Han Andi
Family name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Liu Liu 劉 is a common Chinese family name. The transliteration Liu can represent several different surnames written in different Chinese characters:*劉 / 刘, pinyin: Liú...  (劉; liú)
Given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Hu (祜, hù)
Temple name Temple name Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive... :	Gongzong (恭宗, gōng zōng)
Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... : (full)	Xiaoan (孝安, xiào ān) literary meaning: "filial and peaceful"
Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... : (short)	An (安, ān) "peaceful"

Emperor Ān of Hàn, ch.

Chinese character

Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...

 漢安帝, py

Pinyin

Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

. hàn ān dì, wg

Wade-Giles

Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...

. Han An-ti, (94–125) was an emperor

Emperor of China

The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...

 of the Chinese Hàn Dynasty

Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 and the sixth emperor of the Eastern Hàn period ruling from 106 to 125. He was the grandson of Emperor Zhang

Emperor Zhang of Han

Emperor Zhang of Han, ch. 漢章帝, py. hàn zhāng dì, wg. Han Chang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....

.

When her infant stepson Emperor Shang

Emperor Shang of Han

Emperor Shang of Han, ch. 漢殤帝, py. Hàn Shāng dì, wg. Han Shang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the fifth emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....

 succeeded to the throne in 106, Empress Dowager Deng

Empress Deng Sui

Empress Deng Sui , formally Empress Hexi was an empress during Han Dynasty. She was Emperor He's second wife. She later, as empress dowager, served as regent for his son Emperor Shang and nephew Emperor An, and was regarded as an able and diligent administrator...

 kept the eventual Emperor Ān, Prince Hu, then 12, in the capital Luòyáng

Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...

 as the successor to the throne as insurance against the infant emperor's death. Prince Hu ascended to the throne when Emperor Shang died in August or September 106; however, Empress Dowager Deng still remained as the regent until her death in 121. Thereafter, Emperor Ān removed many of her relatives from government, and many of them committed suicide, probably under duress.

Emperor Ān did little to revive the withering dynasty. He began to indulge himself in women and heavy drinking and paid little attention to affairs of state, instead leaving matters to corrupt eunuchs. In this way, he effectively became the first emperor in Hàn history to encourage corruption. He also trusted his wife Empress Yan Ji

Empress Yan Ji

Empress Yan Ji , formally Empress Ansi , was an empress during Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor An. She was known for her conspiratorial and nepotistic behavior, both as empress and as empress dowager...

 and her family deeply, despite their obvious corruption. At the same time, droughts ravaged the country while peasants rose up in arms. In 125, Emperor Ān died while travelling to Nanyang

Nanyang, Henan

Nanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the...

. He was only 31.

Family background and ascension to the throne

Then-Prince Hu was born in 94, to Prince Liu Qing of Qinghe and his concubine, Consort Zuǒ Xiǎo É (左小娥). Prince Qing was the older brother of Emperor He

Emperor He of Han

Emperor He of Han, ch. 漢和帝, py. hàn hé dì, wg. Han Ho-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty who ruled from 88 to 105. He was the 4th emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty....

, and had once been crown prince

Crown Prince

A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

 under their father Emperor Zhang

Emperor Zhang of Han

Emperor Zhang of Han, ch. 漢章帝, py. hàn zhāng dì, wg. Han Chang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....

 until the machinations of Emperor Zhang's wife Empress Dou

Empress Dou (Zhang)

Empress Dou , formally Empress Zhangde , was an empress during Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Zhang. She was already influential during her husband's reign, but became particularly powerful as empress dowager regent for her adoptive son Emperor He after Emperor Zhang's death...

 led to his removal and his mother Consort Song

Consort Song

Consort Song , posthumous title Empress Jingyin , was an imperial consort for Emperor Zhang of Han who was the victim of palace intrigue at the hands of Emperor Zhang's wife Empress Dou.Consort Song was the older daughter of Song Yang , a seventh-generation descendant of Song Chang ,...

's death. During Emperor He's reign, however, he was a trusted advisor to the emperor, and he had a major role in Emperor He's coup d'état against Empress Dou's domineering brother Dou Xian

Dou Xian

Dou Xian was a prominent Chinese general and statesman of the Eastern Han Dynasty. A native of modern-day Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, he was part of the powerful Dou clan which dominated court politics during his tenure. However, his father Dou Xun fell into disgrace and died in 70, leaving Dou...

 in 92.

Consort Zuǒ and her older sister Dà É (左大娥) were both confiscated and made court servant girls when they were young girls, because their uncle Zuǒ Shèng (左聖) had been accused of and executed for making defamatory remarks against the emperor or imperial administration. As they grew older, they became known for beauty and talent and became ladies in waiting in Emperor He's palace; Xiǎo É was particularly known for her knowledge in history and poetry. When Emperor He was going to reward his brothers with some of the ladies in waiting, Prince Qing had already heard about her and therefore specifically requested her and her sister, a request that Emperor He granted. Both Consorts Zuǒ died sometime before Emperor He's death in 106 and were buried in the capital Luòyáng

Luoyang

Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...

