[4] Even though Lü Guang failed in his efforts, this incident was the earliest example where imperial retirement served as a method to secure succession.

[5] In contrast, due to their Han heritage, the southern regimes had no need to make use and never employed the institution as a means to stabilize successions.

[3] Here, Li Yuan used the honorific as a legitimating cover for his seizure of power, in which the newly-installed Yang You served as his puppet emperor.

[6] In 626 during the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Prince Li Shimin of Tang led his armed men in a coup for the throne.

[8] The term has also been applied to other Communist Party senior officials without formal titles who were seen as meddling in the affairs of their successors, such as Chen Yun[9] and Jiang Zemin.