The Wei River, formerly known as the Wei River, originated from Niao Mouse Mountain in Gansu Province. It flows through Tianshui, Baoji, and Xianyang to reach the ancient capital of Xi’an. On the Loess Plateau along the Wei River, there is a group of ancient tombs stretching nearly a hundred miles and reaching over a hundred feet high. Nine out of the fifteen emperors of the Western Han Dynasty were buried here. Nine emperors reunited after their death. For over two thousand years, they seemed to have been reminiscing about the past, and the desolate withered grass symbolized the everlasting power of the Han family. Among these nine tombs, the most magnificent and magnificent one is the tomb of Emperor Wu of Han – Maoling. Buried here is a great emperor who created systems, recruited talents, expanded territories, and established a powerful Western Han Empire.
Episode 22: Emperor Wu of Han
The Wei River, formerly known as the Wei River, originated from Niao Mouse Mountain in Gansu Province. It flows through Tianshui, Baoji, and Xianyang to reach the ancient capital of Xi’an. On the Loess Plateau along the Wei River, there is a group of ancient tombs stretching nearly a hundred miles and reaching over a hundred feet high. Nine out of the fifteen emperors of the Western Han Dynasty were buried here. Nine emperors reunited after their death. For over two thousand years, they seemed to have been reminiscing about the past, and the desolate withered grass symbolized the everlasting power of the Han family. Among these nine tombs, the most magnificent and magnificent one is the tomb of Emperor Wu of Han – Maoling. Buried here is a great emperor who created systems, recruited talents, expanded territories, and established a powerful Western Han Empire.
In the third year of the Later Yuan Dynasty (141 BC), Emperor Jing of Han fell ill and was about to pass away soon. He issued an edict to crown Prince Liu Che, who was fifteen years old, with the intention of holding an early coronation ceremony to allow him to ascend to the throne and take power. Emperor Jing immediately passed away and went to the Weiyang Palace. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. On that day, Liu Che ascended to the throne in front of the coffin of Emperor Jing, and he was Emperor Wu of Han. Due to the careful arrangement of Emperor Jing, the transition of power was smooth. The era of Emperor Jing has come to an end, and an even more glorious era is about to begin. In the more than sixty years of the early Han Dynasty, Huang Lao’s teachings became the guiding ideology for governing the country. Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing ruled without action, which gradually restored and developed the fragmented social economy since the end of the Qin Dynasty. The first peaceful and prosperous era of China’s imperial system emerged – the rule of Wen and Jing. The momentum of economic prosperity will inevitably transform into political, military, and even cultural strength. The stage of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, has already been prepared by his ancestors for him. What kind of ideological concepts should be adopted to govern the country in order to avoid the downfall of Qin and achieve success? Should we continue to follow the teachings of Huang Lao from the early Han Dynasty, or explore new paths and seek new theoretical weapons and guiding ideas. This was the first issue that Emperor Wu of Han had to consider at the beginning of his reign.
Sun Xiao, Research Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: After the reign of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, the Han family’s national strength was also very strong, but the economic prosperity did not bring about political strength, and there were many social problems. At the beginning of his reign, this young monarch showed extraordinary talent and courage. In the first ten months of the first year of the Jianyuan era (140 BC), Emperor Wu issued the first imperial edict after ascending the throne, recruiting virtuous and upright individuals throughout the country to offer sincere advice. He aimed to recruit all the talented people from all over the country to the court.
Prime Minister Wei Wan submitted a report advocating the dismissal of virtuous individuals who practiced the teachings of Legalism and Zongheng School, believing that these teachings would disrupt national politics. He suggested obtaining permission from Emperor Wu immediately. This move is obviously unusual, indicating a significant shift in the ruling ideology of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu carried out personnel adjustments and appointed Dou Ying as the Prime Minister and Tian Fen as the Grand Commandant, with heavy responsibilities assigned to Zhao Wan and Wang Zang. The key to this adjustment is that all four people advocate Confucianism. Sure enough, they quickly put on the agenda the Confucian system of building a bright hall, conducting patrols and hunting, reforming the Zhengshuo era, and changing clothing and colors. At the beginning of the reform and reform of the system, many things were still in preparation and encountered strong resistance, which came from Empress Dowager Dou, who adhered to the teachings of Huang Lao.
