Zhōu Wǔdì 周武帝 (Yǔwén Yōng 宇文邕, 543–578, r. 560–578), third emperor of the Northern Zhōu (北周). He is best known in Buddhist history for the proscription of Buddhism and Daoism issued in Jiànde 建德 3 (574), which forced thousands of monks and nuns to return to lay life and resulted in the dispersal of much of the northern Buddhist establishment. Translators such as 那連提耶舍 (Narendrayaśas) were forced into hiding during the proscription; many resumed activity only after the Sui restoration of Buddhism by 隋文帝 Yáng Jiān in 581.