Lü Clan disturbance facts for kids
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The Lü Clan disturbance was a big political event in ancient China. It happened around 180 BCE, after the powerful Empress Lü Zhi died. Her family, known as the Lü clan, had taken over much of the government. After her death, other powerful leaders removed the Lü clan from power. They also made Emperor Houshao step down. Then, Emperor Wen became the new emperor. Sometimes, the "Lü Clan disturbance" also includes the time when Empress Lü Zhi and her family were in charge, even before her death.
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Empress Lü Zhi: A Powerful Leader
Empress Lü was a very smart and strong person. Her husband, Emperor Gaozu of Han, became the first emperor of the Han dynasty in 202 BCE. He often had to fight against former allies who rebelled.
When Emperor Gaozu went to fight a rebellion in 196 BCE, he asked Empress Lü to manage the capital city. Her job was to handle daily government tasks. She also had to protect the capital if problems arose. During this time, Empress Lü showed she was a skilled leader. She was good at managing things at home. She also made sure that people who rebelled were arrested. Many officials respected her for her abilities. They also feared her because she was very determined.
After the war, Emperor Gaozu wanted to change who would be the next emperor. He wanted to replace Empress Lü's son, Liu Ying, with another son, Liu Ruyi. But Empress Lü had gained a lot of influence. She stopped this change from happening.
Empress Lü's Growing Power
When Emperor Gaozu died, his son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han in 195 BCE. Empress Lü, now the empress dowager, became very powerful. She openly took part in government decisions. She would give orders and cancel decrees as she wished. She also took steps to protect the dynasty. She even had some of her political opponents removed.
The young Emperor Hui found it hard to go against his mother. He felt he had to respect her. When he saw her strong actions, he "did not dare disobey her." After this, Emperor Hui spent his time enjoying himself. He no longer made important government choices. His mother, Empress Lü, made all the key decisions. She created a system where she "presided over court and listened to governmental affairs." This meant she was in charge of the government.
Empress Lü Takes Full Control
When Emperor Hui died in 188 BCE, his son became Emperor Qianshao of Han. But everyone knew he was not truly in charge. Empress Dowager Lü, Emperor Hui's mother, kept all the power. Her position made the emperor's role just a title.
Historical books say she "presided over court and issued edicts." This phrase is usually used for an active ruler. She even ignored the tradition that the emperor should be present at meetings. She ran the court meetings by herself. She also chose the name for the new era. This was a job usually done by the emperor.
Empress Lü also used special words for herself. She called herself Zhen, a word only emperors used. Officials spoke to her using Bixia, an honorific for the emperor. She even took on duties that only an emperor should do. These included making sacrifices and performing special ceremonies.
Empress Lü Elevates Her Family
Empress Dowager Lü wanted to make her family as important as the royal family. She decided to make her brothers princes. This went against Emperor Gaozu's rule. He had said that only members of the Liu royal family could be princes.
Some officials disagreed with her. But others, like Chancellor of the Left Chen Ping and Marshal Zhou Bo, supported her. They said they had to agree with Empress Lü. They believed it was necessary to protect the empire and the Liu family.
Empress Dowager Lü then gave Wang Ling, who opposed her, a new job. It was called Grand Tutor, the emperor's teacher. This was meant to remove him from court. Wang Ling refused, saying he was sick. So, Lü removed him from his position. She then promoted Chen Ping to a higher role. She also promoted Shen Yiji, who was close to her.
Empress Dowager Lü continued to give her relatives important positions. In 187 BCE, she made her daughter's son, Zhang Yan, a prince. She also made her nephew Lü Tai a prince. She arranged for her nephew's daughter to marry a grandson of Emperor Gaozu. This helped her family gain more power. She also made more nephews marquesses, which are noble titles.
In 184 BCE, Empress Lü did something very unusual. She made her younger sister, Lü Xu, a marquise. This was rare for a woman. In 181 BCE, Lü Tai's son, Lü Chan, became Prince of Liang. He stayed in the capital to help Empress Dowager Lü. Later that year, she made her nephew Lü Lu Prince of Zhao. Another nephew, Lü Tong, became Prince of Yan. Three more nephews also became marquesses.
