Emperor Xuan of Han facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emperor Xuan of Han
Depiction of Emperor Xuan from Sancai Tuhui
Emperor of the Han dynasty
Reign	10 September 74 BC – 10 January 48 BC
Predecessor	Liu He
Successor	Emperor Yuan
Born	91 BC Chang'an, Han dynasty
Died	10 January 48 BC (aged 43) Chang'an, Han dynasty
Burial	Du Mausoleum (杜陵), Xi'an
Consorts	Empress Gong'ai Empress Huo Chengjun Empress Xiaoxuan
Issue	Emperor Yuan Liu Qin Liu Xiao Liu Yu Liu Jing Princess Guantao Princess Jingwu
Full name Liú Bìngyǐ (劉病已), later Liú Xún (劉詢) Era dates Běnshǐ 本始 (73–70 BC) Dìjié 地節 (69–66 BC) Yúankāng 元康 (65–61 BC) Shénjué 神爵 (61–58 BC) Wŭfèng 五鳳 (57–54 BC) Gānlù 甘露 (53–50 BC) Huánglóng 黃龍 (48 BC) Posthumous name Short: Emperor Xuan (宣帝) "responsible" Full: Emperor Xiaoxuan (孝宣皇帝) "filial and know by many" Temple name Zhōngzōng (中宗)
House	Liu
Dynasty	Han (Western Han)
Father	Liu Jin
Mother	Wang Wengxu

Emperor Xuan of Han (Chinese: 漢宣帝; 91 BC – 10 January 48 BC), originally named Liu Bingyi (劉病已), was an important emperor of the Han dynasty. He ruled from 74 BC to 48 BC. His time as emperor was a very successful period for the Han dynasty. The country became strong in its economy and military. Many historians believe this was a golden age for the Han Empire. His rule, along with the rule of Emperor Zhao, is known as the Zhaoxuan Restoration. Emperor Xuan was one of only four Western Han emperors to receive a special "temple name," which was a great honor. He was followed by his son, Emperor Yuan.

Emperor Xuan's life story is like a "rags-to-riches" tale. He was born a prince, the great-grandson of Emperor Wu. However, when he was just a baby, his grandfather, Liu Ju, who was the crown prince, was falsely accused of using magic against Emperor Wu. This led to a big conflict in 91 BC, and his grandfather died. Emperor Xuan's father, Liu Jin, and most of his family also died during this difficult time.

Emperor Xuan was only a few months old when this happened. He survived thanks to the kindness of a prison warden named Bing Ji. After Emperor Wu declared a nationwide amnesty (a general pardon) in 87 BC, young Liu Bingyi was released and grew up as a common person. In 74 BC, after another emperor, Liu He, ruled for only 27 days, the 17-year-old Liu Bingyi was chosen to be the new emperor by a powerful official named Huo Guang. It was ironic because he was now getting the throne that would have been his anyway if his family hadn't faced such a terrible event years before.

Historians remember Emperor Xuan as a very hardworking and smart ruler. Because he grew up among ordinary people, he understood their struggles. He worked to lower taxes, make the government more open, and hire talented officials. He was known for listening to advice and choosing good people to help him govern.

From Prince to Commoner: His Early Life

A Difficult Start

Liu Bingyi was born in 91 BC. His father was Liu Jin, the son of the Crown Prince Liu Ju. His mother was Consort Wang. As the grandson of the Crown Prince, he was likely born in a royal palace.

However, that same year, a terrible event changed everything. His grandfather, Prince Ju, was falsely accused of using witchcraft against his own father, Emperor Wu. This led to a rebellion, which Prince Ju lost. Prince Ju took his own life, and Bingyi's two uncles died with him. His great-grandmother, Empress Wei, also died. His grandmother and parents died in the capital city of Chang'an during this incident. It's not clear if they took their own lives or were executed.

Baby Bingyi was somehow spared. He was sent to a prison managed by the Ministry of Vassal Affairs. The warden, Bing Ji, felt sorry for the child. He knew Prince Ju was innocent. Bing Ji found two kind female prisoners, Hu Zu and Guo Zhengqing, to care for Bingyi as his wet nurses. Bing Ji visited them every day to check on the child.

Growing Up as an Ordinary Person

Near the end of Emperor Wu's rule, there was a strange event. Some magicians claimed that an emperor's special "aura" was coming from the prisons in Chang'an. Emperor Wu worried that someone from the prison might try to take his throne. So, he ordered that all prisoners be executed, no matter what their crime was. When the order reached Bing Ji's prison, he refused to follow it. He argued that no one, especially the emperor's own great-grandson, should be killed without a proper conviction. The official delivering the order tried to charge Bing Ji, but by then, Emperor Wu realized his mistake and issued a general pardon. While prisoners in other jails died, those in Bing Ji's prison survived.

