Emperor Xiaojing: Han China’s Cultural & Political Milestones

Emperor Xiaojing was the middle son of Emperor Xiaowen. His mother was Empress Dowager Dou. When Emperor Xiaowen was in the Kingdom of Dai, the previous queen had three sons. When Empress Dowager Dou came into favor, the former queen died, as did her three sons, allowing Emperor Xiaojing to succeed to the throne.
On the fourth month of Emperor Jingdi’s reign (156 BC), on the day of yimao, the entire globe was granted a wide amnesty. On Yi Si Day, each person was given a first-degree title. In the fifth month, half of all farmers’ rents were decreased, and the Taizong Temple was built for Emperor Xiaowen. He directed his ministers not to visit the imperial court to greet him on his ascension to the throne. Allowed Xiong Nu to enter the Dai territory and agreed to make peace with him.
In the spring of the second year (155 BC), the grandson of former Prime Minister Xiao He, Xiao Lineage, was crowned Marquis of Wuling. It was decided that men would be documented once they reached the age of twenty. On the ninth day of the fourth month, Empress Dowager Xiaowen passed away. The King of Guangchuan and the King of Changsha each visited their respective feudal states. Prime Minister Shentu Jia has died. Tao Qing, the royal historian and Marquis of Kaifeng, was appointed Prime Minister in August. A comet appears to the northeast. Hengshan receives hailstones in the fall, with the largest measuring up to 5 inches in diameter and the deepest reaching 2 feet. Mars orbits in reverse, approaching the North Star. The Moon appears in the same position as the North Star. Jupiter orbits in reverse in the sky. The Emperor established Nanling, Neishi, and Yao Gladius as prefectures.

A general amnesty was granted in the first month of the third year (154 years ago), on the day of b si. A long-tailed comet appeared to the west. Fire from heaven destroyed the Eastern Palace’s main hall and citadel in Luo Yang. King Liu Pi of Wu, King Liu Wu of Chu, King Liu Sui of Zhao, King Liu Ang of Jiaoxi, King Liu Peguang of Jinan, King Liu Xian of Zichuan, and King Liu Xiongqu of Jiaodong led a rebellion and marched to the west. The emperor assassinated Chao Chou to satisfy the dissident kings and dispatched Yuan Ang to tell the seven kingdoms, but the seven kingdoms did not stop and continued to envelop Liang from the west. The emperor then dispatched general Dou Ying and lieutenant Zhou Yafu to lead a crusade to eliminate them. On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the emperor pardoned the defeated and fleeing warriors, as well as Liu art, the son of King Yuan of Chu and others who had taken part in the uprising. He installed General Dou Ying as Marquis of Weiqi. Liu Li, Marquis of Pinglu, the son of King Yuan of Chu, is proclaimed King of Chu. Liu Duan, son of Chu King Yuan, was appointed King of Jiaoxi, as was Liu Sheng, son of Zhongshan King Sheng. Reappointed Liu Zhi, King of Jibei, as King of Zichuan; Liu Yu, King of Huaiyang, as King of Lu; and Liu Fei, King of Ruinan, as King of Jiangdu. King Liu General Lu of Qi and King Liu Jia of Yan have died.
The Crown Prince was established during the summer of the fourth year (153 B.C.). Established the Emperor’s son Liu Che as King of Jiaodong. Amnesty was granted to the entire planet on June 11th, the sixth lunar month. In the leap September, Yiyang was renamed Yangling. Barriers at ferry crossings have been re-established, and documents are now required to enter and exit. In the winter, the state of Zhao was abolished and Handan County was established.
The Yangling and Weiqiao bridges were erected in March of the fifth year (152 BC). In May, 200,000 dollars were given to recruit people from across the country to relocate to Yangling. A tremendous storm blew into Jiangdu from the west, destroying the city wall to the depth of twelve fathoms. On Ding Mao Day, the Emperor bestowed the title of Marquis of Longxi on his sister Princess Chang’s son. He re-appointed the King of Guangchuan as King of Zhao.
