Fei of Chen (c640). Scroll detail. Ink, color on silk. 50 x 35. Attributed. Emperor Fei of Chen, personal name Chen Bozong, courtesy name Fengye, nickname Yaowang, also known by his post-removal title of Prince of Linhai, was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He was the son and heir of Emperor Wen, but after he came to the throne in 566, the imperial administration fell into infighting almost immediately. The victor, Emperor Fei's uncle Chen Xu, deposed Emperor Fei in winter 568 and took the throne himself. Traditionally histories indicate that Chen Bozong was born in 554, but he could have been born in 552 or another year. At the time of his birth, his father Chen Qian was serving as a general under Chen Baxian, Chen Bozong's granduncle, who was one of the more prominent generals of Liang Dynasty at that time. His mother was Chen Qian's wife Shen Miaorong. He was their first son. In 555, Chen Baxian became even more prominent after overthrowing his commanding general Wang Sengbian and replacing the emperor Xiao Yuanming with Emperor Jing. During the next few years, Chen Baxian consolidated power, and in 557, he had Emperor Jing yield the throne to him, establishing Chen Dynasty as its Emperor Wu. Chen Qian, as the emperor's nephew and the only close male relative of the new emperor in Chen territory, was created the Prince of Linchuan. In 558, Chen Bozong received the title of Heir Apparent of Linchuan. In 559, Emperor Wu died after a sudden illness. As Chen Qian was his only close male relative in Chen territory, the imperial officials supported Chen Qian to succeed him, and Chen Qian did so. He created Chen Bozong crown prince and created Chen Bozong's mother Princess Shen empress. In 562, Emperor Wen selected the daughter of the official Wang Gu to be Chen Bozong's wife. She thereafter carried the title of Crown Princess. She bore him a son, Chen Zhize, in 566. In his youth, Crown Prince Bozong was considered to be weak in his personality. In 566, when Emperor Wen grew ill, he, worried that Crown Prince Bozong would not be able to keep his position as emperor, offered to pass the throne to his brother and Crown Prince Bozong's uncle Chen Xu the Prince of Ancheng. Chen Xu declined, and the official Kong Huan also opposed. Emperor Wen therefore did not make Chen Xu crown prince, but entrusted the important matters to Chen Xu, Kong, Dao Zhongju, Yuan Shu, and Liu Shizhi. He soon died, and Crown Prince Bozong took the throne. Emperor Fei honored his grandaunt Empress Dowager Zhang Yao'er grand empress dowager and his mother Empress Shen empress dowager. He created his wife Crown Princess Wang empress. As per the arrangement left by Emperor Wen, Emperor Fei's reign was characterized initially by a collective leadership of the key officials Emperor Wen left in place. However, by spring 567, the officials have largely coalesced into two factions, one led by Dao Zhongju and Liu Shizhi, and one faction led by Chen Xu. Dao, Liu, and Chen Xu took up residence in the palace and handled most of the sensitive matters. In spring 567, Liu tried to exclude Chen Xu by having the official Yin Buning informing Chen Xu that he should leave the palace to attend to the affairs of the capital region Yang Province, of which Chen Xu was also governor. When Chen Xu considered doing so, his associate Mao Xi and the general Wu Mingche persuaded him that he needed to remain in the palace. Chen Xu therefore invited Liu to a meeting, and while the meeting was still going on, had Mao confirming with Empress Dowager Shen and Emperor Fei that it was not their order that he leave the palace. Once Mao confirmed so, Chen Xu arrested Liu and ordered him to commit suicide, while demoting Dao to a lesser position. From this point on, the administration was controlled by Chen Xu. Fearful of what would come next, Dao and the general Han Zigao considered actions against Chen Xu, but before they could take any actions against Chen Xu, their plot was reported to Chen Xu, and Chen Xu arrested them and then had Emperor Fei issue an edict ordering them to commit suicide. Emperor Fei's brother Chen Bomao the Prince of Shixing, whom Chen Xu believed to have participated in both Liu's and Dao and Han's plots, was stripped of his governmental posts and ordered to keep Emperor Fei company. The deaths of Liu and Han, both of whom were close associates of Emperor Wen, brought fear into the heart of another associate of Emperor Wen, Hua Jiao the governor of Xiang Province. In summer 567, Hua therefore submitted himself to Northern Zhou and Northern Zhou's vassal state, Western Liang. Chen Xu sent Wu and Chunyu Liang to lead a fleet against the joint forces of Hua, Northern Zhou, and Western Liang. The opposing sides met at Dunkou.