The Eastern Wei Dynasty followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei, and ruled northern China from 534 to 550.

In 534 Gao Huan (高歡), the potentate of the eastern half of what was Northern Wei territory following the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty installed Yuan Shanjian a descendant of the Northern Wei as ruler of Eastern Wei. Yuan Shanjian was a puppet ruler as the real power lied in the hands of Gao Huan. Several military campaigns were launched against the neighboring Western Wei in an attempt to reunify the territory once held by the Northern Wei, however these campaigns were not successful, and in 547 Gao Huan died. His sons Gao Cheng (高澄) and Gao Yang (高洋) were able to pursue his policy of controlling the emperor, but in 550 Gao Yang deposed Yuan Shanjian and founded his own dynasty, the Northern Qi.

Buddhist art

---

The Buddhist art of the Eastern Wei displays a combination of Greco-Buddhist influences from Gandhara and Central Asia (representations of flying figures holding wreaths, Greek-style folds of the drapery), together with Chinese artistic influences.

Ruler

---

Posthumous Names ( Shi Hao 諡號)	Born Names	Period of Reigns	Era Names (Nian Hao 年號) and their according range of years
Northern dynasty
Eastern Wei Dynasty 534-550
Convention: Eastern Wei + posthumous name
Xiao Jing Di (孝靜帝 xiao1 jing4 di4)	Yuan Shan Jian (元善見 yuan2 shan4 jian4)	534-550	Tianping (天平 tian1 ping2) 534-537 Yuanxiang (元象 yuan2 xiang4) 538-539 Xinghe (興和 xing1 he2) 539-542 Wuding (武定 wu3 ding4) 543-550

Northern Wei | 534 establishments | 550 disestablishments

Itäinen Wei-dynastia | Dynastie Wei de l'Est | 東魏 | Восточная Вэй | 东魏