In the spring of the sixth year (151 B.C.), the lieutenant Wei Ò was appointed as the Marquis of Jianling, the prime minister of Jiangdu state, Cheng Jia, as the Marquis of Jianping, the governor of Longxi county, Gongsun Hunxie, as the Marquis of Pingqu, the prime minister of Zhao state, Su Jia, as the Marquis of Jiangling, and the former general, Luan Bu, as the Marquis of Xia. The kings of Liang and Chu died. In the ninth month of leap, the trees on both sides of the Chi Road were cut down, and the Orchid Pond was filled in.
Prince Liu Rong of Li was deposed in the winter of the seventh year (150 BC) and proclaimed King of Linjiang. A solar eclipse took place on an inconspicuous day in November. In the spring, the convicts and slaves who erected the Yangling Tomb were released. Prime Minister Tao Qing was ousted from office. On the second day of the second month, Zhou Yafu, the bar captain, was chosen Prime Minister. On the fourth lunar month, on the day of yisi, the mother of Jiaodong’s King was appointed Empress. On the occasion of Dingsi, the King of Jiaodong was appointed Crown Prince. The prince’s name was Che.
In the first year of Zhongyuan (149 years ago), Zhou Ping, grandson of Zhou Cao, former imperial historian, was made Marquis of Jiao, and Zhou Zuo Che, grandson of Zhou Chang, former imperial historian, was created Marquis of Anyang. On April Bsi, he declared amnesty to the entire planet and gave each person a first-degree title. The prohibition on merchants and son-in-laws becoming officials, as well as the reinstatement of officials who had committed crimes, was lifted. An earthquake happened. Hail occurred in the Hengshan and Wondu districts, with the biggest diameter reaching up to one foot eight inches.
In February of the second year of Zhongyuan (148 BC), Xiong Nu invaded the territory of Yan, and the court declined to make peace with him. In March, an order was issued to bring Liu Rong, the King of Linjiang, to the capital for questioning. He soon died in Lieutenant Zhandu’s mansion. In the summer, the imperial son Liu Yue was crowned King of Guangchuan, while the imperial son Liu Mail became King of Jiaodong. The four lords were separated. A solar eclipse occurred on September 11th, the ninth lunar month.
In the winter of the third year of the Middle Ages (147 BC), the vassal countries’ official position of royal historian was eliminated. In the spring, two Xiongnu monarchs led their own armies to surrender, and both were created lords. The Emperor’s son, Liu Fangxian, was installed as King of Qinghe. In March, a comet appeared in the northwestern sky. Prime Minister Zhou Yafu was removed from office, and Imperial Historian Taohou Liu She was appointed Prime Minister. In April, an earthquake struck. During the ninth month, a solar eclipse occurred on the obscure day of Wuxu. An army was stationed outside the capital’s Eastern Capital Gate.
The Deyang Palace was built in March of the Fourth Year of the Middle Ages (146 BC). A widespread locust plague occurred. In the fall, the Yangling construction prisoners were released.
In the summer of the fifth year of the Middle Ages (145 years ago), the Emperor’s son, Liu Shun, was crowned King of Changshan. Ten individuals were divided into marquises. On Ting Si Day in June, the people were granted a general amnesty and each received a first degree title. Severe flooding occurred across the nation. The prime ministers of vassal states were renamed ministers. In the fall, an earthquake occurred.
