Introduction:
In 220 AD, Cao Pi usurped the Han Dynasty and became emperor, and the pattern of the Three Kingdoms was formally formed. Looking back, why did the once powerful Han Dynasty fall apart? From Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu to the Han Dynasty to Emperor Liu Xie, who was forced to concede, the Eastern Han Dynasty has experienced nearly two hundred years of vicissitudes. During this period, the power of the wealthy family continued to grow, relatives and eunuchs took turns to dictate power, and the imperial power gradually declined. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Dong Zhuo coerced the Son of Heaven to order the princes, and the fate of the Han Dynasty was irretrievable. This article will reveal the history of the Eastern Han Dynasty from prosperity to decline, explore the underlying reasons for its division into three kingdoms, and the impact of this history on later generations.
The revival of the Han Dynasty: Liu Xiu's road to recovery
The establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty began with a man named Liu Xiu. In 23 AD, Wang Mang's new dynasty of usurping the Han Dynasty was already stormy.
Heroes from all over the country have risen up one after another, under the banner of "reviving the Han family", looking for the clan surnamed Liu everywhere. Liu Xiu stood out in such troubled times.
He was originally a small pavilion chief, but he was promoted to be handsome because of a dream. In the dream, he ate the sun and the moon, which was a sign of the emperor at that time.
After Liu Xiu raised his army, he first followed his brother Liu Xuan, and later defected to the more powerful Liu Xuan. After several twists and turns, he was finally proclaimed emperor in 25 AD, with the country name "Han", and the history was called "Eastern Han" or "Later Han".
It is easy to establish political power, but it is difficult to consolidate the country. It took Liu Xiu a full 15 years to finally unify the country.
During this period, he defeated the separatist forces such as Gongsun Shu, Kui Huan, and Peng Chong, and also quelled foreign invasions such as the Xiongnu and Wuhuan. When he became famous, Liu Xiu was 48 years old.
In the early days of the Eastern Han Dynasty, all kinds of waste were waiting to be rebuilt. Liu Xiu took a series of measures to restore production and stabilize social order.
He vigorously advocated agricultural production and implemented a policy of lightly taxing and reducing the amount of money to the poor. At the same time, he also implemented the policy of "Shigu" to restore the political system of the Western Han Dynasty.
Liu Xiu also reused talents, such as the famous Xi Zhicai, Geng Yi and others, all of whom showed their skills under him. These measures laid the foundation for the prosperity of the early Eastern Han Dynasty.
However, Liu Xiu also faces a thorny problem: the power of the wealthy clan. These wealthy families rose up in the last years of Wang Mang's reign and owned a large amount of land and slaves.
Not only did they evade taxes, but they also recruited the poor to join them, forming a powerful social force. Liu Xiu had tried to crack down on the wealthy through a census of household registration, but with little success.
This problem became a time bomb for the Eastern Han Dynasty. With the passage of time, the power of the Hao clan grew, and eventually became one of the important reasons for the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
After Liu Xiu, the Eastern Han Dynasty experienced the rule of three promising monarchs: Emperor Ming, Emperor Zhang, and Emperor He. During this period, it was called "Guangwu Zhongxing" by later generations.
But the good times did not last long, starting from Emperor An, the problem of the dictatorship of foreign relatives became more and more serious. Relatives are the emperor's uncles.
They used their in-laws with the royal family to interfere in court affairs. Among them, the most famous is Dou Xian.
Dou Xian was the nephew of Emperor Liu Zhuang of the Ming Dynasty, and was named a general because of his outstanding military achievements. He once led the army to attack the Xiongnu in the north and achieved the brilliant record of "Yanran Leshi".
However, Dou Xian was not satisfied with this. He gradually grasped the power of the imperial court, and even had the ambition to usurp the throne.
In the end, he joined forces with the emperor and eunuchs to launch a coup d'état and oust Dou Xian from power. The fall of Dou Xian marked the end of the era of the dictatorship of foreign relatives in the Eastern Han Dynasty, but it also heralded the arrival of the era of eunuch dictatorship.
From Emperor An to Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the power of eunuchs is getting bigger and bigger. They not only interfered in the government's affairs, but also engaged in corruption and sold official positions.
This situation directly led to the complete collapse of the politics of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The outbreak of the Yellow Turban Rebellion took place against this background.
