Gengshi Emperor

Gengshi Emperor
更始帝
Emperor of the Han dynasty
Reign23–25 AD
PredecessorRuzi Ying (Western Han)
SuccessorEmperor Guangwu (Eastern Han)
Died25 AD
Burial
Baling
Spouses
  • Consort Zhao
  • Consort Han
  • Consort Fan
Era dates
Gengshi (更始; 23–25)
Posthumous name
Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王)
FatherLiu Zizhang
MotherLady He
Chinese name
Chinese更始帝
Hanyu PinyinGēngshǐ dì
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGēngshǐ dì
Wade–GilesKeng1-shih3 ti4
Courtesy name
Traditional Chinese聖公
Simplified Chinese圣公
Hanyu PinyinShènggōng
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShènggōng
Personal name
Traditional Chinese劉玄
Simplified Chinese刘玄
Hanyu PinyinLiú Xuán
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLiú Xuán

The Gengshi Emperor (died c.November AD 25[1]), born Liu Xuan, was an emperor of the Han dynasty that had been restored following the downfall of Wang Mang's short-lived Xin dynasty.[2] He was also known by his courtesy name Shenggong and as the King or Prince of Huaiyang, a posthumous title bestowed upon him by Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han. The Gengshi Emperor was viewed as a weak and incompetent ruler, who briefly ruled over an empire willing to let him rule over them, but was unable to keep that empire together. He was eventually deposed by the Red Eyebrows and strangled a few months after his defeat.[3]

Traditionally, historians treated his emperor status ambiguously: sometimes he would be referred to as the Gengshi Emperor, and sometimes by his posthumous title, Prince of Huaiyang.[4] The regime of the Gengshi Emperor is known in historiography as the Xuan Han (玄漢), after his personal name Liu Xuan.

  1. ^ ([更始三年]十月...三辅苦赤眉暴虐,皆怜更始,而张卬等以为虑,谓禄曰:‘今诸营长多欲篡圣公者。一旦失之,合兵攻公,自灭之道也。’于是禄使从兵与更始共牧马于郊下,因令缢杀之。...) Houhanshu, vol.11. The month corresponds to 10 Nov to 8 Dec 25 in the Julian calendar.
  2. ^ "Sinian Period". Oracle ThinkQuest Education Foundation. Archived from the original on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  3. ^ Theobald, Ulrich (2000). "Chinese History - Han Dynasty 漢 (206 BC-8 AD, 25-220) event history". Chinaknowledge. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
  4. ^ Theobald, Ulrich (2000). "Chinese History - Han Dynasty 漢 (206 BC-8 AD, 25-220) emperors and rulers". Chinaknowledge. Retrieved 2007-11-03.

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