Dynasties of ChinaEastern HanEastern Han lineage
Jianhe and others · Reign 146—167
He used the eunuchs to kill Liang Ji, but he allowed the eunuchs to monopolize power. The two party imprisonments severely damaged the scholars, and the Eastern Han began to decline.
Liu Zhi was the son of Liu Yi, the great-grandson of Emperor Zhang and Marquis of Liwu. After Emperor Zhi was poisoned and killed in 146, Liang Ji welcomed him to Beijing to succeed him at the age of fifteen. For more than ten years, the government was controlled by Liangtaihou and Liang Ji, and he was not allowed to interfere. After Liangtaihou died in 150, Liang Ji became more powerful, and Emperor Huan was restrained everywhere and could only accumulate power secretly. In 159, he conspired with the eunuchs Dan Chao, Zuo Ying, Xu Huang, Ju Yuan, and Tang Heng to send troops to surround Liang Ji's mansion, forcing Liang Ji and his wife to commit suicide. The Liang family was executed, and more than 3 billion in wealth was confiscated.
Since then, the power of the eunuchs has been at its peak. Five people were granted the title of marquis on the same day, known as the "Five Marquises". Their gangs spread all over the states and counties, and corruption and violence were rampant. The scholar-bureaucrats, headed by Li Ying and Chen Fan, joined forces with Tai students to attack the eunuchs and were accused of being cronies. The first disaster of party imprisonment broke out in 166, and more than 200 people were arrested. After being released the following year, they were imprisoned for life. During this period, there were constant border troubles and multiple incursions by the Xianbei and Qiang people. However, Emperor Huan indulged in sensuality, admired Huang Lao and pagodas, and had thousands of harem ladies.
However, there were also diplomatic and cultural exchanges during this period. In 166, the envoy of the Great King of Qin Andun arrived in Luoyang by sea. An Shigao, a monk from the Western Regions, and others translated a large number of Buddhist scriptures in Luoyang. In December 167, Emperor Huan died of illness at the age of thirty-six and had no children. Doutaihou and Dou Wu welcomed Liu Hong, Marquis of Jieduting, as Emperor Ling.
Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty succeeded to the throne at the age of fifteen. He endured under the shadow of Liang Ji for more than ten years, and finally used the power of eunuchs to eradicate the Liang family in one fell swoop, showing a certain degree of courage. However, he allowed the eunuchs to take over the power twice, and raised party restrictions twice, excluding the scholar-bureaucrats represented by Li Ying and Chen Fan from the political power. He also indulged in sex and amassed people's wealth, which made Eastern Han politics more corrupt, and finally caused the world to become centrifugal, which became the turning point of Eastern Han's collapse.
PoliticsLiang Ji welcomes him
After Emperor Zhi was poisoned, Liang Ji and Liangtaihou welcomed Liu Zhi, the Marquis of Liwu, who was fifteen years old. Liu Zhi had been betrothed to Liang Ji's sister before, and she succeeded to the throne after entering Beijing. The following year, she made Liang Nuying the queen, and the Liang family's exclusive power continued.
PeopleLi Gu Duqiao was killed
Liu Wen and Liu Tuna, supporters of King Liu Lian of Qinghe, conspired to establish Liu Lian. Liang Ji took the opportunity to frame Li Gu and Du Qiao for their involvement. They were killed one after another and their bodies were displayed to the public, so the officials and disciples risked their lives to collect their bodies. Li Gu was fifty-four years old when he died.
CultureAn Shigao translation
An Shigao, a Parthian monk, came to Luoyang in the early years of Emperor Huan. He was proficient in Chinese and translated more than 30 Buddhist scriptures, including "Anpan Shouyi Jing" and "Yin Holding Sutra". He was the pioneer of early Buddhist scripture translation in Han Dynasty.
Lasting legacyAn Shigao's translation of Hinayana Zen scriptures started the history of translation of Chinese Buddhist scriptures, and the existing translations are still included in the Chinese Tripitaka.
PoliticsLiangtaihou passed away
After Liangtaihou's death, Emperor Huan formally took charge of the government, but Liang Ji still controlled the government and decided on the appointment and dismissal of officials. The emperor was under surveillance everywhere and could only secretly contact the eunuchs and wait for the opportunity.
MilitaryTanshihuai unified Xianbei
Tan Shihuai, the leader of Xianbei, was brave and resourceful. He unified all the tribes in Mobei and established a court in Danhan Mountain. He divided the whole territory into three parts: east, middle and west. After that, he invaded the northern part of Eastern Han many times. In 166, he invaded the nine counties of Yuanbian on a large scale, but the Han army suffered repeated defeats.
