List of emperors of the Han Dynasty
Encyclopedia
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...
(202 BC – 220 AD) was the second imperial dynasty of China
Dynasties in Chinese history
The following is a chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history.Chinese history is not as neat as is often described and it was rare for one dynasty to change peacefully into the next. Dynasties were often established before the overthrow of an existing regime, or continued for a time after they...
following the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
(221–206 BC) and preceding 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...
(220–265 AD). It is conventionally divided between the Western Han (202 BC – 9 AD) and Eastern Han (25–220 AD) periods and briefly interrupted by 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....
(9–23 AD) of the former regent 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...
. Below is a complete list of emperors
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, including their personal
Chinese given name
Chinese given names are generally made up of one or two characters, and are written after the family name, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be read "Smith John-Paul". Chinese names can consist of any character and contain almost any meaning...
, posthumous
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
, and era names
Chinese era name
A 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...
. Excluded from the list are de facto rulers such as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s and empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
s.
The Han Dynasty was founded by the peasant rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gao (r. 202 –195 BC) or Gaodi. The longest reigning emperor of the dynasty was Emperor Wu
Emperor 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...
(r. 141–87 BC), or Wudi, who reigned for 54 years. After Wang Mang was overthrown, Liu Xiu reestablished the Han Dynasty and is known posthumously as 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...
(r. 25–57 AD), or Guangwu Di. The last Han emperor, Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian of Han
Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
(r. 189–220 AD), was more or less a puppet monarch
Puppet monarch
A puppet monarch is a majority figurehead who is installed or patronized by an imperial power in order to provide the appearance of local authority, while allowing political and economic control to remain among the dominating nation....
of Chancellor 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...
(155–220 AD), who dominated the court and was made King of Wei. In 220 AD, Cao's son Pi usurped the throne as Emperor Wen of Wei
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...
(r. 220–226 AD) and ended the Han Dynasty.
The emperor was the supreme head of government. He appointed all of the highest-ranking officials in central, provincial, commandery, and county-level administrations. He also functioned as a lawgiver, the highest court judge, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and high priest of the state-sponsored religious cults.
From king to emperor
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
(c. 1600 BC – c. 1050 BC) and Zhou
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
(c. 1050 BC – 256 BC) dynasties were referred to as kings (王 wang). By the time of the Zhou Dynasty, they were also referred to as Sons of Heaven (天子 Tianzi). By 221 BC, the King of Qin, Ying Zheng
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
, conquered and united all the Warring States
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
of ancient China. To elevate himself above the Shang and Zhou kings of old, he accepted the new title of emperor (皇帝 huangdi) and is known to posterity as the First Emperor of Qin
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
(Qin Shi Huang). The new title of emperor was created by combining the titles for the Three Sovereigns (Sanhuang) and Five Emperors (Wudi) from Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
. This title was used by each successive ruler of China until the fall of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
in 1911.
Posthumous, temple, and era names
From the Shang to SuiSui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
(581–618 AD) dynasties, Chinese rulers (both kings and emperors) were referred to by their posthumous name
Posthumous name
A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
s in records and historical texts
Twenty-Four Histories
The Twenty-Four Histories is a collection of Chinese historical books covering a period from 3000 BC to the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century. The whole set contains 3213 volumes and about 40 million words...
. Temple name
Temple name
Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive...
s, first used during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han
Emperor Jing of Han
Emperor 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...
(r. 157–141 BC), were used exclusively in later records and historical texts when referring to emperors who reigned during the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618–907 AD), Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960–1279 AD), and Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
(1271–1368 AD) dynasties. During the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
(1368–1644 AD) and Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
(1644–1911 AD) dynasties, a single era name was used for each emperor's reign and became the preferred way to refer to Ming and Qing emperors in historical texts.
Use of the era name was formally adopted during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor 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...
(r.141–87 BC), yet its origins can be traced back further. The oldest method of recording years—which had existed since the Shang—set the first year of a ruler's reign as year one. When an emperor died, the first year of a new reign period would begin. This system was changed by the 4th century BC when the first year of a new reign period did not begin until the first day of the lunar New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
following a ruler's death. When Duke Huiwen of Qin
Huiwen of Qin
King Huiwen of Qin , also known as Lord Huiwen of Qin or King Hui of Qin , personal name Ying Si , was the ruler of the Qin state from 338 BC to 311 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.-Early life:...
assumed the title of king in 324 BC, he changed the year count of his reign back to the first year. For his newly adopted calendar
Chinese calendar
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures as well...
established in 163 BC, Emperor Wen of Han
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...
(r. 180–157 BC) also set the year count of his reign back to the beginning.