After this, Bing Ji felt it was not right for young Bingyi to stay in prison. He tried to transfer Bingyi to the city government, but they refused to take responsibility. So, Bingyi stayed in prison for a while longer. After Hu, one of his caretakers, finished her prison sentence, Bing Ji paid her himself to continue caring for Bingyi for several months. Later, when the money for Bingyi's care stopped coming from the imperial family, Bing Ji used his own salary to support him. When Bingyi was a bit older, Bing Ji found his maternal grandmother, Lady Zhenjun, and her brother, Shi Gong. Bingyi was then sent to live with them, and Lady Zhenjun raised him.

Years later, Bingyi's granduncle, Emperor Zhao, learned that Bingyi was alive. He ordered the Ministry of Imperial Clan Affairs to take over his care. A chief eunuch named Zhang He, who had once advised Prince Ju, also helped Bingyi.

Young Adulthood and Marriage

Around 76 BC, Zhang He wanted to arrange a marriage for Bingyi. He convinced one of his assistants, Xu Guanghan, to let his daughter, Xu Pingjun, marry Bingyi. Xu Pingjun's mother was very angry about this, but because Zhang He was Xu's boss, Xu Guanghan felt he couldn't refuse. So, Bingyi and Pingjun were married. Zhang He paid for the entire wedding and the traditional "bride price" because Bingyi couldn't afford it.

After getting married, Bingyi relied on his wife's family and his grandmother's family for support. He hired a teacher to learn about the Confucian classics. He was a dedicated student and had a strong sense of fairness. As a teenager, he made friends from all parts of society. This helped him see the problems in society and how ordinary people suffered because of corrupt officials. He also enjoyed hiking. Sometimes, he was called to meet Emperor Zhao. Later, Pingjun gave birth to their son, Liu Shi.

Becoming Emperor

After Emperor Zhao died in 74 BC at the young age of 20, the powerful regent Huo Guang first offered the throne to another prince, Prince He of Changyi. However, Prince He quickly showed he was not fit to be emperor, so Huo Guang removed him after only 27 days. Huo Guang then struggled to find a suitable successor among the other princes.

With a recommendation from Bing Ji (the former prison warden who had protected Bingyi), Huo Guang decided to offer the throne to Liu Bingyi, who was then 17 years old. This decision was approved by Huo Guang's granddaughter, Empress Dowager Shangguan. To make sure a common person didn't directly become emperor, Liu Bingyi was first given the title of Marquess of Yangwu. On the same day, he was offered the imperial seal and ribbon, and he accepted the throne.

Early Years as Emperor

When Emperor Xuan became emperor, his son, Prince Shi, was only a few months old. Prince Shi's mother, Xu Pingjun, was first made a consort. When it was time to choose an empress, many officials wanted Emperor Xuan to marry Huo Guang's daughter, Huo Chengjun. Emperor Xuan didn't say no directly, but he asked for the sword he used to own when he was a commoner. The officials understood his hint and recommended Consort Xu as empress. She became empress later in 74 BC. Emperor Xuan wanted to make his father-in-law, Xu Guanghan, a marquess, but Huo Guang disagreed, saying a eunuch should not be a marquess. Instead, Xu Guanghan was given the title of Lord of Changcheng.

In 73 BC, Huo Guang offered to step down from his role as regent. Emperor Xuan politely refused. He ordered that all important state and army matters should still go to Huo Guang first. This showed that Emperor Xuan, even as emperor, still respected Huo Guang's power. He also gave high positions to Huo Guang's son, Huo Yu, and his grandnephews and sons-in-law.

In the same year, Emperor Xuan honored his grandparents and parents by giving them special titles after their deaths. He also had them reburied with respect. In 67 BC, he finally found his maternal grandmother's family and rewarded them with riches. He even made his uncles marquesses.

In 71 BC, Empress Xu was pregnant. Huo Guang's wife, Lady Xian, wanted her own daughter, Huo Chengjun, to become empress. She secretly bribed Empress Xu's doctor, Chunyu Yan, to poison Empress Xu after she gave birth. Chunyu did so, and Empress Xu died. When doctors were arrested to investigate her death, Lady Xian confessed to Huo Guang. Huo Guang, not wanting to expose his wife, helped Chunyu get released.

