Han Chongdi

Han Chongdi (漢 沖 帝)
Family name :	Liu (劉; liú)
First name :	Bing (炳, bing)
Posthumous name (full):	Xiaochong (孝 沖, xiào chōng) literally: "childlike and young ruling"
Posthumous name (short):	Chong (沖, chong) "young ruling"

Emperor Chong von Han ( Chinese  漢 沖 帝  /  汉 冲 帝 , Pinyin Hàn Chōngdì , W.-G. Han Ch'ung-ti , * 143 ; † 145 ) was an emperor of the Han dynasty and the eighth ruler of the Eastern Han Dynasty .

Emperor Chong was the only son of Emperor Shun . He came to the throne when he was only one year old and ruled for less than six months. During his reign, Empress Mother Liang Na and her brother Liang Ji dealt with state affairs . Although the Empress mother appeared open and reliable, she trusted her corrupt brother too much. The rural people suffered greatly from the corruption of their government.

Emperor Chong died in 145 when he was three years old.

Family background

The then Prince Liu Bing was a son of Emperor Shun and his concubine Yu. All that is known about his mother is that she came to the palace at the age of twelve and that she also gave birth to Princess Sheng, Liu Bing's sister. The prince was the only son of the emperor.

In 144, when his health was deteriorating, Emperor Shun made Liu Bing crown prince . He died barely four months later, and Liu Bing ascended the throne as Emperor Chong.

Short government

Because Emperor Chong was still an infant, Empress Mother Liang Na served him as regent. Although she was reasonably diligent and open to suggestions, her worst mistake was trusting her corrupt and brutal brother Liang Ji (梁冀), the most powerful official in the administration. He had already held this position under Emperor Shun, but under Emperor Chong he could abuse it with impunity. When the young and able officer Huangfu Gui (皇甫 規) asked him and his brother Liang Buyi (梁 不 疑) in coded words to be more obedient and live more frugally, Liang Ji removed him from his post and tried several times to slander him .

During the reign of Emperor Chong, the rural revolts that had simmered since his father's reign became a serious problem. Even the emperor's resting place was dug up by bandits.

In the spring of 145, Emperor Chong died. Liang Na initially wanted to keep his death a secret until she had found a successor, but on the advice of officer Li Gu (李固), she did the morally correct thing and announced the death of the emperor.

Emperor Chong was buried in his father's tomb complex to save costs. Long after his death (175), Emperor Ling distinguished his mother, concubine Yu, with a higher concubine title (貴人, Guiren ) than she had previously (美人, Meiren ). With this he paid tribute to her status as the birth mother of the emperor.

Era name

• Yōngxī ( 永 熹 ) 145

predecessor	Office	successor
Shun	Emperor of China 144–145	Zhi