Emperor Xian of Han
Encyclopedia
Emperor Xian of Han personal name Liu Xie, style name
Bohe, was the last emperor
of the Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. He was forced to abdicate in favor of Cao Pi
and was given the title of Duke of Shanyang.
Emperor Xian was the son of Emperor Ling
and was the brother of Emperor Shao (who later became known as Prince of Hongnong
). He was placed on the throne in 189 after Dong Zhuo
removed his brother from the throne. This act was seen as a sign to all the other lords that Dong Zhuo was in full control of the empire. However, after Dong Zhuo was assassinated in 192, Emperor Xian became first a puppet and then was stranded in Luoyang
with the warlords formally acknowledging him but giving him no aid. Eventually, Emperor Xian came under the control of Cao Cao
in 196, and Cao used Emperor Xian as a nominal ruler effectively, issuing edicts beneficial to him in Emperor Xian's name, greatly helping him in his quest to reunify the empire, which appeared inevitable until Cao Cao's defeat by Sun Quan
and Liu Bei
at the Battle of Red Cliffs
, leading to Sun and Liu's entrenchment in their territories. In 220, the Han Dynasty was finally overthrown by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi
, ending more than 400 years of Han dynastic rule and ushering in the era of the Three Kingdoms
.
Although Emperor Xian was demoted to a rank of nobility (Duke of Shanyang), he lived in comfort and enjoyed preferential treatment. He died in 234 at the age of 53, 14 years after the fall of his dynasty.
and his Consort Wang. During her pregnancy, Consort Wang, fearful of Emperor Ling's Empress He
, had taken drugs that were intended to induce an abortion, but was not successful in her attempt. Soon after she gave birth to Liu Xie, the jealous Empress He poisoned her by putting poison in her food. Emperor Ling was enraged and wanted to depose her, but the eunuchs pleaded on her behalf, and she was not deposed. Liu Xie was raised personally by Emperor Ling's mother Empress Dowager Dong
and known by the circumspect title "Marquess Dong". (This is due to superstition; Emperor Ling had lost a number of sons previously, and therefore both Liu Xie and his older brother Liu Bian
were known by such titles; Liu Bian, having been raised by Shi Zimiao (史子眇), was known as "Marquess Shi"). Liu Bian was born of the empress and was older, but Emperor Ling viewed his behavior as being insufficiently solemn and therefore considered appointing Liu Xie as his crown prince
, but hesitated and could not decide.
When Emperor Ling died in 189, an influential eunuch official whom he trusted, Jian Shuo
, wanted to first kill Empress He's brother, General-in-Chief He Jin
, and then install Liu Xie on the throne, and therefore set up a trap at a meeting he was to have with He Jin. He Jin found out, and preemptorily declared Liu Bian as Emperor Shao. Later that year, Emperor Shao granted Liu Xie the title of Prince of Bohai, and later changed his title to Prince of Chenliu (陈留王).
quickly entered into a conspiracy to exterminate the eunuchs. They were, however, rebuffed by Empress Dowager He, and they hatched the plan to secretly order a number of generals to advance on the capital Luoyang
to force Empress Dowager He to agree to their demands. One of these generals was Dong Zhuo
, who saw this as an opportunity to control the central government.
He Jin's plan was discovered by the eunuchs, who laid a trap for him and killed him. Yuan Shao then led his forces into the palace and killed the majority of the eunuchs. The remaining eunuchs initially took the young emperor and Liu Xie hostage, but were eventually forced to commit suicide when the battle turned against them. When Dong Zhuo then arrived on scene, he, impressed with his own power and unimpressed with the nervous Emperor Shao, forced the young emperor to yield the throne to Liu Xie (partly because he was raised by Empress Dowager Dong who, while no relation to Dong Zhuo, was therefore respected by Dong Zhuo), who then ascended the throne as Emperor Xian. Dong Zhuo then murdered Empress Dowager He and the former Emperor Shao, and became firmly in control of the political scene.
led by Yuan Shao, quickly rose up against Dong Zhuo. Even though they still feared Dong Zhuo's military power and did not directly advance on Luoyang, Dong Zhuo was also fearful of their collective strength, and therefore determined to move the capital west to the old Western Han capital Chang'an
, closer to his power base in Liang Province (涼州; covering present-day Gansu
). On April 9, 190, he forced Emperor Xian to relocate to Chang'an and set fire to Luoyang, leaving it largely in ruins.