Since six was considered a lucky number, Han Emperors Jing and Wu changed the year count of their reigns back to the beginning every six years. Since every six-year period was successively marked as yuannian (元年), eryuan (二元), sanyuan (三元), and so forth, this system was considered too cumbersome by the time it reached the fifth cycle wuyuan sannian (五元三年) in 114 BC. In that year a government official suggested that the Han court retrospectively rename every "beginning" with new characters, a reform Emperor Wu accepted in 110 BC. Since Emperor Wu had just performed the religious feng (封) sacrifice at Mount Taishan, he named the new era yuanfeng (元封). This event is regarded as the formal establishment of era names in Chinese history. Emperor Wu changed the era name once more when he established the 'Great Beginning' (太初 Taichu) calendar in 104 BC. From this point until the end of Western Han, the court established a new era name every four years of an emperor's reign. By Eastern Han there was no set interval for establishing new era names, which were often introduced for political reasons and celebrating auspicious events.
Regents and empress dowagers
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
, often the empress dowager
Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
or one of her male relatives, would assume the duties of the emperor until he reached his majority. Sometimes the empress dowager's faction—the consort clan
Consort clan
The consort clan is the family, clan of or group related to an empress dowager or a spouse of a Chinese dynastic ruler or a warlord. The leading figure of the clan was either a sibling, cousin, or parent of the empress or consort.- Han Dynasty :...
—was overthrown in a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. For example, Empress Lü Zhi
Empress Lü Zhi
Empress Lü Zhi , commonly known as Empress Dowager Lü or formally as Empress Gao , courtesy name Exu , was the wife and empress of Emperor Gaozu of Han, founder of the Han Dynasty. They had two known children—the eventual Emperor Hui and Princess Luyuan...
(d. 180 BC) was the de facto ruler of the court during the reigns of the child emperors Qianshao
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...
(r. 188–184 BC) and Houshao (r. 184–180 BC). Her faction was overthrown during the Lü Clan Disturbance
Lü Clan Disturbance
The Lü Clan Disturbance refers to a political disturbance after the death of Grand Empress Dowager Lü of Han Dynasty, the aftermaths of which saw the clan of the deceased empress' family, the Lü consort clan being overthrown from their seats of power and massacred, the deposing of the puppet...
of 180 BC and Liu Heng was named emperor (posthumously known as Emperor Wen). Before Emperor Wu died in 87 BC, he had invested 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...
(d. 68 BC), Jin Midi
Jin Midi
Jin Midi , formally Marquess Jing of Du , was a prominent official of the Chinese dynasty Han Dynasty of Xiongnu ethnicity. He served as coregent early in the reign of Emperor Zhao of Han.- Background :...
(d. 86 BC), and Shangguan Jie (上官桀)(d. 80 BC) with the power to govern as regents over his successor Emperor Zhao of Han
Emperor 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...
(r. 87–74 BC). Huo Guang and Shangguan Jie were both grandfathers to Empress Shangguan (d. 37 BC), wife of Emperor Zhao, while the ethnically-Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
Jin Midi was a former slave who had worked in an imperial stable. After Jin died and Shangguan was executed for treason, Huo Guang was the sole ruling regent. Following his death, the Huo-family faction was overthrown by Emperor Xuan of Han
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...
(r. 74–49 BC), in revenge for Huo Guang poisoning his wife Empress Xu Pingjun
Empress Xu Pingjun
Empress Xu Pingjun , formally Empress Gong'ai and sometimes Empress Xiaoxuan was an empress during Han Dynasty...
(d. 71 BC) so that he could marry Huo's daughter Empress Huo Chengjun
Empress Huo Chengjun
Empress Huo Chengjun was an empress during Han Dynasty. She was the second wife of Emperor Xuan. Her father was the statesman Huo Guang, who served as regent for Emperor Zhao and who remained exceedingly powerful during Emperor Xuan's reign until his death in 68 BC...
(d. 54 BC).
Since regents and empress dowagers were not officially counted as emperors of the Han Dynasty, they are excluded from the list of emperors below.
