After Xiao Baojuan of the Southern Qi Dynasty ascended the throne, he committed many absurd acts, not only ruthlessly extorting the people's wealth and launching massive construction projects that left the populace destitute, but also cruelly killing many loyal ministers. Xiao Yi was one of the loyal ministers killed by Xiao Baojuan.
Before his execution, Xiao Yi said to Xiao Baojuan, "It doesn't matter that the emperor is killing me, but I am deeply worried for the court—my younger brother Xiao Yan is now in Xiangyang, and he will certainly not let this rest."
Xiao Baojuan's brutal rule had long aroused widespread resentment and anger. After Xiao Yi's death, Xiao Yan indeed raised an army and marched toward the capital, Jiankang, completely surrounding its outer city. The eunuch Huang Taiping killed Xiao Baojuan, cut off his head, and delivered it to Xiao Yan. After entering the city, Xiao Yan stripped Xiao Baojuan of his imperial title, posthumously demoting him to the Marquis of Donghun. Subsequently, Xiao Yan dispatched troops to campaign in all directions, and local officials surrendered one after another. Xiao Yan installed Xiao Baorong as emperor while assuming the powerful position of Grand Marshal, controlling all court affairs.
In 502 AD, the powerful Xiao Yan forced Xiao Baorong to abdicate, made himself emperor, and changed the dynasty's name to Liang. Xiao Yan was Emperor Wu of Liang.
After Xiao Yan became emperor, he would rise at the fifth watch each morning to review official documents and memorials, placing great importance on listening to others' opinions and selecting officials who were upright and incorruptible. Additionally, he lived a very frugal life, never caring about food or clothing, eating only one meal a day, which mainly consisted of vegetables and beans, and his clothes were washed many times.
Xiao Yan was a very devout Buddhist; after converting to Buddhism, he abstained from eating meat and refrained from women. He also decreed that future sacrificial offerings should use vegetables instead of pigs, cattle, and sheep. Additionally, he built Tongtai Temple in Jiankang, a grand temple that consumed enormous manpower and resources. Every morning and evening, he would go to Tongtai Temple to burn incense and worship the Buddha, and he also received the Bodhisattva precepts there. Under his influence, his sons Xiao Tong, Xiao Gang, and Xiao Yi, as well as many officials at court, all embraced Buddhism. As a result, Buddhism in the Southern Dynasties reached its peak.
Once, Xiao Ang, the governor of Nanhai (present-day Guangzhou, Guangdong), reported to Xiao Yan that a highly respected monk named Bodhidharma had arrived in Nanhai from India. Overjoyed, Xiao Yan immediately sent people to Nanhai to escort the monk Bodhidharma to Jiankang.
Emperor Xiao Yan, upon meeting Bodhidharma, asked: "I have done many things for Buddhism—ordaining monks, copying sutras, building pagodas, and constructing temples, leaving none undone. In your esteemed opinion, after all these deeds, how much merit should I have earned?"
Bodhidharma calmly replied, "There is not a single merit at all."
Xiao Yan was puzzled and asked, "Why is that?"
Bodhidharma replied, "Although you have done much for Buddhism, it is all superficial and far from true merit."
After hearing this, Yan's disappointment was evident. After a moment, he asked Bodhidharma again: "What is the true essence of Buddhism?"
Bodhidharma replied: "The so-called absolute truth does not exist at all. If your heart contains Buddha, then your heart is Buddha."
Xiao Yan found this statement somewhat inexplicable and became a bit displeased, so he did not continue asking Bodhidharma questions. Bodhidharma felt that Xiao Yan fundamentally did not understand Buddhist teachings and thus had no desire to continue their conversation, so he turned and left.
A few days later, Emperor Wu of Liang saw his spiritual teacher, Master Zhi Gong, and recounted his conversation with Bodhidharma. Upon hearing Bodhidharma's name, Master Zhi Gong's eyes lit up, and he eagerly asked where Bodhidharma had gone. Emperor Wu dismissively said that Bodhidharma had already left. Overcome with regret, Master Zhi Gong reproached the emperor for letting Bodhidharma go, saying, "Bodhidharma dared to say what others would not or could not say, and he could teach us the true essence of Buddhism. Your Majesty should not have treated him so coldly!"
Xiao Yan regretted it deeply and immediately sent someone to chase after Bodhidharma. But Bodhidharma had already gone north, and Xiao Yan could only sigh in vain.
In 527 AD, the elderly Xiao Yan, in order to demonstrate his devotion to Buddhism, actually went to Tongtai Temple to "offer himself" as a monk. This greatly alarmed the court officials, as there were many state affairs awaiting the emperor's attention. Consequently, Xiao Yan only stayed as a monk for three days before being brought back by his ministers. After returning to the palace, Xiao Yan declared a general amnesty and changed the reign title to Datong. Shortly after, he realized that ordinary people who became monks had to pay a redemption fee to the temple to return to secular life, yet he, as emperor, had not paid any such fee, which seemed unreasonable. So he went to Tongtai Temple again to "offer himself" as a monk. When the ministers learned of this, they immediately rushed to the temple, begging him to return and handle state affairs. However, no matter how they pleaded, Xiao Yan refused to leave. One minister said, "Since the emperor has 'offered himself' as a monk, to invite him back to the palace, we must first 'redeem' him!" The ministers agreed this made sense, so they used one hundred million coins to redeem Xiao Yan, finally bringing him back.
A few years later, Xiao Yan once again "renounced the world" to become a monk. To demonstrate his devotion to Buddhism, this time he not only "renounced" his own body but also "renounced" the palace staff and all the land in the country. This time, his ministers had to spend two hundred million coins to ransom him out of Tongtai Temple.
After another year passed, Xiao Yan once again went to Tongtai Temple to become a monk. This was already his fourth time renouncing the throne to take monastic vows. The ministers had to spend another hundred million coins to ransom him out.
In his later years, Xiao Yan neglected state affairs, repeatedly sought to become a monk, leading to the Hou Jing Rebellion, and ultimately starved to death.