. After Consort Zuǒ's death, Prince Hu was raised by Prince Qing's wife, Consort Gěng (耿姬).

When Emperor He died in 106, his infant son Emperor Shang

Emperor Shang of Han

Emperor Shang of Han, ch. 漢殤帝, py. Hàn Shāng dì, wg. Han Shang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the fifth emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....

 ascended the throne. Emperor He's brothers, most of whom had remained in the palace Luòyáng, including Prince Qing, were ordered to report to their principalities. However, as an insurance just in case something happened to the infant emperor, Emperor He's wife Empress Dowager Deng

Empress Deng Sui

Empress Deng Sui , formally Empress Hexi was an empress during Han Dynasty. She was Emperor He's second wife. She later, as empress dowager, served as regent for his son Emperor Shang and nephew Emperor An, and was regarded as an able and diligent administrator...

 kept Prince Qing's son Prince Hu, then 12, and Consort Gěng in the capital. When Emperor Shang died later in 106, the officials largely wanted to make Emperor Shang's brother, Prince Shèng (劉勝) of Pingyuan, emperor, but Empress Deng, who had initially denied Prince Shèng the throne because she believed him to be frequently ill, was concerned that he would bear a grudge against her, and therefore insisted on making Prince Hu the emperor, and he ascended the throne as Emperor Ān.

Early reign: regency by Empress Dowager Deng

After Emperor Ān ascended the throne, however, the real power remained in Empress Dowager Deng's hands, and Emperor Ān's parents Prince Qing and Consort Gěng (who was sent by Empress Dowager Deng to join her husband in the Principality of Qinghe, in modern central Héběi

Hebei

' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...

) appeared to have no influence on the administration.

Empress Dowager Deng was generally a capable ruler, and while there were natural disasters and wars with Qiang and South Xiōngnú

Xiongnu

The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...

, she generally coped with those emergencies well. She also carried out many criminal law reforms. During her regency, Emperor Ān appeared to have minimal input into the affairs of state. Meanwhile, he became heavily personally influenced by the eunuchs Jiāng Jīng (江京) and Lǐ Rùn (李閏), and even more so by his wet nurse

Wet nurse

A wet nurse is a woman who is used to breast feed and care for another's child. Wet nurses are used when the mother is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cultures the families are linked by a special relationship of...

 Wáng Shèng (王聖). He also was heavily influenced by his favorite, Yán Jī

Empress Yan Ji

Empress Yan Ji , formally Empress Ansi , was an empress during Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor An. She was known for her conspiratorial and nepotistic behavior, both as empress and as empress dowager...

 (閻姬), whom he created empress in 115—even though she had poisoned to death one of his other consorts, Consort Li, who had given birth to his only son Liú Bǎo

Emperor Shun of Han

Emperor Shun of Han, trad. ch. 漢順帝;, sim. ch. 漢顺帝, py. hàn shùn dì, wg. Han Shun-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the seventh emperor of the Eastern Han period...

 (劉保) in 115. While these individuals lacked real power as long as Empress Dowager Deng lived, they were long planning to take power as soon as she would no longer be on the scene. Empress Dowager Deng was somewhat aware of these plans and was offended; she was also disappointed that Emperor Ān, who was considered a precocious and intelligent child, had neglected his studies and become only interested in drinking and women. It is suspected that at some point, she even considered replacing the emperor with his cousin Liú Yì (劉翼), the Prince of Pingyuan, but then decided against it.

In 120, Emperor Ān named his only son, Prince Bǎo, crown prince.

Late reign

Empress Dowager Deng died in 121, and Emperor An, at the age of 27, finally had the reins of the imperial administration. He posthumously honored his father Prince Qing as Emperor Xiaode and his mother Consort Zuǒ as Empress Xiaode; his paternal grandmother Consort Song as Empress Jingyin; and his stepmother Consort Gěng with the unique title of "Grand Consort of Gānlíng" (甘陵大貴人, Gānlíng being Prince Qing's tomb) -- a title inferior to his mother's, even though Consort Gěng was his father's wife. He, however, was close to her and her brother Gěng Bǎo (耿寶), and he quickly made his stepuncle a powerful official in his administration.

Initially, Emperor Ān continued to follow Empress Dowager Deng's policies, including leaving members of her clan in important advisorial positions. However, his own close circle of associates, including Jiang, Li, Wang, and Empress Yan, were ready to act. Late in 121, he stripped members of the Deng clan of their posts and fiefs, and many of them committed suicide, probably under duress. Later, he relented and allowed some of the survivors to return, but by that time the Deng clan had been decimated.

In the place of the Dengs, the Song clan of Emperor Ān's grandmother became honored, but wielding much more actual power were the clan of the empress, the Yáns—particularly Empress Yán's brothers Yán Xiǎn (閻顯), Yán Jǐng (閻景), and Yán Yào (閻耀). Also powerful were the eunuchs Jiang and Li, who were created marquesses. They, along with several other eunuchs, as well as Wang and her daughter Bó Róng (伯榮), became extremely corrupt in their ways, without any punishment from Emperor Ān, who ignored all criticism of these individuals. Emperor Ān often listened to their suggestions, while ignoring the advice of his key officials. One of the most outspoken ones, Yáng Zhèn (楊震), the commander of the armed forces, was eventually removed from his post in 124 and committed suicide in protest.

