The Liang dynasty (502–587), also known as the Southern Liang dynasty , was the third of the Southern Dynasties during China's Southern and Northern Dynasties period. Located in central China, north of Lake Dongting, the Liang dynasty was followed by the Chen dynasty. The Western Liang dynasty , with its capital established at Jiangling in 555 by Emperor Xuan, a grandson of Liang's founder Emperor Wu, claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Liang dynasty; it was subservient to the successive Western Wei Dynasty, Northern Zhou dynasty, and Sui dynasty, and was abolished by Emperor Wen of Sui in 587.