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47-437: Her father was Shangguan An (上官安), a son of Shangguan Jie (上官桀). Her mother was a daughter of Huo Guang . She was a key figure in a number of political incidents during the middle Han dynasty, and she spent her entire adult life as a Grand Empress Dowager and a widow without family. Both sides of her family were wiped out in two separate mass executions as punishment for being relatives of individuals accused of seeking to usurp

94-503: A daughter of Sima Qian . Just 27 days into the new emperor's reign, Huo and the other officials deposed him. They summoned a meeting of high level officials and announced the plan to depose the emperor, forcing those other officials to go along with the plan or be killed. In a group, they went to Empress Dowager Shangguan 's palace to report to her about Prince He's offences and their plan. She agreed with their plan, and ordered that Prince He's Changyi subordinates be immediately barred from

141-498: A marquess, survived by 16 wives and 22 children. His son Liu Daizong (劉代宗) was not initially allowed to inherit his title, but ultimately was allowed to do so during the reign of Emperor Yuan . The tomb of Marquis of Haihun was found in 2011 and the excavation is ongoing. The tomb is located in the northern part of Xinjian in Jiangxi , in a cemetery that contains in total of nine tombs. About 20,000 artifacts have been unearthed from

188-811: A teenager, faded from the public eye. Nevertheless, she would often receive her Huo relations as guests, and Emperor Xuan's empress, Xu Pingjun , often had meals with her. She and Empress Xu appeared to have had a cordial relationship, and she was in all likelihood not involved in the plot of her grandmother Xian (顯), who murdered Empress Xu in 71 BC by poisoning her to allow her daughter (and Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan's aunt) Huo Chengjun to become empress. Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan's relationship with her aunt and empress appeared to be cooler than her relationship with Empress Xu. Huo Guang died in 68 BC. After Huo's death, his sons, sons-in-law and grandnephews remained in important posts and were made marquesses. The Huo family lived luxurious lives and acted as if it were

235-586: Is Emperor Wu of Han . His father, Liu Bo (劉髆), King Ai of Changyi (昌邑哀王) died in 88 BC, and he inherited his father's kingdom in 86 BC. Historical records imply that he was a toddler at that time. Liu Bo was a son of Emperor Wu of Han . After Emperor Wu's crown prince Liu Ju committed suicide in 91 BC, Liu Bo was among the candidates for the title of crown prince; the title ultimately went to young Liu Fuling , who succeeded Emperor Wu as Emperor Zhao of Han . There are issues in gaining an accurate picture of Liu He and his life as King of Changyi because it

282-472: Is based on material written about him after he was deposed, and may be biased, fabricated, or both. In his teenage years, the mayor of the kingdom's capital, Wang Ji (王吉), offered honest criticism of Liu He's inappropriate behaviour, urging him to be more studious and humble. Liu He appreciated Wang's report and rewarded him, but did not change his ways. Similarly, when Liu He associated with people of ill reputation who engaged in vulgarity and wasteful spending,

329-594: The Empress Dowager. Empress Dowager Shangguan verbally rebuked Prince He. The articles of impeachment listed as the main offences (in a total of 1127 examples of misconduct) 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. As part of

376-605: The Shangguan clan, along with Sang Hongyang , was implicated in an attempted rebellion, and exterminated. Due to his crime of treason, his biography was not included in the Book of Han ; details on him were instead found in the biographies of his granddaughter and Li Guangli. This Chinese biographical article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Prince He of Changyi Liu He ( Chinese : 劉賀 ; pinyin : Liú Hè ; c.  92 – 8 September 59 BC)

423-617: The articles of impeachment, the officials asked that Empress Dowager Shangguan to exile Prince He to a remote location. 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 four sisters were also awarded smaller fiefs of 1,000 families each. Prince He's Changyi subordinates were accused of failing to keep his behaviour in check and were almost all executed. Wang and Gong were spared because of their prior advice to him, but were ordered to undergo hard labour. The only other official spared

470-462: The commander of his guards, Gong Sui (龔遂) begged him to change his ways, and Liu He agreed, but soon after dismissed the guards that Gong had recommended and brought his previous companions back. Gong could do nothing about it. When Prince He's uncle Emperor Zhao 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