PoliticsKill Liang Ji
Emperor Huan conspired with the eunuch Dan Chao and five other people to send troops to surround Liang Ji's mansion at night and take back his general's seal. Liang Ji and his wife Sun Shou committed suicide, and the Liang family was executed. The five eunuchs were granted the title of Marquis on the same day and were known as the "Five Marquises".
EconomyNo Liang Ji family property
The imperial court confiscated Liang Ji's family property, worth more than three billion yuan, and put it into the national treasury. It ordered that half of the national tax be exempted, and Liang Ji's gardens were distributed to the poor for farming. The people celebrated it.
DiplomacyEnvoys from the Qin Dynasty came to China
The envoy of the Great King of Qin Andun arrived in Luoyang via Rinan County by sea and presented ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoiseshell and other objects. This is the earliest record of official exchanges between the Roman Empire and Eastern Han in Chinese historical records.
Lasting legacy"Da Qin" refers to the Roman Empire, and "Anton" is generally believed to refer to the Roman emperor Antony. This record is often used to explain the ancient Maritime Silk Road.
PoliticsThe first disaster of party imprisonment
Li Ying, the captain of the Sili School, executed Zhang Cheng, the alchemist who taught his son to commit murder. Zhang Cheng's disciples wrote a letter falsely accusing Li Ying and others of forming a party to slander the court. Emperor Huan was furious and arrested more than 200 party members. They were released the next year, but they were banned from serving in office for life.
CulturePagoda Laozi in the Palace Temple
Emperor Huan admired immortals and sent people to Ku County to worship Lao Tzu in 165. In 166, he set up a canopy to worship Lao Tzu in Zhuolong Palace, and it was rumored that a pagoda (Buddha) temple was built in the palace. He wrote a letter to Kai Kai, criticizing him for not practicing moral governance but only performing sacrifices.
PeopleDou WuChen Fan is in charge
Dou Wu petitioned for mercy for the party members, Emperor Huan released the party members, and Chen Fan was appointed as Taiwei. After the death of Emperor Huan, Dou Wu and Chen Fan jointly took charge of the government, welcomed Emperor Ling, and planned to kill the eunuchs, becoming the protagonists of Emperor Ling's early political affairs.
PoliticsDied of illness in Xuanling
In December of the first year of Yongkang (January 168 AD), Emperor Huan died of illness in the front hall of Deyang. He was thirty-six years old and had no children. After Doutaihou discussed with Dou Wu, they welcomed Liu Hong, the 12-year-old Marquis of Jieduting, a descendant of King Hejian, and buried Emperor Huan in Xuanling.
The son of Liang Shang and the brother of Liangtaihou, he had been in power for nearly twenty years. He poisoned Emperor Zhi, established a large garden, and made countless wealth. In 159, he was killed by Emperor Huan and five eunuchs.
The leader of the eunuchs during Emperor Huan's reign, he conspired with Zuo Ying, Xu Huang, Ju Yuan, and Tang Heng to kill Liang Ji in 159. On the same day, he was granted the title of Marquis. The five of them had exclusive power and were corrupt, violent and lawless. After Dan Chao's death, he was given posthumously to General Chariot and Cavalry.
A native of Xiangcheng, Yingchuan, he dared to kill the relatives of eunuchs when he was the captain of the Sili school. He was called "Li Yuanli, a model in the world" by Tai students. He was implicated in both party-related disasters and died in prison in 169.
People from Pingyu in Runan rarely have great ambitions, "When a man lives in the world, he should wipe out the world." When Emperor Huan was still in power, he repeatedly wrote letters against the eunuchs. Emperor Lingchu and Dou Wu conspired to kill the eunuchs, but they were found guilty and killed.
A native of Nanzheng, Hanzhong, he was famous for his uprightness. He opposed Liang Ji's autocratic power and advocated the establishment of an older and wiser emperor. He was framed by Liang Ji and put to death. His body was collected and buried by his disciples at the risk of death.
The Crown Prince of Parthia became a monk and came to Luoyang in about 148. He translated more than 30 Buddhist scriptures and pioneered the translation and introduction of Buddhist scriptures in China.
Emperor Huan, who was from Pingyuan and was proficient in astronomy and calender, wrote a letter discussing astrological disasters, advising Emperor Huan to advocate virtue and government, and mentioned the Huang Lao Pagoda in the palace, which was an important evidence of the early spread of Buddhism.