Background
Chen Shubao was born in 553, when his father Chen Xu was serving as a mid-level official under Emperor Yuan of Liang at Emperor Yuan's capital Jiangling. His mother was Chen Xu's second wife Liu Jingyan, and he was Chen Xu's oldest son.
In 554, Western Wei attacked Jiangling and captured it, executing Emperor Yuan. Emperor Yuan's nephew Xiao Cha was created the Emperor of Liang and given Jiangling as his capital, but a large segment of Jiangling's population and Emperor Yuan's officials, including Chen Xu and Chen Xu's cousin Chen Chang, were taken to the Western Wei capital Chang'an. For reasons lost to history, Lady Liu and Chen Shubao were not taken to Chang'an, but left at Rangcheng (穰城, in modern Nanyang, Henan).
In 557, Chen Xu's uncle (Chen Chang's father) Chen Baxian established Chen Dynasty (as Emperor Wu), with his capital at Jiankang. He requested that Western Wei's successor state Northern Zhou return Chen Chang and Chen Xu to him, but Northern Zhou, while initially agreeing, did not do so during Emperor Wu's lifetime. In 559, Emperor Wu died, and Chen Xu's older brother Chen Qian the Prince of Linchuan, as Emperor Wu's only close male relative in the realm, took the throne as Emperor Wen. In 560, Northern Zhou began making overtures to return Chen Xu to Chen. In 562, Emperor Wen, who had remotely created Chen Xu the Prince of Ancheng, traded the city of Lushan (魯山, in modern Wuhan, Hubei) to Northern Zhou in exchange for Chen Xu's return. Initially, Chen Shubao and his mother Princess Liu were not returned, but after further negotiations by Emperor Wen, were returned. Chen Shubao was designated as Chen Xu's heir apparent. He held minor offices during Emperor Wen's reign.
In 566, Emperor Wen died and was succeeded by his son Chen Bozong the Crown Prince (as Emperor Fei). The high level officials that Emperor Wen left in charge, including Chen Xu, eventually became locked in a power struggle, and in 567, Chen Xu killed Liu Shizhi (劉師之) and Dao Zhongju (到仲舉) and seized control of power. In winter 568, he had an edict issued in the name of Emperor Wu's wife Grand Empress Dowager Zhang Yao'er, deposing Emperor Fei and making him emperor. In spring 569, he took the throne (as Emperor Xuan). Chen Shubao was created crown prince, and his mother Princess Liu was created empress.
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