Han Zhangdi
| Han Zhangdi ( 漢 章帝 ) | |
|---|---|
| Family name : | Liú ( 劉 ) |
| First name : | Dá ( 炟 ) |
|
Posthumous title : (short) |
Zhāng ( 章 ) |
|
Posthumous title : (complete) |
Xiàozhāng ( 孝章 ) |
| Temple name : | Sùzōng ( 世祖 ) |
| Reign: | 75 - 88 |
| Era names : | Jianchu ( 建初 ) 76 - 84 |
Emperor Zhang von Han ( Chinese 漢 章帝 , Pinyin Hàn Zhāng Dì , W.-G. Han Chang-ti ; * 57 ; † 88 ), birth name Liú Dá , was emperor of the Han dynasty from 75 to 88 AD .
Emperor Zhang proved to be a dedicated and ardent ruler. He reduced taxes and did not neglect any state issue. He also cut government spending and promoted Confucianism . Under his rule, culture and society in China flourished to such an extent that his rule, and that of his father Emperor Ming, is considered the Golden Age of the Later Han Dynasty .
Under Emperor Zhang, General Ban Chao led Chinese troops west to the Caspian Sea and what is now Ukraine . He made direct contact with the Parthian Empire and possibly even sent an embassy to Rome .
After Emperor Zhang's rule, the empire of the Han dynasty slowly began to decline due to internal power struggles between officials, eunuchs, and imperial families.
Family background
The then Prince Da was born in 57 as the son of the then Crown Prince Liu Zhuang and his wife Jia . The Crown Prince's favorite wife, Mrs. Ma , was her maternal aunt. Since she had no sons of her own , she adopted Ms. Jia's son. Prince Da grew up as the son of Mrs. Ma, but because he knew his birth mother, he felt more like her son.
Emperor Guangwu , Liu Das' grandfather, died in the year of his birth, and Crown Prince Zhuang succeeded him to the throne as Emperor Ming. In the year 60, at the urging of his mother Yin Lihua, he made his wife Ma empress and Liu Da crown prince, even though he had four older brothers.
As crown prince
Not much is known about the career of the Crown Prince Da. He was tutored in the classics of Confucian literature (the Four Classical Novels and Five Classics ) and supported in them by his adoptive mother, with whom he was closely connected. In addition, his uncles of the Ma clan were close to him.
Emperor Ming died in 75 and Liu Da succeeded him as Emperor Zhang at the age of 18. Empress Ma received the title of Empress Mother .
Early reign with the Empress Mother
Emperor Zhang worked as hard as his father as a ruler, but he was more lenient and indulgent. He selected capable officials and promoted them. The emperor himself led a frugal life. He was of humble disposition and particularly honored the older officials who had served his father and grandfather.
On the advice of adviser Yang Zhong ( 楊 終 ) and Prime Minister Diwu Lun ( 第五 倫 ), Emperor Zhang decided in 76 to abandon the campaigns in Xiyu (now Xinjiang and Central Asia ) that his father had started. The General Ban Chao stationed there , however, considered the presence of the Han Empire in Xiyu to be essential. He refused to withdraw his troops until the emperor finally gave in and blamed Ban Chao for the further campaigns in Xiyu.
Because his uncles of the Ma clan were close to him, Emperor Zhang wanted to appoint them margraves at the beginning of his rule. Empress Mother Ma refused to do this for some time because she felt it was inappropriate, but the Emperor decided in 79 to ignore his mother. He made his uncles margraves, although they asked to be given at least only the relevant office and not the title.
In 77 the emperor took his niece Dou as his wife and a year later made her empress.
Empress mother Ma, who until then had advised her son constructively, died in 79. Even now Emperor Zhang did not dare to appoint his birth mother Jia as empress mother; he only allowed her to live and support a princess.
Intrigue of the Dou clan
After his mother's death, Emperor Zhang was keen to maintain peace and prosperity, but disputes between his wives' clans, especially with the Dou clan, gradually destabilized the government.
Empress mother Ma had chosen two daughters of Song Yang ( 宋 楊 ) to be concubines for Emperor Zhang during her lifetime . The elder concubine Song gave birth to a son named Liu Qing in 78. Because Empress Dou had no son, Liu Qing became crown prince the following year. The Song sisters were in the favor of the Empress Mother.
In the same year (79), Empress Dou adopted the son of concubine Liang , Liu Zhao. The empress conspired with her mother and uncles to let her adoptive son become crown prince. After the death of the Empress mother, she falsely accused the concubines Song of witchcraft . Emperor Zhang was outraged and banished Crown Prince Liu Qing from the palace. He had the Song sisters interrogated by the eunuch Cai Lun . They poisoned themselves in prison. Crown Prince Qing was deposed and made Prince of Qinghe instead; Liu Zhao became the crown prince. Nevertheless, the two brothers were always on good terms with each other. Empress Dou also slandered Liu Zhao's birth mother, concubine Liang, and her sister. They lost the favor of Emperor Zhang and died soon after their father died in prison.
With the elimination of the concubines, the rise of the Dou clan began. In 83 the emperor also found out that his ma-cousins were breaking the law. Out of displeasure, he sent their fathers and uncles back to their brands. Now the Dou clan, especially Dou Xian and Dou Du ( 竇 篤 ), could take over power at the court. This marked the first time in the history of the Han Dynasty that the Empress's family had more power than that of the Empress Mother. This development turned out to be a factor in corruption for the following generations.
Late government
Emperor Zhang's diligence and openness remained unaffected by the courtly intrigues. In 84 the students Kong Xi ( 孔 僖 ) and Cui Yin ( 崔 駰 ) were accused of criticizing Emperor Wu and thus Emperor Zhang. Kong Xi sent the emperor a letter of defense, and Emperor Zhang accepted. He even made Kong Xi an official in the administration.
In the year 86 the Qiang tribes rose for the first time . It was quickly suppressed, but in the decades that followed, the Qiang kept rising up against the corrupt civil administration of the Han Empire and contributed to the decline of the dynasty.
Emperor Zhang died in 88. Crown Prince Zhao succeeded him as Emperor He .
family
- Father: Emperor Ming of Han , his fifth son
- birth mother: Jia
- Adoptive mother: Empress Ma
- Wife: Empress Dou
- Concubines
- children
- Liu Kang ( 劉 伉 ), 79 Prince Jen of Qiancheng († 94)
- Liu Quan ( 劉 全 ), 79 Prince Dao of Pingchun († 79)
- Liu Qing ( 劉慶 ), originally Crown Prince, later Prince Xiao of Qinghe, father of Emperor An
- Liu Zhao ( 劉 肇 ), Crown Prince, later Emperor He
- Liu Shou ( 劉 壽 ), 90 Prince Hui of Jibei († 121)
- Liu Kai ( 劉 開 ), 90 Prince Xiao of Hejian († 132)
- Liu Shu ( 劉淑 ), 90 Prince Huai of Chengyang († 95)
- Liu Wansui ( 劉 萬歲 ), 93 Prince Shang of Guangzong († 93)
- Liu Nan ( 劉 男 ), 80 Princess Wude
- Liu Wang ( 劉 王 ), 80 Princess Pingyi
- Liu Ji ( 劉吉 ), 94 Princess Yin'an
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Ming |
Emperor of China 75–88 |
Hey |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Han Zhangdi |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Liu, Zhao; Muzong; Xiaohe |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Han Dynasty Emperor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 57 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | China |
| DATE OF DEATH | 88 |
| Place of death | China |