Research Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Wu Wenling: Empress Dowager Dou was only dissatisfied with Emperor Wu of Han’s attempt to promote Confucianism. This may be due to her experience of the role played by the Huang Lao technique in the entire national governance system during the early Han Dynasty, as she saw its effectiveness.
At a young age, Emperor Wu of Han knew to hide his strength and nurture his darkness. In this matter, he did not confront his grandmother, Empress Dowager Dou, but chose to endure. He obeyed his grandmother and threw Zhao Wan and Wang Zang into death row, dismissed Dou Ying and Tian Gui, and further succumbed to Empress Dowager Dou’s reverse actions. The first change in governance ideology ended with the disastrous defeat of Emperor Wu of Han, but this attempt greatly stimulated the development of Confucianism. The trend of the times is vast and mighty, and it is imperative for Huang Laozhi to be deposed. In the fifth year of the Jianyuan reign, Emperor Wu of Han established the Five Classics Doctorate and began to promote Confucianism. In the sixth year of Jianyuan (135 BC), Empress Dowager Dou, a political elder who had lived in four dynasties, passed away, marking the end of Liu Che’s era.
Xiamaling, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
This is the Xi’an Heping Road rest center of the Lanzhou Military Region. Walking into the courtyard surrounded by guardrails from the east gate of the rest center is the Xia Ma Ling. Dong Zhongshu, a great Confucian scholar of the Western Han Dynasty, was buried here after his death. According to legend, one day Emperor Wu of Han visited this place and, in order to show respect for Dong Zhongshu, he dismounted and walked, so the people called this place the Xia Ma Mausoleum.
Professor Jia Sanqiang from the School of Literature at Northwestern University: Dong Zhongshu is an outstanding person. He talks about the quality of a monarch, but in reality, the quality demanded by the whole world is the same, which is good. This is our famous values of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith. The second one is to depose the Hundred Schools of Thought and uphold Confucianism, which became the mainstream culture in China during Emperor Wu of Han and remained unchanged for two thousand years.
Emperor Wu knew that achieving great success requires a group of talents. He was eager for talent and used various methods to induce literati and scholars from all over the world to showcase their knowledge and skills, and enter the officialdom. At the beginning of his accession to the throne, Emperor Wu recruited virtuous, upright, and outspoken individuals, and then began to implement two methods of recruiting talents: inspection and recruitment. In the fifth year of Yuanshuo (124 BC), Emperor Wu ordered the establishment of 50 doctoral disciples to teach Confucianism, and these doctoral disciples became Emperor Wu’s talent pool and reserve official team. In addition, Emperor Wu also encouraged self recommendation by writing a letter discussing gains and losses, and Emperor Wu reviewed and selected talents from it.
Song Yanping, Associate Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: The standard for selecting talents by Emperor Wu of Han was to rely solely on their abilities, regardless of their background or ethnicity. As long as there were talented individuals, they could be used by me.
Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Yinshan Mountains
This is the Yinshan Mountains in the Bayannur region of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Director Hu of the Cultural Relics Bureau led his team to search for an ancient rock painting carved on the rocks in the mountains. In ancient times, the north and south of Yinshan were vast grasslands, where an ancient nomadic tribe – the Xiongnu – once lived. They live by water and grass, hunting and grazing in the mountains, forests, and grasslands. The rock paintings discovered here also reflect the living conditions of the Xiongnu people. Hunters may hold bows and arrows, chase sheep, or worship.
