Emperor Gengshi of Han
Encyclopedia
Emperor Gengshi of Han, ch.
漢更始帝, py
. gèng shĭ dì, wg
. Keng-Shih-ti, (d. strangled AD 25), also known as the Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王, the title that Emperor Guangwu
(Liu Xiu) gave him in absentia after he was deposed by Chimei
forces), courtesy name Shenggong (聖公), was an emperor
of the restored Chinese
Han Dynasty
following the fall of Wang Mang
's Xin Dynasty
. He is not to be confused with Emperor Guangwu
, who founded the succeeding Eastern Han Dynasty. He was viewed as a weak and incompetent ruler, who briefly ruled over an empire willing to let him rule over them, but was unable
to keep that empire together. He was eventually deposed by the Chimei
and strangled a few months after his defeat.
Traditional historians treat his emperor status ambiguously—and sometimes he would be referred to as an emperor (with reference to his era name—thus, Emperor Gengshi) and sometimes he would be referred to by his Eastern Han-granted title (Prince of Huaiyang
) because Eastern Han was later viewed as the "legitimate" restoration of Han Dynasty
, implying that he was only a pretender
.
's reign as the emperor of Xin Dynasty
, there were agrarian revolts virtually everywhere in the empire, due to Wang's incompetent rule and the natural disasters of the time. The two largest branches were the Lülin
(concentrated in modern southern Henan
and northern Hubei
) and Chimei
(concentrated in modern southern Shandong
and northern Jiangsu
).
In 22, the most ambitious of the rebels would emerge. Liu Yan, a descendant of a distant branch of the Han imperial clan, who lived in his ancestral territory of Chongling (舂陵, in modern Xiangfan
, Hubei
), had long been disgusted by Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han throne, and had long aspired to start a rebellion. His brother Liu Xiu, by contrast, was a careful and deliberate man, who was content to be a farmer. Around this time, there were prophecies being spread about that the Lius would return to power, and many men gathered about Liu Yan, requesting that he lead them. He agreed, and further joined forces with the branch of Lülin
forces who had entered the proximity, and they began to capture territory instead of simply roving and raiding. (It was said that many of the neighborhood young men were initially hesitant to join the rebels, but when they saw that Liu Xiu, whom they considered wise and careful, joining as well, they agreed to.) In 23, under Liu Yan's leadership, the joint forces had a major victory over Zhen Fu (甄阜), the governor of the Commandery of Nanyang
, killing him. They then sieged the important city of Wancheng (the capital of Nanyang Commandery, in modern Nanyang
, Henan
).
, a third cousin of Liu Yan, who was claiming the title of General Gengshi (更始將軍) at the time and who was considered a weak personality, and requested that he be made emperor. Liu Yan initially opposed this move and instead suggested that Liu Xuan carry the title "Prince of Han" first (echoing the founder of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gao). The other rebel leaders refused, and in early 23, Liu Xuan was proclaimed emperor. Liu Yan became prime minister.
would seal Wang Mang
's fate. He sent his cousin Wang Yi
(王邑) and his prime minister Wang Xun (王尋) with what he considered to be overwhelming force, some 430,000 men, intending to crush the newly constituted Han regime. The Han forces were at this point in two groups—one led by Wang Feng (王鳳), Wang Chang (王常), and Liu Xiu, which, in response to the arrival of the Xin forces, withdrew to the small town of Kunyang (昆陽, in modern Pingdingshan
, Henan
) and one led by Liu Yan, which was still sieging Wancheng. The rebels in Kunyang initially wanted to scatter, but Liu Xiu opposed it; rather, he advocated that they guard Kunyang securely, while he would gather all other available troops in surrounding areas and attack the Xin forces from the outside. After initially rejecting Liu Xiu's idea, the Kunyang rebels eventually agreed.
Liu Xiu carried out his action, and when he returned to Kunyang, he began harassing the sieging Xin forces from the outside. Wang Yi and Wang Xun, annoyed, led 10,000 men to attack Liu Xiu and ordered the rest of their troops not to move from their siege locations. Once they engaged in battle, however, after minor losses, the other units were hesitant to assist them, and Liu Xiu killed Wang Xun in battle. Once that happened, the Han forces inside Kunyang burst out of the city and attacked the other Xin units, and the much larger Xin forces suffered a total collapse. The soldiers largely deserted and went home, unable to be gathered again. Wang Yi had to withdraw with only several thousand men back to Luoyang. This was a major blow to Xin, psychologically; after this point on, there would be no hope for it.
