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Emperor Wu 陳武帝 (r. 557-559), personal name Chen Baxian 陳霸先 (503-559), courtesy name Xingguo 興國, was the founder of the Chen dynasty 陳 (557-589), the last of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589). He hailed from Changcheng 長城 in the commandery of Wuxing 吳興 (today's Changxing 長興, Zhejiang) from a poor family (hanmen 寒門) and started his career as a small local headman and then decided to join the army, where he gradually rose to higher offices under the Liang dynasty 梁 (502-557). For his suppression of a peasant revolt, he was invested as Viscount of Xi'an 新安子. Later on, he was given the title of General Exciting those Far Away (zhenyuan jiangjun 振遠將軍, Protector-General (duhu 督護) of Jiangxi and governor (taishou 太守) of Gaoyao 高要, later of Shixing 始興.
When Hou Jing 侯景 rebelled, devastated the country and conquered the capital Jiankang 建康 (Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu), he was made regional inspector (cishi刺史) of the province of Jiaozhou 交州 and invested as Earl of the District of Nanye 南野縣伯. Chen Baxian was then elevated to the status of Marquis of the District of Changchang 長城縣侯 and regional inspector of Nan-Jiangzhou 南江州, then of Dong-Yangzhou 東揚州刺史. He was also governor of Guiji 會稽. Chen finally decided to attack the rebel and joined his forced with those of General Wang Sengbian 王僧辯 (d. 555). In 552, they occupied and liberated Jiankang and defeated Hou Jing. Because Jiankang was in ruins, the new sovereign, Prince Xiao Yi 蕭繹 (Emperor Yuan 梁元帝, r. 552-554), resided in Jiangling 江陵 in central China. Emperor Yuan rewarded Chen Baxian with the title of General-in-Chief (da jiangjun 大將軍) and Commander Unequalled in Honours (kaifu yitong sansi 開府儀同三司), and appointed him regional inspector of Nan-Xuzhou 南徐州, residing in the critical garrison of Jingkou 京口 (today's Zhenjiang 鎮江, Jiangsu). He was also given the honorific title of Minister of Works (sikong 司空).
In 554, the Western Wei 西魏 (535-556) army invaded central China, and Emperor Yuan was killed. Chen Baxian and Wang Sengbian, as the factual regents of the Liang empire, installed Xiao Fangzhi 蕭方智 (Emperor Jing 梁敬帝, r. 555-557), the Prince of Jin'an 晉安, as emperor. A year later, the Northern Qi empire 北齊 (550-577)s sent back Prince Xiao Yuanming 蕭淵明 (r. 555), who had been a hostage living in the north, back to the south and installed him as emperor of the Liang. Wang Sengbian, knowing that the Liang army was inferior, could not but accept this interference into the inner affairs of the Liang empire. However, Chen Baxian did not agree, attacked Wang Sengbian, killed him, and dethroned Xiao Yuanming, and instead brought Xiao Fangzhi to Jiankang and repelled the Northern Qi army. Chen was promoted to Director of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu ling 尚書令) and Supreme Commander of all troops in the capital and outside (dudu zhong-wai dujun shi 都督中外諸軍事). Yet some commanderies resisted the growing dominance of Chen Baxian, and in addition, the Northern Qi dispatched an army which advanced as far as Wuhu 蕪湖, threatening Jiankang. Chen decided to engage them and defeated them severely. Thereafter, he pacified the rebellious commanderies of Wuxing 吳興, Wujun 吳郡, and Yixing 義興. After long years of war, the Liang empire could respire.
In 557, Chen was invested as Duke of Chen 陳公, received the nine privileges (jiuxi 九錫), and was appointed Counsellor-in-Chief (xiangguo 相國). Later that year, he was promoted to King of Chen and soon forced the Liang emperor to abdicate (shanwei 禪位), and founded the Chen dynasty, changing the reign motto to Yongding 永定. Chen Baxian issued a slightly revised law code.
In 558, the regional inspector of Xiangzhou 湘州, Wang Lin 王琳 (526-573), urged the Prince of Yongjia 永嘉, Xiao Zhuang 蕭莊 (r. 557), to adopt the title of emperor to revive the Liang dynasty. Chen Baxian thereupon killed the former emperor Xiao Fangzhi and ordered Wang Lin to call off his rebellion. Xiao Zhuang eventually fled to the north and became a puppet of the Northern Qi.
Soon later, Chen Baxian wanted to retire and become a cleric in Dazhuangyan Monastery 大莊嚴寺, but his ministers urged him to stay in power. On his deathbed, Chen Baxian made his nephew Chen Qian 陳蒨 (Emperor Wen 陳文帝, r. 559-566), the Prince of Linchuan 臨川, the Heir Apparent. He was buried in Wan'an Hill 萬安陵. His posthumous title was Emperor Wu, and his temple name Emperor Gaozu 陳高祖.