Hu Yanchun, Deputy Director of the Cultural Relics Bureau of Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia: The Xiongnu ethnic group was a historically influential minority living north of the Yinshan Mountains and on the grasslands of the northern desert. The scenes in the Yinshan rock paintings also fully reflect some scenes of the northern nomadic ethnic group, represented by the Xiongnu, who rode horses. In these rock paintings in the Yinshan Mountains, the most important animal is the horse. In these rock paintings about horses, it is indicated that the Xiongnu had successfully completed the domestication of horses. Especially the improvement of horse riding technology brought military advantages to the Xiongnu people. It also brought about the wild nature of the Xiongnu people. There are rock paintings of saddles in Yin Mountain, which suggests that the Xiongnu were one of the earliest ethnic groups in the world to use saddles and stirrups.
The Xiongnu Museum of the Zhaojun Museum in the Horses
This is the Xiongnu Museum in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, which showcases the culture of the Xiongnu people. Here are the unearthed stirrups of the Xiongnu people. (Hao Chengzhi, Vice President of the Zhaojun Culture Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Ethnology: There are so many small accessories here, why are they so exquisite? After the horse is decorated, it actually serves as a protective device, but gives the impression of a great artwork. Due to his high horse breeding level, he was able to create a square formation with 100000 horses of different colors. Our founding emperor of the Han Dynasty was named Liu Bang, and Han Gaozu was surrounded by 400000 cavalry from the Xiongnu in a place called Baideng near Datong, Shanxi. How can these 400000 cavalry be distinguished? There were 100000 horses of different fur colors, with 400000 horses in the southeast, northwest, and northwest.)
In the seventh year of Emperor Gao (200 BC), the founding emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang, led his army to engage in a fierce battle with the invading Xiongnu army at Baideng Mountain in Pingcheng. Liu Bang was trapped for seven days and seven nights, almost captured. From then on, Liu Bang realized that he did not yet possess the power to use force to resolve the Xiongnu, so he made peace with the Xiongnu. The relationship between Han and Xiongnu has since eased, but once the Xiongnu encountered a disaster, they tore up the contract and went south to plunder.
In the 14th year of Emperor Wen’s reign (166 BC), the Xiongnu’s 140000 cavalry even penetrated a distance of only 700 miles from Chang’an. During the first sixty years of the establishment of the Western Han Dynasty, the powerful Xiongnu continuously invaded the Central Plains region, trampled on agricultural civilization, and became a major concern for the Han Dynasty. With Emperor Wu reaching adulthood, he was determined to solve the Xiongnu problem. When Emperor Wu ascended the throne, the strength of the Great Han Empire was no longer comparable to before. However, Emperor Wu did not have full confidence in whether he had the ability to confront the Xiongnu alone. He needed an ally, and he heard that after the Xiongnu defeated the Yue clan, the Yue people migrated westward to the Western Regions. Emperor Wu decided to send envoys to the Western Regions to contact the people of the Yue clan and jointly attack the Xiongnu. In the third year of Jianyuan (138 BC), Emperor Wu recruited people from all over the country who were willing to go on missions to the Western Regions. Zhang Qian volunteered and embarked on a journey. Unexpectedly, as soon as Zhang Qian left, he disappeared like a yellow crane, and Emperor Wu waited left and right, unable to return to Zhang Qian. Decided to start according to the plan.
(Research Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Wu Wenling: After Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne, he was full of blood and felt that our great country had suffered so many years of injustice, coupled with the significant improvement of our country’s strength, so at this time he turned from defense to attack and took the initiative to launch an attack.)