Emperor Gengshi then commissioned two armies, one led by Wang Kuang, targeting Luoyang, and the other led by Shentu Jian (申屠建) and Li Song (李松), targeting Chang'an
directly. All the populace on the way gathered, welcomed, and joined the Han forces. Shentu and Li quickly reached the outskirts of Chang'an. In response, the young men within Chang'an also rose up and stormed Weiyang Palace
, the main imperial palace. Wang
died in the battle at the palace (by Du Wu (杜吳)), as did his daughter Princess Huanghuang (the former empress of Han). After Wang died, the crowd fought over the right to have the credit for having killed Wang, and tens of soldiers died in the ensuing fight. Wang's body was cut into pieces, and his head was delivered to the provisional Han capital Wancheng, to be hung on the city wall.
's death, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital from Wancheng to Luoyang
. He then issued edicts to the entire empire, promising to allow Xin local officials who submitted to him to keep their posts. For a brief period, nearly the entire empire showed at least nominal submission—even including the powerful Chimei
general Fan Chong (樊崇), who, indeed, went to stay in Luoyang under promises of titles and honors. However, this policy was applied inconsistently, and local governors soon became apprehensive about giving up their power. Fan, in particular, left the capital and returned to his troops. In response, Emperor Gengshi sent various generals out to try to calm the local governors and populace; these included Liu Xiu, who was sent to pacify the region north of the Yellow River
. Further, around these times, the people began to see that the powerful officials around Emperor Gengshi were in fact uneducated men lacking ability to govern; this further made them lose confidence in his governance.
Emperor Gengshi's governance would in fact immediately be challenged by a major pretender in winter 23. A fortuneteller in Handan
named Wang Lang (王郎) claimed to be actually named Liu Ziyu (劉子輿) and a son of Emperor Cheng
. He claimed that his mother was a singer in Emperor Cheng's service, and that Empress Zhao Feiyan
had tried to kill him after his birth, but that a substitute child was killed indeed. After he spread these rumors around the people, the people of Handan began to believe that he was a genuine son of Emperor Cheng, and the commanderies north of the Yellow River quickly pledged allegiance to him as emperor. Liu Xiu was forced to withdraw to the northern city of Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing
). After some difficulties, however, Liu Xiu was able to unify the northern commanderies still loyal to Emperor Gengshi and siege Handan in 24, killing Wang Lang. Emperor Gengshi put Liu Xiu in charge of the region north of the Yellow Rivera and created him the Prince of Xiao, but Liu Xiu, still aware that he was not truly trusted and secretly angry about his brother's death, secretly planned to peel away from Emperor Gengshi's rule. He began to strip other Emperor Gengshi-commissioned generals of their powers and troops, and concentrated the troops under his own command.
Also in 24, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital again, back to the Western Han capital of Chang'an
. The people of Chang'an had previously been offended by Emperor Gengshi's officials, who did not appreciate their rising up against Wang Mang but in fact considered them traitors. Once Emperor Gengshi was back in the capital, he issued a general pardon, which calmed the situation for a while. At this time, Chang'an was still largely intact, except for Weiyang Palace, destroyed by fire. However, Emperor Gengshi's timidity quickly caused problems. When the imperial officials were gathered for an official meeting, Emperor Gengshi, who had never seen such solemn occasions, panicked. Later, when generals submitted reports to him, he asked questions such as, "How much did you pillage today?" This type of behavior further reduced the confidence of the people in him.
Emperor Gengshi entrusted his government to Zhao Meng (趙萌), whose daughter he took as an imperial consort. He himself engaged in frequent drinking and was often unable to receive officials or make important decisions. Zhao greatly abused his power, and once, when an honest official revealed Zhao's crimes to Emperor Gengshi, Emperor Gengshi had him executed. The other powerful officials also abused their power greatly, often commissioning duplicating local officials throughout the empire, causing great confusion and anger.