Emperors
| 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... Sovereigns |
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| Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... The conventional way of referring to these rulers in Chinese is "Han + posthumous name" (for instance "Han Wudi," "Han Jingdi"). Exceptions to this rule include Liu Gong, Liu Hong, Ruzi Ying, the Prince of Changyi, the Marquess of Beixiang, and the Prince of Hongnong. They either died within a year of taking the throne, were removed from power within a year, or were very young and ruled over by a regent during their entire "reign". |
Personal name | Period of reign | Era name Chinese era name A 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... |
Range of yearsThe years of the Chinese lunisolar calendar Lunisolar calendar A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures whose date indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. If the solar year is defined as a tropical year then a lunisolar calendar will give an indication of the season; if it is taken as a sidereal year then the calendar will... do not correspond exactly with the years given in the column for era names. Some years given in the table also belong to two reign periods because some era names were adopted before the beginning of the following year. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western 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... 202 BC – 9 AD |
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| Gaozu | 高祖 | Liu Bang | 劉邦 | 202–195 BC | Did not exist | ||
| Huidi | 惠帝 | Liu Ying | 劉盈 | 195–188 BC | Did not exist | ||
| Shaodi 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... (Shaodi Gong) |
少帝 | Liu Gong | 劉恭 | 188–184 BC | Did not exist | ||
| Shaodi (Shaodi Hong) | 少帝 | Liu Hong | 劉弘 | 184–180 BC | Did not exist | ||
| Wendi | 文帝 | Liu Heng | 劉恆 | 180–157 BC | Qíanyuán | 前元 | 179–164 BC |
| Hòuyuán | 後元 | 163–156 BC | |||||
| Jingdi | 景帝 | Liu Qi | 劉啟 | 157–141 BC | Qíanyuán | 前元 | 156–150 BC |
| Zhōngyuán | 中元 | 149–143 BC | |||||
| Hòuyuán | 後元 | 143–141 BC | |||||
| Wudi | 武帝 | Liu Che | 劉徹 | 141–87 BC | Jiànyuán | 建元 | 141–135 BC |
| Yuánguāng | 元光 | 134–129 BC | |||||
| Yuánshuò | 元朔 | 128–123 BC | |||||
| Yuánshòu | 元狩 | 122–117 BC | |||||
| Yuándǐng | 元鼎 | 116–111 BC | |||||
| Yuánfēng | 元封 | 110–105 BC | |||||
| Tàichū | 太初 | 104–101 BC | |||||
| Tiānhàn | 天漢 | 100–97 BC | |||||
| Tàishǐ | 太始 | 96–93 BC | |||||
| Zhēnghé | 征和 | 92–89 BC | |||||
| Hòuyuán | 後元 | 88–87 BC | |||||
| Zhaodi | 昭帝 | Liu Fuling | 劉弗陵 | 87–74 BC | Shǐyuán | 始元 | 86–80 BC |
| Yuánfèng | 元鳳 | 80–75 BC | |||||
| Yuánpíng | 元平 | 74 BC | |||||
| The Prince of Changyi Prince He of Changyi Prince He of Changyi 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 and he declared the era name Yuanping... |
昌邑王 or 海昏侯 | Liu He | 劉賀 | 74 BC | Yuánpíng | 元平 | 74 BC |
| Xuandi | 宣帝 | Liu Bingyi | 劉病已 | 74–49 BC | Běnshǐ | 本始 | 73–70 BC |
| Dìjié | 地節 | 69–66 BC | |||||
| Yuánkāng | 元康 | 65–61 BC | |||||
| Shénjué | 神爵 | 61–58 BC | |||||
| Wǔfèng | 五鳳 | 57–54 BC | |||||
| Gānlù | 甘露 | 53–50 BC | |||||
| Huánglóng | 黃龍 | 49 BC | |||||
| Yuandi 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... |
元帝 | Liu Shi | 劉奭 | 49–33 BC | Chūyuán | 初元 | 48–44 BC |
| Yǒngguāng | 永光 | 43–39 BC | |||||
| Jiànzhāo | 建昭 | 38–34 BC | |||||
| Jìngníng | 竟寧 | 33 BC | |||||
| Chengdi 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... |
成帝 | Liu Ao | 劉驁 | 33–7 BC | Jiànshǐ | 建始 | 32–28 BC |
| Hépíng | 河平 | 28–25 BC | |||||
| Yángshuò | 陽朔 | 24–21 BC | |||||
| Hóngjiā | 鴻嘉 | 20–17 BC | |||||
| Yǒngshǐ | 永始 | 16–13 BC | |||||
| Yuányán | 元延 | 12–9 BC | |||||
| Suīhé | 綏和 | 8–7 BC | |||||
