Complex sentence: Meanwhile, in 508, Yuan Yu himself was punished by Emperor Xuanwu for corruption--he was caned 50 times and demoted to the governorship of Ji Province (冀州, modern central Hebei).
Split into simpler sentences: Meanwhile, in 508, Yuan Yu himself was punished by Emperor Xuanwu for corruption. He was caned 50 times and demoted to the governorship of Ji Province (冀州, modern central Hebei).