Prince He of Changyi
Encyclopedia
Prince He of Changyi (died 59 BC) was an emperor
of the Chinese Han Dynasty
for 27 days in 74 BC. He was installed and deposed by a prominent statesman
of his time, Huo Guang
. He was omitted from the official list of emperors. His personal name was Liu He (劉賀, liú hè) and he declared the era name Yuanping (元平 py. yúan píng). He is also frequently known as the Marquess of Haihun after the title he was given (created 63 BC) after he was deposed. When he was deposed, he was first returned to his former principality of Changyi, but without any titles.
, whose death in 87 BC predated Prince Bo's by only one year.
(Note: the below description of Prince He's life as Prince of Changyi are based on description of him written after he was deposed, and may very well be biased or fabricated.)
When Emperor Wu died, Prince He was supposed to be in a period of mourning, but he continued to hunt incessantly. The mayor of the principality's capital, Wang Ji (王吉) offered honest criticism of him when this happened, and urged him to be more studious and humble. Prince He appreciated Wang's report and rewarded him, but did not change his ways. Similarly, when Prince He associated with people with ill reputation who engaged in vulgarity and engaged in wasteful spending, he was begged by the commander of his guards, Gong Sui (龔遂) to change his ways, and Prince He agreed—but soon after chased away the solemn guards that Gong had recommended and brought his prior companions back, and Gong could do nothing about it.
died in 74 BC without a son, the regent Huo Guang
rejected Liu Xu (劉胥), the Prince of Guangling and the only surviving son of Emperor Wu, from succession, because Emperor Wu himself did not favor Prince Xu, who was known for being compulsive in his actions. He therefore turned to Prince He, as Emperor Wu's grandson. Prince He was ecstatic, and immediately departed from his capital Shanyang (山陽, in modern Jining
, Shandong
) and headed for the imperial capital Chang'an
, at such a high speed that the horses of his guards fell dead from exhaustion. Wang Ji urged him from racing at such speed, reasoning that it was inappropriate during a time of mourning, but Prince He brushed aside the suggestion. On the way, he ordered local governments to offer him a special kind of chicken (known for their ability to crow for a long time) and women. (During periods of mourning, he would have been required to abstain from sexual relations.) When Gong confronted him about it, he blamed it on the director of his slaves, who was then executed.
When Prince He arrived at the capital, he first stayed at the Changyi mission to the capital. He then attended a formal session of mourning for Emperor Zhao, before accepting the throne.
Prince He's behavior as emperor surprised and disappointed Huo, who pondered his options. At the suggestion of the agricultural minister Tian Yannian (田延年), he began to consider deposing the new emperor, and he also consulted General Zhang Anshi
(張安世) and Prime Minister Yang Chang (楊敞), who agreed to the plan.
's palace to report to her Prince He's offenses. She agreed with their plan, and immediately ordered that Prince He's Changyi subordinates be immediately barred from the palace, and those subordinates (some 200) were then arrested by Zhang. She then summoned Prince He, who still did not know what was going to happen. He only knew something was wrong when he saw Empress Dowager Shangguan seated on her throne and wearing a formal dress made of jewels, and the officials lined up next to her.
Huo and the top officials then offered their articles of impeachment against Prince He, and these articles were read out loud to the empress dowager. Empress Dowager Shangguan verbally rebuked Prince He. The articles of impeachment listed these as the main offenses (a total of 1127 misconducts) that Prince He committed during his 27-day reign as an emperor:
Empress Dowager Shangguan approved the articles of impeachment and ordered Prince He deposed. He was then transported under heavy guard back to the Changyi mission. Both Prince He and Huo offered personal apologies to each other.
Prince He's Changyi subordinates were accused of failing to keep his behavior in check and were almost all executed. Wang and Gong were spared because of their prior advice to him, but were ordered to hard labor. The only other official also spared was Prince He's teacher Wang Shi (王式), who successfully argued that he tried to use his teachings of poems to show Prince He what was proper and what was improper. Some historians argued that the reason why the Changyi officials were dealt with so harshly was that Huo was convinced that they were plotting with Prince He to have him killed, but there is no conclusive evidence of either such a plot or that the harsh treatment was as the result of such a plot or suspected plot.
