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Xiao Yuanming 蕭淵明 (d. 556), courtesy name Jingtong 靖通, was a ruler (r. 555) of the Liang dynasty 梁 (502-557), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589). He was a nephew of Emperor Wu 梁武帝 (r. 502-549). He was originally invested as Marquis of Zhenyang 貞陽侯 and appointed regional inspector (cishi 剌史) of the province of Yuzhou 豫州.
In 547, he commanded troops attacking the Eastern Wei empire 東魏 (534-550), but he was defeated, captured and conducted to their capital Ye 鄴 (present-day Anyang 安陽, Henan) by General Gao Cheng 高澄 (521-549). In 550, the Northern Qi 北齊 (550-577) replaced the Eastern Wei.
The Western Wei 西魏 (535-556) invaded central China in 554 and conquered Jiangling 江陵, killing Emperor Yuan 梁元帝 (r. 552-554). This was an occasion for two actors to influence the throne succession. On the one hand, the Liang generals Wang Sengbian 王僧辯 (d. 555) and Chen Baxian 陳霸先 (503-559) helped to make Xiao Fangzhi 蕭方智, the Prince of Jin'an 晉安, Counsellor-in-Chief (taizai 太宰) and regent of the remainders of the Liang empire, while the Northern Qi decided to bring Xiao Yuanming back to the south to enthrone him as a puppet emperor. Wang Sengbian, knowing that the Northern Qi army was stronger than the Liang, received Xiao Yuanming in the capital Jiankang 建康 (today's Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu) and helped him to mount the throne.
As expected, Xiao Yuanming accepted the suzerainty of the Qi empire in the north. Yet after just four months of reign, a putsch took place. Chen Baxian rose in rebellion, killed Wang Sengbian, deposed Xiao Yuanming and enthroned his favourite candidate, Xiao Fangzhi. A year later, Xiao Yuanming died from a disease. From the Northern Qi perspective, Xiao Yuanming is posthumously called Emperor Min 梁閔帝.
The Northern Qi empire did not accept this change and enthroned the Prince of Yongjia 永嘉, Xiao Zhuang 蕭莊, who ruled from Yingzhou 郢州 (Xiakou 夏口, i.e., Hankou 漢口, Hubei).