Xiao Baojuan 蕭寶卷, the Marquis of Donghun 東昏

Xiao Baojuan 蕭寶卷 (483-501), also called Mingxian 明賢, courtesy name Zhicang 智藏, was an emperor (r. 498-501) of the Southern Qi dynasty 南齊 (479-502), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589). He was the second son of Emperor Ming 齊明帝 (r. 494-498) and Lady Huang 黃貴嬪 (see female offices).

After ascending the throne, he imposed excessive taxes and levies, and placed his trust in eunuchs and close attendants. This aroused the dissatisfaction of many senior officials. Taking advantage of the situation, Xiao Yaoguang 蕭遙光 (468-499), the Prince of Shi'an 始安, secretly plotted to depose him and seize power, but the plot was discovered, and he was defeated and killed.

Xiao Baojuan killed Jiang Shi 江祏 (d. 499), the Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu you puye 尚書右僕射), Palace Attendant (shizhong 侍中) Jiang Si 江祀 (d. 499), Xiao Tanzhi 蕭坦之 (d. 499), the Commander of the Palace Guards (lingjun 領軍), Cao Wu 曹武 (c. 430-499), the General of the Right Guard (youwei jiangjun 右衛將軍), Liu Xuan 劉暄 (d. 499), the General of the Palace Guards (ling jiangjun 領軍將), Xu Xiaosi 徐孝嗣 (453-499), the Minister of Works (sikong 司空) and Shen Wenxiu 沈文秀 (426-486), the General of the Garrison Army (zhenjun jiangjun 鎮軍將軍). As a result, everyone in the court felt insecure, and no one dared to offer counsel. When Chen Xianda 陳顯達 (428-500), the regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Jiangzhou 江州, heard of this, he raised a rebellion in Xunyang 尋陽 (modern-day Jiujiang 九江, Jiangxi) and attacked the capital Jiankang 建康 (Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu). However, he was soon defeated and killed.

From then on, Xiao Baojuan acted without restraint, neglected state affairs, and went out on excursions daily. Whenever he went out, he would drive away the people, killing anyone he saw. Historians report that on one occasion, a pregnant woman could not avoid to stay in his way because she was in labour, so he ordered her belly cut open to see if the baby was a boy or a girl.

In Jiankang, the people lost their livelihoods, and during the day, the streets were deserted. In 500, Pei Shuye 裴叔業 (438-500), the regional inspector of Yuzhou 豫州, and Cui Huijing 崔慧景 (438-500), General Pacifying the West (pingxi jiangjun 平西將軍), both rose in rebellion but were defeated and killed. That same year, a fire broke out in the palace, but no one dared to try to extinguish it, and three thousand rooms were reduced to ashes. Xiao Baojuan then launched a large-scale construction project, building new palaces decorated with extravagant carvings and embellishments. The common people suffered under the heavy taxes and forced labor, and "cried aloud in the streets", as historians say.

The following year, Prince Xiao Baorong 蕭寶融 of Nankang 南康 declared himself emperor in Jiangling and sent Xiao Yan 蕭衍, the regional inspector of Yongzhou 雍州 eastward to attack Jiankang. A mutiny broke out within the city, and Wang Zhenguo 王珍國 (d. 515) and the Palace Attendant Zhang Ji 張稷 (450-512) killed Xiao Baojuan. Empress Dowager Xuande 宣德太后 then issued an edict demoting him to the title Marquis of Donghun 東昏侯. He was succeeded by Xiao Baorong, who is known as Emperor He 齊和帝 (r. 501-502).