In autumn 24, Emperor Gengshi sent his generals Li Bao (李寶) and Li Zhong (李忠) to try to capture modern Sichuan, then held by local warlord Gongsun Shu (公孫述), but his generals were defeated by Gongsun.
, were highly fatigued at the time and wanted to go home. Their leaders felt that if they did so, Chimei forces would scatter and be unable to be gathered again, and they felt that a clear target needs to be created. They decided to announce that they were attacking Emperor Gengshi's capital Chang'an, and they, divided into two armies, began to head west. Liu Xiu, while he had fairly strong troops, chose to stand by and wait for Chimei to destroy Emperor Gengshi; he used the Henei region (modern northern Henan, north of the Yellow River
) as his base of operations for its strategic location and the richness of its soil. The Chimei armies rejoined in Hongnong (弘農, in modern Sanmenxia
, Henan
), defeating every single army that Emperor Gengshi sent to stop it.
In 25, Emperor Gengshi's forces would cause the death of the former Western Han emperor-designate, Emperor Ruzi (Liu Ying). Two far-fetched co-conspirators—Fang Wang (方望), the former strategist for the local warlord Wei Xiao (隗囂), and a man named Gong Lin (弓林) -- and their group of several thousand men, after kidnapping the former Duke of Ding'an, occupied Linjing (臨涇, in modern Qingyang
, Gansu
). Emperor Gengshi sent his prime minister Li Song (李松) to attack them, and wiped out this rebel force, killing Liu Ying.
In summer 25, Liu Xiu finally made a formal break with Emperor Gengshi, after his generals and Emperor Gengshi's generals fought over control of the Henei and Luoyang regions. He declared himself emperor (establishing the regime known later as the Eastern Han Dynasty), and soon his general Deng Yu
also captured the modern Shanxi
, further reducing Emperor Gengshi's strength.
Feeling trapped, a number of Emperor Gengshi's generals conspired to kidnap him and flee back to their home region of Nanyang
(in modern Henan
). They were discovered, and many were executed, but one, Zhang Ang (張卬) occupied most of Chang'an, forcing Emperor Gengshi to flee, just as Chimei forces were approaching.
Chimei
, at this time, decided that they also needed their own emperor. They found three descendants of Liu Zhang
, Prince of Chengyang
, who was very popular with the people of his principality (from which many Chimei soldiers came) and who was worshiped as a god after his death. After drawing lots, the youngest, the 15-year-old Liu Penzi
was chosen and declared emperor. However, the young "emperor" was not given any power, but was effectively a puppet who still served as a cattle keeper within the army.
Generals still loyal to Emperor Gengshi were eventually able to evict Zhang from the capital, but by that time the situation was desperate. Zhang and his allies surrendered to Chimei
and, working with them, attacked Chang'an, which fell quickly, and Emperor Gengshi fled, only followed by several loyal followers, including Liu Zhi (劉祉) the Prince of Dingtao and Liu Gong (劉恭) the Marquess of Shi—who, incidentally, was Liu Penzi's older brother. They were eventually taken in by one of Emperor Gengshi's generals, Yan Ben (嚴本), who, however, was in actuality holding them as bargaining chips. When Liu Xiu heard about the fall of Chang'an, he created Emperor Gengshi the Prince of Huaiyang, in absentia, and decreed that anyone who harmed the Prince of Huaiyang would be severely punished and that anyone who protected and delivered him to Eastern Han would be rewarded. (This appears to be basically political propaganda on Liu Xiu's part.) When news of Chang'an's fall arrived in Luoyang
, Luoyang surrendered to Liu Xiu, who entered the city and made it his capital.
In winter 25, after being held by Yan a few months, Emperor Gengshi saw his situation as futile, and requested Liu Gong to negotiate surrender terms. A promise was made that he would be made the Prince of Changsha. Emperor Penzi's general Xie Lu (謝祿) arrived at Yan's camp and escorted Emperor Gengshi back to Chang'an to offer his seal (seized from Wang Mang) to Emperor Penzi. Chimei
generals, notwithstanding the earlier promise, wanted to execute him. It was only Liu Gong's final intercession (in which he threatened to commit suicide at the execution site) that allowed Emperor Gengshi to be spared at this point, and he was created the Prince of Changsha. He, however, was forced to stay in Xie's headquarters, and Liu Gong protected him on a number of occasions.
