Emperor Cheng of Han (51 BC–7 BC) was an
emperorThe Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning since the founding of China, united by Fu Xi in 2852 BCE until the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title created no later than Shang Dynasty, the Emperor was recognized...
of the Chinese
Han DynastyThe 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 peasant 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...
ruling from 33 BC until 7 BC.
Under Emperor Cheng, the Han dynasty continued its slide into disintegration while the Wang clan continued its slow grip on power and on governmental affairs as promoted by the previous emperor. Corruptions and greedy officials continued to plague the government and as a result rebellions broke out throughout the country.
Emperor Cheng died after a reign of 26 years and was succeeded by his nephew.
Emperor Cheng was born circa 51 BC to then-Crown Prince Liu Shi (later
Emperor YuanEmperor Yuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He reigned from 48 BC to 33 BC. Emperor Yuan was remembered for the promotion of Confucianism as the official creed of Chinese government. He appointed Confucius adherents to important government posts...
) and one of his consorts, Consort Wang (later more commonly known as Grand Empress Dowager Wang).
| Han Chengdi (漢成帝) |
| Family name: |
Liu Liu 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 given names are generally made up of one or two characters, and are written after the family name, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul". Chinese names can consist of any character and contain almost any meaning...
: |
Ao (驁 py. ào) |
| Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan....
:
(full) |
Xiaocheng (孝成, xiào chéng)
"filial and successful" |
| Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in some cultures after the person's death. The posthumous name is commonly used when naming royalty of China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan....
:
(short) |
Cheng (成, chéng)
"successful" |
Emperor Cheng of Han (51 BC–7 BC) was an
emperorThe Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning since the founding of China, united by Fu Xi in 2852 BCE until the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title created no later than Shang Dynasty, the Emperor was recognized...
of the Chinese
Han DynastyThe 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 peasant 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...
ruling from 33 BC until 7 BC.
Under Emperor Cheng, the Han dynasty continued its slide into disintegration while the Wang clan continued its slow grip on power and on governmental affairs as promoted by the previous emperor. Corruptions and greedy officials continued to plague the government and as a result rebellions broke out throughout the country.
Emperor Cheng died after a reign of 26 years and was succeeded by his nephew.
Birth and career as Crown Prince
Emperor Cheng was born circa 51 BC to then-Crown Prince Liu Shi (later
Emperor YuanEmperor Yuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He reigned from 48 BC to 33 BC. Emperor Yuan was remembered for the promotion of Confucianism as the official creed of Chinese government. He appointed Confucius adherents to important government posts...
) and one of his consorts, Consort Wang (later more commonly known as Grand Empress Dowager Wang). He was Emperor Yuan's first born son.
In 47 BC, Emperor Yuan created Prince Ao, Empress Wang's son, Crown Prince.
Emperor Yuan was a relatively non-womanizing emperor, but he did have two favorite concubines in addition to Empress Wang --
Consort FuConsort Fu was an imperial consort during Han Dynasty. She was a consort and a favorite of Emperor Yuan. She was known to be a domineering woman who wanted her son on the throne, and, failing that, wanted her grandson on the throne as Emperor Ai...
and
Consort Feng YuanConsort Feng Yuan was an imperial consort during China's Han Dynasty. She was a consort and a favorite of Emperor Yuan...
, each of whom bore him one son. Empress Wang's apparently tried to maintain a cordial relationship with both, and she was largely successful, at least as far as Consort Feng was concerned. However, a struggle between Empress Wang and Consort Fu for their sons' heir status would erupt.
As Crown Prince Ao grew older, Emperor Yuan became increasingly unhappy with his fitness as imperial heir and impressed with Consort Fu's son, Prince Liu Kang of Shanyang (山陽王劉康). Several incidents led to this situation. One happened in 35 BC, when Emperor Yuan's youngest brother Prince Liu Jing of Zhongshan (中山王劉竟) died, Emperor Yuan became angry when he felt that the teenage Crown Prince Ao was insufficiently grieving -- particularly because Princes Ao and Jing were of similar age and grew up together as playmates -- and showing insufficient respect to Prince Jing. Prince Ao's head of household Shi Dan (史丹), a relative of Emperor Yuan's grandmother and a senior official respected by Emperor Yuan, managed to convince Emperor Yuan that Crown Prince Ao was trying to stop Emperor Yuan himself from overgrieving, but the seed of dissatisfaction was sown.
