Famous Leaders
Liu Bang: Ruled from 206 BCE to 195 BCE
Liu Bang, the founder of the Han empire, was from a peasant family. He rose up against the Qin Dynasty and established the Han Dynsty in 202 BCE after a four year war. He placecd his capital in Chang'an. He got rid of cruel Qin laws, lowered taxes, and passed laws to protect the common people, making him very popular with the people of China. Liu Bang was also known as the "High Emperor".
Han Wendi: Ruled from 180 BCE to 157 BCE
Han Wendi lightened taxes for the peasants, paying important attention to production in order to ensure a prosperous society. He was the fourth son of Liu Bang, and became a frugal emperor in order to help boost China's economy. Though his rule was short, he truly cared for the well-being of his people. He provided famine relief, elderly pensions, freed many slaves, and abolished the cruelest Chinese execution techniques. Under Wendi, China had internal peace and prosperity. He was the first emperor to readily adopt Confucian values and under him, a renaissance in scholarship was created. Han Wendi was also known as the "Literary Emperor".
Han Wudi: Ruled from 141 BCE to 87 BCE
Han Wudi subdued the Xiongnu invaders by several wars and ruled over the Dynasty at its most powerful. His approach to the economy, a hands off method, allowed it to flourish. He kept a firm reign on his officials and treated the smallest protest as a treason. He changed inheritance laws to give equally to sons, and made Confucianism China's official political philosophy. Han Wudi was also known as the "Martial Emperor".
Han Zhaodi: Ruled from 86 BCE to 74 BCE
Han Zhaodi took control of the Han after a violent war caused by Han Wudi's death. He rose to power at the age of eight, with Huo Guang as his regent, the compromise ending the war. This regent organized a conference to listen to discontented subjects, which were mainly the Legalists and Confucianists against one another. The regent reduced taxes and began peace negotiations with the Xiongnu. Zhaodi died in 74 BCE, but Huo Guang stayed regent over another child whom he thought he could control. Han Zhaodi was also known as the "Shining Emperor".
Liu Xiu: Ruled from 25 CE to 57 CE
Liu Xiu regained control of China from Wang Mang, who had taken the Mandate of Heaven from the Early/Western Han Dynasty. He established the Later/Eastern Han Dynasty. In order to win people over to his side during the fighting, he surrounded himself with scholars, and possessed the only army that did not plunder the towns he took over. He won the peasants' respect. After taking control of the empire, he moved the capital to Luo Yang. He also abolished unsuitable laws and helped rebuild the devastated economy. Liu Xiu was also known as the "Shining Martial Emperor".
