names (same as reign names) eg. kangxi
4) Overides rules 1 to 3: If there is a more common convention than using posthumous, temple or era names, then use it. eg. Cao Cao instead of Wei wu di. Or Sima Yi instead of Jin xuan di.

Actually these rules are followed by almost all historians now (except those really nerdy ones) but it may not be so apparent to those not familiar with Chinese. Please refer to the guide above or write any comment on talk. My pleasure to answer them.

Tables

Only the most recognized posthumous or temple names were used for all tables of sovereigns and referencing. For example, many kings of the Ten Kingdoms in the Period of the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kindoms had tiresome posthumous names consisting of 10 to 20 Chinese charaters. Why bother quoting them while only clear referencing is needed.

**Han Dynasty Sovereigns**
Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號) and (how the sovereigns are referred)	Personal Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
Western Han Dynasty 206 B.C.-9 AD
Gao Zu (高祖)	劉邦	206 B.C.-195 B.C.	Did not exist
Hui Di (惠帝)	劉盈	194 B.C.-188 B.C.	Did not exist
Gao Hou (Luu Hou 呂后)	呂雉	187 B.C.-180 B.C.	Did not exist
Wen Di (文帝)	劉恆	179 B.C.-157 B.C.	Houyuan (後元) 163 B.C.-156 B.C.
Jing Di (景帝)	劉啟	156 B.C.-141 B.C.	Chngyuan (中元) 149 B.C.-143 B.C. Houyuan (後元) 143 B.C.-141 B.C.
Wu Di (武帝)	劉徹	140 B.C.- 87 B.C.	Jianyuan (建元) 140 B.C.-135 B.C. Yuanguang(元光) 134 B.C.-129 B.C. Yuanshuo (元朔) 128 B.C.-123 B.C. Yuanshou (元狩) 122 B.C.-117 B.C. Yuanding (元鼎) 116 B.C.-111 B.C. Yuanfeng (元封) 110 B.C.-105 B.C. Taichu (太初) 104 B.C.-101 B.C. Tianhan (天漢) 100 B.C.-97 B.C. Taishi (太始) 96 B.C.-93 B.C. Zhenghe (征和) 92 B.C.-89 B.C. Houyuan (後元) 88 B.C.-87 B.C.
Zhao Di (昭帝)	劉弗陵	86 B.C.- 74 B.C.	Shiyuan (始元) 86 B.C.-81 B.C. Yuanfen (元鳳) 80 B.C.-75 B.C. Yuanping(元平) 74 B.C.
Chang Yi Wang (昌邑王)	劉賀	74 B.C.	Yuanping(元平) 74 B.C.
Xuan Di (宣帝)	劉詢	73 B.C.- 49 B.C.	Benshi (本始) 73 B.C.-70 B.C. Dijie (地節) 69 B.C.-66 B.C. Yuankang (元康) 65 B.C.-62 B.C. Shenjue (神爵) 61 B.C.-58 B.C. Wufeng (五鳳) 57 B.C.-54 B.C. Ganlu (甘露) 53 B.C.-50 B.C. Huanglong (黃龍) 49 B.C.
Yuan Di (元帝)	劉奭	48 B.C.- 33 B.C.	Chuyuan (初元) 48 B.C.-44 B.C. Yongguang (永光) 43 B.C.-39 B.C. Jianzhao (建昭) 38 B.C.-34 B.C. Jingning (竟寧) 33 B.C.
Cheng Di (成帝)	劉驁	32 B.C.-7 B.C.	Jianshi (建始) 32 B.C.-29 B.C. Heping (河平) 28 B.C.-25 B.C. Yangshuo(陽朔) 24 B.C.-21 B.C. Hongjia (鴻嘉) 20 B.C.-17 B.C. Yongshi (永始) 16 B.C.-13 B.C. Yuanyan (元延) 12 B.C.-9 B.C. Suihe (綏和) 9 B.C.-7 B.C.
Ai Di (哀帝)	劉欣	6 B.C.-1 B.C.	Jianping (建平) 6 B.C.-3 B.C. Yuanshou (元壽) 2 B.C.-1 B.C.
Ping Di (平帝)	劉衎	1-5	Yuanshi (元始) 1-5
Ru Zi Ying (孺子嬰)	劉嬰	6-8	Jushe (居攝) 6- October 8 Chushi (初始) November 8-December 8
the Xin Dynasty by Wang Mang		9-23	Shijianguo (始建國) 9- 13 Tianfeng (天鳳) 14-19 Dihuang (地皇) 20-23
Geng Shi Di (更始帝)	劉玄	23-25	Gengshi (更始) 23-25
Eastern Han Dynasty 25 AD - 220 AD
Guang Wu Di (光武帝)	劉秀	25-57	Jianwu (建武) 25-56 Jianwuzhongyuan (建武中元) 56-57
Ming Di (明帝)	劉莊	58-75	Yongping (永平) 58-75
Zhang Di (章帝)	劉炟	76-88	Jianchu (建初) 76-83 Yuanhe (元和) 84-87 Zhanghe (章和) 87-88
He Di (和帝)	劉肇	89-105	Yongyuan (永元) 89-105 Yuanxing (元興) 105
Shang Di (殤帝)	劉隆	106	Jianshi (延平) 100 days in 106
An Di (安帝)	劉祜	106-125	Yongchu (永初) 106-113 Yuanchu (元初) 114-120 Yongning(永寧) 120-121 Jianguang (建光) 121-122 Yanguang (延光) 122-125
Shao Di (少帝) or Bei Xiang Hou (北鄉侯)	劉懿	125	Yanguang (延光) 125
Shun Di (順帝)	劉保	125-144	Yongjian (永建) 125-132 Yangjia (陽嘉) 132-135 Yonghe (永和) 136-141 Hanan (漢安) 142-144 Jiankang (建康) 144
Chong Di (沖帝)	劉炳	144-145	Yongxi (永熹) 144-145
Zhi Di (質帝)	劉纘	145-146	Benchu (本初) 145-146
Huan Di (桓帝)	劉志	146-168	Jianhe (建和) 147-149 Heping (和平) 150 Yuanjia (元嘉) 151-153 Yongxing (永興) 153-154 Yongshou (永壽) 155-158 Yanxi (延熹) 158-167 Yongkang (永康) 167-168
Ling Di (靈帝)	劉宏	168-189	Jianning (建寧) 168-172 Xiping (熹平) 172-178 Guanghe (光和) 178-184 Zhongping(中平) 184-189
Shao Di (少帝)	劉辯	189	Guangxi (光熹) 189 Zhaoning (昭寧) 189
Xian Di (獻帝)	劉協	189-220	Yonghan (永漢) 189 Chuping (初平) 189-193 Xingping (興平) 194-195 Jianan (建安) 196-220 Yankang (延康) 220