The dictatorship of foreign relatives: the chaos of the dynasty was born
On the political stage in the middle and late Eastern Han Dynasty, a group of special characters began to appear. They are not emperors, but they hold power that surpasses them.
They were relatives, the emperor's uncles. These people relied on their in-laws with the royal family to call for wind and rain in the court.
The drama of the dictatorship of relatives began in the period of Emperor An. Emperor Liu Hu ascended the throne at a young age, and his uncle Deng Qiu began to monopolize power.
Deng Qiu not only controlled the government, but also installed cronies and suppressed dissidents. Everyone in the court is in danger.
But Deng Qiu is just an appetizer, and the real main course is yet to come. That is Dou Xian, the nephew of Emperor Liu Zhuang of the Ming Dynasty, who can be said to be the best among his relatives.
Dou Xian was named a general for his outstanding military achievements. He led the army to attack the Xiongnu in the north and achieved the brilliant record of "Yanran Leshi".
However, Dou Xian was not satisfied with this. He gradually grasped the power of the imperial court, and even had the ambition to usurp the throne.
How swollen is Dou Xian's ambitions? He dared to ride a horse in the palace, which was a great rebellion at the time.
Not only that, but he also disposed of the courtiers without authorization, and did not even pay attention to the emperor's opinion. The court was full of panic.
In the end, Emperor He couldn't stand it anymore. He united with the eunuchs and staged a thrilling coup d'état.
Dou Xian was ousted from power and finally committed suicide. The fall of Dou Xian marked the end of the era of the dictatorship of foreign relatives in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
But that's not all. The relatives fell, but the eunuchs began to move again. These eunuchs were originally just subordinates who served the emperor's daily life.
However, they are the closest to the emperor, and a few whispers can affect the world's major events. From Emperor An to Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the power of eunuchs is getting bigger and bigger.
They not only interfered in the government's affairs, but also engaged in corruption and sold official positions. Up and down the court, there was a miasma of smoke.
When it comes to selling official positions, we have to mention the "scourge of the party." This happened during the reign of Emperor Huan, when the general Liang Ji colluded with the eunuchs.
They wantonly sold official positions, causing a miasma in the court. Some upright doctors could not stand it anymore, so they organized themselves and prepared to protest.
However, Liang Ji and the eunuchs quit. They branded these scholars as "party members" and persecuted them on a large scale.
Many upright officials were killed or exiled, and the court lost its last loyal generals. This turmoil was called "the disaster of the party" by later generations.
In the period of Emperor Ling, the situation was even worse. Emperor Liu Hong ascended the throne at a young age, and the government was completely controlled by eunuchs.
The most famous is the "Ten Standing Attendants", these ten eunuchs are simply lawless. Not only did they sell their official positions, but they also openly accepted bribes.
Once, Emperor Ling wanted to promote a person named Wang Yun to be an official. As a result, the ten permanent servants found out, and they ran to Wang Yun to ask for money.
Wang Yun had no money, so he had to sell his house. This kind of thing was a common occurrence at the time.
The court has rotted to the bones, but Emperor Ling is still drunk. Not only did he ignore the government, but he also did some strange things all day long.
For example, he likes to set up a casino in the harem and gamble himself. At one point, he even shaved the queen's hair just to win a game.
With such an emperor and such a court, where can the common people still live? As a result, the resentment of the people grew deeper and deeper.
Finally, in 184 AD, an uprising broke out that changed the history of China. This is known as the Yellow Turban Uprising.
The rebels wore yellow scarves on their heads and shouted the slogan "The sky is dead, the yellow sky should stand", and swept through most of China.
At this moment, the mighty Han Dynasty finally revealed its crumbling nature. Next, it's a protracted drama.
Heroes in troubled times: chasing the Central Plains
No sooner had the flag of the Yellow Turbans been lowered than another even bigger storm was brewing. In 189 AD, Emperor Ling died and was succeeded by the young emperor Liu Wei.
The struggle within the court became more intense, and He Jin, Yuan Shao and others conspired to kill the eunuchs. However, before the plan could be implemented, it was detected by the eunuchs.
The eunuchs struck first and killed He Jin. Yuan Shao was furious, led his troops into the palace and opened a killing spree.
There was chaos in the palace, and the ten permanent servants were killed in pieces. At this moment, a key figure appeared, and he was Dong Zhuo.