As the princes further grew, several things further led to an endearment between Emperor Yuan and Prince Kang. They shared affection and skills in music -- particularly in the playing of drums. Prince Kang also showed high intelligence and diligence, while Crown Prince Ao was known for drinking and womanizing. When Emperor Yuan grew ill circa 35 BC -- an illness that he would not recover from -- Consort Fu and Prince Kang were often summoned to his sickbed to attend to him, while Empress Wang and Crown Prince Ao rarely were. In his illness, apparently encouraged by Consort Fu, Emperor Yuan reconsidered whether he should make Prince Kang his heir instead. Only the intercession of Shi Dan led Emperor Yuan to cease those thoughts. When Emperor Yuan died in 33 BC, Crown Prince Ao ascended the throne (as Emperor Cheng).
The aggrandization of power by the Wang clan
After the death of Emperor Yuan and the accession of Emperor Cheng, Empress Wang became
empress dowagerEmpress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese emperor....
. Prince Kang, as was customary with imperial princes, was sent to govern his principality -- now at Dingtao (定陶). Despite the near-coup by Consort Fu and Prince Kang, however, Empress Wang and Emperor Cheng did not bear grudges, and, against the advice of officials who were concerned that Prince Kang would become the subject of conspiracies, Emperor Cheng often summoned Prince Kang to the capital
Chang'anChang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in the year 23 AD, the old name was restored...
for extended visits.
Emperor Cheng was very trusting of his uncles (Empress Dowager Wang's brothers) and put them in important roles in government. In addition to his oldest uncle Wang Feng (王鳳), who had inherited his father's title as the Marquess of Yangping, six of Empress Dowager Wang's brothers were created marquesses, in violation of the rule laid by Emperor Gao, the founder of the dynasty, who had decreed that only those who had contributed to the empire in substantial ways could be made marquesses. Several (Wang Feng, Wang Shang (王商), and Wang Gen (王根)), in addition to Empress Dowager Wang's cousin Wang Yin (王音), served successively as the supreme commander of the armed forces and were in effective control of the administration. After Wang Gen, Empress Dowager Wang's nephew
Wang MangWang Mang , courtesy name Jujun , was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty , ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty...
(王莽) served in the same role.
- Wang Feng, 33 BC-22 BC
- Wang Yin, 22 BC-15 BC
- Wang Shang, 15 BC-12 BC
- Wang Gen, 12 BC-8 BC
- Wang Mang, 8 BC-7 BC
The Wangs, while not corrupt in general and apparently genuinely trying to help the emperor, were largely concerned with aggrandizing their power and not with the best interests of the empire when selecting officials for various posts, and this led to a continued deterioration in the administration of Emperor Cheng, who at times considered modifying this power structure but always failed to do so. For example, in 24 BC, under the suggestion of an official Wang Zhang (王章, unrelated to the Wang clan), Emperor Cheng considered replacing Wang Feng with highly-regarded official Feng Yewang (馮野王), the brother of his father's concubine Consort Feng. When Wang Feng realized this, Empress Dowager Wang became saddened, and in response Emperor Cheng executed Wang Zhang and relieved Feng Yewang of his post without any allegation of wrongdoing.
Emperor Cheng's "women troubles" and lack of an heir
Emperor Cheng was a womanizer with many favorites. His first favorite was
Empress XuEmpress Xu was an empress during Han Dynasty, who came from a powerful family and who was initially very much loved by her husband Emperor Cheng, but who eventually lost favor and, as a result of the machinations of her eventual successor, Empress Zhao Feiyan, was deposed...
