Dynasties of ChinaEastern HanEastern Han lineage
Yongping · Reign 57—75
He strictly enforced the law and attached great importance to Confucianism. He sent envoys to the west to seek Dharma, built the White Horse Temple, and jointly established the "Mingzhang Rule" with Emperor Zhang.
Liu Zhuang is the fourth son of Emperor Guangwu and the son of Queen Yin. His original name is Liu Yang. He was named Duke of Donghai when he was twelve years old. In the 19th year of Jianwu (43 years), Emperor Guangwu deposed Crown Prince Liu Qiang and made him Crown Prince. He succeeded to the throne in 57 years. He was influenced by Confucianism since he was a child. After taking office, he was known for his discernment. He did everything personally and strictly controlled his relatives. Queen Ma's brothers were not allowed to hold important positions, and the kings were also prohibited from making friends. King Liu Ying of Chu and others were executed or deposed for rebellion, which implicated thousands of people.
He attached great importance to Confucian classics and water conservancy. In 69 years, he ordered Wang Jing and Wang Wu to control the Yellow River and Bian Canal. A few years later, the rivers and Bian canals were diverted. He resumed the war between the Northern Huns. In 73 years, he sent Dou Gu, Geng Bing and others to attack in four directions. Ban Chao accompanied the army on an envoy to the Western Regions, and the Western Regions were once again connected to the Han Dynasty. He also advocated Confucianism and personally went to Taixue to give lectures. Even the Huns sent their children to enroll. It is said that he dreamed of a golden man at night and sent an envoy to Tianzhu to seek Buddhist teachings. Cai Yin and others returned with scriptures, statues and monks, and built the White Horse Temple in Luoyang. Buddhism spread in China. He died of illness in Luoyang in August 1975. He reigned for eighteen years and was buried in Xianjie Mausoleum.
Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty attached great importance to legality and Confucianism, and governed with a clear mind. During his reign, the borders were reorganized, the Western Regions were reopened, and Buddhism was introduced, which added new content to Chinese culture. Together with Emperor Zhang, he was called the "Government of Ming Zhang". However, he had a intolerant and harsh character, and was excessively suspicious of relatives outside the clan. He was too involved in the cases of King Chu Ying and others, and courtiers were often blamed for minor offenses. These practices were criticized by later generations as being too strict.
PoliticsStrictly abide by the law after ascending the throne
He succeeded to the throne in February and followed the Emperor Guangwu system. No royal family members or relatives were allowed to interfere in political affairs. He personally reviewed the memorials and strictly inspected the officials. He would even punish the minister personally if he made mistakes.
CultureLinyong elderly care
He personally went to Piyong to hold the grand shooting ceremony and the elderly care ceremony, and lectured on the meaning of the scriptures, attracting tens of thousands of viewers. He also ordered the children of his relatives and aristocrats to enter school, and set up Xiaohou School with four surnames. According to the "Book of the Later Han", the Huns also sent their children to school, and Confucianism flourished.
PeoplePicture Cloud Platform Twenty-eight Generals
Emperor Ming commemorated Emperor Guangwu, the hero of the ZTE, and painted portraits of twenty-eight generals including Deng Yu, Ma Wu, and Wu Han on Yuntai, Nangong, Luoyang. Because Mahuanghou's father, Ma Yuan, was a relative, Emperor Ming did not include him in order to avoid suspicion.
Culture"Book of Han" written by Ban Gu
Ban Gu was accused of secretly writing national history. After he was imprisoned, his brother Ban Chao wrote a letter to defend himself. Emperor Ming read his manuscript, appreciated his talent, and appointed him as the historian of Lantai, allowing him to continue writing the "Book of Han", which took more than 20 years to complete.
CultureAccording to legend, an envoy was sent to ask for help
According to legend, Emperor Ming dreamed of a golden man flying in his palace at night, and his ministers interpreted him as the Buddha of the West, so he sent Cai Yin, Qin Jing and others to Tianzhu to seek Dharma (one theory is that it was in 64 AD). According to legend, they met Tianzhu monks She Moteng and Zhu Falan in Dayuezhi and asked them to return to Luoyang with them.