After the revolting coalition collapsed, a number of officials, led by Wang Yun
and Dong Zhuo's adopted son Lü Bu
, assassinated Dong on May 22, 192. For a while, it appeared that the Han regime might return to normal, as Wang Yun quickly established relatively friendly relations with the local officials resisting Dong but by this time acting more as local warlords. However, due to Wang Yun's failure to pacify Dong Zhuo's former subordinates, they rose in revolt and killed Wang.
, took Emperor Xian and the imperial court under their control. However, Li Jue and Guo Si did not have serious ambitions, and their incompetence in governance furthered the breakdown of the Han empire into warlord regimes. In 195, Li Jue and Guo Si had a major fallout, and Li took Emperor Xian hostage while Guo took the officials hostage as they battled. Later in the year, after peace talks between Li Jue and Guo Si, they agreed to allow Emperor Xian to return to Luoyang, but as soon as Emperor Xian departed Chang'an, they regretted and chased him with their troops. While they were never able to capture him, Emperor Xian's court was rendered poor and unable to fend for itself, and once it returned to Luoyang, it lacked even the basic essentials of life. Many officials starved to death. At this time, Yuan Shao's strategist Ju Shou
suggested that he welcome Emperor Xian to his province so that he could effectively be in control of the central government, but the other strategists Guo Tu
and Chunyu Qiong
opposed — under the faulty logic that if he did, he would have to yield to Emperor Xian on key decisions. Yuan Shao listened to Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong and never again considered welcoming Emperor Xian.
did. Cao Cao was at this time a relatively minor warlord, as the governor of Yan Province (兗州; covering present-day western Shandong
and eastern Henan
), with his headquarters at Xu (present-day Xuchang
, Henan). He saw the strategical advantage in having the emperor under his control and protection, and in 196 he marched west to Luoyang and, after securing an agreement with Emperor Xian's generals Dong Cheng
and Yang Feng
, convincing them of his loyalty, he entered Luoyang and technically shared power with Dong and Yang, but was in fact in command. Unlike the situation with Dong Zhuo, though, Cao Cao knew how to assuage the other generals and nobles, and while he gave them little power, he made sure that they remained honoured, so minimal opposition against him developed at the imperial court. He then moved the capital to Xu to affirm his control over the central government, and while Yang Feng opposed him, he defeated Yang and was able to move the capital.
Cao Cao then began to issue imperial edicts in Emperor Xian's name — including a harshly-worded edict condemning Yuan Shao for taking over nearby provinces — even though it still bestowed Yuan with the highly honorific post of commander of the armed forces as well as a march. Cao Cao and Emperor Xian maintained a superficially cordial relationship, but this did not prevent two major confrontations involving Cao and other court officials.
In early 199, as Cao Cao was facing a major military confrontation against Yuan Shao, Dong Cheng claimed to have received a secret edict issued by Emperor Xian (hidden in a belt), and he entered into a conspiracy with Liu Bei
, Zhong Ji (种輯), and Wang Fu (王服) to assassinate Cao. Late in 199, Liu Bei started a rebellion and waited for Dong Cheng to act in the capital, but in 200, Dong's conspiracy was discovered, and he, along with Zhong Ji and Wang Fu, were killed. Liu Bei was later defeated by Cao Cao and forced to flee to Yuan Shao's territory. Dong Cheng's daughter, an imperial consort, was pregnant, and Emperor Xian personally tried to intercede for her, but Cao Cao had her executed anyway.