517-491: The deceased Empress Xu's father Xu Guanghan (許廣漢), planning to ambush them and kill them (whom the Huos considered political rivals), and then depose Emperor Xuan and make Huo's son Huo Yu (霍禹) emperor. The plot was discovered and the entire Huo clan was executed, leaving Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan, who apparently was not involved in the plot, entirely without family. The only reference to Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan after that

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564-476: The disestablishment of the fief was less than 40 days. The disestablishment process of the fief of Haihun was markedly different from the disestablishments of other fiefs. For example, in September 112BC, Emperor Wu of Han issued an edict disestablishing the fiefdoms of over 100 marquises without discussion at court. The fief of Haihun, however, went through a process of lengthy discussion with court officials, and

611-551: The emperor also heard rumours that the Huos had murdered Empress Xu, which led him to strip the Huos of actual power. In 66 BC, Lady Xian revealed to her son and grandnephews that she had, indeed, murdered Empress Xu. In fear of what the emperor might do if he had actual proof, Lady Xian, her son, her grandnephews, and her sons-in-law formed a conspiracy to depose the emperor. Their plan was to ask Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan to invite Emperor Xuan's grandmother, Lady Wang, Prime Minister Wei Xiang (魏相) and Empress Xu's father-in-law and

658-476: The empress consort to Emperor Zhao. Shangguan Jie first rose in prominence when he accompanied Li Guangli during the Han invasion of Osh . Due to his bravery, he received several promotions. However, this Shangguan Jie should be another person who have the exact same name. In 87 B.C., as Emperor Wu was nearing death, Shangguan was made one of 4 officials assisting Wu's successor, the young Liu Fuling (who would ascend

705-519: The exact date of the Marquis' death, 8 September 59BC. The slips also mention that the fief of Haihun was struck by numerous natural disasters, including floods and drought. The slips also mention a report by the governor of Yuzhang regarding the distestablishment of the fief, which corresponds with the Book of Han . It has been calculated from the slips that the time between the deaths of the Marquis and his sons and

752-570: The final disestablishment edict had over 100 officials sign their name, including 'Cheng Xiang' (Chancellor) Bing Ji and 'Yushi Daifu' (Attorney General) Xiao Wangzhi . According to preliminary studies, the tomb contains manuscripts with more or less partial overlapping with the following: the Book of Odes , the Analects , the Classic of Filial Piety , and the Spring and Autumn Annals . Other texts from

799-595: The first major tragedy in her life, the destruction of her paternal clan, the Shangguans. The Shangguans, to show their appreciation to Ding for his role in facilitating the marriage between Empress Shangguan and Emperor Zhao, wanted to have him created a marquess, but this request was rebuffed by Huo, as were their subsequent efforts to have Ding made an important official. This caused Princess Eyi to resent Huos' power and influence. The Shangguans, Princess Eyi, Prince Dan of Yan, and Vice Prime Minister Sang Hongyang (桑弘羊) (who

846-424: The four-year-old Lady Shangguan to the emperor. Huo initially refused, believing her to be too young. Shangguan Jie turned elsewhere for support of his plan. Lady Shangguan's father Shangguan An was a friend of Emperor Zhao's sister, Princess Eyi 's and her lover, Ding Wairen (丁外人). He encouraged Ding to persuade the princess on the soundness of the marriage. He argued that the Shangguans' power would be firmer with

893-547: 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, Emperor Xuan made Prince He the Marquess of Haihun, a county located in modern Jiangxi . It is considered that Emperor Xuan continued to be concerned about Prince He despite Zhang's report, and therefore chose to send him far away from his former principality. Prince He died in 59 BC as

940-413: 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),

987-475: The imperial household. Emperor Xuan, unhappy about the Huos' arrogance, began to gradually strip their actual powers while formally letting them keep their titles. In 67 BC, Emperor Xuan made his son Liu Shi (劉奭, later Emperor Yuan ), by the deceased Empress Xu, crown prince, an act that greatly angered Lady Xian, who instructed her daughter to murder the crown prince. Allegedly, Empress Huo did make multiple attempts to do so, but failed each time. Around this time,

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1034-496: The main offences that Prince He committed as emperor: Empress Dowager Shangguan approved the articles of impeachment and ordered Prince He deposed. For nearly a month (although initially it appeared that the period might last even longer) Empress Dowager Shangguan heard reports and ruled on all important matters of state. It was during this time that she began to learn the Confucian classics from Xiahou Sheng (夏侯勝). After Prince He

