Emperor Jing of Han

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Emperor Jing of Han
漢景帝
Family name: Liu ()
  • Given name: Qi ()
  • Posthumous name
    • Short: Emperor Jing ()
    • Full: Emperor Xiaojing (孝景皇帝)
    HouseLiuDynastyHan (Western Han)FatherEmperor Wen of HanMotherEmpress Xiaowen

    Emperor Jing of Han (188 BC – 9 March 141 BC), born Liu Qi, was the sixth emperor of the Han dynasty from 157 to 141 BC. His reign saw the limiting of the power of the feudal kings and princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights to appoint ministers for their fiefs. This move helped to consolidate central power which paved the way for the long reign of his son Emperor Wu of Han.

    Emperor Jing had a complicated personality. He continued his father

    Taoist influences of his mother, Empress Dou. Still, during his reign he arrested and imprisoned Zhou Yafu, and he was generally ungrateful to his wife Empress Bo
    .

    He was the last emperor of Han who was the common ancestor of all subsequent emperors; all subsequent emperors of the Western Han were descendants of Emperor Wu, while all emperors of the Eastern Han were descendants of his sixth son Liu Fa, Prince Ding of Changsha.

    Early life and career as crown prince

    Emperor Jing was born to

    empress
    .

    In his childhood as crown prince, Prince Qi was praised for being compassionate. He was deeply influenced by his mother

    Taoist and required all of her children and grandchildren to study Taoist doctrines. He also developed deep bonds with his older sister Princess Liu Piao (劉嫖) and his younger brother Liu Wu
    (劉武), both also born of Empress Dou.

    As Prince Qi grew in age, as was customary, he established his own household, and a member of his household, Chao Cuo (晁錯), known for his intelligence and ruthless efficiency as well as his rhetorical talent, became a trusted adviser of Prince Qi. Despise this, Liu Qi has been known to taken an epicurean lifestyle to the point that Emperor Wen once considered deposing him as Crown Prince to Liu Wu, Prince of Liang, but dropped the matter as many officials opposed the idea.

    In July 157 BC, Emperor Wen died, and Prince Qi became emperor. In accordance with Emperor Wen's will, the period of mourning was shortened. Emperor Jing's grandmother Empress Dowager Bo became grand empress dowager, and Empress Dou became empress dowager. Prince Qi's wife, Crown Princess Bo (a member of his grandmother's clan) became empress.

    Early reign