Lasting legacyThe White Horse Temple in Luoyang, known as the "Ancestral Temple of Chinese Buddhism", is located in the eastern suburbs of today's Luoyang City and is still popular today.
CultureAssume that the four surnames are Xiao Houxue
Schools were established for the children of the four surnames of the maternal relatives: Fan, Guo, Yin, and Ma. They were called "little princes" because they were not princes. Masters of the Five Classics were invited to teach, and the court gave them food and clothing, so that the children of the maternal relatives could also receive Confucian education.
CultureBuild White Horse Temple
Emperor Ming built a temple outside the Yongmen Gate in the west of Luoyang City and placed Buddhist scriptures and statues to welcome the returnees. According to legend, the scriptures were carried back on white horses, hence the name White Horse Temple. This is the first government-run Buddhist temple in China (the year it was built is said to be 68 years).
Lasting legacyThe existing White Horse Temple was rebuilt by the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The tombs of two monks, She Moteng and Zhu Falan, are still preserved in the temple.
Science & technologyWang Jingzhi River
The Yellow River and Bian Canal burst open for a long time. Emperor Ming mobilized hundreds of thousands of people and ordered water conservancy experts Wang Jing and Wang Wu to take charge of the repairs. They built embankments from Xingyang east to Qiancheng Haikou for more than a thousand miles and renovated the Bian Canal. After that, the Yellow River flowed smoothly for hundreds of years.
PoliticsChu Wangying case
Liu Ying, king of Chu, was a trafficker and a fortune teller. He was accused of treason and was deposed as a marquis. He moved to Danyang and committed suicide immediately. The case involved a wide range of people, and thousands of people were killed and exiled in a few years. Liu Ying believes in Buddhism and is one of the earliest Buddhist believers found in historical records.
MilitaryDou Gu's Northern Expedition to the Huns
Dou Gu and Geng Zhong came out of Jiuquan, Geng Bing and Qin Peng came out of Juyan, defeated King Huyan of the Northern Huns, and entered the Tianshan Mountains. They established Yihe Duwei in Yiwu to garrison the fields. This battle of the Han army opened the way to the Western Regions.
DiplomacyBan Chao's mission to the Western Regions
Ban Chao was sent as an envoy to the Western Regions on Dou Gu's order. He attacked the Xiongnu envoys at night in Shanshan and subdued them. He also went to Khotan and Shule one after another. In 74 years, the Han Dynasty reestablished the Western Regions Protectorate and Wuji Xiaowei, and the connections with the Western Regions that had been interrupted for decades were restored.
PoliticsDied of illness Xianjie Mausoleum
In August, he died of illness in the front hall of the East Palace in Luoyang. The imperial edict required that he be buried sparingly and that he could not afford to sleep in the temple. He could only offer sacrifices in the dressing room of Guangwu Temple. Crown Prince Liu Da succeeded to the throne as Emperor Zhang.
The daughter of General Fubo Ma Yuan, entered the palace at the age of 13. She was modest and frugal, did not believe in gods and monsters, raised Emperor Zhang as her own child, and once prevented Emperor Ming from conferring many titles on the Ma brothers. After Emperor Zhang came to the throne, she still repeatedly discouraged his relatives from conferring marquisships.
Emperor Guangwu's son-in-law was familiar with border affairs. In 73 AD, he led the Northern Expedition and defeated King Huyan. He then sent Ban Chao as an envoy to the Western Regions to reopen exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions.
Lelang people, who were proficient in astronomy and engineering, were ordered to repair the Yellow River and Bian Canal, and created a method of "building a water gate every ten miles, with more water flowing back to each other". After the completion of the project, the Yellow River could flow smoothly for a long time.
On the order of Emperor Ming, he and Qin Jing and others went to Tianzhu to seek Buddhism. According to legend, they met Shemo Teng and Zhu Falan in Dayuezhi and returned to Luoyang with Buddhist scriptures and Buddha statues.
The son of Emperor Guangwu, in his later years, he loved Huang Lao's studies and supported ascetics. He "recited Huang Lao's subtle words and worshiped the Ren Temple of Buddha." Later, he was accused of treason and committed suicide after being deposed.