1081-463: The marriage, and that they could then help Ding legitimize his relationship with Princess Eyi. Princess Eyi agreed, and later in 84 BC the young Lady Shangguan was created an imperial consort (with the rank of jieyu ). On 24 April 83 BC, she was created empress. Because of her young age (and her husband's young age as well), it was unlikely that Empress Shangguan had significant power at court after they were married. In 80 BC, however, she would suffer

1128-460: The palace. These subordinates (some 200 individuals) were then arrested by Zhang. She then summoned Prince He, who 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

1175-501: The period of mourning properly, but rather feasted day and night and went out on tours. Prince He's behaviour as emperor surprised and disappointed Huo, who pondered his options. At the suggestion of the Agriculture Minister, Tian Yannian (田延年), he began to consider deposing the new emperor. After consulting with other officials, Huo took action. Huo and the other officials summoned a meeting of high level officials and announced

1222-439: The plan to depose the emperor, forcing the other officials to go along with the plan on pain of death. As a group, they went to Empress Dowager Shangguan's palace to report to her Prince He's offences. She agreed with their plan, and immediately ordered that Prince He's Changyi subordinates be 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

1269-416: The proposal to Empress Dowager Shangguan, who approved it. To avoid having a mere commoner ascend the throne, she first created him the Marquess of Yangwu, and on the same day, he ascended the throne as Emperor Xuan . Empress Dowager Shangguan was given the title of Grand Empress Dowager, the title she would hold the rest of her life. After Emperor Xuan became emperor, Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan, still

1316-422: The report was given to Emperor Zhao, the 14-year-old Emperor Zhao took no action on it. The next day, he summoned Huo to the palace and exonerated him, reasoning that the actions that Huo was accused of had happened so recently that Prince Dan, a long distance away, could not have possibly known them, and therefore the report must have been false. At this point, the anti-Huo conspiracy was not discovered, but everyone

1363-457: The succession, because Emperor Wu himself did not favour Prince Xu. He therefore turned to Prince He, who was Emperor Wu's grandson. Prince He was very pleased with this decision, and immediately departed from his capital Shanyang (山陽, in modern Jining , Shandong ) and headed for the imperial capital Chang'an , at such a frenetic pace that his guards' horses fell dead from exhaustion. Wang Ji urged him against racing at such speed, reasoning that it

1410-553: The succession, because Emperor Wu himself had not favoured Prince Xu, who was known for being impulsive in his actions. He therefore turned to Prince He of Changyi , one of Emperor Wu's grandsons. It is unclear how aware Empress Shangguan was of her grandfather's actions, however some scholars see her as an active participant. When Prince He ascended the throne, Empress Shangguan became empress dowager. Once he became emperor, Prince He immediately began to give unlimited promotions to his subordinates from Changyi. He also failed to observe

1457-450: The throne as Emperor Zhao; the other 3 are Huo Guang, Jin Midi , and Sang Hongyang). Shangguan Jie's son Shangguan An married a daughter of Huo Guang ; Shangguan An's daughter would later become Emperor Zhao's empress . However, the cordial relationship between Shangguan Jie and Huo Guang would not last, presumably due to Shangguan's jealousy of Huo's power being greater than his own. In 80 B.C.,

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1504-455: The throne. She remains the youngest person in Chinese history to assume the titles of both Empress Dowager and Grand Empress Dowager. Lady Shangguan's grandfathers, Huo Guang and Shangguan Jie (along with ethnic Xiongnu official Jin Midi ), were co- regents for the young Emperor Zhao, who ascended the throne in 87 BC at age seven. Huo was the primary regent. At that time, Lady Shangguan herself

1551-414: The tomb of the Marquis of Haihun to be listed as a World Heritage Site . In the over 5200 bamboo slips found in the tomb, archaeologists have found remnants of an edict by Emperor Xuan of Han regarding the disestablishment of the fief of Haihun following the Marquis and his sons' deaths. Some of the information that has come to light is not recorded in history books such as the Book of Han , including

1598-425: The tomb. Among the unearthed artifacts, there are more than 300 gold objects, 2 million copper coins, and a mirror containing the earliest known image of Confucius . In 2019, scholar Jue Guo contested the prevailing identification of the artifact as a “dressing mirror,” claiming it was in fact a talisman. Also the long lost Qi version of the Analects was found in the tomb. An application has been submitted for