Dong Zhuo was a warlord in Liangzhou, and when he heard that something had happened in the imperial court, he immediately led his troops into Chang'an. He first supported the young emperor Liu Bian, and not long after, he abolished Liu Biao and replaced it with Liu Xie, the king of Chen Liu.
This Liu Xie is the famous Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty in history. Dong Zhuo relied on the military power in his hands and ran rampant and domineering in the DPRK.
He not only looted people's wealth on a large scale, but also killed courtiers at will. Both the government and the opposition were terrified.
In the face of Dong Zhuo's tyranny, the princes everywhere couldn't sit still. The coalition of princes led by Yuan Shao, under the banner of "crusading against Dong Zhuo", marched into Chang'an.
This battle was very lively, and the princes of the Eighteenth Route gathered under the Tiger Prison. It's a pity that these princes have their own ghosts, and they can't twist a rope at all.
In the end, although Dong Zhuo evacuated Chang'an, the alliance of the princes was also scattered. Since then, the world has risen together, and everyone wants a piece of the pie.
Among this group of princes, three people stood out in the end. They were Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan.
Speaking of Cao Cao, that's an interesting master. He was originally the son of a small official, and he became a captain with the help of his uncle.
During the Yellow Turban Uprising, Cao Cao led his troops to quell the chaos and made a lot of contributions. After Dong Zhuo's rebellion, he first took refuge in Yuan Shao, and later set up his own door.
Cao Cao's greatest strength lies in recruiting troops. He often recruited troops in his own name, not in the name of the imperial court.
In this way, the soldiers became his personal soldiers. Coupled with his good use of people, he soon became the strongest prince in the north.
Let's talk about Liu Bei, this is a serious royal family. He claimed to be a descendant of Liu Sheng, the king of Zhongshan Jing, the son of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty.
Liu Bei started out even more shabby than Cao Cao, and in his early years, he made a living by selling straw sandals. During the Yellow Turban Uprising, he gathered a group of brothers and became a guerrilla leader.
Liu Bei's greatest ability is to make friends. He first took refuge in Gongsun Zhan, and later took refuge in Tao Qian and Lu Bu.
Although I have suffered a lot, I have been able to survive every time. In the end, he gained a firm foothold in Jingzhou and became a prince who fought against Cao Cao.
Finally, let's talk about Sun Quan, this is a child of Jiangdong. His father Sun Jian and elder brother Sun Ce are both well-known figures.
It's a pity that Sun Jian died early, Sun Ce was assassinated again, and the young Sun Quan had to shoulder the burden of the family.
The most remarkable thing about Sun Quan is that he knows and employs people. He has a group of fierce generals and strategists who can write and martial arts, and talents like Zhou Yu and Lu Su are all recognized by him.
Under his leadership, Jiangdong became stronger and stronger, and became an indispensable corner of the pattern of the Three Kingdoms.
These three lords have their own abilities. Cao Cao was good at using soldiers, Liu Bei was good at making friends, and Sun Quan was good at internal affairs.
They fought for each other, and in the past few decades, they have turned the land of China upside down. During this period, there were big scenes such as the Battle of Chibi and the Battle of Guandu.
There have also been classic episodes such as three visits to the thatched cottage and the burning of the company camp. In short, it is a magnificent heroic epic.
However, behind this magnificent drama is the suffering of hundreds of people. In the years of war, the people were struggling to make a living.
Some were drafted into the army, some were forced to flee, and some were even enslaved. This turmoil lasted for decades.
Eventually, it was Cao Cao's grandson, Cao Rong, who proclaimed himself emperor and established the Wei state. Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor in Shu and established the state of Shu.
Sun Quan proclaimed himself emperor in Jiangdong and established the state of Wu. At this point, the history of being divided for a long time must be united, and the history of being divided for a long time has been fulfilled again, and the once powerful Han Dynasty has been divided into three kingdoms.
Three Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of Succession is One
The situation of the Three Kingdoms was initially formed, and Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu went their separate ways. These three companies sang and I appeared on the stage, and staged a wonderful historical drama.
Wei occupies the Central Plains, has a vast area and many people, and is the strongest. After Cao Pi became emperor, he inherited the foundation of his father Cao Cao, but he was not as eloquent as his father.