This is Shuozhou, Shanxi, also known as Mayi in the Western Han Dynasty. It is located outside the Yanmen Pass and between the inner and outer Great Wall. Throughout history, it was a frontier fortress and a battleground for military strategists. It was an important way for the Xiongnu to invade the central plains. In June of the second year of Yuanguang (133 BC), Emperor Wu ordered five generals, including Han Anguo and Li Guang, to lead 300000 troops and ambush in the valley near Mayi City. At the same time, he sent people to lure the military minister Chanyu to lead his troops to Mayi City. The Xiongnu army was unobstructed along the way, but when they saw herds of cattle and sheep on the field but no herders, their minister Chanyu immediately became suspicious. Coincidentally, at this time, a military officer from Yanmen County was patrolling his county, and the Xiongnu cavalry captured him. The timid military officer and Pan confessed Ma Yi’s plan, and the military minister, Shan Yu, was shocked and quickly ordered to retreat. The Han army’s attack failed to catch up. The ambush plan of Ma Yi, carefully planned by Emperor Wu of Han, failed, and the Han Xiong peace treaty came to an end, marking the beginning of a long and brutal period of war between the two sides.
In the spring of the sixth year of Yuanguang (129 BC), the Han army launched a northern expedition and sounded the horn of advance. The Han army’s 40000 elite cavalry were divided into four routes. General Wei Qing, a cavalry commander, launched an attack from Shanggu, General Gong Sun’ao, a cavalry commander, launched an attack from Daijun, General Gong Sunhe, a light chariot commander, launched an attack from the clouds, and General Li Guang, a brave cavalry commander, launched an attack from Yanmen. The four armies launched simultaneous attacks on the two thousand kilometer east and west front lines. As a result, they were defeated on both sides and did not encounter the Xiongnu on the other side. Among the four armies, only Wei Qing made contributions on the other side. He led his troops to attack the holy land of the Xiongnu, Dragon City, and beheaded more than 700 prisoners of life. In order to retaliate against the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu accelerated their frequency of southward invasion. In the autumn of the first year of Yuanshuo (128 AD), the Xiongnu cavalry once again headed south. Emperor Wu ordered generals Wei Qing and Li Xi to launch an attack and kill thousands of Xiongnu soldiers. In the second year of Yuanshuo (127 AD), Emperor Wu once again ordered Wei Qing and Li Xi to launch an attack on the Xiongnu and recapture Henan (now the Yellow River and Hetao area), but the Xiongnu were unwilling to give up Henan and launched a crazy counterattack. Emperor Wu decided to organize a major battle to defeat the Xiongnu.
This was once the main battlefield of the Battle of Monan, and now the shadow puppetry passed down from our ancestors has been rated as an intangible cultural heritage in Gansu, especially known for its simple singing style, rough and bold style. The scene of Huo Qubing fighting against the Xiongnu back then was one of the highlights of shadow puppetry.
In the sixth year of the Yuanshuo era (123 BC), Huo Qubing, who was not yet eighteen years old, volunteered in the Battle of the Southern Desert and personally led 800 cavalry to gallop hundreds of miles in the vast desert to search for enemy traces. As a result, his original long-distance assault won the first battle of the encounter, killing more than 2000 enemies, and Huo Qubing became a model for the Han army. After winning the Battle of Monan, Emperor Wu decided to launch the Battle of Hexi.
(Associate Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Song Yanping: Hexi is the Hexi Corridor, which is a vital gateway from the Central Plains region to the Western Regions. Its geographical and strategic location is very important.)
Dongdashan Zhangye City, Gansu Province
This is the Dongda Mountain in Zhangye, Gansu. It used to be a place where the Xiongnu lived and was also a major battlefield in the Battle of Hexi. Until now, there is a tradition in the village that has lasted for thousands of years, which is that every generation has a guardian who guards a clear spring. There is also a legend related to Huo Qubing in the spring water. According to local chronicles, during the Battle of Hexi, Huo Qubing led his troops here. The soldiers and horses had no water to quench their thirst. Huo Qubing inserted his sword into the stone, and sweet and clear water gushed out. Therefore, the spring water is also known as Sword Spring. It is this clear spring that nurtures the mountains, forests, cattle, and sheep here, allowing the people in the village to reproduce and thrive for generations. Every year when the weather is about to turn cold, the village branch secretary Shang will go to the mountains to visit the guardian of the mountain spring, Lao Li. As the guardian, Old Li has been living here for decades. “This is a beautiful scenery. When there is less water during drought, arrows can still be found in the mountains, as well as arrows and stones. That’s the Xiongnu ‘arsenal.”