Chimei
generals were even less able to govern the capital than Emperor Gengshi, however, as they were unable to control their soldiers from pillaging from the people. The people began to yearn the return of Emperor Gengshi. Zhang Ang and his allies, afraid of what might happen if Emperor Gengshi returned to power, persuaded Xie to strangle Emperor Gengshi. Liu Gong hid his body in a secure location, and years later, after Eastern Han had securely captured the Chang'an region, Liu Xiu had Emperor Gengshi's body buried with princely honors at Baling (霸陵), near the tomb of Emperor Wen
.
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
漢更始帝, 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...
. gèng shĭ 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...
. Keng-Shih-ti, (d. strangled AD 25), also known as the Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王, the title that Emperor Guangwu
Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu , born Liu Xiu, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, restorer of the dynasty in AD 25 and thus founder of the Later Han or Eastern Han...
(Liu Xiu) gave him in absentia after he was deposed by Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
forces), courtesy name Shenggong (聖公), 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 restored Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Han 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...
following the fall of Wang Mang
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...
's Xin Dynasty
Xin Dynasty
The Xin Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty which lasted from AD 9 to 23. It followed the Western Han Dynasty and preceded the Eastern Han Dynasty....
. He is not to be confused with Emperor Guangwu
Emperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu , born Liu Xiu, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, restorer of the dynasty in AD 25 and thus founder of the Later Han or Eastern Han...
, who founded the succeeding Eastern Han Dynasty. He was viewed as a weak and incompetent ruler, who briefly ruled over an empire willing to let him rule over them, but was unable
to keep that empire together. He was eventually deposed by the Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
and strangled a few months after his defeat.
Traditional historians treat his emperor status ambiguously—and sometimes he would be referred to as an emperor (with reference to his era name—thus, Emperor Gengshi) and sometimes he would be referred to by his Eastern Han-granted title (Prince of Huaiyang
Prince of Huaiyang
Prince of Huaiyang may refer to:*Liu You, sixth son of Emperor Gaozu of Han, later became Prince of Zhao.*Emperor Gengshi of Han*Liu Yu...
) because Eastern Han was later viewed as the "legitimate" restoration of Han 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...
, implying that he was only a pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
.
Collapse of Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty
Late in Wang MangWang 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...
's reign as the emperor of Xin Dynasty
Xin Dynasty
The Xin Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty which lasted from AD 9 to 23. It followed the Western Han Dynasty and preceded the Eastern Han Dynasty....
, there were agrarian revolts virtually everywhere in the empire, due to Wang's incompetent rule and the natural disasters of the time. The two largest branches were the Lülin
Lülin
Lülin or Lülin Force refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty in the modern southern Henan and northern Hubei region who banded together to pool their strengths, and whose collective strength eventually led to the downfall...
(concentrated in modern southern Henan
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...
and northern Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) and Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
(concentrated in modern southern Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
and northern Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
).
In 22, the most ambitious of the rebels would emerge. Liu Yan, a descendant of a distant branch of the Han imperial clan, who lived in his ancestral territory of Chongling (舂陵, in modern Xiangfan
Xiangfan
Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China. It was formed from two famous ancient cities, Xiangyang and Fancheng...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
), had long been disgusted by Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han throne, and had long aspired to start a rebellion. His brother Liu Xiu, by contrast, was a careful and deliberate man, who was content to be a farmer. Around this time, there were prophecies being spread about that the Lius would return to power, and many men gathered about Liu Yan, requesting that he lead them. He agreed, and further joined forces with the branch of Lülin
Lülin
Lülin or Lülin Force refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty in the modern southern Henan and northern Hubei region who banded together to pool their strengths, and whose collective strength eventually led to the downfall...
forces who had entered the proximity, and they began to capture territory instead of simply roving and raiding. (It was said that many of the neighborhood young men were initially hesitant to join the rebels, but when they saw that Liu Xiu, whom they considered wise and careful, joining as well, they agreed to.) In 23, under Liu Yan's leadership, the joint forces had a major victory over Zhen Fu (甄阜), the governor of the Commandery of 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...