Emperor Xian's Empress Fu Shou
, angry and fearful about how Consort Dong died, wrote her father, Fu Wan (伏完), a letter accusing Cao Cao of cruelty, and implicitly asking her father to start a new conspiracy against Cao. Fu Wan was fearful of Cao Cao and never acted on the letter, in 214, her letter was discovered. Cao Cao was extremely angry and forced Emperor Xian to have Empress Fu deposed. Emperor Xian was hesitant, and Cao Cao sent his soldiers into the palace to put pressure on the emperor. Empress Fu hid inside the walls, but was finally discovered and dragged out. As she was led away, she cried out to Emperor Xian for him to save her life, but his only response was that he could not even know what would happen to him. She was killed, along with her two sons and family. Cao Cao soon forced Emperor Xian to instate his daughter Cao Jie
, then an imperial consort, as the new empress.
, soon forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne in favor of himself, ending the Han Dynasty. Cao Pi established a new state known as Cao Wei
(sometimes known inaccurately as the Kingdom of Wei), and he granted Emperor Xian a title - Duke of Shanyang. The former Emperor Xian died in 234 and was buried with honors due an emperor, using Han ceremonies, and the then emperor of Wei, Cao Rui
, was one of the mourners. Emperor Xian's grandson Liu Kang (劉康) inherited his dukedom, which lasted for 81 more years and two more dukes until the line was exterminated by invading barbarians during the Jin Dynasty
.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Bohe, was the last 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 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...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was forced to abdicate in favor of Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
and was given the title of Duke of Shanyang.
Emperor Xian was the son of Emperor Ling
Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
and was the brother of Emperor Shao (who later became known as Prince of Hongnong
Prince of Hongnong
The Prince of Hongnong , was briefly an emperor of China during the Han dynasty. He is also known as "Emperor Han Shao" , a name which he shares with several other emperors with brief reigns...
). He was placed on the throne in 189 after Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
removed his brother from the throne. This act was seen as a sign to all the other lords that Dong Zhuo was in full control of the empire. However, after Dong Zhuo was assassinated in 192, Emperor Xian became first a puppet and then was stranded 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...
with the warlords formally acknowledging him but giving him no aid. Eventually, Emperor Xian came under the control of Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
in 196, and Cao used Emperor Xian as a nominal ruler effectively, issuing edicts beneficial to him in Emperor Xian's name, greatly helping him in his quest to reunify the empire, which appeared inevitable until Cao Cao's defeat by Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
at the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
, leading to Sun and Liu's entrenchment in their territories. In 220, the Han Dynasty was finally overthrown by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
, ending more than 400 years of Han dynastic rule and ushering in the era of the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
.
Although Emperor Xian was demoted to a rank of nobility (Duke of Shanyang), he lived in comfort and enjoyed preferential treatment. He died in 234 at the age of 53, 14 years after the fall of his dynasty.
Family background
Liu Xie was born in 181 to Emperor LingEmperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
and his Consort Wang. During her pregnancy, Consort Wang, fearful of Emperor Ling's Empress He
Empress He (Ling)
Empress He , personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Lingsi was an empress of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. She was Emperor Ling's second wife...
, had taken drugs that were intended to induce an abortion, but was not successful in her attempt. Soon after she gave birth to Liu Xie, the jealous Empress He poisoned her by putting poison in her food. Emperor Ling was enraged and wanted to depose her, but the eunuchs pleaded on her behalf, and she was not deposed. Liu Xie was raised personally by Emperor Ling's mother Empress Dowager Dong
Empress Dowager Dong
Empress Dowager Dong , personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Xiaocheng , was an empress dowager of Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. However, she was never empress, because she became mother to an emperor...
and known by the circumspect title "Marquess Dong". (This is due to superstition; Emperor Ling had lost a number of sons previously, and therefore both Liu Xie and his older brother Liu Bian
Prince of Hongnong
The Prince of Hongnong , was briefly an emperor of China during the Han dynasty. He is also known as "Emperor Han Shao" , a name which he shares with several other emperors with brief reigns...
were known by such titles; Liu Bian, having been raised by Shi Zimiao (史子眇), was known as "Marquess Shi"). Liu Bian was born of the empress and was older, but Emperor Ling viewed his behavior as being insufficiently solemn and therefore considered appointing Liu Xie as his crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
, but hesitated and could not decide.
