Map Introduction

Establishment (550 AD)
Gao Yang usurped the throne of the Eastern Wei and established the Northern Qi dynasty, designating Ye (modern Linzhang, Hebei) as its capital. The regime inherited the military structure of the Eastern Wei, relying on a power base composed of Xianbei military elites and influential families from the Hebei region.

Period of Strength (550–559 AD)
Gao Yang (Emperor Wenxuan):
- Military Affairs: Launched northern campaigns against the Rouran and Khitan, and southern expeditions against the Liang dynasty, significantly expanding the empire’s territory.
- Domestic Policy: Revised and promulgated the Northern Qi Code, which later influenced subsequent legal systems, and implemented the Equal-Field System to regulate land distribution.
- Later Reign: His rule turned increasingly tyrannical; excessive drinking and indiscriminate executions sowed the seeds of the dynasty’s decline.

Internal Strife and Decline (560–577 AD)
- Succession Instability: Gao Yan (561 AD) and Gao Zhan (561–565 AD) successively took power, amid continuous internal power struggles.
- Gao Wei (Last Emperor):
- Favored corrupt officials such as Lu Lingxuan and Mu Tipó, leading to the execution of capable generals like Hulü Guang and Gao Changgong.
- Imposed heavy taxes, exacerbating social unrest and weakening military capacity.
- Rise of Northern Zhou: Conquered in 577 AD by Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, Yuwen Yong.

Historical Assessment
- Contributions: The Northern Qi Code laid the foundation for the legal systems of the Sui and Tang dynasties, while the urban planning of Ye influenced later capital city designs.
- Lessons: Internal conflicts and tyrannical governance led to its short lifespan, making it a typical example of a "short-lived dynasty" during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

Summary of Characteristics: Militarily powerful yet ruthlessly governed, innovative in institutions but severely weakened by internal strife—the dynasty fell after only 27 years.