That same year, there was a big battle with the Xiongnu, a nomadic group. The Xiongnu had been attacking the kingdom of Wusun in Central Asia. Emperor Xuan sent five generals and worked with Wusun to attack the Xiongnu. The battles were not decisive for the Han generals, but Wusun forces won a major victory, weakening the Xiongnu's western region. For years afterward, the Xiongnu were attacked by other tribes and could not bother the Han borders as much.

In 70 BC, Emperor Xuan made Huo Chengjun empress. She was used to a luxurious life, and her palace expenses were much higher than those of the late Empress Xu.

Emperor Xuan's early rule was known for his willingness to try new things. He appointed officials who were fair to the people and listened to good advice. For example, in 67 BC, he added four special judges to hear final appeals in criminal cases. This helped make the justice system fairer.

The Huo Family Loses Power

In 68 BC, Huo Guang died. Emperor Xuan and Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan showed great respect by personally attending Huo's funeral and building a grand tomb for him. After Huo's death, Emperor Xuan took much more personal control of the government. Zhang Anshi and Wei Xiang became his main advisors. Bing Ji, the warden who saved him as a baby, also became an important official. However, Huo Guang's son, grandnephews, and sons-in-law still held important positions.

In 67 BC, Emperor Xuan made Prince Shi, the son of the late Empress Xu, the crown prince. He also made Empress Xu's father, Xu Guanghan, the Marquess of Ping'en, a title Huo Guang had opposed. Huo Guang's wife, Lady Xian, was very upset. She wanted her daughter, Empress Huo Chengjun, to have a son who would become the next emperor. She told her daughter to try and harm the crown prince. Empress Huo reportedly tried several times but failed. Around this time, the emperor also heard rumors that the Huo family had caused Empress Xu's death. This led him to slowly reduce the Huo family's real power, even while giving them impressive titles.

In 66 BC, as public rumors grew about the Huo family's involvement in Empress Xu's death, Lady Xian finally admitted to her son and grandnephews that she had indeed caused Empress Xu's death. Fearing what the emperor might do if he had proof, Lady Xian and her family members planned to remove the emperor from power. However, their plan was discovered. Emperor Xuan then removed the Huo family from their positions. This act showed Emperor Xuan taking full control of his government.

A Strong and Peaceful Reign

During the middle part of his reign, Emperor Xuan continued to promote honest officials who cared for the people. He also worked to strengthen relationships with the kingdoms in Central Asia, making them strong allies of Han. He was known for paying close attention to details and for having clear discussions with his generals about military plans. For example, in 62 BC, he advised General Zhao Chongguo on how to deal with the Qiang tribes. Zhao wanted to treat the tribes fairly instead of fighting them, and Emperor Xuan eventually agreed. The Qiang tribes were settled peacefully without much fighting. Also, after a brief interest in magic in 61 BC, Emperor Xuan realized that trying to find immortality was foolish and expensive, unlike some emperors before him.

In 64 BC, Emperor Xuan thought about choosing a new empress. His favorite consorts were Hua, Zhang, and Wei. He considered making Consort Zhang, who was the mother of his son Liu Qin, the empress. However, he was still worried about the previous empress, Huo Chengjun, trying to harm Crown Prince Shi. To avoid this, he decided to choose an empress who did not have her own sons. He chose Consort Wang, who was not one of his favorites, to be empress. He asked her to raise Crown Prince Shi as her own son.

That same year, he also changed his name from Bingyi to Xun (詢). He did this to make it easier for people to follow the "naming taboo" (avoiding using the emperor's name out of respect). The characters bing and yi were very common and hard to avoid in everyday speech and writing.

In 63 BC, Emperor Xuan fully understood how much Bing Ji had helped him survive as a child. He decided to reward Bing Ji and others who had helped him. Bing Ji and several others, including Zhang He's adopted son, were made marquesses. The prison guards who had been kind to him were also rewarded. His nurses, Hu and Guo, had already passed away, but their families were found and rewarded.

Later Years and Legacy

In his later years, Emperor Xuan became a bit more luxurious in his lifestyle, but he was still careful with money. He also became a little less strict in checking reports from officials. For example, there were many reports of seeing fenghuang (Chinese phoenixes), which were mythical birds believed to be signs of good fortune. While some sightings might have been rare birds, many were likely hoaxes. Emperor Xuan accepted these reports without questioning them much. However, overall, Emperor Xuan's reign continued to show his care for the people and his unwillingness to go to war unless it was truly necessary.