When Emperor Ling died in 189, an influential eunuch official whom he trusted, Jian Shuo
Jian Shuo
Jian Shuo was the leader of the eunuch faction in the imperial court of the late Eastern Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Along with Zhang Rang, Jian Shuo eventually became a leading member of the Ten Attendants, who became the most powerful eunuchs during the time...
, wanted to first kill Empress He's brother, General-in-Chief He Jin
He Jin
He Jin was the elder half-brother of Empress He, consort to Emperor Ling of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He shared power with his sister as regents in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling. In the ensuing struggle with the influential eunuch faction for power, He Jin was assassinated...
, and then install Liu Xie on the throne, and therefore set up a trap at a meeting he was to have with He Jin. He Jin found out, and preemptorily declared Liu Bian as Emperor Shao. Later that year, Emperor Shao granted Liu Xie the title of Prince of Bohai, and later changed his title to Prince of Chenliu (陈留王).
Rise of Dong Zhuo
After Liu Bian became emperor, He Jin became the most powerful official in the imperial court, and he and his advisor Yuan ShaoYuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
quickly entered into a conspiracy to exterminate the eunuchs. They were, however, rebuffed by Empress Dowager He, and they hatched the plan to secretly order a number of generals to advance on the 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...
to force Empress Dowager He to agree to their demands. One of these generals was Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
, who saw this as an opportunity to control the central government.
He Jin's plan was discovered by the eunuchs, who laid a trap for him and killed him. Yuan Shao then led his forces into the palace and killed the majority of the eunuchs. The remaining eunuchs initially took the young emperor and Liu Xie hostage, but were eventually forced to commit suicide when the battle turned against them. When Dong Zhuo then arrived on scene, he, impressed with his own power and unimpressed with the nervous Emperor Shao, forced the young emperor to yield the throne to Liu Xie (partly because he was raised by Empress Dowager Dong who, while no relation to Dong Zhuo, was therefore respected by Dong Zhuo), who then ascended the throne as Emperor Xian. Dong Zhuo then murdered Empress Dowager He and the former Emperor Shao, and became firmly in control of the political scene.
Forced relocation west and the death of Dong Zhuo
In the spring of 190, a number of local officials, loosely forming a coalitionCampaign against Dong Zhuo
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
led by Yuan Shao, quickly rose up against Dong Zhuo. Even though they still feared Dong Zhuo's military power and did not directly advance on Luoyang, Dong Zhuo was also fearful of their collective strength, and therefore determined to move the capital west to the old Western Han 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...
, closer to his power base in Liang Province (涼州; covering present-day 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...
). On April 9, 190, he forced Emperor Xian to relocate to Chang'an and set fire to Luoyang, leaving it largely in ruins.
After the revolting coalition collapsed, a number of officials, led by Wang Yun
Wang Yun
Wang Yun was a Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuchs and warlords. In 192, Wang Yun plotted and successfully staged Lü Bu's assassination of Dong Zhuo, the...
and Dong Zhuo's adopted son Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
, assassinated Dong on May 22, 192. For a while, it appeared that the Han regime might return to normal, as Wang Yun quickly established relatively friendly relations with the local officials resisting Dong but by this time acting more as local warlords. However, due to Wang Yun's failure to pacify Dong Zhuo's former subordinates, they rose in revolt and killed Wang.
Return to Luoyang's ruins
Dong Zhuo's former subordinates, led by Li Jue and Guo SiGuo Si
Guo Si , also known as Guo Duo , was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He assisted Dong in his many campaigns, and was placed under Dong's son-in-law after Dong relocate the imperial capital to Chang'an...