Nowadays, the vegetation in Dongdashan is no longer as abundant as before, and the spring water is becoming less and less abundant. However, the only unchanged thing is this steep rock canyon, which witnessed the fierce battle between the Western Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu at that time.
Yonggu Ancient City Site, Lanzhou Military Region, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
Dongdashan is located at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains. In the third century BC, the Dayue clan established their first city here until the Xiongnu attacked and occupied its royal court, killing its leader. Da Yue was forced to leave here and head west all the way. Chanyu turned this place into the residence of the pastoral center and the location of the royal court. In the Qilian Mountains, about 20 kilometers away from Yonggu City, is the famous Biandukou Canyon. It crosses the Qilian Mountains in the central part of the Hexi Corridor and has a strategic position. The crisscrossing peaks and narrow valleys once echoed the roar of Western Han war horses and the cries of soldiers.
In March of the second year of Yuanshou (121 BC), the Battle of Hexi began. General Huo Qubing, a cavalry commander, personally led 10000 cavalry troops from Longxi, crossed the Yellow River, climbed steep mountains, and crossed the Biandu Pass. He fought for six days like a divine soldier descending from the sky, directly attacked the Xiongnu’s base, killed more than 8000 enemies, captured the sacrificial gold men of King Xiutu, drove the Xiongnu thousands of miles away, and incorporated the Hexi Corridor into the territory of the Han Dynasty. In order to further consolidate his occupation of the Hexi Corridor, Emperor Wu successively established four counties here: Wuwei, Jiuquan, Zhangye, and Dunhuang. The Xiongnu lost their Yanzhi and Qilian Mountains one after another, causing great pain in their backs. They sang, “The destruction of Qilian Mountains has left my six livestock untouched; the loss of Yanzhi Mountains has left me with no color in marriage.” Later, a large number of Xiongnu soldiers surrendered to the Han Dynasty, and the Xiongnu Kingdom suffered a devastating blow. From then on, there was no trace of Xiongnu in the Hexi Corridor.
Shandan Army Horse Farm Zhangye City, Gansu Province
This is the Shandan Army Horse Farm located in the central part of the Hexi Corridor. After the Battle of Hexi, I saw this place as located in the middle of the four counties, with natural grasslands and abundant water sources, suitable for raising horses. The army cannot do without war horses, so I issued an edict to establish a royal horse farm here. The Shandan horses cultivated here have become military horses for the Chinese army, and this grassland has reminded people of the heroic spirit of the Western Han army two thousand years ago countless times. After the Battle of Hexi, Emperor Wu will now deal with the main force of the Xiongnu in northern desert. In the fourth year of Yuanshou (119 BC), the Battle of Mobei began. In the summer of that year, Emperor Wu gathered 100000 cavalry, led by Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, and also recruited hundreds of thousands of infantry to transport food and forage. In this battle, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing both achieved great victories, annihilating nearly 90000 Xiongnu people. Huo Qubing was granted the title of Wolf Dwelling in Xushan and returned to the Han Sea (now Lake Baikal in Russia). The main force of the Xiongnu in the northern desert has been completely lost, and the remaining soldiers and defeated generals have fled far and dare not fight again.
Song Yanping, Associate Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Emperor Wu of Han launched three important battles against the Xiongnu, the first of which was the Battle of Monan; The second is the Battle of Hexi; The third one is the Battle of Mobei. These three battles were a heavy blow to the Xiongnu army by the Han army, greatly weakening their power and rendering them unable to organize large-scale southward invasions.
Ma Ta Xiongnu Statue in Maoling, Shaanxi Province
Unfortunately, just two years after the Battle of Mobei, Huo Qubing passed away at the age of only 24. Ten years later, General Wei Qing also passed away. Two miles east of Maoling, there are two uniquely shaped accompanying tombs, one resembling Helan Mountain; A cool Qilian Mountain. At the foot of Helan Mountain lies General Wei Qing, while at the foot of Qilian Mountain lies General Huo Qubing, the Grand Marshal of Cavalry and Cavalry. It was these two generals who made the Xiongnu people flee for thousands of miles at night when they heard the news.
