Western Han

Liu Bang (256 BCE or 247 BCE–June 1, 195 BCE), courtesy name Ji, was from Zhongyang Village in Fengyi, Pei (present-day Feng County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu), with ancestral origins stated in the source as Daliang (present-day Kaifeng, Henan). He was the founding emperor of the Western Han, reigning from February 28, 202 BCE to June 1, 195 BCE, and was also a politician, strategist, and military leader. Born into a farming f

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che (156 BCE–March 29, 87 BCE), was the seventh emperor of the Western Han, the son of Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi, and Empress Wang. His temple name was Shizong, his posthumous name Emperor Xiaowu, and he was buried at Maoling. He reigned for fifty-four years, making him one of the longest-reigning emperors in Chinese history. His rule was characterized by stronger central authority, long wars

Wang Mang (45 BCE–23 CE), courtesy name Jujun, was a native of Yuancheng in Wei Commandery (present-day Handan, Hebei), a maternal relative of the Western Han imperial house, a powerful official, and the founder of the Xin dynasty. He was a nephew of Wang Zhengjun, empress of Emperor Yuan of Han. In his early career he became known for modesty, frugality, learning, and high moral conduct. After the death of Emperor A

Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng (203 BCE–157 BCE), was the fourth son of Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Western Han, and Lady Bo. He was the fifth emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 180 BCE to 157 BCE. Initially enfeoffed as Prince of Dai, he guarded the northern frontier. After the death of Empress Lü, the group of senior meritorious officials suppressed the Lü Clan disturbance and installed Liu Heng as e

Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi (188 BCE–March 9, 141 BCE), was the sixth emperor of the Western Han and the son of Emperor Wen, Liu Heng, and Empress Dou, Dou Yifang. Liu Qi reigned for sixteen years from 157 to 141 BCE. He continued his father's policy of allowing the people to recuperate, maintaining light corvée and taxation and reducing punishments. He accepted Chao Cuo's proposal to reduce the power of the feudator

Modu Chanyu (d. 174 BCE), of the Luandi clan and the Xiongnu people, was a Xiongnu Chanyu in the late Qin and early Han periods and the son of Touman Chanyu. In 209 BCE, the first year of Qin Er Shi, he killed his father and took the throne. The source text describes him as an outstanding Xiongnu military commander and the founder of a steppe empire. Using the whistling-arrow method to seize power, Modu became the fi

Luandi Touman (d. 209 BCE), of the Luandi clan, was the first Chanyu clearly recorded in Xiongnu history and the father of Modu Chanyu. During his reign, the Xiongnu gradually developed from a dispersed tribal confederation toward a more unified polity, laying foundations for the Xiongnu state. His realm bordered the Donghu in the east, the Yuezhi in the west, the Qin dynasty in the south, and the Dingling in the nor

The Former Young Emperor of the Western Han (dates unknown–184 BCE) was a son of Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, and the third emperor of the Western Han, reigning from 188 to 184 BCE. His birth mother was one of Emperor Hui's palace women. After Empress Lü had her killed, Empress Zhang Yan nominally adopted the child and he was made Crown Prince. Following Emperor Hui's death, Empress Lü ruled at court and placed him

Liu Kan, originally named Liu Jizi, was the fourteenth emperor of the Western Han. He was a grandson of Emperor Yuan, Liu Shi, and a son of Liu Xing, Prince Xiao of Zhongshan; his mother was Lady Wei. He was born in 8 BCE, the first year of Suihe, and in 1 BCE, the second year of Yuanshou, Wang Mang brought him to the throne at age nine. During his reign, Grand Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun ruled at court while Grand

Qiedihou Chanyu (d. 96 BCE), of the Luandi clan, was a son of Yizhixie Chanyu, a younger brother of Wuwei Chanyu, and a Xiongnu Chanyu during the Western Han. He acceded in 101 BCE, the fourth year of the Taichu era, and died in office in 96 BCE, the first year of the Taishi era, after a reign of about five years. During his reign, Han–Xiongnu relations shifted from a brief easing to full confrontation. Because his p