1645-407: 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

1692-463: Was a toddler. It is not known when Lady Shangguan's parents were married, but what is clear was that her grandfathers were colleagues in Emperor Wu 's administration and great friends. However, after Jin, a moderating influence in the co-regency, died in 86 BC, they began to have conflicts, because Shangguan Jie was unhappy with his lesser role in the co-regency. In 84 BC, Shangguan Jie wanted to marry

1739-560: Was briefly the ninth emperor of the Han dynasty . Originally King (or Prince) of Changyi ( Chinese : 昌邑王 ; pinyin : Chāngyì Wáng ), he was installed by the powerful minister Huo Guang as emperor in 74 BC, but deposed only 27 days later, and omitted from the official list of emperors. He lost his original kingdom of Changyi and was demoted to the rank of marquis. He was given the new fief of Haihun in modern Jiangxi Province and became known as Marquis of Haihun (海昏侯). His grandfather

1786-405: Was childless, and Emperor Zhao did not have any other concubines who had children either. (It is not clear whether the marriage was ever consummated , although it was likely given the tendency for early marriage and childbirth in those days, even for imperial couples.) Empress Shangguan's grandfather Huo rejected Liu Xu (劉胥), the Prince of Guangling and the only surviving son of Emperor Wu, from

1833-417: 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 aloud to the Empress Dowager who verbally rebuked Prince He. The articles of impeachment listed as

1880-436: Was impressed with the wisdom shown by the young emperor. Later that year, the conspirators tried again. Their plan was for Princess Eyi to invite Huo to a feast, and then to ambush Huo and kill him. They would then depose Emperor Zhao and make Prince Dan emperor. (However, allegedly, the Shangguans conspired to have Prince Dan killed once he arrived in the capital and for Shangguan Jie to declare himself emperor.) The conspiracy

1927-416: Was inappropriate during a time of mourning, but Prince He brushed aside the suggestion. Along the way, he ordered local government officials 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

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1974-464: Was removed as emperor, Huo Guang made a second search for a suitable successor to the throne. At some point, on the recommendation of Bing Ji (丙吉), Huo reached out to a commoner, a grandson of former Crown Prince Liu Ju ; he was the son of Emperor Wu and Empress Wei Zifu who committed suicide in September 91 BC after being forced into an unsuccessful rebellion against his father. Liu Ju was Empress Shangguan's grand nephew. Huo then formally submitted

2021-429: Was resentful that his monopoly system, which he felt to be the key to sound finances for the state, was being dismantled), formed an anti-Huo conspiracy. In 80 BC, Prince Dan sent a report to Emperor Zhao, accusing Huo of improperly exercising imperial authority. The conspirators' plan was that as soon as Emperor Zhao authorised an investigation, Shangguan Jie and Sang would arrest and immediately execute Huo. However, after

2068-415: Was revealed by a servant of Princess Eyi, and the conspirators were arrested and executed along with their entire clans. Princess Eyi and Prince Dan committed suicide. Empress Shangguan was spared, however, because of her young age and her status as Huo's granddaughter. In 74 BC, Emperor Zhao died at age 20. Empress Shangguan, then 15, became a widow and would be for the rest of her life. The young couple

2115-503: Was that she greatly honoured her teacher Xiahou by wearing mourning clothes for him when he died. She died in 37 BC, during the reign of Emperor Xuan's son Emperor Yuan , and she was buried with her husband Emperor Zhao. Shangguan Jie Shangguan Jie ( Chinese : 上官桀 ; died c. November 80 BC ) was a Western Han dynasty official in China and consort kin who served under Emperors Wu and Zhao . His granddaughter later became

2162-465: 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. Once he became emperor, Prince He immediately began to give rapid promotions to his subordinates from Changyi. He also failed to observe the period of mourning properly. Rather he feasted day and night and went out on tours. Gong became concerned, but

2209-420: Was unable to get Prince He to change his ways. Prince He's behaviour as emperor surprised and disappointed Huo Guang, who pondered his options. At the suggestion of the agricultural minister Tian Yannian (田延年), Huo began to consider deposing the new emperor. He consulted with General Zhang Anshi (張安世) and Prime Minister Yang Chang (楊敞), who agreed to the plan; Yang agreed upon the urgings of his wife Sima Ying,

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