, killing him. They then sieged the important city of Wancheng (the capital of Nanyang Commandery, 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...
, Henan
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...
).
Named Pretendant
By this point, many other rebel leaders had become jealous of Liu Yan's capabilities, and while a good number of their men admired Liu Yan and wanted him to become the emperor of a newly declared Han Dynasty, they had other ideas. They found another local rebel leader, Liu XuanLiu Xuan
Liu Xuan may refer to:*Liu Xuan , Chinese gymnast*Liu Xuan , Emperor Gengshi of Han, emperor of the Han Dynasty*Liu Xuan , crown prince of Shu during the Three Kingdoms Period of China...
, a third cousin of Liu Yan, who was claiming the title of General Gengshi (更始將軍) at the time and who was considered a weak personality, and requested that he be made emperor. Liu Yan initially opposed this move and instead suggested that Liu Xuan carry the title "Prince of Han" first (echoing the founder of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Gao). The other rebel leaders refused, and in early 23, Liu Xuan was proclaimed emperor. Liu Yan became prime minister.
Battle of Kunyang
In the spring of 23, the major military confrontation of KunyangBattle of Kunyang
The Battle of Kunyang was fought between June–July in 23AD, between the resurgent Han and Xin forces. The Han forces were led by Liu Xiu, while the far more numerous Xin were led by Wang Yi and Wang Xun...
would seal Wang Mang
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...
's fate. He sent his cousin Wang Yi
Wang Yi
Wang Yi is a politician of the People's Republic of China. As professional diplomat, he formerly served as vice Foreign Minister and Chinese ambassador to Japan. He is the current director of Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of PRC....
(王邑) and his prime minister Wang Xun (王尋) with what he considered to be overwhelming force, some 430,000 men, intending to crush the newly constituted Han regime. The Han forces were at this point in two groups—one led by Wang Feng (王鳳), Wang Chang (王常), and Liu Xiu, which, in response to the arrival of the Xin forces, withdrew to the small town of Kunyang (昆陽, in modern Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan
Pingdingshan , also known as the Eagle City, with approximately 5.2 million inhabitants is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province, People's Republic of China.-Geography:...
, Henan
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...
) and one led by Liu Yan, which was still sieging Wancheng. The rebels in Kunyang initially wanted to scatter, but Liu Xiu opposed it; rather, he advocated that they guard Kunyang securely, while he would gather all other available troops in surrounding areas and attack the Xin forces from the outside. After initially rejecting Liu Xiu's idea, the Kunyang rebels eventually agreed.
Liu Xiu carried out his action, and when he returned to Kunyang, he began harassing the sieging Xin forces from the outside. Wang Yi and Wang Xun, annoyed, led 10,000 men to attack Liu Xiu and ordered the rest of their troops not to move from their siege locations. Once they engaged in battle, however, after minor losses, the other units were hesitant to assist them, and Liu Xiu killed Wang Xun in battle. Once that happened, the Han forces inside Kunyang burst out of the city and attacked the other Xin units, and the much larger Xin forces suffered a total collapse. The soldiers largely deserted and went home, unable to be gathered again. Wang Yi had to withdraw with only several thousand men back to Luoyang. This was a major blow to Xin, psychologically; after this point on, there would be no hope for it.
Infighting and move toward Chang'an
The very first major incident of infighting in Emperor Gengshi's regime would happen in this time, though. Emperor Gengshi was fearful of Liu Yan's capabilities and keenly aware that many of Liu Yan's followers were angry that he was not made emperor. One, Liu Ji (劉稷), was particularly critical of Emperor Gengshi. Emperor Gengshi arrested Liu Ji and wanted to execute him, but Liu Yan tried to intercede. Emperor Gengshi took this opportunity to execute Liu Yan as well. However, ashamed of what he had done, he spared Liu Yan's brother Liu Xiu, and in fact created Liu Xiu the Marquess of Wuxin.Emperor Gengshi then commissioned two armies, one led by Wang Kuang, targeting Luoyang, and the other led by Shentu Jian (申屠建) and Li Song (李松), targeting Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. 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 AD 23, the old name was restored...
directly. All the populace on the way gathered, welcomed, and joined the Han forces. Shentu and Li quickly reached the outskirts of Chang'an. In response, the young men within Chang'an also rose up and stormed Weiyang Palace
Weiyang Palace
Weiyang Palace was a palace complex, located near the city of Chang'an . Built in 200 BC at the request of Han Gaozu, under the supervision of his prime minister Xiao He, it served as the administrative centre and imperial residence of the Western Han Dynasty, as well as the Western Jin dynasty...
, the main imperial palace. Wang
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...
died in the battle at the palace (by Du Wu (杜吳)), as did his daughter Princess Huanghuang (the former empress of Han). After Wang died, the crowd fought over the right to have the credit for having killed Wang, and tens of soldiers died in the ensuing fight. Wang's body was cut into pieces, and his head was delivered to the provisional Han capital Wancheng, to be hung on the city wall.
Attempted consolidation of power
After Wang MangWang 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...
's death, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital from Wancheng to Luoyang
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...
. He then issued edicts to the entire empire, promising to allow Xin local officials who submitted to him to keep their posts. For a brief period, nearly the entire empire showed at least nominal submission—even including the powerful Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
general Fan Chong (樊崇), who, indeed, went to stay in Luoyang under promises of titles and honors. However, this policy was applied inconsistently, and local governors soon became apprehensive about giving up their power. Fan, in particular, left the capital and returned to his troops. In response, Emperor Gengshi sent various generals out to try to calm the local governors and populace; these included Liu Xiu, who was sent to pacify the region north of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. Further, around these times, the people began to see that the powerful officials around Emperor Gengshi were in fact uneducated men lacking ability to govern; this further made them lose confidence in his governance.
Emperor Gengshi's governance would in fact immediately be challenged by a major pretender in winter 23. A fortuneteller in Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
named Wang Lang (王郎) claimed to be actually named Liu Ziyu (劉子輿) and a son of Emperor Cheng
Emperor Cheng of Han
Emperor Cheng of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty 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...
. He claimed that his mother was a singer in Emperor Cheng's service, and that Empress Zhao Feiyan
Empress Zhao Feiyan
Empress Zhao Feiyan , formally Empress Xiaocheng , was an empress during the Han Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Cheng...
had tried to kill him after his birth, but that a substitute child was killed indeed. After he spread these rumors around the people, the people of Handan began to believe that he was a genuine son of Emperor Cheng, and the commanderies north of the Yellow River quickly pledged allegiance to him as emperor. Liu Xiu was forced to withdraw to the northern city of Jicheng (薊城, in modern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
). After some difficulties, however, Liu Xiu was able to unify the northern commanderies still loyal to Emperor Gengshi and siege Handan in 24, killing Wang Lang. Emperor Gengshi put Liu Xiu in charge of the region north of the Yellow Rivera and created him the Prince of Xiao, but Liu Xiu, still aware that he was not truly trusted and secretly angry about his brother's death, secretly planned to peel away from Emperor Gengshi's rule. He began to strip other Emperor Gengshi-commissioned generals of their powers and troops, and concentrated the troops under his own command.
Also in 24, Emperor Gengshi moved his capital again, back to the Western Han capital of Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. 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 AD 23, the old name was restored...
. The people of Chang'an had previously been offended by Emperor Gengshi's officials, who did not appreciate their rising up against Wang Mang but in fact considered them traitors. Once Emperor Gengshi was back in the capital, he issued a general pardon, which calmed the situation for a while. At this time, Chang'an was still largely intact, except for Weiyang Palace, destroyed by fire. However, Emperor Gengshi's timidity quickly caused problems. When the imperial officials were gathered for an official meeting, Emperor Gengshi, who had never seen such solemn occasions, panicked. Later, when generals submitted reports to him, he asked questions such as, "How much did you pillage today?" This type of behavior further reduced the confidence of the people in him.
Emperor Gengshi entrusted his government to Zhao Meng (趙萌), whose daughter he took as an imperial consort. He himself engaged in frequent drinking and was often unable to receive officials or make important decisions. Zhao greatly abused his power, and once, when an honest official revealed Zhao's crimes to Emperor Gengshi, Emperor Gengshi had him executed. The other powerful officials also abused their power greatly, often commissioning duplicating local officials throughout the empire, causing great confusion and anger.
In autumn 24, Emperor Gengshi sent his generals Li Bao (李寶) and Li Zhong (李忠) to try to capture modern Sichuan, then held by local warlord Gongsun Shu (公孫述), but his generals were defeated by Gongsun.
Defeat by Chimei
In winter 24, an ominous issue would arise for Emperor Gengshi; Chimei troops, then stationed at PuyangPuyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
, were highly fatigued at the time and wanted to go home. Their leaders felt that if they did so, Chimei forces would scatter and be unable to be gathered again, and they felt that a clear target needs to be created. They decided to announce that they were attacking Emperor Gengshi's capital Chang'an, and they, divided into two armies, began to head west. Liu Xiu, while he had fairly strong troops, chose to stand by and wait for Chimei to destroy Emperor Gengshi; he used the Henei region (modern northern Henan, north of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
) as his base of operations for its strategic location and the richness of its soil. The Chimei armies rejoined in Hongnong (弘農, in modern Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia
-Administration:The prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia administers one district, two county-level cities and three counties.*Hubin District*Lingbao City*Yima City*Lushi County*Shan County*Mianchi County*Sanmenxia Development Zone...
, Henan
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...
), defeating every single army that Emperor Gengshi sent to stop it.
In 25, Emperor Gengshi's forces would cause the death of the former Western Han emperor-designate, Emperor Ruzi (Liu Ying). Two far-fetched co-conspirators—Fang Wang (方望), the former strategist for the local warlord Wei Xiao (隗囂), and a man named Gong Lin (弓林) -- and their group of several thousand men, after kidnapping the former Duke of Ding'an, occupied Linjing (臨涇, in modern Qingyang
Qingyang
Qingyang is a prefecture-level city in China's Gansu province.-Geography and climate:Qingyang is in eastern Gansu province and is sometimes referred to in Chinese as "Longdong" . Ningxia province is to the north west and Shaanxi is to the east. It is in the lower middle part of the Yellow River on...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
). Emperor Gengshi sent his prime minister Li Song (李松) to attack them, and wiped out this rebel force, killing Liu Ying.
In summer 25, Liu Xiu finally made a formal break with Emperor Gengshi, after his generals and Emperor Gengshi's generals fought over control of the Henei and Luoyang regions. He declared himself emperor (establishing the regime known later as the Eastern Han Dynasty), and soon his general Deng Yu
Deng Yu
Deng Yu , courtesy name Zhonghua , was a Han Dynasty general and statesman who was a major contributor to Emperor Guangwu 's campaign to reestablish the Han Dynasty...
also captured the modern Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, further reducing Emperor Gengshi's strength.
Feeling trapped, a number of Emperor Gengshi's generals conspired to kidnap him and flee back to their home region of 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...
(in modern Henan
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...
). They were discovered, and many were executed, but one, Zhang Ang (張卬) occupied most of Chang'an, forcing Emperor Gengshi to flee, just as Chimei forces were approaching.
Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
, at this time, decided that they also needed their own emperor. They found three descendants of Liu Zhang
Liu Zhang (Han prince)
Liu Zhang , formally Prince Jing of Chengyang , sometimes known in later historical accounts and literature by his earlier title, Marquess of Zhuxu , was an important political figure in the anti-Lü clan conspiracy during the Lü Clan Disturbance in 180 BC.He was created the Marquess of Zhuxu in...
, Prince of Chengyang
Chengyang
Chengyang is a district consisting of eight villages, located 4–5 hours from Guilin, in the Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County of Guangxi province of China....
, who was very popular with the people of his principality (from which many Chimei soldiers came) and who was worshiped as a god after his death. After drawing lots, the youngest, the 15-year-old Liu Penzi
Liu Penzi
Liu Penzi was a puppet "emperor" placed on the Han Dynasty throne temporarily by the Chimei agrarian rebels after the collapse of the Xin Dynasty, from 25 to 27. Liu Penzi and his 2 brothers were forced into the Chimei to be child soldiers. When Chimei submitted the new Emperor Gengshi of Han,...
was chosen and declared emperor. However, the young "emperor" was not given any power, but was effectively a puppet who still served as a cattle keeper within the army.
