Emperor Yuan of Han — Monarch With Sad Love Stories and Advocate of Eunuch Involvement

Emperor Yuan of Han (74 BC — 33 BC), named Liu Shi, was the 11th monarch of the Han Dynasty.

He was a kind, talented person with a good heart, but had been widely criticized for being too weak, as a monarch who declined his empire and aggrieved himself in his love life.

His reign was a turning point in the Han Dynasty when the emperor started losing power to eunuch groups or strong clans.

Jade Bear Unearthed from Mausoleum of the Emperor Yuan of Han — Xianyang Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

A Talented Prince and An Inept Heir

Liu Shi was the only son of Empress Xu Pingjun, the true love of Emperor Xuan of Han.

She married the emperor when he was still a commoner and accompanied him through thick and thin but was poisoned to death in a political conspiracy at a very young age.

Emperor Xuan of Han realized Liu Shi's credulity and recreancy. He had other sons who were more potent and capable of being the monarch of the vast empire; however, he still gave the throne to Liu Shi.

As a prince, Liu Shi was quite outstanding and talented. He was well-educated, kind, and knowledgeable; his scholarship in history and Confucianism was quite excellent in the history of China.

Moreover, he was a genius musician who could master many kinds of instruments and compositions and a great calligrapher.

Jade Figurine and Horse Unearthed from Mausoleum of the Emperor Yuan of Han — Xianyang Museum

Emperor Yuan of Han - Soft Monarch Monarch Who Continuously Lost Power

After Liu Shi ascended to the throne as Emperor Yuan of Han, he was very respectful to the officials that his father left him and was credulous to close eunuchs.

He always had difficulty deciding whose suggestion he should listen to and which side he should support; thus, he barely had a concrete political principle or ambition.

Soon, eunuchs allied with some powerful aristocrats and won over upstanding officials, which made the capable regent commit suicide out of desperation and disappointment.

This regent was trusted and chosen by Emperor Xuan of Han and had taught Liu Shi for a long time.

Jade Cup Unearthed from Mausoleum of the Emperor Xuan of Han — Xi'an Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Liu Shi, Emperor Yuan of Han, was sad about losing the regent but didn’t punish the people responsible for this tragedy either.

Gradually, he lost centralized power to eunuchs and strong clans who, in the end, made nearly all decisions for the emperor.

Nothing destructive happened during his rule, mainly because of the solid foundation his brilliant father and other ancestors built; however, his losing power was a turning point in the Han Dynasty.

Eunuch group, for the first time in the history of China, started to obtain a great deal of power and manipulate politics.

Unhappy Love Lives of Emperor Yuan of Han

Liu Shi's personality was unlike any of the ancestral emperors of the Han Dynasty, which also made his love life full of regrets.

When he was the crown prince, he only loved a concubine he married when he was very young, though his father assigned him some other beautiful women.

Unfortunately, his beloved girl passed away young because of sickness; before she died, she told Liu Shi that she was cursed by his other women who felt jealous of her, though no one could tell if that was the truth.

But Liu Shi believed her completely and stopped seeing his other women because of hatred.

Blue Glaze Decoration of the Han Dynasty — Changsha Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

As an heir, however, he had to have sons, so his father found more women for him.

Liu Shi couldn’t defy his father’s command, so he randomly pointed to a woman and spent a night with her.

This woman, Wang Zhengjun (71 BC — 13 AD), got pregnant, gave birth to Liu Shi’s first baby boy, and was nominated as queen. Liu Shi’s father was pleased and finally relieved.

No one expected that this single night brought the Han Dynasty a crown prince, a queen, a very powerful Wang Clan, and a person of the Wang Clan named Wang Mang, who usurped the throne and ended the Han Empire.

Mirror of the Han Dynasty with Inscriptions, Praising Wang Mang's Enthronement and His Replacement of the Former Royal Liu Clan

Mirror of the Han Dynasty with Inscriptions, Praising Wang Mang's Enthronement and His Replacement of the Royal Liu Clan — Fuyang Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Inactive Military Successes During the Emperor's Reign

After Liu Shi's father, Emperor Xuan of Han, successfully took control of northwest China and further weakened the Xiongnu, their forces kept fighting civil wars and left two main regimes.

One regime migrated to West Asia and allied with a country there through marriage, whose king then claimed Han as their enemy and killed Han's diplomatic envoys.

This made an assistant general named Chen Tang quite angry, who started to ally with other countries nearby that the Xiongnu had bullied.

Then he commanded this army to attack the Xiongnu when his general in charge was sick.

Bronze Sword and Its Sword Decoration of the Han Dynasty — Nanyang Antique Archaeology Institute (Photo by Dongmaiying)

When they were about to march off, Chen Tang sent his emperor Liu Shi a report telling what they would be doing.

Before the central government of the Han Empire realized what exactly had happened, Chen Tang had already led his 40,000 soldiers to perish the Xiongnu regime that had moved to West Asia.

The Xiongnu regime's king, queen, crown prince, and all the aristocrats were killed in that war, and some of their lands were awarded to those supportive allies.

Golden Crown of the King of Xiongnu — Inner Mongolia Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Initiating a war without the emperor's command was a severe crime in the history of China, especially since Chen Tang's "assistant general" position was not even qualified to be an army commander.

Still, the vast success was thrilling, and Chen Tang used little of Han's resources, thanks to his allies.

It took Emperor Yuan of Han a long time to decide if Chen Tang should be punished or rewarded.

Finally, Liu Shi decided to give Chen Tang awards of a noble title and money for having successfully perished the regime of the Xiongnu decisively with his exceptional intelligence and courage.

Story of the Beauty Wang Zhaojun

Another regime of the Xiongnu complied with the Han Empire and pursued a political alliance by marriage.

Liu Shi didn’t want to marry an actual princess or noble girl to this king, so he decided to select a woman from his royal maids.

Wang Qiang (about 54 BC — 19 BC), also named Wang Zhaojun, volunteered and was awarded a princess title.

Emperor Liu Shi met her for the first time at the farewell ceremony and was impressed by her stunning beauty.

Wang Zhaojun or Wang Qiang of the Han Dynasty

Since Liu Shi’s beloved concubine passed away years ago, it was the first time he was so attracted to a woman; unfortunately, he couldn’t call off this important political alliance.

In the end, he had to see her off reluctantly.

Wang Zhaojun, one of the Four Beauties in the history of China, a gorgeous and brave woman, brought peace and better communication to Han and the Xiongnu for over half a century.

Her courage and dedication had been eulogized for generations.

Legacy of Emperor Yuan of Han

Liu Shi, the Emperor Yuan of Han, was a kind person who barely blamed anyone.

When he was crown prince, he always disagreed with his father for being too strict and potent; he believed that many people his father had punished were innocent.

It turned out credulous and unconditional forgiving were not reasonably necessary qualities for a substantial feudal empire monarch.

This friendly, modest, and talented person, thus, was considered an incapable monarch in the history of China, who lost centralized power and discombobulated his kingdom.

Though he never intended to hurt anyone, his indecision and nonfeasance gradually declined the prosperity of the Han Dynasty.

Lacquer Wine Cup (Er Bei) of the Han Dynasty — Hunan Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Next Story: An Bi Emperor Ended Up in Woman’s Bed — Liu Ao