, took Emperor Xian and the imperial court under their control. However, Li Jue and Guo Si did not have serious ambitions, and their incompetence in governance furthered the breakdown of the Han empire into warlord regimes. In 195, Li Jue and Guo Si had a major fallout, and Li took Emperor Xian hostage while Guo took the officials hostage as they battled. Later in the year, after peace talks between Li Jue and Guo Si, they agreed to allow Emperor Xian to return to Luoyang, but as soon as Emperor Xian departed Chang'an, they regretted and chased him with their troops. While they were never able to capture him, Emperor Xian's court was rendered poor and unable to fend for itself, and once it returned to Luoyang, it lacked even the basic essentials of life. Many officials starved to death. At this time, Yuan Shao's strategist Ju Shou
Ju Shou
Ju Shou was an advisor serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:Ju Shou was considered to be one of the most brilliant advisors of Yuan Shao and often gave honest and loyal advice to Yuan, who ignored him most of the time since they often...
suggested that he welcome Emperor Xian to his province so that he could effectively be in control of the central government, but the other strategists Guo Tu
Guo Tu
Guo Tu was an advisor to the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Yuan often sought his advice for civil and military decisions.-Serving Yuan Shao:...
and Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He played a significant part in the Battle of Guandu in 200.-Biography:...
opposed — under the faulty logic that if he did, he would have to yield to Emperor Xian on key decisions. Yuan Shao listened to Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong and never again considered welcoming Emperor Xian.
Tight control by Cao Cao
What Yuan Shao would not do, Cao CaoCao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
did. Cao Cao was at this time a relatively minor warlord, as the governor of Yan Province (兗州; covering present-day western 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 eastern 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...
), with his headquarters at Xu (present-day Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, Henan). He saw the strategical advantage in having the emperor under his control and protection, and in 196 he marched west to Luoyang and, after securing an agreement with Emperor Xian's generals Dong Cheng
Dong Cheng
Dong Cheng was originally a subordinate general of Niu Fu during the late Han Dynasty, and later joined forces with the White Wave Bandits to protect the emperor from the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si. He was also Emperor Xian's father-in-law...
and Yang Feng
Yang Feng
Yang Feng was a cavalry general during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also a friend of Han Xian. During the beginning years of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, Dong Zhuo assigned Yang Feng under that of Li Jue...
, convincing them of his loyalty, he entered Luoyang and technically shared power with Dong and Yang, but was in fact in command. Unlike the situation with Dong Zhuo, though, Cao Cao knew how to assuage the other generals and nobles, and while he gave them little power, he made sure that they remained honoured, so minimal opposition against him developed at the imperial court. He then moved the capital to Xu to affirm his control over the central government, and while Yang Feng opposed him, he defeated Yang and was able to move the capital.
Cao Cao then began to issue imperial edicts in Emperor Xian's name — including a harshly-worded edict condemning Yuan Shao for taking over nearby provinces — even though it still bestowed Yuan with the highly honorific post of commander of the armed forces as well as a march. Cao Cao and Emperor Xian maintained a superficially cordial relationship, but this did not prevent two major confrontations involving Cao and other court officials.
In early 199, as Cao Cao was facing a major military confrontation against Yuan Shao, Dong Cheng claimed to have received a secret edict issued by Emperor Xian (hidden in a belt), and he entered into a conspiracy with Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, Zhong Ji (种輯), and Wang Fu (王服) to assassinate Cao. Late in 199, Liu Bei started a rebellion and waited for Dong Cheng to act in the capital, but in 200, Dong's conspiracy was discovered, and he, along with Zhong Ji and Wang Fu, were killed. Liu Bei was later defeated by Cao Cao and forced to flee to Yuan Shao's territory. Dong Cheng's daughter, an imperial consort, was pregnant, and Emperor Xian personally tried to intercede for her, but Cao Cao had her executed anyway.