Emperor Zhao of Han, Liu Fuling (94–74 BCE), was the eighth emperor of the Western Han and the youngest son of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che; his mother was Consort Gouyi of the Zhao clan. In 87 BCE, the second year of Houyuan, Emperor Wu named the eight-year-old Liu Fuling crown prince shortly before his death and appointed Huo Guang, Jin Midi, Shangguan Jie, and Sang Hongyang as regents. Emperor Zhao reigned for thirt

Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun (91 BCE–January 10, 48 BCE), originally named Liu Bingyi and with the courtesy name Ziqing, was the tenth emperor of the Western Han, reigning from September 8, 74 BCE to January 10, 48 BCE. He was a great-grandson of Emperor Wu, Liu Che; grandson of Crown Prince Li, Liu Ju; and son of Liu Jin, known as the Imperial Grandson Shi. Liu Xun suffered the consequences of the Witchcraft Calamit

The legitimate eldest son of Emperor Gaozu, Liu Ying was regarded as benevolent but weak after succeeding to the throne. Government was largely controlled by Empress Lü, and he reigned only seven years.

Yizhixie Chanyu (d. 114 BCE), of the Luandi clan and the Xiongnu people, was the younger brother of Junchen Chanyu and had formerly served as Left Guli King. When Junchen Chanyu died in 126 BCE, the third year of the Yuanshuo era, Yizhixie defeated Junchen's crown prince Yudan and proclaimed himself Chanyu. Yudan fled to the Han, where he was enfeoffed as Marquis of She'an, and died several months later. Yizhixie's r

Xulüquanqu Chanyu ruled during a period of increasing internal conflict among the Xiongnu, when the strength and cohesion of the royal court continued to decline.

Emperor Yuan of Han, Liu Shi (74 BCE, first year of Yuanping–33 BCE, first year of Jingning), was the eleventh emperor of the Western Han and the son of Emperor Xuan, Liu Xun, and his first wife, Empress Gong'ai Xu Pingjun. He succeeded to the throne in January 48 BCE, the twelfth month of the first year of Huanglong, and reigned for sixteen years. Liu Shi was gentle, benevolent, and fond of Confucian learning but la

Luandi Hulugu (d. 85 BCE), of the Luandi clan, was a Xiongnu chanyu during the Western Han and a son of Qiedihou Chanyu. He succeeded to the chanyu position in 96 BCE. During his reign he repeatedly raided Han frontier commanderies, entering Shanggu, Wuyuan, and Jiuquan, and fought Han forces at Mount Junji and the narrow pass at Fuyangju. He was at one point defeated by the Han general Li Guangli. In 90 BCE, the thi

Zhizhi Chanyu, elder brother of Huhanye Chanyu, once controlled the Chanyu court. After he could no longer maintain his position, he moved west to Kangju and was ultimately killed at Zhizhi City by forces led by Chen Tang.

Chanyu Wuwei was the eldest son of Yizhixie Chanyu and ruled the Xiongnu for about a decade after succeeding his father in 114 BCE. His reign coincided with the high point of Emperor Wu’s campaigns against the Xiongnu. The Han victories under Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had pushed the Xiongnu away from the southern approaches and weakened the political position inherited by Wuwei.

Junchen Chanyu (d. 126 BCE), of the Luandi clan, was a Chanyu of the Xiongnu and a son of Lao Shangchanyu. He succeeded to the throne in 161 BCE, the third year of Emperor Wen's later reign, and is stated in the source text to have ruled for thirty-five years, spanning the reigns of Emperors Wen, Jing, and Wu of the Western Han. During his rule, Xiongnu–Han relations moved from the coexistence of heqin and frontier r

Liu Hong (d. November 14, 180 BCE), originally named Liu Shan and later Liu Yi, is traditionally designated in imperial historiography as Emperor Houshao of Western Han. Early dynastic accounts record him as a son of Emperor Hui of Han (Liu Ying), though imperial chancellors during his deposition claimed he was not biologically related to Emperor Hui—a claim originating from fierce factional court struggles rather th

