Guo Wei
MilitaryA trusted general of Liu Zhiyuan, he assisted him in establishing the Later Han Dynasty, and was promoted to Privy Councilor. Later, he was jealous of Emperor Yin and raised troops to establish the Later Zhou Dynasty.
Dynasties of ChinaFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsLater Han Dynasty
GaozuLiu Zhiyuan
Tianfu · Qianyou · Reign 947—948
Hedong Jiedushi, who was born in Shatuo, took advantage of the Khitan's withdrawal from the Central Plains to proclaim himself emperor and entered Bian, establishing the Later Han Dynasty. He died after reigning for only one year.
IBiography
- Reign
- 1 years
- Reign era
- Tianfu · Qianyou
- Order of accession
- Ruler #1 · Later Han Dynasty
- Life dates
- 895—948
- Titles
- Temple name: Gaozu · Posthumous title: Emperor Ruiwenshengwuzhaosuxiao · Buried at Ruiling Mausoleum
Liu Zhiyuan is a native of Shatuo, originally from Taiyuan. He joined the army as a young man and served under Mingzong of the Later Tang Dynasty and Gaozu of the Later Jin Dynasty. He saved Shi Jingtang in danger and was trusted by him. After Shi Jingtang became emperor, he served as an envoy to Hedong and guarded Taiyuan. When the Khitan went south to destroy the Jin Dynasty, he preserved his strength and supported his troops to watch. In February 947, the Khitan leader Yelü Deguang proudly proclaimed himself emperor in Kaifeng. People in the Central Plains rose up to resist, and the Khitan was forced to retreat north. Liu Zhiyuan proclaimed himself emperor in Taiyuan, using the Tianfu reign title of the Later Jin Dynasty.
In June, he led his army into Kaifeng and changed the country's name to Han, and the following year to Yuan Qianyu. During his reign, he rectified order and suppressed rebellions in various places. However, he died of illness in just one year at the age of fifty-four. He entrusted the government to Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, Su Fengji and others. His regime was eventually replaced by Guo Wei. Liu Zhiyuan himself and the Later Han Dynasty were famous for their short lives in the Five Dynasties.
IITimeline
During the reign · 947—948
PoliticsTaiyuan proclaimed himself emperor
After the Khitan Lord proclaimed himself emperor in Kaifeng in February, soldiers and civilians across the Central Plains resisted one after another, and the Khitan had the intention of withdrawing northward. Liu Zhiyuan ascended the throne in Taiyuan in February and adopted the title of Tianfu Year in the Later Jin Dynasty, which was called Tianfu Twelve Years.
MilitaryWait and watch
When the Emperor Chu of the Later Jin Dynasty moved north and the Khitans settled in Kaifeng, Liu Zhiyuan supported Taiyuan. He neither obeyed the Khitan's orders nor sent troops to serve the king. He only waited for the Khitans to lose their hearts and retreat before stepping out to control the Central Plains.
MilitaryKhitan retreats north
Yelü Deguang plundered people's property in Kaifeng and sent troops to "strike grass in the valley", triggering a civil uprising. In April, he led his army to retreat northward and died of illness in Luancheng. Liu Zhiyuan took the opportunity to go south, entered Kaifeng in June, and changed his country's name to Han.
PoliticsEnter Kaifeng and determine the country number
In June, Liu Zhiyuan led his army into Kaifeng and named the country Han, known as Later Han in history. He honored the ancestors of the Han Dynasty as a sign of inheritance, pardoned the world, appeased the old officials of the later Jin Dynasty, and quickly stabilized the Central Plains.
PeopleChange of Yuan Dynasty and death from illness
In early 948, it was changed to Yuan Qianyu. In the first month of the year, he was seriously ill, so he summoned Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, Su Fengji, Guo Wei and others to assist his young second son Liu Chengyou. He soon died of illness at the age of fifty-four.
IIIPeople of this reign
Shi Hongzhao
MilitaryLiu Zhiyuan's general is in charge of the imperial army, enforces the law strictly, and kills people to establish his authority. In 950, he was designed and executed by Emperor Yin.
Yang Bin
PoliticsA close associate of Liu Zhiyuan, he was in charge of the Privy Council. He was in charge of the government on the same level as Shi Hongzhao. He despised civil servants and was executed by Emperor Yin in 950.