In 121, there were again Qiang and Xianbei

Xianbei

The Xianbei were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The title “Khan” was first used among the Xianbei.-Origins:...

 rebellions, which would continue to plague Emperor Ān for the rest of his reign. The only border where there were Hàn accomplishments during Emperor Ān's reign was on the northwestern front—the Xiyu (modern Xinjiang

Xinjiang

Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...

 and former Soviet central Asia

Central Asia

Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...

) -- where Ban Chao

Ban Chao

Ban Chao , courtesy name Zhongsheng , was born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, and the younger brother of the famous historian, Ban Gu who, with his father Ban Biao, and sister, Ban Zhao, wrote the famous Hanshu, or 'History of the Former Han Dynasty'....

's son Ban Yong

Ban Yong

Ban Yong ) was the youngest son of the famous Chinese General, Ban Chao , and the nephew of the illustrious historian, Ban Gu who compiled the Hanshu, the dynastic history of the Former Han dynasty.- Ban Yong's family :...

 (班勇) was able to reestablish Hàn suzerainty over a number of kingdoms.

In 124, Wang Sheng, Jiang Jing, and another eunuch Fán Fēng (樊豐) falsely accused Crown Prince Bǎo's wet nurse Wáng Nán (王男) and chef Bǐng Jí (邴吉, not to be confused with Emperor Xuan

Emperor Xuan of Han

Emperor Xuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 74 BC to 49 BC. His life story was a riches-to-rags-to-riches story.Emperor Xuan was the great grandson of Emperor Wu...

's prime minister of the same name), and Wáng and Bǐng were executed. Crown Prince Bǎo was greatly saddened. Jiang and Fán, fearful of reprisals later, entered into a conspiracy with Empress Yán (who had always hated Crown Prince Bǎo as not born of herself) to falsely accuse Crown Prince Bǎo and his servants of crimes. Emperor Ān believed them, and demoted Crown Prince Bǎo to be the Prince of Jiyin.

In 125, Emperor Ān was on a trip to Wancheng (宛城, in modern Nanyang

Nanyang, Henan

Nanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the...

, Hénán

Henan

Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

) when he suddenly felt ill and decided to return to Luòyáng. Before he could, however, he died. Empress Yán did not want to allow his son Prince Bǎo to be emperor; instead, she made Liú Yi (劉懿), the Marquess of Beixiang

Marquess of Beixiang

The Marquess of Beixiang, , sometimes referred to as Emperor Shao , was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty...

, a grandson of Emperor Zhang

Emperor Zhang of Han

Emperor Zhang of Han, ch. 漢章帝, py. hàn zhāng dì, wg. Han Chang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....

 and Emperor Ān's cousin, emperor. (How old he was is not recorded in history, but implicitly, he was believed to be far younger than Prince Bǎo, who was 10 at the time.) The young emperor, however, died later that year, and a number of eunuchs loyal to Prince Bǎo, led by Sun Cheng

Sun Cheng

Sun Cheng was an eunuch during Han Dynasty who, contrary to the stereotypes of Han eunuchs being corrupt and power-hungry, was loyal to the imperial family and tried to counter the culture of corruption....

, carried out a coup d'état and made Prince Bǎo emperor (as Emperor Shun). The Yáns were slaughtered, except for Empress Dowager Yán.

Era names

• Yongchu (永初 py. yŏng chū) 107–113
• Yuanchu (元初 py. yúan chū) 114–120
• Yongning (永寧 py. yŏng níng) 120–121
• Jianguang (建光 py. jiàn guāng) 121–122
• Yanguang (延光 py. yán guāng) 122–125

Personal information

• Father
  • Liu Qing (劉慶), Prince Xiao of Qinghe, second son of Emperor Zhang of Han
    Emperor Zhang of Han
    Emperor Zhang of Han, ch. 漢章帝, py. hàn zhāng dì, wg. Han Chang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....
    
    
• Mother
  • Consort Zuo Xiao'e (左小娥)
• Wife
  • Empress Yan Ji
    Empress Yan Ji
    Empress Yan Ji , formally Empress Ansi , was an empress during Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor An. She was known for her conspiratorial and nepotistic behavior, both as empress and as empress dowager...
    
     (created 115, d. 126)
• Major Concubines
  • Consort Li, mother of Emperor Shun (poisoned 115)
• Children
  • Liu Bao (劉保), the Crown Prince (created 120, deposed 124), later the Prince of Jiyin (created 124), later Emperor Shun of Han
    Emperor Shun of Han
    Emperor Shun of Han, trad. ch. 漢順帝;, sim. ch. 漢顺帝, py. hàn shùn dì, wg. Han Shun-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty and the seventh emperor of the Eastern Han period...