| Aidi Emperor Ai of Han Emperor Ai of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He ascended the throne when he was 20, having been made heir by his uncle Emperor Cheng, who was childless, and he reigned from 7 BC to 1 BC.... |
哀帝 | Liu Xin | 劉欣 | 7–1 BC | Jiànpíng | 建平 | 6–3 BC |
| Yuánshòu | 元壽 | 2–1 BC | |||||
| Pingdi Emperor Ping of Han Emperor Ping was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 1 BC to AD 5. After Emperor Ai died childless, the throne was passed to his cousin Emperor Ping—then a child of nine years old. Wang Mang was appointed regent by the Grand Empress Dowager Wang... |
平帝 | Liu Kan | 劉衎 | 1–6 AD | Yuánshǐ | 元始 | 1–5 AD |
| Ruzi Ruzi Ying Emperor Ruzi of Han , commonly known as "Ying the Kid" and with the personal name of Liu Ying , was last emperor of the Chinese Western Han Dynasty from AD 6 to AD 9. After Emperor Ping died without heirs, Wang Mang chose the youngest of the available successors in order to maintain his power in... |
孺子 | Liu Ying | 劉嬰 | 6–9 AD | Jùshè | 居攝 | 6–8 AD |
| Chūshǐ | 初始 | 8–9 AD | |||||
| 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.... (9–23 AD) |
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| 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.... 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... (王莽) |
9–23 AD | Shǐjiànguó | 始建國 | 9–13 AD | |||
| Tiānfēng | 天鳳 | 14–19 AD | |||||
| Dìhuáng | 地皇 | 20–23 AD | |||||
| Continuation of Han Dynasty | |||||||
| Gengshi-di 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... |
更始帝 | Liu Xuan | 劉玄 | 23–25 AD | Gēngshǐ | 更始 | 23–25 AD |
| Eastern 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... 25–220 AD |
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| Guangwu-di 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... |
光武帝 | Liu Xiu | 劉秀 | 25–57 AD | Jiànwǔ | 建武 | 25–56 AD |
| Jiànwǔzhōngyuán | 建武中元 | 56–57 AD | |||||
| Mingdi | 明帝 | Liu Zhuang | 劉陽 | 57–75 AD | Yǒngpíng | 永平 | 57–75 AD |
| Zhangdi | 章帝 | Liu Da | 劉炟 | 75–88 AD | Jiànchū | 建初 | 76–84 AD |
| Yuánhé | 元和 | 84–87 AD | |||||
| Zhānghé | 章和 | 87–88 AD | |||||
| Hedi | 和帝 | Liu Zhao | 劉肇 | 88–106 AD | Yǒngyuán | 永元 | 89–105 AD |
| Yuánxīng | 元興 | 105 AD | |||||
| Shangdi | 殤帝 | Liu Long | 劉隆 | 106 AD | Yánpíng | 延平 | 9 months in 106 AD |
| Andi | 安帝 | Liu Hu | 劉祜 | 106–125 AD | Yǒngchū | 永初 | 107–113 AD |
| Yuánchū | 元初 | 114–120 AD | |||||
| Yǒngníng | 永寧 | 120–121 AD | |||||
| Jiànguāng | 建光 | 121–122 AD | |||||
| Yánguāng | 延光 | 122–125 AD | |||||
| Shaodi, the Marquess of Beixiang Marquess of Beixiang The Marquess of Beixiang, , sometimes referred to as Emperor Shao , was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty... |
少帝 or 北鄉侯 | Liu Yi | 劉懿 | 125 AD | Yánguāng | 延光 | 125 AD |
| Shundi | 順帝 | Liu Bao | 劉保 | 125–144 AD | Yǒngjiàn | 永建 | 126–132 AD |
| Yángjiā | 陽嘉 | 132–135 AD | |||||
| Yǒnghé | 永和 | 136–141 AD | |||||
| Hàn'ān | 漢安 | 142–144 AD | |||||
| Jiànkāng | 建康 | 144 AD | |||||
| Chongdi | 沖帝 | Liu Bing | 劉炳 | 144–145 AD | Yōngxī | 永嘉 | 145 AD |
| Zhidi | 質帝 | Liu Zuan | 劉纘 | 145–146 AD | Běnchū | 本初 | 146 AD |
| Huandi | 桓帝 | Liu Zhi | 劉志 | 146–168 AD | Jiànhé | 建和 | 147–149 AD |
| Hépíng | 和平 | 150 AD | |||||
| Yuánjiā | 元嘉 | 151–153 AD | |||||
| Yǒngxīng | 永興 | 153–154 AD | |||||
| Yǒngshòu | 永壽 | 155–158 AD | |||||
| Yánxī | 延熹 | 158–167 AD | |||||
| Yǒngkāng | 永康 | 167 AD | |||||
| Lingdi | 靈帝 | Liu Hong | 劉宏 | 168–189 AD | Jiànníng | 建寧 | 168–172 AD |
| Xīpíng | 熹平 | 172–178 AD | |||||
| Guānghé | 光和 | 178–184 AD | |||||
| Zhōngpíng | 中平 | 184–189 AD | |||||
| Shaodi, the 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... |
少帝 or 弘農王 | Liu Bian | 劉辯 | 189 AD | Guāngxī | 光熹 | 189 AD |
| Zhàoníng | 昭寧 | 189 AD | |||||
| Xiandi | 獻帝 | Liu Xie | 劉協 | 189–220 AD | Yǒnghàn | 永漢 | 189 AD |
| Chūpíng | 初平 | 190–193 AD | |||||
| Xīngpíng | 興平 | 194–195 AD | |||||
| Jiàn'ān | 建安 | 196–220 AD | |||||
| Yánkāng | 延康 | 220 AD | |||||