Emperor Cheng of Han

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Emperor Cheng of Han" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Emperor Cheng of Han 漢成帝
Emperor Cheng riding a palanquin, Northern Wei painted screen (5th century)
Emperor of the Han dynasty
Reign	4 August 33 BC–17 April 7 BC
Predecessor	Emperor Yuan
Successor	Emperor Ai
Born	51 BC Chang'an, Han Empire
Died	17 April 7 BC (aged 44) Chang'an, Han Empire
Burial	Yan Mausoleum (延陵)
Consorts	Xu Kua Empress Xiaocheng
Names Family name: Liu (劉) Given name: Ao (驁) Posthumous name Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝) "filial and successful"
House	Liu
Dynasty	Han (Western Han)
Father	Emperor Yuan
Mother	Empress Xiaoyuan

Emperor Cheng of Han, personal name Liu Ao (劉驁; 51 BC – 17 April 7 BC), was an emperor of the Chinese Han dynasty ruling from 33 until 7 BC. He succeeded his father, Emperor Yuan. Under Emperor Cheng, the Han dynasty continued its growing disintegration as the emperor's maternal relatives from the Wang clan increased their grip on the levers of power and on governmental affairs as encouraged by the previous emperor. Corruption and greedy officials continued to plague the government and, as a result, rebellions broke out throughout the country. Emperor Cheng died childless after a reign of 26 years; both of his sons by concubines had died in infancy. One of them starved to death and another was suffocated in prison. The babies and their mothers were killed by the order of Emperor Cheng's favorite consort Zhao Hede, with the implied consent of the emperor. He was succeeded by his nephew, Emperor Ai, whose death was followed by Wang Mang's rise to power.