He Jin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
He Jin
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| 何進 | |
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| General-in-Chief (大將軍) | |
| In office 184 – 22 September 189 |
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| Monarch | Emperor Ling of Han / Emperor Shao of Han |
| Intendant of Henan (河南尹) | |
| In office 180–184 |
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| Monarch | Emperor Ling of Han |
| Court Architect (將作大匠) | |
| In office 180–184 |
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| Monarch | Emperor Ling of Han |
| Palace Attendant (侍中) | |
| In office 180–184 |
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| Monarch | Emperor Ling of Han |
| Administrator of Yingchuan (潁川太守) | |
| In office ?–180 |
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| Monarch | Emperor Ling of Han |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Nanyang, Henan |
| Died | 22 September 189 Luoyang, Henan |
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| Relatives |
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| Occupation | Military general, politician |
| Courtesy name | Suigao (遂高) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Shen (慎侯) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Han Empire |
| Unit | Han Imperial Forces |
| Battles/wars | Yellow Turban Rebellion Massacre of the Eunuchs |
He Jin (died 22 September 189), also known by his courtesy name Suigao, was an important military general and politician in ancient China. He lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He Jin was the Grand Marshal, which meant he was in charge of the military. He also served as a regent, helping to rule the country when the emperor was too young.
He Jin was the older half-brother of Empress He, who was the wife of Emperor Ling. This made him the uncle of Emperor Shao. In 189, after Emperor Ling died, He Jin and his sister became regents for the young Emperor Shao. During this time, He Jin had a big conflict with a powerful group of palace officials called the eunuchs. The eunuchs tricked He Jin and killed him in the imperial palace. After his death, He Jin's followers, led by a general named Yuan Shao, fought back and defeated the eunuchs. However, another powerful general, Dong Zhuo, used this chance to take control of the capital city, Luoyang. Dong Zhuo's actions led to many civil wars that lasted for nearly a century. These wars eventually brought an end to the Han dynasty and started the Three Kingdoms period.
Contents
He Jin's Story
Early Life and Rise to Power
He Jin was born in Nanyang, Henan, into a family of butchers. This was a humble beginning. His younger half-sister later joined the palace and became a favorite of Emperor Ling. In 181, she became the empress. Because of his sister's new position, He Jin quickly moved up in the government.
Fighting the Yellow Turban Rebellion
In 184, a large uprising called the Yellow Turban Rebellion began. He Jin was made General-in-Chief, a very high military rank. He was put in charge of the imperial army and helped protect the capital. He quickly stopped a part of the rebellion near Luoyang. This was a big success, and He Jin was given the title Marquis of Shen. Even after the rebellion ended, he remained in charge of all the imperial armies. Other members of his family, like his younger step-brother He Miao, also gained important positions.
A New Army and Growing Tensions
In 188, Emperor Ling created a new army called the Army of the Western Garden. Some historians believe the emperor did this to balance the power of He Jin and his family. The emperor even called himself "Supreme General" and put a trusted eunuch named Jian Shuo in charge of this new army. This meant He Jin was technically under the emperor's command. However, this new army was not used much and was disbanded less than a year later.
The Power Struggle Begins
When Emperor Ling died in 189, a major conflict began between He Jin and the powerful eunuch faction. Jian Shuo, the eunuch, planned to trap and kill He Jin at the palace. But a minor official secretly warned He Jin, who then avoided the trap. He Jin then had Jian Shuo arrested and executed. He also took control of Jian Shuo's troops.
With the help of powerful families like the Yuan family, especially Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, He Jin helped make Liu Bian, the son of Empress He, the new emperor. He Jin and his sister, now the Empress Dowager, became the regents. This meant they ruled the country for the young emperor.
The End of He Jin's Rule
During the summer, He Jin and his allies argued with the eunuchs in court. The eunuchs no longer had their own army, so they relied on the support of the Empress Dowager and He Miao. Yuan Shao urged He Jin to call a general named Dong Zhuo to the capital. The idea was to scare the Empress Dowager into agreeing to their plans.
In September 189, He Jin went to the palace to ask the Empress Dowager to agree to execute the eunuchs. However, Zhang Rang, the leader of the eunuchs, found out about He Jin's plan. The eunuchs then tricked He Jin into coming to the Imperial Palace without his guards. There, they brutally killed him.
After He Jin's death, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, who had many soldiers in the capital, stormed the palace. They massacred the eunuchs. This created a power vacuum, which Dong Zhuo quickly used to take control of the imperial court. Dong Zhuo then removed the young emperor from power and replaced him with another prince, who became Emperor Xian. Dong Zhuo's actions made many people angry. In 190, various generals from different parts of the empire formed an alliance to fight Dong Zhuo. This marked the beginning of many civil wars that eventually led to the end of the Han dynasty.
He Jin's Family
He Jin had several family members who were also involved in the politics of the time:
- Empress He: His half-sister, who was the empress and mother of Emperor Shao.
- Lady He: Another sister of Empress He. She married the adopted son of the eunuch Zhang Rang.
- He Miao: His step-brother, also known as Shuda. He Miao was actually born "Zhu Miao" and was not blood-related to He Jin. He was a general and was killed after He Jin's death because he was seen as supporting the eunuchs.
He Jin is believed to have had at least one son, He Xian. He Xian had a son named He Yan (born around 196 AD). He Yan was later adopted by the warlord Cao Cao.
See Also
- Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms
