Liu Penzi
Encyclopedia
Liu Penzi (b. 10-??)
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
, his big brother Liu Gong fled to support the new emperor. Later, Chimei rose again into rebellion, and when the need of an imperial pretender rose, Chimei leaders chose Liu Penzi as new imperial pretender. When Chimei took Chang'an, Liu Penzi was officially Emperor of China, but never had actual powers. Accordingly, when Liu Xiu definitively overthrow the out of supply and exhausted Chimei, he spared the 17 years old puppet emperor.
, Prince Jing of Chengyang, from whose principality many Chimei men came. The people of the principality had long worshipped Prince Zhang as a god. Penzi's grandfather Liu Xian (劉憲) was created the Marquess of Shi by Emperor Yuan
, and Penzi's father Liu Meng (劉萌) inherited the march after Marquess Xian's death. When Wang Mang
usurped the Han throne and established the Xin Dynasty in 8, the march was abolished.
Penzi was the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers were Liu Gong (劉恭) and Liu Mao (劉茂). As Chimei forces rose late during the Xin Dynasty, the Liu brothers were forced into the Chimei to be child soldiers. Later, when the Chimei general Fan Chong (樊崇) temporarily submitted to Emperor Gengshi
's authority after Emperor Gengshi overthrew Wang Mang, Liu Gong accompanied Fan to the then-capital Luoyang
, and was created the Marquess of Shi to inherit his father's title. He did not accompany Fan when Fan later fled from Luoyang back to the Chimei stronghold of Puyang (濮陽, in modern Puyang
, Henan
), but remained a follower of Emperor Gengshi. Mao and Penzi remained in the Chimei forces and were made cattlemen.
in 25, they became convinced that they should find a descendant of Prince Zhang and make him emperor to inherit the Han throne. They found some 70 descendants of Liu Zhang, but only three were from the main line—the brothers Mao and Penzi, and another Liu Xiao (劉孝), the former Marquess of Xi'an. After drawing lots, Penzi was declared emperor. The 14-year-old Penzi was greatly scared when he saw all of the generals bow down to him, and he tried to destroy the lot he drew by chewing it in his mouth, but it was in vain; he was selected. Even after his selection, however, he had no power and remained a cattleman until the Chimei forces defeated Emperor Gengshi and entered the capital Chang'an
later that year.
In 26, Liu Gong
, seeing the dangers of the situation for his brother the emperor, decided to make one attempt to either put the situation under control or disengage his brother from the mess. At the New Year's Day imperial gathering, Liu Gong first spoke and asked that Emperor Penzi be allowed to yield the throne, and Emperor Penzi jumped off the throne, took the imperial seal off himself, and spoke while crying:
Fan and the other leaders were ashamed, and they left their seats and bowed down to Emperor Penzi, apologizing for their failures. They physically forced Emperor Penzi back onto the throne and put the imperial seal back onto him. For weeks after the incident, the generals restrained their soldiers from unlawful acts, and the people praised Emperor Penzi as a merciful and brilliant emperor. However, after some time has elapsed, the lawlessness returned. Soon, the food supplies were completely depleted, and the Chimei forces burned many Chang'an palaces and other buildings and pillaged the city, then marched west into the modern eastern Gansu region.
Soon, the Chimei
were repelled by the local warlord Wei Xiao (隗囂) and forced to retreat east. After battles of attrition against Liu Xiu (Emperor Guangwu)'s forces, they were completely drained, and they surrendered to him in spring 27. Emperor Penzi yielded his title, and Emperor Guangwu, aware that he did not have any actual powers, spared him.
was a puppet "emperor" placed on the 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...
throne temporarily 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...
agrarian rebels after the collapse of the 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....
, 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
Emperor Gengshi of Han
Emperor Gengshi of Han, ch. 漢更始帝, py. gèng shĭ dì, wg. Keng-Shih-ti, , also known as the Prince of Huaiyang , courtesy name Shenggong , was an emperor of the restored Chinese Han Dynasty following the fall of Wang Mang's Xin...
, his big brother Liu Gong fled to support the new emperor. Later, Chimei rose again into rebellion, and when the need of an imperial pretender rose, Chimei leaders chose Liu Penzi as new imperial pretender. When Chimei took Chang'an, Liu Penzi was officially Emperor of China, but never had actual powers. Accordingly, when Liu Xiu definitively overthrow the out of supply and exhausted Chimei, he spared the 17 years old puppet emperor.
Family background
Liu Penzi was a descendant of the Western Han prince Liu ZhangLiu 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 Jing of Chengyang, from whose principality many Chimei men came. The people of the principality had long worshipped Prince Zhang as a god. Penzi's grandfather Liu Xian (劉憲) was created the Marquess of Shi by Emperor Yuan
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...
, and Penzi's father Liu Meng (劉萌) inherited the march after Marquess Xian's death. When 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...
usurped the Han throne and established the Xin Dynasty in 8, the march was abolished.