Huo later settled on Liu Bingyi (劉病已), the commoner grandson of the former Crown Prince Liu Ju
, an uncle of Prince He, as the new emperor, and he ascended to the throne 27 days later as Emperor Xuan
. For years, although Prince He was powerless and without titles, Emperor Xuan was suspicious of him, but a report by Zhang Chang
(張敞), the governor of the Commandery of Shanyang, in 64 BC, in which Zhang downplayed Prince He's level of intelligence, alleviated those concerns. In 63 BC, therefore, Emperor Xuan created Prince He the Marquess of Haihun—a county located in modern Jiangxi
. (Although one can also speculate that in fact Emperor Xuan was concerned about Prince He, and therefore chose to send him far away from his former principality.) The former emperor died in 59 BC as a marquess. His son Liu Daizong (劉代宗) was not initially allowed to inherit his title, but ultimately was allowed to during the reign of Emperor Yuan
.
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 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...
for 27 days in 74 BC. He was installed and deposed by a prominent statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
of his time, Huo Guang
Huo Guang
Huo Guang , courtesy name Zimeng was a Western Han statesman who was a rare example in Chinese history of a powerful official who deposed an emperor for the good of the state rather than to usurp the throne...
. He was omitted from the official list of emperors. His personal name was Liu He (劉賀, liú hè) and he declared the era name Yuanping (元平 py. yúan píng). He is also frequently known as the Marquess of Haihun after the title he was given (created 63 BC) after he was deposed. When he was deposed, he was first returned to his former principality of Changyi, but without any titles.
Background and career as the Prince of Changyi
It is not known when Prince He was born, though it is often thought to have been in or around 92 BC. His father, Liu Bo (劉髆), Prince Ai (i.e., the lamented) of Changyi died in 86 BC, and he inherited his father's principality. (Historical records discussing him implies that he was at youngest a teenager at that time.) Prince Bo's father was Emperor WuEmperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
, whose death in 87 BC predated Prince Bo's by only one year.
(Note: the below description of Prince He's life as Prince of Changyi are based on description of him written after he was deposed, and may very well be biased or fabricated.)
When Emperor Wu died, Prince He was supposed to be in a period of mourning, but he continued to hunt incessantly. The mayor of the principality's capital, Wang Ji (王吉) offered honest criticism of him when this happened, and urged him to be more studious and humble. Prince He appreciated Wang's report and rewarded him, but did not change his ways. Similarly, when Prince He associated with people with ill reputation who engaged in vulgarity and engaged in wasteful spending, he was begged by the commander of his guards, Gong Sui (龔遂) to change his ways, and Prince He agreed—but soon after chased away the solemn guards that Gong had recommended and brought his prior companions back, and Gong could do nothing about it.
Ascension to the throne
When Prince He's uncle Emperor ZhaoEmperor Zhao of Han
Emperor Zhao of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 87 BC to 74 BC.Emperor Zhao was the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han. By the time Zhao was born, Emperor Wu was already 62. Zhao ascended the throne after the death of Emperor Wu in 87 BC. He was only 8 years old...
died in 74 BC without a son, the regent Huo Guang
Huo Guang
Huo Guang , courtesy name Zimeng was a Western Han statesman who was a rare example in Chinese history of a powerful official who deposed an emperor for the good of the state rather than to usurp the throne...
rejected Liu Xu (劉胥), the Prince of Guangling and the only surviving son of Emperor Wu, from succession, because Emperor Wu himself did not favor Prince Xu, who was known for being compulsive in his actions. He therefore turned to Prince He, as Emperor Wu's grandson. Prince He was ecstatic, and immediately departed from his capital Shanyang (山陽, in modern Jining
Jining, Shandong
Jining is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the northwest and south respectively...
, 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 headed for the imperial 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...
, at such a high speed that the horses of his guards fell dead from exhaustion. Wang Ji urged him from racing at such speed, reasoning that it was inappropriate during a time of mourning, but Prince He brushed aside the suggestion. On the way, he ordered local governments to offer him a special kind of chicken (known for their ability to crow for a long time) and women. (During periods of mourning, he would have been required to abstain from sexual relations.) When Gong confronted him about it, he blamed it on the director of his slaves, who was then executed.
When Prince He arrived at the capital, he first stayed at the Changyi mission to the capital. He then attended a formal session of mourning for Emperor Zhao, before accepting the throne.
