Han Zhidi

Han Zhidi (漢 質 帝)
Family name :	Liu (劉; liú)
First name :	Zuan (纘, zuan)
Posthumous name: (complete)	Xiaozhi (孝 質, xiào zhí) literally: "childlike and upright"
Posthumous name: (short)	Zhi (質, zhí) "upright"

Emperor Zhi von Han ( traditionally漢 質 帝, simplified漢 质 帝, Pinyin hàn zhí dì , W.-G. Han Chih-ti ; * 138 ; † 146 ) was the ninth emperor of the Han dynasty and a great-grandson of Emperor Zhang . His brief reign was determined by Liang Ji , brother of the Empress Mother Liang Na .

Emperor Zhi ascended the throne at the age of seven after the death of Emperor Chong , his third cousin. Although still a child, Emperor Zhi was remarkably sensible and uncomfortable in the shadow of Liang Ji. When he once called him an "arrogant general" , Liang Ji poisoned the emperor, who died when he was only eight years old.

Family background and accession to the throne

Liu Zuan, the future Emperor Zhi, was born in 138 to Liu Hong (劉鴻), Prince Yi of Le'an, and his wife Chen. Liu Hong's father Liu Chong (劉 寵) was the son of Liu Kang (劉 伉); he had carried the title of Prince Zhen of Qiancheng and was a son of Emperor Zhang. Little is known about Liu Hong himself. After his son became emperor, he was expelled to a larger principality in Bohai.

The two-year-old Emperor Chong died in 145 without any close male relatives. His stepmother Liang Na therefore called two of his third cousins ​​to the court to check their suitability as successors: Liu Suan (劉 蒜), the prince of Qinghe, and Liu Zuan. Prince Suan was already an adult (although his age is not known) and is described as humble and decent, which is why officials preferred him as his successor. However, the autocratic and brutal Liang Ji wanted a younger emperor who was easier to control, so she persuaded Empress Mother Liang Na to appoint seven-year-old Liu Zuan as emperor. To keep up appearances, he first made him Marquis of Jianping, and that same day Liu Zuan ascended the throne as Emperor Zhi.

Short government

Empress mother Liang Na served the young emperor as regent. She was eager to administer the empire well and entrusted the honest official Li Gu (李固) with important state business. She also invited young scholars from all over the empire to the capital Luoyang so that they could study at the university there.

As young as Emperor Zhi was, he sensed Liang Ji's abuse of power - although he did not realize that Liang Ji could harm him. At one meeting, he winked at Liang Ji and referred to him as "an arrogant general". Liang Ji became worried and angry. In the summer of 146 he brought the emperor a bowl of soup which he had poisoned. After the emperor had consumed the soup, he suffered great pain. He immediately called for Li Gu to ask for water, but Liang Ji refused, and the emperor died immediately. Li Gu ordered an investigation, but Liang Ji was unable to make progress.

After Emperor Zhi's death, Liang Ji was under great pressure from court officials and had to call a general assembly to elect a successor. The officials were in favor of Liu Suan by a large majority, but Liang Ji managed to persuade the empress mother to choose 14-year-old Liu Zhi (劉志; Marquis of Liwu and great-grandson of Emperor Zhang) instead. This was promised to Liang Ji's younger sister, Liang Nuying .

Long after Emperor Zhi's death (175), Emperor Ling rewarded his mother Chen with the honorary title Princess Xiao of Bohai , with which he paid tribute to her status as the mother of an emperor.

Era name

• Benchu (本 初, Pinyin ben chū ) 146

predecessor	Office	successor
Chong	Emperor of China 145–146	Huan