Penzi was the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers were Liu Gong (劉恭) and Liu Mao (劉茂). As Chimei forces rose late during the Xin Dynasty, the Liu brothers were forced into the Chimei to be child soldiers. Later, when the Chimei general Fan Chong (樊崇) temporarily submitted to Emperor Gengshi
Emperor Gengshi of Han
Emperor Gengshi of Han, ch. 漢更始帝, py. gèng shĭ dì, wg. Keng-Shih-ti, , also known as the Prince of Huaiyang , courtesy name Shenggong , was an emperor of the restored Chinese Han Dynasty following the fall of Wang Mang's Xin...
's authority after Emperor Gengshi overthrew Wang Mang, Liu Gong accompanied Fan to the then-capital 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...
, and was created the Marquess of Shi to inherit his father's title. He did not accompany Fan when Fan later fled from Luoyang back to the Chimei stronghold of Puyang (濮陽, in modern Puyang
Puyang
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....
, 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...
), but remained a follower of Emperor Gengshi. Mao and Penzi remained in the Chimei forces and were made cattlemen.
Being made emperor
As Chimei forces were on their way to overthrow the temporary Han emperor Emperor GengshiEmperor Gengshi of Han
Emperor Gengshi of Han, ch. 漢更始帝, py. gèng shĭ dì, wg. Keng-Shih-ti, , also known as the Prince of Huaiyang , courtesy name Shenggong , was an emperor of the restored Chinese Han Dynasty following the fall of Wang Mang's Xin...
in 25, they became convinced that they should find a descendant of Prince Zhang and make him emperor to inherit the Han throne. They found some 70 descendants of Liu Zhang, but only three were from the main line—the brothers Mao and Penzi, and another Liu Xiao (劉孝), the former Marquess of Xi'an. After drawing lots, Penzi was declared emperor. The 14-year-old Penzi was greatly scared when he saw all of the generals bow down to him, and he tried to destroy the lot he drew by chewing it in his mouth, but it was in vain; he was selected. Even after his selection, however, he had no power and remained a cattleman until the Chimei forces defeated Emperor Gengshi and entered the capital 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...
later that year.
As emperor
The Chimei generals were as inept at ruling as they were capable in the battlefield, however. Initially, the people of the Guanzhong (關中, modern central Shaanxi) region submitted and offered tributes—and were surprised when the Chimei soldiers continuously robbed them on the way to Chang'an. The locals soon resumed maintaining and defending their outposts.In 26, Liu Gong
Liu Gong
Emperor Qianshao of Han , personal name Liu Gong , was the third emperor of the Han Dynasty in China. He was a son, likely the oldest son, of Emperor Hui, likely by a concubine -- although there is some controversy on the subject—and adopted by Emperor Hui's wife, Empress Zhang Yan...
, seeing the dangers of the situation for his brother the emperor, decided to make one attempt to either put the situation under control or disengage his brother from the mess. At the New Year's Day imperial gathering, Liu Gong first spoke and asked that Emperor Penzi be allowed to yield the throne, and Emperor Penzi jumped off the throne, took the imperial seal off himself, and spoke while crying:
- Now there is an emperor, but everyone continues to act as robbers. The people hate us and do not trust us. This is because you chose the wrong Son of HeavenSon of HeavenSon of Heaven may refer to:* Emperor of China* Emperor of Japan* Emperors of Vietnam* Son of God* Son of Heaven , book on Guangxu Emperor by Princess Der Ling...
. Please return my body to me. But if you want to kill me to divert blame, then I must die.
Fan and the other leaders were ashamed, and they left their seats and bowed down to Emperor Penzi, apologizing for their failures. They physically forced Emperor Penzi back onto the throne and put the imperial seal back onto him. For weeks after the incident, the generals restrained their soldiers from unlawful acts, and the people praised Emperor Penzi as a merciful and brilliant emperor. However, after some time has elapsed, the lawlessness returned. Soon, the food supplies were completely depleted, and the Chimei forces burned many Chang'an palaces and other buildings and pillaged the city, then marched west into the modern eastern Gansu region.
Soon, 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...
were repelled by the local warlord Wei Xiao (隗囂) and forced to retreat east. After battles of attrition against Liu Xiu (Emperor Guangwu)'s forces, they were completely drained, and they surrendered to him in spring 27. Emperor Penzi yielded his title, and Emperor Guangwu, aware that he did not have any actual powers, spared him.
After surrender
Emperor Guangwu made Penzi an assistant to his uncle Liu Liang (劉良), the Prince of Zhao. Later, Liu Penzi suffered an illness that blinded him, and Liu Xiu gave him a large swarth of farmland, allowing him to survive on the rent from the farms for the rest of his life. It is not known when he died.See also
- ChimeiChimeiChimei 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...
- Xin DynastyXin DynastyThe 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....