Brief reign as emperor
Once he became emperor, Prince He immediately began to give unlimited promotions to his subordinates from Changyi. He also failed to observe the period of mourning properly, but rather feasted day and night and went out on tours. Gong became concerned, but was unable to get Prince He to change.Prince He's behavior as emperor surprised and disappointed Huo, who pondered his options. At the suggestion of the agricultural minister Tian Yannian (田延年), he began to consider deposing the new emperor, and he also consulted General Zhang Anshi
Zhang Anshi
Zhang Anshi was a Chinese official of the Han Dynasty.He was a precocious student who attracted attention in a famous incident. During an Imperial progress, to which he was attached in a subordinate capacity, three boxes of books were missing...
(張安世) and Prime Minister Yang Chang (楊敞), who agreed to the plan.
Removal from the throne
Just 27 days into the new emperor's reign, Huo and the other officials took action. They summoned a meeting of high level officials and announced the plan to depose the emperor, forcing those other officials to go along at the pain of death. They then, in group, went to Empress Dowager ShangguanEmpress Shangguan
Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan , also known as Empress Shangguan , Empress Xiaozhao and Empress Dowager Shangguan , was an Empress, Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager during Han Dynasty and wife to Emperor Zhao. Her father was Shangguan An , the son of Shangguan Jie...
's palace to report to her Prince He's offenses. She agreed with their plan, and immediately ordered that Prince He's Changyi subordinates be immediately barred from the palace, and those subordinates (some 200) were then arrested by Zhang. She then summoned Prince He, who still did not know what was going to happen. He only knew something was wrong when he saw Empress Dowager Shangguan seated on her throne and wearing a formal dress made of jewels, and the officials lined up next to her.
Huo and the top officials then offered their articles of impeachment against Prince He, and these articles were read out loud to the empress dowager. Empress Dowager Shangguan verbally rebuked Prince He. The articles of impeachment listed these as the main offenses (a total of 1127 misconducts) that Prince He committed during his 27-day reign as an emperor:
- Refusal to abstain from meat and sex during the period of mourning
- Failure to keep the imperial safe secure
- Improperly promoting and rewarding his Changyi subordinates during the period of mourning
- Engaging in feasts and games during the period of mourning
- Offering sacrifices to his father during the period of mourning for his uncle
Empress Dowager Shangguan approved the articles of impeachment and ordered Prince He deposed. He was then transported under heavy guard back to the Changyi mission. Both Prince He and Huo offered personal apologies to each other.
Post-reign life
As part of the articles of impeachment, the officials asked that Empress Dowager Shangguan exile Prince He somewhere remote. However, she did not do so, but rather returned him to Changyi without any titles, although he was given a small fief of 2,000 families who would pay tribute to him. His sisters were also awarded smaller fiefs.Prince He's Changyi subordinates were accused of failing to keep his behavior in check and were almost all executed. Wang and Gong were spared because of their prior advice to him, but were ordered to hard labor. The only other official also spared was Prince He's teacher Wang Shi (王式), who successfully argued that he tried to use his teachings of poems to show Prince He what was proper and what was improper. Some historians argued that the reason why the Changyi officials were dealt with so harshly was that Huo was convinced that they were plotting with Prince He to have him killed, but there is no conclusive evidence of either such a plot or that the harsh treatment was as the result of such a plot or suspected plot.
Huo later settled on Liu Bingyi (劉病已), the commoner grandson of the former Crown Prince Liu Ju
Liu Ju
Liu Ju , formally Crown Prince Li was crown prince during the reign of his father, Emperor Wu of Han, during China's Han Dynasty...
, an uncle of Prince He, as the new emperor, and he ascended to the throne 27 days later as 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...
. For years, although Prince He was powerless and without titles, Emperor Xuan was suspicious of him, but a report by Zhang Chang
Zhang Chang (Han)
Zhang Chang was a distinguished scholar and official who flourished under the Emperor Yuandi of Han dynasty China.He first attracted attention by denouncing the irregular conduct of Prince He of Changyi, who was promptly disgraced upon his representations. He became Governor of Shanyang in...
(張敞), the governor of the Commandery of Shanyang, in 64 BC, in which Zhang downplayed Prince He's level of intelligence, alleviated those concerns. In 63 BC, therefore, Emperor Xuan created Prince He the Marquess of Haihun—a county located in modern Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
. (Although one can also speculate that in fact Emperor Xuan was concerned about Prince He, and therefore chose to send him far away from his former principality.) The former emperor died in 59 BC as a marquess. His son Liu Daizong (劉代宗) was not initially allowed to inherit his title, but ultimately was allowed to during the reign of 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...
.