Fire over Luoyang: A History of the Later Han Dynasty, 23–220 AD

591 Pages·2016·17.24 MB·English

by  Rafe De Crespigny

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Fire over Luoyang
© Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2017 | doi 10.1163/9789004325203_001
ii
Sinica Leidensia
Edited by
Barend J. ter Haar
Maghiel van Crevel
In co-operation with
P.K. Bol, D.R. Knechtges, E.S. Rawski,
W.L. Idema, H.T. Zurndorfer
VOLUME 134
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/sinl
iii
Fire over Luoyang
A History of the Later Han Dynasty 23–220 AD
By
Rafe de Crespigny
LEIDEN | BOSTON
iv
Cover illustration: Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow. bronze, h 34,5 cm. Wuwei, Gansu.
China. By own work – L’art chinois. Danielle Elisseeff. 2007, Public Domain, <https://commons.wiki
media.org/w/index.php?curid=14604671>.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: De Crespigny, Rafe, author.
Title: Fire over Luoyang : a history of the later Han dynasty, 23-220 AD / by
Rafe de Crespigny.
Description: Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2016] | Series: Sinica Leidensia, ISSN
0169-9563 ; volume 134 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016020975 (print) | LCCN 2016028598 (ebook) | ISBN
9789004324916 (hardback : acid-free paper) | ISBN 9789004325203 (e-book) |
ISBN 9789004325203 (E-book)
Subjects: LCSH: China--History--Han dynasty, 202 B.C.-220 A.D. | China--Kings
and rulers--History. | China--Politics and government--221 B.C.-220 A.D.
Classification: LCC DS748 .D39 2016 (print) | LCC DS748 (ebook) | DDC
931/.04--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016020975

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issn 0169-9563
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v
For
Charlotte and Sophia
⸪
vi Contents
ContentCsontents vii
Contents
List of Illustrations, Maps and Tables x
Introduction 1
The Emperors of Han 6
Chronology of the Later Han Dynasty 8