For example, in 59 BC, a major civil war broke out among the Xiongnu tribes. Many Han generals wanted to use this chance to completely defeat the Xiongnu. But Emperor Xuan did not want to do this. Instead, he encouraged peace among the Xiongnu princes, hoping they would eventually become allies of the Han.

His efforts paid off. By 56 BC, the Xiongnu were divided into three separate groups, each led by a Chanyu (their leader). All three groups sought peace with the Han. The Han dynasty was able to reduce its military forces, which lessened the burden on its people. In 54 BC, one of the Chanyus, Runzhen, was defeated by Chanyu Zhizhi. Zhizhi then tried to defeat Chanyu Huhanye to reunite the Xiongnu. In response, in 53 BC, Chanyu Huhanye decided to become a Han ally and asked for Han protection. In 51 BC, Chanyu Huhanye visited Chang'an as a Han ally. Emperor Xuan wisely decided to treat him with great respect, even higher than imperial princes, so that Huhanye would be grateful and not fearful. Emperor Xuan also sent an army to help Chanyu Huhanye protect his territory. In 49 BC, Chanyu Huhanye made a second visit. With Han help, his power grew, and Chanyu Zhizhi was forced to move west.

In 53 BC, Emperor Xuan was a bit disappointed with Crown Prince Shi, feeling he relied too much on Confucian officials and lacked strong decision-making skills. He considered making Liu Qin, the Prince of Huaiyang, the crown prince instead. However, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He remembered how Empress Xu, Prince Shi's mother, was his first love and had been poisoned. He also remembered how much he depended on his father-in-law in his youth.

In 51 BC, after Chanyu Huhanye's visit, Emperor Xuan did something special. He honored 11 key officials who had helped him succeed. He had their portraits painted in the main gallery of the imperial palace, the Weiyang Palace. This was a great honor. The 11 officials included:

• Huo Guang
• Zhang Anshi
• Han Zeng
• Zhao Chongguo
• Wei Xiang
• Bing Ji
• Du Yannian
• Liu De
• Liang Qiuhe
• Xiao Wangzhi
• Su Wu

Huo Guang was referred to only by his titles, which was considered an even greater honor than given to the other ten.

By this time, the Western Han dynasty reached its largest size, even bigger than during the reign of Emperor Wu.

Emperor Xuan died in 49 BC. His son, Crown Prince Shi, became the next emperor, known as Emperor Yuan. Emperor Xuan's tomb, called Duling (杜陵), is located about 15 kilometers southeast of the city of Xi'an.

Culture

Emperor Xuan's court was a place where literature and poetry were important. He even turned his royal hunts into poetry competitions for the poets who joined him. Famous writers like Wang Bao and Liu Xiang were part of his court.

Era Names

Emperors in China often used different "era names" during their reign. These names marked different periods of their rule. Emperor Xuan used these era names:

• Benshi (本始) 73 BC – 70 BC
• Dijie (地節) 69 BC – 66 BC
• Yuankang (元康) 65 BC – 61 BC
• Shenjue (神爵) 61 BC – 58 BC
• Wufeng (五鳳) 57 BC – 54 BC
• Ganlu (甘露) 53 BC – 50 BC
• Huanglong (黃龍) 49 BC

Family

Emperor Xuan had several wives and many children:

• Empress Gong'ai, from the Xu family (89–71 BC)
  • Liu Shi, who became Emperor Xiaoyuan (75–33 BC), his first son.
• Empress, from the Huo family (87–54 BC)
• Empress Xiaoxuan, from the Wang family (died 16 BC)
• Jieyu, from the Zhang family
  • Liu Qin, Prince Xian of Huaiyang (died 28 BC), his second son.
• Jieyu, from the Wei family
  • Liu Xiao, Prince Xiao of Chu (died 25 BC), his third son.
• Jieyu, from the Gongsun family
  • Liu Yu, Prince Si of Dongping (died 20 BC), his fourth son.
• Jieyu, from the Rong family
  • Liu Jing, Prince Ai of Zhongshan (died 35 BC), his fifth son.
• Jieyu, from the Hua family
  • Princess Guantao (born 71 BC), his first daughter.
    • Married Yu Yong, Marquis Xiping.
• Unknown mother
  • Princess Jingwu (died 3 AD)
    • Married Zhang Lin, Marquis Fuping.
    • Married Zhao Qin, Marquis Linping.
    • Married Xue Xuan, Marquis Gaoyang.

Images for kids

• 

  Duling (杜陵), the tomb of Emperor Xuan

See also

• Family tree of the Han dynasty