(created 31 BC), from the clan of his murdered grandmother, the first wife of Emperor Xuan, and he also favored
Consort BanConsort Ban called Ban Jieyu in Chinese, was a Chinese scholar and poet during the Western Han Dynasty ....
. Neither Empress Xu nor Consort Ban bore him a child, however, and concerned with having a grandson to be heir, Empress Dowager Wang openly encouraged Emperor Cheng to take on more and more concubines, but that did not result in the birth of an heir. Circa 19 BC, however, when Emperor Cheng was visiting Princess Yanga (陽阿公主), he became enamored with her dancing girl
Zhao FeiyanEmpress Zhao Feiyan , formally Empress Xiaocheng , was an empress during the Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Cheng...
(趙飛燕) and her sister
Zhao HedeConsort Zhao Hede was an imperial consort, with the title Zhaoyi , during the Han Dynasty. She was a consort to Emperor Cheng and sister to Empress Zhao Feiyan....
(趙合德) and made them his concubines, and they became favored over Empress Xu and Consort Ban. In 18 BC, the Zhao sisters falsely accused Empress Xu and Consort Ban of witchcraft; Empress Xu was deposed, and while Consort Ban was able to successfully plead her case, she did not wish to return to the same environment and instead became a lady in waiting for Empress Dowager Wang. Then Emperor Cheng wanted to create Zhao Feiyan his empress, but Empress Dowager Wang complained about her low birth and prior occupation as a dance girl; she finally capitulated to her son's wishes in 16 BC, but she was never pleased with the Zhao sisters. Neither the Zhaos nor another later favorite of Emperor Cheng's, Consort Li, bore him a son either, however.
In 9 BC, still heirless, Emperor Cheng appeared to come to the resolution of making either his younger brother Prince Liu Xing of Zhongshan (中山王劉興) or his nephew
Prince Liu Xin of DingtaoEmperor Ai of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He ascended the throne when he was 20, having been made heir by his uncle Emperor Cheng, who was childless, and he reigned from 7 BC to 1 BC....
(定陶王劉欣, Prince Kang's son) his heir. Emperor Cheng became convinced that Prince Xin was more capable, and at the same time, Prince Xin's grandmother Consort Fu was endearing herself to the Zhaos and Wang Gen with lavish gifts, and so the Zhaos and Wang Gen both praised Prince Xin as well. Emperor Cheng made Prince Xin crown prince in 8 BC.
Emperor Cheng died suddenly in 7 BC, apparently from a stroke (although historians also report the possibility of an overdosage of
aphrodisiacAn aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality and love. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable...
s given to him by Consort Zhao Hede). Immediately there were many rumors that he had in fact had concubines who bore him sons, but that those sons and their mothers were murdered by Consort Zhao Hede (out of jealousy) and possibly Emperor Cheng himself. Grieving her husband and apparently fearful of reprisals, Consort Zhao Hede killed herself. Crown Prince Xin ascended the throne as
Emperor AiEmperor Ai of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He ascended the throne when he was 20, having been made heir by his uncle Emperor Cheng, who was childless, and he reigned from 7 BC to 1 BC....
.
A report by officials commissioned by Empress Dowager Wang concluded in 6 BC that Emperor Cheng did have two sons -- one born to Consort Cao in 12 BC and one born to Consort Xu (a relative of the deposed Empress Xu) in 11 BC. However, both of the sons were murdered in their infancy by orders of Consort Zhao Hede, with at least tacit agreement from Emperor Cheng, who was enamored with her; Consort Cao was forced to commit suicide after her son was murdered. In response, apparently at the urging of Empress Dowager Wang, Emperor Ai stripped the Zhaos' relatives of their marquess titles and exiled them; only Empress Zhao Feiyan was spared, although she was forced to commit suicide after Emperor Ai's death.
Impact on Chinese history
Emperor Cheng has often been used as an example of someone who had been so thoroughly controlled by his mother's family that it led to the eventual usurpation for Wang Mang. This view may be an oversimplification -- certainly Emperor Cheng himself was quite capable of asserting his own opinions and carry out his own actions, independent of his uncles' wishes, when he wanted. However, he created a precedent for empresses' families to become in effective control of government, and many Eastern Han emperors would fall into the same trap.