1 Imperial Capital 17
Luoyang and its Surroundings 17
Emperor Guangwu and his New Capital 28
Formalities and Government 34
City, Suburbs and People 52
Parks, Pleasure-Grounds and Tombs 61
2 Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang (57–88) 71
Chronology 71
Imperial Succession 72
The Government of Emperor Ming 82
The Government of Emperor Zhang 99
Empress Dou and the Boy from the Harem 108
3 The Reign of Emperor He (88–106) 117
Chronology 117
Triumph in the Steppe 118
The Fall of the Dou Family 127
The Peoples of the West 136
The Government of Emperor He 141
The Military Structure of Later Han 148
Peace and Settlement? 164
4 The Dowager Deng and Emperor An (106–125) 169
Chronology 169
The Child Emperors and the Regency 170
The Rebellion of the Qiang 177
Problems of Finance 190
The Government of the Dowager 199
The Favourites of Emperor An 207
Contents
Contents vii
List of Illustrations, Maps and Tables x
Introduction 1
Acknowledgements 5
Canberra, March 2016 5
The Emperors of Han 6
Part I: Former Han 6
Part II: Later Han 7
Chronology of the Later Han Dynasty 8
Chronology of the Later Han Dynasty 8
Chapter 1 17
* 17
Imperial Capital
Luoyang and Its Surroundings 17 viii Contents
Emperor Guangwu and His New Capital 28
Formalities and Government 34
City, Suburbs and People 52 5 The Reign of Emperor Shun (125–144) 220
Parks, Pleasure-Grounds and Tombs 61
Chapter 2 71 Chronology 220
Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang (57–88) 71
Chronology 71 The Destruction of the Yan Clan 221
Imperial Succession 72
The Government of Emperor Ming 82 Emperor Shun and the Reformers 225
The Government of Emperor Zhang 99
Empress Dou and the Boy from the Harem 108 The Rise of the Liang Family 238
Chapter 3 117
The Reign of Emperor He (88–106) 117 Barbarians, Migrants and Rebels 244
Chronology 117
Triumph in the Steppe 118 People and Land 257
The Fall of the Dou Family 127
The Peoples of the West 136
The Government of Emperor He 141
The Military Structure of Later Han 148 6 The Hegemony of Liang Ji (144–159) 269
Peace and Settlement? 164
Chapter 4 169 Chronology 269
The Dowager Deng and Emperor An (106–125) 169
Liang Ji and the Puppets 270
Chronology 169
The Child Emperors and the Regency 170
Rebel Emperors and Great Peace 274
The Rebellion of the Qiang 177
Problems of Finance 190 The Government of Liang Ji 278
The Government of the Dowager 199
The Favourites of Emperor An 207 Great Families in the Provinces 294
Chapter 5 220
The Reign of Emperor Shun (125–144) 220 The Fall of the House of Liang 303
Chronology 220
The Destruction of the Yan Clan 221
Emperor Shun and the Reformers 225
The Rise of the Liang Family 238 7 Emperor Huan and the Eunuchs (159–168) 310
Barbarians, Migrants and Rebels 244
People and Land 257 Chronology 310
Chapter 6 269
The Hegemony of Liang Ji (144–159) 269 Imperial Favourites 311
Chronology 269
Liang Ji and the Puppets 270 Problems of Finance 321
Rebel Emperors and Great Peace 274
The Government of Liang Ji 278 Gentlemen and Eunuchs 324
Great Families in the Provinces 294
The Fall of the House of Liang 303 Imperial Consorts and the Worship of Huang-Lao 335
Chapter 7 310
Emperor Huan and the Eunuchs (159–168)* 310 The First Faction Incident 351
Chronology 310
Invitation to Genocide 357
Imperial Favourites 311
Problems of Finance 321
Gentlemen and Eunuchs 324
Imperial Consorts and the Worship of Huang-Lao 335 8 Emperor Ling: Disordered Government (169–184) 361
The First Faction Incident 351
Invitation to Genocide 357 Chronology 361
Chapter 8 361
Emperor Ling: Disordered Government (169–184) 361 The Dou Family and the Eunuchs 362
Chronology 361
The Dou Family and the Eunuchs 362 Duan Jiong and the Barbarians 369
Duan Jiong and the Barbarians 369
The Second Faction Incident, the Great Proscription and the The Second Faction Incident, the Great Proscription and the Decline
Decline of the University 375
The Government of Emperor Ling 388  of the University 375
Tanshihuai and the Misfortunes of the Frontier 397
Yellow Turbans 402 The Government of Emperor Ling 388
Chapter 9 418
End of an Empire (185–189) 418 Tanshihuai and the Misfortunes of the Frontier 397
Chronology 418
The Loss of Liang Province 420 Yellow Turbans 402
Imperial Extravagance 428
Imperial Succession 436
Slaughter in the Palace 442
A Note on the Dates of the Crisis 448 9 End of an Empire (185–189) 418
Dong Zhuo 449
Chronology 418
Ruin of a Capital 456
The End of Han 465
The Loss of Liang Province 420
Chapter 10 474
Epilogues and Conclusions 474 Imperial Extravagance 428
Part I: Elegy for a Lost Capital 474
Part II: What Went Wrong? Reflections on a Ruin 480 Imperial Succession 436
Bibliography Bibliography 513
Index 543
Contents ix
Slaughter in the Palace 442
A Note on the Dates of the Crisis 448
Dong Zhuo 449
Ruin of a Capital 456
The End of Han 465
10 Epilogues and Conclusions 474
Part I: Elegy for a Lost Capital 474
Chronology 474
The Afterlife of Luoyang 475
Part II: What Went Wrong? Reflections on a Ruin 480
A Failure of Virtue? 480
The Division of China 497
The Difficulty of Reunification 504
Bibliography 513
Index and List of Characters 543
x List of Illustrations and TaLbilsets Of Illustrations And Tables
List of Illustrations, Maps and Tables
Illustrations
1 The Gate of the Vermilion Bird [frontispiece] xii
2 A Courier of the Imperial Post 24
3 A Market-Place 48
4 An Official in his Carriage 58
5 The Hall of the Circular Moat 85
6 A Beacon Tower on the Great Wall of Han in present-day Gansu 154
7 Hunting on Horseback with a Compound Bow: a Parthian shot 157
8 Cavalrymen 158
9 Horse-herding 158
10 Ox-drawn Cart 161
11 A Fortified Mansion 299
12 Archers in a Watchtower 299
13 Entertainers at a Banquet 300
14 Horse and Carriage 301
15 Ploughing with Oxen 301
16 Rubbing of a fragment of the Stone Classics 383
17 Hunting and Gathering 392
18 Remnants of the city wall of ancient Luoyang 480
Maps
1 The City of Luoyang in the time of Later Han 16
2 Approaches to Luoyang 25
3 The Western Regions 97
4 The Northern Steppe in 90 AD 123
5 The Qiang Rebellion 107–118 183
6 Chinese Withdrawals 140–141 248
7 The Campaigns of Duan Jiong 168–169 370
8 Rebellion in Liang Province 184–189 423
9 The Capital Region under Dong Zhuo 189–192 462
10 Warlords 189–220 468
11 The Later Han Empire about 140 AD  510