Xulihu Chanyu (d. 101 BCE) was a nomadic sovereign of the Xiongnu during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. He was the younger brother of Wuwei Chanyu and paternal uncle to Er Chanyu (Wushilu). Prior to his ascension, he held the high aristocratic rank of Wise King of the Right (Youxian Wang). In 102 BCE, Er Chanyu passed away while his son was still an infant; the Xiongnu tribal nobility bypassed the child and elevated

Huyandi Chanyu (d. 68 BCE) was a prominent supreme ruler of the Xiongnu during the Western Han reigns of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan. He was a son of Hulugu Chanyu. In 85 BCE, following Hulugu's death, Empress Zhuanqu and minister Wei Lü bypassed the designated heir to install Huyandi (then Left Guli King), igniting intense internal fractures among other royal princes. Throughout his seventeen-year reign, Huyandi p

Fuzhulei Ruodi Chanyu (d. 20 BCE), personal name Diaotaomogao, was supreme ruler of the Xiongnu during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Western Han. He was the eldest son of Huhanye Chanyu by the Great Yanzhi. In 31 BCE, following Huhanye's death, Diaotaomogao succeeded to the throne in accordance with his father's succession covenant. Preserving the peaceful tributary relationship established by his father, Fuzhulei se

Woyanqudi Chanyu (d. 58 BCE), personal name Tuqitang, was a supreme nomadic ruler of the Xiongnu during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Western Han. A distant descendant of Wuwei Chanyu, he originally served as the Wise King of the Right. In 60 BCE, upon the death of Xulüquanqu Chanyu, Empress Zhuanqu and her brother Duolongqi preemptively installed Tuqitang before all royal princes could assemble. Tuqitang immediately

Souxie Ruodi Chanyu (d. 12 BCE), personal name Qiemixu, was supreme ruler of the Xiongnu during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Western Han. He was a son of Huhanye Chanyu by the Great Yanzhi and the younger brother of Fuzhulei Ruodi Chanyu (Diaotaomogao). During his elder brother's reign, he held the senior rank of Wise King of the Left. In 20 BCE, following Fuzhulei's death, Qiemixu ascended the throne as Souxie Ruod

Liu Xin (25 BCE–August 15, 1 BCE), courtesy name unknown, was from Dingtao Kingdom in Yanzhou (present-day Dingtao District, Heze, Shandong). He was the thirteenth emperor of the Western Han when counted from Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang and, according to the source, reigned for seven years. He was a grandson of Emperor Yuan Liu Shi, the son of Liu Kang, Prince Gong of Dingtao, and the son of Lady Ding. In 8 BCE, the first

Emperor Cheng of Han, Liu Ao (51 BCE–April 15, 7 BCE), courtesy name Taisun, was the twelfth emperor of the Western Han and the son of Emperor Yuan Liu Shi and Wang Zhengjun. He reigned for twenty-five years, from 33 BCE to 7 BCE. As the legitimate grandson of Emperor Xuan, Liu Ao was greatly loved by his grandfather, who personally chose the name Ao for him. In his youth he was described as broad-minded and cautious

Lao Shangchanyu (d. 161 BCE), of the Luandi clan and personal name Jizhu, was the son of Modu Chanyu and the third Chanyu of the Xiongnu, reigning from 174 to 161 BCE. During his reign he defeated the Yuezhi in the west, killed the Yuezhi king and used his skull as a drinking vessel, and brought the Western Regions under Xiongnu control. He also invaded the Han to the south. In 166 BCE, the fourteenth year of Emperor

Han Xin (c. 231 BCE–196 BCE), a native of Huaiyin in present-day Huai'an, Jiangsu, was a founding general and military strategist of the Western Han. Together with Zhang Liang and Xiao He he was later grouped among the “Three Heroes of the Early Han,” and together with Peng Yue and Ying Bu among the “Three Great Generals of the Early Han.” Born a commoner, Han spent his youth in poverty and was famously humiliated wh