Era names
- Jianshi (建始 py. jìan shĭ) 32 BC-28 BC
- Heping (河平 py. hé píng) 28 BC-25 BC
- Yangshuo(陽朔 py. yáng shùo) 24 BC-21 BC
- Hongjia (鴻嘉 py. hóng jīa) 20 BC-17 BC
- Yongshi (永始 py. yŏng shĭ) 16 BC-13 BC
- Yuanyan (元延 py. yúan yán) 12 BC-9 BC
- Suihe (綏和 py. sūi hé) 8 BC-7 BC
Personal information
- Father
- Emperor Yuan of Han
Emperor Yuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He reigned from 48 BC to 33 BC. Emperor Yuan was remembered for the promotion of Confucianism as the official creed of Chinese government. He appointed Confucius adherents to important government posts...
- Mother
- Empress Wang Zhengjun, aunt of Wang Mang
Wang Mang , courtesy name Jujun , was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty , ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty...
- Wives
- Empress Xu
Empress Xu was an empress during Han Dynasty, who came from a powerful family and who was initially very much loved by her husband Emperor Cheng, but who eventually lost favor and, as a result of the machinations of her eventual successor, Empress Zhao Feiyan, was deposed...
(deposed 18 BC, committed suicide 8 BC)
- Empress Zhao Feiyan
Empress Zhao Feiyan , formally Empress Xiaocheng , was an empress during the Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Cheng...
(forced to commit suicide 1 BC by Wang MangWang Mang , courtesy name Jujun , was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty , ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty and Eastern Han Dynasty...
)
- Major Concubines
- Consort Ban
Consort Ban called Ban Jieyu in Chinese, was a Chinese scholar and poet during the Western Han Dynasty ....
, poet, scholar and aunt of historian Ban BiaoBan Biao , courtesy name Shupi , was a Chinese historian, and an official born in what is now Xianyang, Shaanxi during the Han Dynasty...
and grandaunt to his children -- historian Ban GuBan Gu , courtesy name Mengjian , was a 1st century Chinese historian and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han. He also wrote the main poetic genre of the Han era, a kind of poetry interspersed with prose called fu...
, general Ban ChaoBan Chao , courtesy name Zhongsheng , was born in Xianyang, Shaanxi, the younger brother of the famous historian, Ban Gu , was a Han Dynasty general and cavalry commander in charge of the administration of the "Western Regions" during the Eastern Han dynasty...
, and female historian Ban ZhaoBān Zhāo , courtesy name Huiban , was the first female Chinese historian. She was married to a local resident Cao Shishu at the age of fourteen, and was called in the court by the name as Venerable Madame Cao...
- Consort Zhao Hede
Consort Zhao Hede was an imperial consort, with the title Zhaoyi , during the Han Dynasty. She was a consort to Emperor Cheng and sister to Empress Zhao Feiyan....
(committed suicide 7 BC, younger sister of Empress Zhao Feiyan)
- Consort Li Ping, formerly Consort Ban's handmaiden
A handmaiden is a female attendant, assistant, servant, or slave.-Aid for domestic laundry:A handmaiden was the common term in Victorian times for a wooden, hinged clothes airer having two rectangular frames hinged vertically and with three horizontal rails on each frame for drying and airing...
- Consort Cao, alleged mother of one of his murdered sons, forced to commit suicide when her son was murdered
- Consort Xu, alleged mother of one of his murdered sons and likely relative of Empress Xu
- Children
- 2 sons by consorts, allegedly murdered 11 BC by Consort Zhao Hede and possibly Emperor Cheng himself; however, decades later there were pretender
A pretender is a claimant to an abolished throne or to a throne already occupied by somebody else. The English word pretend comes from the French word prétendre, meaning "to put forward, to profess or claim"...
s who claimed to be Emperor Cheng's sons