**Three Kingdoms Sovereigns**
Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號)	Personal Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
Wei 220-265 AD
Wen Di (文帝 wen2 di4)	Cao Pi\|曹丕 cao2 pi1	220-226	Huangchu (黃初 huang2 chu1) 220-226
Ming Di (明帝 ming2 di4)	Cao Rui\|曹叡 cao2 rui4	226-239	Taihe (太和 tai4 he2) 227-233 Qinglong (青龍 qing1 long2) 233-237 Jingchu (景初 jing3 chu1) 237-239
Qi Wang (齊2王2)	Cao Fang\|曹芳 cao2 fang1	239-254	Zhengshi (正始 zheng4 shi3) 240-249 Jiaping (嘉平 jia1 ping2) 249-254
Gao Gui Xiang Gong (高貴鄉公 gao1 gui4 xiang1 gong1)	Cao Mao\|曹髦 cao2 mao2	254-260	Zhengyuan (正元 zheng4 yuan2) 254-256 Ganlu (甘露 gan1 lu4) 256-260
Yuan Di (元帝 yuan2 di4)	Cao Huan\|曹奐 cao2 huan4	260-265	Jingyuan (景元 jing3 yuan2) 260-264 Xianxi (咸熙 xian2 xi1) 264-265
Shu or Shu-Han 221 - 263
Zhao Lie Di (昭烈帝 zhao1 lie4 di4)	劉備 (liu2 bei4	221-223	Zhangwu (章武 zhang1 wu3) 221-223
Hou Zhu (後主 hou4 xhu3)	Liu Chan\|劉禪 (liu2 xhan2)	223-263	Jianxing (建興 jian4 xing1) 223-237 Yanxi (延熙 yan2 xi1) 238-257 Jingyao (景耀 jing3 yao4) 258-263 Yanxing (炎興 yan2 xing1) 263
Wu 222-280
Da Di (大帝 da4 di4)	孫1權2	222-252	Huangwu (黃武 huang2 wu3) 222-229 Huanglong (黃龍 huang2 long2) 229-231 Jiahe (嘉禾 jia1 he2) 232-238 Chiwu (赤烏 chi4 wu1) 238-251 Taiyuan (太元 tai4 yuan2) 251-252 Shenfeng (神鳳 shen2 feng4) 252
Kuai ji wang (會稽王 kuai4 ji1 wang2)	Sun Liang\|孫亮 sun1 liang4	252-258	Jianxing (建興 jian4 xing1) 252-253 Wufeng (五鳳 wu3 feng4) 254-256 Taiping (太平 tai4 ping2) 256-258
Jing Di (景帝 jing3 di4)	Sun Xiu\|孫休 sun1 xiu1	258-264	Yongan (永安 yong3 an1) 258-264
Wu Cheng Hou (烏程侯 wu1 cheng2 hou2)	Sun Hao\|孫皓 sun1 hao4	264-280	Yuanxing (元興 yuan2 xing1) 264-265 Ganlu (甘露 gan1 lu4) 265-266 Baoding (寶鼎 bao3 ding3) 266-269 Jianheng (建衡 jian4 heng2) 269-271 Fenghuang (鳳凰 feng4 huang2) 272-274 Tiance (天冊 tian1 ce4) 275-276 Tianxi (天璽 tian1 xi3) 276 Tianji (天紀 tian1 ji4) 277-280

List of the Ming Emperors:

call sign of emporer, original name, (name of era, range of year)
明太祖朱元璋 (洪武 1368-1398)
明惠帝朱允炆 (建文 1399-1402)
明成祖朱棣 (永樂 1403-1424)
明仁宗朱高熾 (洪熙 1425)
明宣宗朱瞻基 (宣德 1426-1435)
明英宗朱祁鎮 (正統 1436-1449)
明景帝朱祁鈺 (景泰 1450-1456)
明英宗朱祁鎮 (天順 1457-1464) A rerun, same person as in 1436-1449
明憲宗朱見深 (成化 1465-1487)
明孝宗朱祐樘 (弘治 1488-1505)
明武宗朱厚照 (正德 1506-1521)
明世宗朱厚熜 (嘉靖 1522-1566)
明穆宗朱栽垢 (隆慶 1567-1572)
明神宗朱翊鈞 (萬歷 1573-1620)
明光宗朱常洛 (泰昌 1620)
明熹宗朱由校 (天啟 1621-1627)
明思宗朱由檢 (崇禎 1628-1644)