The Emperor visited Yong County in the sixth year of the Middle Ages (144 years ago), on the second month’s day, to worship the Temple of the Five Emperors. In March, hail fell. In April, King Xiao of Liang, King Gong of Chengyang, and King Ru Nan died. Liu Ming, the son of King Xiao of Liang, was named King of Jichuan; Liu Pengli, King of Jidong; Liu Ding, King of Shanyang; and Liu Fugui, King of Jiyin. Divided Liang’s original state into five. Four people are appointed as Liege Marquis. Renamed the official position of Tingwei as Dali, the official position of Jiangzuo Shaofu as Jiangzuo Daishi, the official position of Lord Lieutenant as Duwei, the official position of Changxin Zhanshi as Changxin Shaofu, the official position of Jiangxin Xing as Dajangqiu, the official position of Daxing as Daxing, the official position of Bongsheng as Taishang, the official position of Diankai as Daxing, the official position of Dainong as Dannong. The dainai, who was in charge of the dainai storehouse, was promoted to the rank of two thousand stones, and the left and right dainai officers were placed under the dainai’s authority. A solar eclipse took place on July Xinhai. During the eighth month, the Xiongnu invaded Shangxian.
The middle doctor’s order was renamed Weiwei during the winter of Houyuan’s first year (143 BC). On the day of Ding You in March, he granted amnesty to the entire country, gave each person a first degree of title, and bestowed the title of right concubine chief on officials of the middle and middle two thousand stones, as well as ministers of vassal states. In April, he issued an order allowing the people to gather and drink wine. In May, on Cixu Day, there was an earthquake, followed by another at breakfast. The earthquake in Shangyong County lasted twenty-two days and damaged the city’s wall. A solar eclipse took place on July B Si. Prime Minister Liu She has been removed from office. On the ninth day of the eighth month, Wei Òài, the royal historian, was appointed as the prime minister and crowned as the Marquis of Jianling.
Three earthquakes struck in the first month of Hou Yuan’s second year (142 BC) on the same day. General Zhidu led an army that attacked Xiong Nu. An order was issued allowing people to gather and drink wine for five days. An imperial decree prohibited the Nei Shi and counties from feeding their horses with grain, and violators would have their horses confiscated by the government. It was stipulated that criminals and slaves were only allowed to wear coarse and shoddy clothes. Pounding rice with horses was strictly forbidden. Due to the grain failure in that year, the people of the world were ordered not to eat all the rations from that year’s harvest in just one year. The feudal lords stationed in the capital were cut down and all of them were told to return to their own fiefdoms. In March, the Huns invaded Yanmen County. In October, the arable land around Changling, the mausoleum of Gaozu, was leased to farmers for cultivation. A great drought occurred. Plague spreads in Hengshan Country, Hedong County and Yunzhong County.
In the tenth month of the third year of the Later Yuan (141 BC), there were solar and lunar eclipses, with the sun and moon appearing red for five consecutive days. On the obscure day of December, a thunderquake occurred. The sun turned purple. The five planets orbited in opposite directions, approaching the Tai Wei Wall. The Moon crosses the Heavenly Court horizontally. On the first month’s A c day, Crown Prince Liu Che holds a coronation ceremony. On the Azi day, Emperor Xiaojing died. The posthumous edict bestowed a first degree of title on each of the heirs of the fathers among the people from the vassal kings down to the people, and one hundred coins for each household among the people of the country. The court ladies were released to their homes and exempted from taxes and labor for life. The crown prince was crowned Emperor Xiaowu. In March, he enthroned Tian Zokor, the brother of the Empress Dowager, as Marquis of Wu’an and Tian Sheng as Marquis of Zhouyang. And the coffin of Emperor Jingdi was placed in Yangling.
The Duke of Tai Shi said: After the rise of Han, Emperor Xiaowen extended benevolence to the people of the world, and they were able to live in peace with his benevolence. By the time of Emperor Xiaojing, there was no longer any need to worry about the rebellions of the vassal kings of different surnames. However, Chao Cao’s severe reduction of the fiefs of the vassal kings of the same surname caused the seven states of Wu and Chu to rebel together and jointly attacked the imperial court in the west. This was because the vassal kings were still too powerful and Chao failed to take the method of gradual weakening. When Lord Fu Yan suggested that the vassal kings should be allowed to divide their sons and daughters as vassals, thus the vassal kings were gradually weakened and the state was finally stabilized. Therefore, the key to a country’s safety and security, shall we not rely on strategy?