Zhang Liang (d. 186 BCE), courtesy name Zifang, was a native of Chengfu in Yingchuan Commandery, in present-day Jia County, Pingdingshan, Henan. A descendant of the aristocracy of the late Warring States state of Han, he became an outstanding strategist and statesman at the end of the Qin and beginning of the Han and a founding contributor to the Western Han. Together with Han Xin and Xiao He, he was later grouped am

Wei Qing (d. 106 BCE), originally named Zheng Qing and courtesy name Zhongqing, was from Pingyang County in Hedong Commandery (present-day Linfen, Shanxi). He was a military commander of the Western Han dynasty, the younger maternal half-brother of Empress Wei Zifu of Emperor Wu of Han, and the maternal uncle of Huo Qubing, Grand Marshal and General of Agile Cavalry. Born into humble circumstances, Wei Qing worked as

Xiao He (birth year unknown–193 BCE), a native of Pei County in present-day Jiangsu, was a founding statesman of the Western Han, its first Chancellor of State, and Marquis of Zan. His posthumous title was Wen Zhong. Together with Zhang Liang and Han Xin, he was counted among the “Three Heroes of the Early Han.” Xiao He began his career as a senior clerk in Pei County under Qin. At the end of Qin he joined Liu Bang's

Huo Qubing was a nephew of Wei Qing, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Champion, became famous for performing the sacrificial rites at Mount Langjuxu, and died at only twenty-four after a celebrated military career.

Huo Guang (d. April 21, 68 BCE), courtesy name Zimeng, was a powerful minister and politician of the Western Han from Pingyang County, Hedong Commandery (present-day Linfen, Shanxi). He was the paternal half-brother of the celebrated general Huo Qubing, maternal grandfather of Empress Shangguan of Emperor Zhao of Han, and father of Empress Huo of Emperor Xuan of Han. He served under Emperor Wu, Emperor Zhao, the depo

Sent to the Xiongnu bearing a Han imperial staff and detained for nineteen years without surrendering his integrity; became an enduring model of loyal service through the story of tending sheep at the Northern Sea before eventually returning to Han.

Dong Zhongshu was a Western Han classical scholar and official known for his study of the Gongyang tradition of the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, for presenting *Three Responses on Heaven and Man* to Emperor Wu of Han, and for articulating ideas concerning the relationship between Heaven and humanity, political unity, and governance through ritual, music, and moral education. 179 BC, the first year of the Former Yuan p

Empress Dowager Dou (d. 135 BCE), personal name Yi (according to another account, Yifang), was from Guanjin in Qinghe, in present-day Wuyi County, Hengshui, Hebei. She was the empress of Emperor Wen of Han (Liu Heng), the mother of Emperor Jing of Han (Liu Qi), and the grandmother of Emperor Wu of Han (Liu Che). Born into a humble family, she entered the palace as a woman of a commoner household and was mistakenly se

Zhou Bo (d. 169 BCE), a native of Pei County, Sishui Commandery (present-day Pei County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu), traced his ancestral home to Juan County, Henan Commandery (present-day Yuanyang County, Xinxiang, Henan). He was a founding meritorious official of the Western Han and one of the leading generals and senior ministers of the early dynasty. He rose to Right Chancellor, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Jiang, and recei

Zhao Tuo (c. 240 BCE–137 BCE), a native of Zhending County in Hengshan Commandery, present-day Zhengding County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, was a military and political figure in Lingnan during the transition from Qin to Han and the founder of Nanyue. Originally a Qin general, he accompanied commander Tu Sui in the campaign to pacify Lingnan in 219 BCE, the twenty-eighth year of Qin Shi Huang, and later served as

Wei Zifu (d. 91 BCE), also known as Empress Xiaowu Wei and later Empress Si, was a native of Pingyang in Hedong, Western Han, in the area southwest of present-day Linfen, Shanxi. She was the second empress of Liu Che, Emperor Wu of Han. Born into a low-status family, she was originally a singer in the household of the Marquis of Pingyang. In 139 BCE, the second year of the Jianyuan era, Emperor Wu favored her while v