During Cao Pi's reign, although the Wei state was strong on the surface, hidden dangers had begun to appear inside. The contradictions between the clan and their relatives intensified, laying the groundwork for future disasters.
After Cao Pi's death, he was succeeded by his son Cao Rong. Cao Rong was an accomplished emperor, and during his reign he repeatedly attacked Shu Han and Eastern Wu, and although he did not achieve decisive victories, he also retained the dominant position of Wei.
However, after Cao Ei, the emperors of Wei became more and more mediocre. They indulged in pleasures and handed over the power of the court to eunuchs and relatives.
At this time, the Sima Yi family began to rise. Sima Yi was originally a general under Cao Cao, and later assisted Cao Pi and Cao Ei, accumulating a lot of power.
Sima Yi's sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao worked step by step and gradually controlled the power of the court. By the time of Emperor Cao Huan of Wei Yuan, Sima Zhao had become the de facto ruler.
Speaking of Shu Han, after Liu Bei established Shu Han, he did not enjoy a peaceful life. He was in a hurry to go on a northern expedition to restore the Han dynasty, but was defeated by Eastern Wu in the Battle of Yiling.
Liu Bei died depressed, and entrusted the power to Prime Minister Zhuge Liang before his death. Zhuge Liang assisted the young Liu Chan and created the heyday of Shu Han.
Zhuge Liang went out of Qishan and the northern expedition to Wei, although he did not achieve a decisive victory, but also allowed the national strength of Shu Han to be fully developed. It's a pity that Zhuge Liang died young, and Shu Han lost his greatest support.
After Zhuge Liang's death, Shu Han continued the Northern Expedition by Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei's eleventh Northern Expedition exhausted the national strength of Shu Han, and eventually led to the lack of succession of Shu Han.
Looking at Soochow again, after Sun Quan became emperor, Soochow entered a relatively stable period of development. Sun Quan is good at employing people, and has famous generals such as Lu Xun and Lu Meng under his command, so that Dongwu occupies a place in the Three Kingdoms.
However, Sun Quan was deaf in his later years and killed heroes indiscriminately, which greatly weakened the strength of Eastern Wu. After Sun Quan's death, the emperors of Eastern Wu became increasingly incompetent, and the government became increasingly corrupt.
The situation of the Three Kingdoms lasted for decades, and in the end it was Wei who prevailed. Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan, deposed Emperor Yuan of Wei and established himself as Emperor Wu of Jin, establishing the Jin Dynasty.
After the establishment of the Jin Dynasty, the great cause of unification soon began. In 263 AD, Wei generals Deng Ai and Zhong Hui led an army to attack Shu Han.
Shu Han was already rotten internally, and in the face of a strong enemy, he was powerless to resist. The Shu Han Emperor Liu Chan soon surrendered, and the Shu Han perished.
As soon as Shu Han died, Soochow became a loner. After recuperating for more than ten years, the Jin Dynasty launched a war to destroy Wu in 280 AD.
At this time, Soochow was already a strong external cadre in the middle, and there were many internal contradictions. The Jin army drove straight into the city and easily broke through the capital of Eastern Wu.
Emperor Sun Hao of Eastern Wu surrendered, and Eastern Wu perished. At this point, the Three Kingdoms era came to an end, and China returned to the situation of reunification.
Looking back at the history of the Three Kingdoms, we can see that this is an era of heroes. Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan, Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu and other figures have all left a strong mark in history.
Their wisdom, courage and open-mindedness are still admired by posterity. However, we cannot ignore the suffering caused to ordinary people by this war, which has lasted for nearly a century.
The war is raging, and the people are struggling to make a living, which is the truest portrayal of that era. Although the story of the Three Kingdoms is wonderful, peaceful reunification is the true aspiration of the people.
Eventually, the Jin dynasty unified China, ending a long period of division. However, the good times were short-lived, and the Jin dynasty soon fell into new turmoil.
The Rebellion of the Eight Kings and the Five Rebellions followed, and China once again entered a dark age of long-term division. History is always repeating itself and spiraling upwards.
The rise and fall of the Three Kingdoms has left too many lessons for future generations to reflect on. The change of power, the fate of heroes, and the suffering of the people are all worthy of our deep thought.
This history is not only a thrilling heroic legend, but also a mirror of human nature, power and society. Its charm will always attract future generations to explore and think.