Emperor Xian's Empress Fu Shou
Empress Fu Shou
Fu Shou was an empress of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. She was the first wife of Emperor Xian, the last emperor of the dynasty.- Family background and marriage to Emperor Xian :...
, angry and fearful about how Consort Dong died, wrote her father, Fu Wan (伏完), a letter accusing Cao Cao of cruelty, and implicitly asking her father to start a new conspiracy against Cao. Fu Wan was fearful of Cao Cao and never acted on the letter, in 214, her letter was discovered. Cao Cao was extremely angry and forced Emperor Xian to have Empress Fu deposed. Emperor Xian was hesitant, and Cao Cao sent his soldiers into the palace to put pressure on the emperor. Empress Fu hid inside the walls, but was finally discovered and dragged out. As she was led away, she cried out to Emperor Xian for him to save her life, but his only response was that he could not even know what would happen to him. She was killed, along with her two sons and family. Cao Cao soon forced Emperor Xian to instate his daughter Cao Jie
Empress Cao Jie
Cao Jie , formally known as Empress Xianmu , and after her husband's abdication, Duchess of Shanyang , was the last empress of the Han Dynasty in Chinese history. She was the second wife of Emperor Xian...
, then an imperial consort, as the new empress.
Abdication and death
Cao Cao died on March 15, 220. His son and successor, Cao PiCao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
, soon forced Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne in favor of himself, ending the Han Dynasty. Cao Pi established a new state known as Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
(sometimes known inaccurately as the Kingdom of Wei), and he granted Emperor Xian a title - Duke of Shanyang. The former Emperor Xian died in 234 and was buried with honors due an emperor, using Han ceremonies, and the then emperor of Wei, Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
, was one of the mourners. Emperor Xian's grandson Liu Kang (劉康) inherited his dukedom, which lasted for 81 more years and two more dukes until the line was exterminated by invading barbarians during the Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
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Era names
- 189: Yonghan
- 190–193: Chuping
- 194–195: Xingping
- 196–220: Jian'an
- 220: Yankang
Family
- Father: Emperor Ling of HanEmperor Ling of HanEmperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
- Mother: Consort Wang
- Empresses:
- Empress Fu ShouEmpress Fu ShouFu Shou was an empress of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. She was the first wife of Emperor Xian, the last emperor of the dynasty.- Family background and marriage to Emperor Xian :...
(instated in 195, died in 214) - Empress Cao JieEmpress Cao JieCao Jie , formally known as Empress Xianmu , and after her husband's abdication, Duchess of Shanyang , was the last empress of the Han Dynasty in Chinese history. She was the second wife of Emperor Xian...
(instated in 214, died in 237), daughter of Cao CaoCao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
- Empress Fu Shou
- Consorts:
- Consort Dong (executed by Cao Cao in 200), daughter of Dong ChengDong ChengDong Cheng was originally a subordinate general of Niu Fu during the late Han Dynasty, and later joined forces with the White Wave Bandits to protect the emperor from the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si. He was also Emperor Xian's father-in-law...
- Consort Cao Xian (曹憲), daughter of Cao Cao and older sister of Empress Cao
- Consort Cao Hua (曹華), daughter of Cao Cao and younger sister of Empress Cao
- Consort Dong (executed by Cao Cao in 200), daughter of Dong Cheng
- Children:
- Liu Feng (劉馮), the Prince of Nanyang (created and d. 200)
- Liu Xi (劉熙), the Prince of Jiying (instated in 204)
- Liu Yi (劉懿), the Prince of Shanyang (instated in 204)
- Liu Miao (劉邈), the Prince of Jibei (instated in 204)
- Liu Dun (劉敦), the Prince of Donghai (instated in 204)
- Two sons by Empress Fu, may be same as two of the above princes (killed by Cao Cao in 214)
- Two daughters who became Cao Pi's concubines