Emperor Wu expanded his territory and expanded the territory of the Western Han Dynasty, not limited to the northern Mongolian grasslands. Now with one command, he points his sword towards the south. After the outbreak of the War at the end of the Qin Dynasty, the Vietnamese people successively broke away from the control of the central government, and Zhao Tuo, the South China Sea Prefect, proclaimed himself as the King of South Vietnam. During the Chu Han War, the leaders of Minyue and Dongou helped the Han army attack the Chu army. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang granted them the titles of King of Minyue and King of Dong’ou. Later, he sent envoys to Nanyue, appointing Zhao Tuochen as his vassal state. However, the three vassal states were actually in a semi independent state.
In the fourth year of Yuanguang (130 BC), Emperor Wu sent envoys to the southwest, and Yelang and surrounding tribes returned to Han. Han established Jianwei Commandery. In the first year of Yuanshuo (128 BC), the leader of Hui Mo, south of Goryeo and Woju, led his troops to return to Han. Han established Canghai Commandery here, revealing the grand territory of the Western Han Empire.
In the autumn of the third year of Yuanshuo (126 BC), Zhang Qian, who had been silent for thirteen years, returned to Chang’an. For the first time in his life, Emperor Wu heard from Zhang Qian that there was a vast world beyond Han, and he couldn’t help but be fascinated. So he ordered Zhang Qian and others to travel in four different routes to the more distant areas of the Southwest to deal with poison, but they were intercepted by local tribes. This obstruction made Emperor Wu determined to re manage the Southwest barbarians. However, it was at this time that the empire’s finances faced an unprecedented crisis, and the warriors were cruel. War was also a burning furnace for money.
Hecang City, Dunhuang City, Gansu Province
This is Hecang City located in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, built during the Western Han Dynasty. Hecang City has always been an important military supply warehouse for the Great Wall’s border defense during the Western Han Dynasty.
Song Hongmei, Director of the Propaganda and Education Department of Dunhuang Museum: At that time, as the captain of Yumen Pass, according to the unearthed Han bamboo slips, there were more than 200 officials at all levels stationed here, and more than a thousand soldiers were stationed along the Yumen Pass. The food and forage consumed by our soldiers on the western defense line are officially transferred from the mainland and transported here. Back then, throughout the Western Han Dynasty, it was distributed along our northwest military defense line, and the operation of the military defense system required a significant amount of military expenditure.
On the Gobi Desert in the northwest, Yumen Pass and Hecang City complement each other, experiencing thousands of years of wind and rain. The magnificent buildings of the past have disappeared, and the once bustling banks of the Shule River are also covered with reeds and licorice. After more than a decade of war, the wealth accumulated by the Wen and Jing dynasties has been exhausted, leading to a serious financial crisis. If the financial crisis is not alleviated, not only will the wars of foreign affairs against the four barbarians be unsustainable, but it may also endanger the great Han dynasty. The severe financial situation forced Emperor Wu to slow down external military actions while taking countermeasures.
The Baguaying Ancient City Tuntian Site of the Western Han Dynasty, Minle County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province
After defeating the Xiongnu and establishing Zhangye County, Emperor Wu of Han began to implement large-scale immigration and farming in order to increase food production and solve the financial crisis. But Emperor Wu knew that solving the financial crisis could not solely rely on developing agricultural production, because time was running out and more efficient and effective methods must be sought. Emperor Wu, troubled by the financial crisis, gained inspiration from his ancestors’ actions, which was to sell official positions and titles. Emperor Wu continued to offer a new campaign to persuade the people to donate, but no one responded. Emperor Wu thought that the conquest of the Four Barbarians and the pacification of border troubles were for the benefit of all the people. Now that the country is in dire straits, the wealthy are unwilling to spare a penny to save the country. Therefore, he decided to use coercive means to forcefully withdraw money from the pockets of wealthy merchants and tycoons. A series of measures to monopolize financial benefits have been introduced.