Empress Lü's Death and a New Plan
In the summer of 180 BCE, Empress Dowager Lü Zhi died. She had given ten of her relatives noble titles. This greatly increased her family's power. Before she died, she put Lü Lu and Lü Chan in charge of the imperial guards. Lü Lu led the stronger northern division. Lü Chan led the weaker southern division. They were also in charge of the government.
After her death, people believed the Lü clan planned to take over the Han dynasty. This plan was supposedly leaked to Liu Zhang. He was a grandson of Emperor Gaozu. Liu Zhang had married a daughter of Lü Lu. He learned about the plan from his wife.
Liu Zhang then planned a rebellion with his brothers. They wanted to remove the Lü clan. Their plan was for Liu Xiang, the Prince of Qi, to lead his army against the capital. Liu Zhang and his brother would try to get the imperial guards to join them. If they succeeded, they wanted Liu Xiang to become emperor.
The Coup Against the Lü Clan
Things did not go exactly as planned. In the autumn of 180 BCE, Liu Xiang started his military campaign. Lü Chan sent an army to fight him. But the general, Guan Ying, did not trust the Lüs. He secretly made a deal with Liu Xiang. Both armies stopped fighting.
The Lü clan was supposedly ready to take over the dynasty. But they were worried about what other powerful leaders would do. While this was happening, a new secret plan was made in the capital. Many important people were involved. These included members of the royal family, like Liu Zhang and Liu Xingju. Also involved were Marshal Zhou Bo and Prime Minister Chen Ping. Other key officials and military leaders joined them.
The conspirators first tried to get the Lüs to give up power peacefully. Li Ji, a friend of Lü Lu, convinced him to return to his principality. He also suggested giving power to Zhou Bo and Chen Ping. Lü Lu agreed, but his family elders did not.
So, the conspirators took strong action. Ji Tong created a fake imperial order. It said that the northern division of the imperial guards should be given to Zhou Bo. Li Ji and Liu Jie convinced Lü Lu that the order was real. Lü Lu obeyed. Zhou Bo then took control of the northern guards. He made them promise loyalty to the Liu royal family.
Next, the conspirators moved against Lü Chan. He did not know about the change in the guards. While he was trying to enter the imperial palace, Liu Zhang and Cao Qu took control of the palace gates. They trapped Lü Chan and his guards. Zhou Bo sent soldiers to Liu Zhang. They fought with Lü Chan's guards and killed him. Over the next few days, every member of the Lü clan was removed from power.
Emperor Wen Becomes Emperor
The conspirators said they acted to protect Emperor Houshao from the Lü clan. But once the Lüs were gone, they claimed that Emperor Houshao and his brothers were not Emperor Hui's real sons. They said Emperor Hui's wife, Empress Zhang Yan, had adopted the boys. The conspirators also worried about what would happen when Emperor Houshao grew up. So, they decided to remove Emperor Houshao. They wanted a new emperor from a different branch of the royal family.
They discussed who should be the new emperor. Some suggested Liu Xiang, as he was the eldest grandson of Emperor Gaozu. But most officials disagreed. They worried that Liu Xiang's uncle was too controlling. They feared it would be like the Lü clan situation again.
They thought Liu Heng, the Prince of Dai, was a better choice. He was Emperor Gaozu's oldest living son. He was known for being kind and respectful. His mother's family was also known for being careful and gentle. Messengers secretly invited Prince Heng to be the new emperor.
Prince Heng's advisors were suspicious. They thought the officials might want to control him. But one advisor, Song Chang, disagreed. He believed the officials truly supported the Han dynasty. He said they would not try to take power for themselves. Still unsure, Prince Heng sent his uncle, Bo Zhao, to meet Marshal Zhou. Zhou guaranteed that the officials were sincere. The uncle believed him and urged Prince Heng to accept.
Prince Heng then traveled to the capital. During a ceremony, Prime Minister Chen and other officials offered him the throne. After politely declining several times, Prince Heng accepted. He officially became the new emperor, later known as Emperor Wen of Han. That same night, Emperor Houshao was removed from the palace. The new emperor was welcomed with great celebration.
What Happened Next
The Lü Clan Disturbance had good effects for the young Han dynasty. It showed that the emperor would hold the real power. Emperor Wen became a very good and hardworking ruler. His reign and his son's reign, Emperor Jing, were known as a "golden age" in Chinese history. The story of the Lü clan is often used as a warning. It reminds empresses' families not to gain too much power. It also reminds emperors not to let them do so.