Generals still loyal to Emperor Gengshi were eventually able to evict Zhang from the capital, but by that time the situation was desperate. Zhang and his allies surrendered to Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
and, working with them, attacked Chang'an, which fell quickly, and Emperor Gengshi fled, only followed by several loyal followers, including Liu Zhi (劉祉) the Prince of Dingtao and Liu Gong (劉恭) the Marquess of Shi—who, incidentally, was Liu Penzi's older brother. They were eventually taken in by one of Emperor Gengshi's generals, Yan Ben (嚴本), who, however, was in actuality holding them as bargaining chips. When Liu Xiu heard about the fall of Chang'an, he created Emperor Gengshi the Prince of Huaiyang, in absentia, and decreed that anyone who harmed the Prince of Huaiyang would be severely punished and that anyone who protected and delivered him to Eastern Han would be rewarded. (This appears to be basically political propaganda on Liu Xiu's part.) When news of Chang'an's fall arrived in Luoyang
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...
, Luoyang surrendered to Liu Xiu, who entered the city and made it his capital.
In winter 25, after being held by Yan a few months, Emperor Gengshi saw his situation as futile, and requested Liu Gong to negotiate surrender terms. A promise was made that he would be made the Prince of Changsha. Emperor Penzi's general Xie Lu (謝祿) arrived at Yan's camp and escorted Emperor Gengshi back to Chang'an to offer his seal (seized from Wang Mang) to Emperor Penzi. Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
generals, notwithstanding the earlier promise, wanted to execute him. It was only Liu Gong's final intercession (in which he threatened to commit suicide at the execution site) that allowed Emperor Gengshi to be spared at this point, and he was created the Prince of Changsha. He, however, was forced to stay in Xie's headquarters, and Liu Gong protected him on a number of occasions.
Chimei
Chimei
Chimei refers, as an umbrella term, to one of the two major agrarian rebellion movements against Wang Mang's Xin Dynasty, initially active in the modern Shandong and northern Jiangsu regions, that eventually led to Wang Mang's downfall by draining his resources, allowing the leader of the other...
generals were even less able to govern the capital than Emperor Gengshi, however, as they were unable to control their soldiers from pillaging from the people. The people began to yearn the return of Emperor Gengshi. Zhang Ang and his allies, afraid of what might happen if Emperor Gengshi returned to power, persuaded Xie to strangle Emperor Gengshi. Liu Gong hid his body in a secure location, and years later, after Eastern Han had securely captured the Chang'an region, Liu Xiu had Emperor Gengshi's body buried with princely honors at Baling (霸陵), near the tomb of Emperor Wen
Emperor Wen of Han
Emperor Wen of Han was the fifth emperor of the Han Dynasty in China. His given name is Heng.Liu Heng was a son of Emperor Gao of Han and Consort Bo, later empress dowager...
.
Personal information
- Family name
- LiuLiu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) in ChineseChinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
- Liu
- Given nameChinese namePersonal 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"...
- Xuan (玄 py. xúan)
- Era nameChinese era nameA Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
- Gengshi (更始 py. gèng shĭ) 23-25
- Father
- Liu Zizhang (劉子張), grandson of Liu Xiongqu (劉熊渠) the Marquess of Chonglin, the grandson of Liu Fa (劉發) Prince Ding of Changsha, the son of Emperor Jing of HanEmperor Jing of HanEmperor Jing of Han was an emperor of China in the Han Dynasty from 156 BC to 141 BC. His reign saw the limit and curtailment of power of feudal princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights...
- Liu Zizhang (劉子張), grandson of Liu Xiongqu (劉熊渠) the Marquess of Chonglin, the grandson of Liu Fa (劉發) Prince Ding of Changsha, the son of Emperor Jing of Han
- Major Concubines
- Consort Zhao, the daughter of Zhao Meng (趙萌)
- Consort Han
- Children
- Liu Qiu (劉求), later created the Marquess of Xiangyi by Liu Xiu
- Liu Xin (劉歆), later created the Marquess of Gushu by Liu Xiu
- Liu Li (劉鯉), later created the Marquess of Shouguang by Liu Xiu