Half a tael of power coins, Shaanxi History Museum
This is the Shaanxi History Museum, where the displayed cultural relics and copper coin models bear witness to the financial reforms implemented during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. (He Daxin, Deputy Director of the Preservation Department of Shaanxi History Museum: After the fourth year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuanshou reign, the right of various feudal states and prefectures to mint coins without authorization was abolished, and it was collected by the central government and included in the three officials of Shanglin.)
However, monetary reform was not successful, and theft was rampant, with wealthy merchants still profiting from it. Therefore, Emperor Wu decided to directly ask wealthy merchants for money, which led to the emergence of Suan Min and Gao Min. Calculating taxes refers to collecting property taxes from merchants and handicraft owners, allowing them to voluntarily declare their assets for taxation. However, some people underreported or concealed it, so Emperor Wu launched a campaign to report and expose merchants and handicraft owners who concealed or underreported it. The eight year long civil war movement confiscated billions of finances, hundreds of thousands of slaves, a large number of properties, and countless fields.
Researcher Wu Wenling from the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: In the face of financial difficulties, Emperor Wu of Han actually took many measures to carry out a financial reform, implementing the system of calculating wealth. This means that the amount of money you have is actually a bit of robbing the rich. There is a suspicion of robbing the rich. Based on the amount of your assets, taxes are levied, which is equivalent to the current property tax.
Emperor Wu decided to intercept the most profitable projects of the wealthy merchants, and as a result, nationalization movements such as salt, iron, and wine came one after another. The wealthy merchants felt the arrival of a harsh winter. In the third and sixth years of the Yuanshou era (120 BC and 117 BC), the imperial censor Zhang Tang proposed to take salt and iron under the management of the government, and Emperor Wu approved the decree. Despite fierce opposition from merchants, Emperor Wu strongly insisted on replacing the incompetent Dongguo Xianyang and assigning full responsibility to Sang Hongyang. Sang Hongyang carried out extensive rectification, setting up salt and iron smelting officials, and the results were immediate, leading to a significant increase in government revenue.
Researcher Wu Wenling from the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: One of his core and most essential principles is to nationalize this fiscal power, which means implementing a monopoly system of the state. I think this is a very important theme of his. At this time, it is in line with his desire to strengthen centralization and his political initiatives.
The rapidly replenishing national treasury is known as the strong backing of foreign military operations. Therefore, during the ten years from the second year of Yuanding (115 BC) to the sixth year of Yuanfeng (105 BC), Emperor Wu of Han achieved brilliant results in expanding territory and diplomatic communication. In the fifth year of Yuanding (112 BC), Han sent troops to South Vietnam to quell the rebellion of its prime minister, Lv Jia, and established nine commanderies. The following year, the rebellion of the Southwest and Lan ethnic groups was quelled, and five counties were established. In the second year of Yuanfeng (109 BC), the Kingdom of Yunnan was conquered, Yizhou Commandery was established, and the seal of the King of Yunnan was granted. As a result, almost all areas south of the Five Ridges and southwest were incorporated into the territory of the Western Han Dynasty.
In the second year of Yuanfeng (109 BC), the Han Dynasty invaded the Korean Peninsula from both sea and land, establishing four commanderies: Zhenfan, Lintun, Lelang, and Xuantu. After several years of operation, during the reign of Emperor Wu, China’s territory extended eastward to the Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the central northern part of the Korean Peninsula; Beyond the Yin Mountain in the north; West to Central Asia; Southwest to Gaoligong Mountain and Ailao Mountain; South to central Vietnam and the South China Sea, it expanded nearly twice as much as during the Qin Dynasty.
Han also made great progress in connecting the Western Regions and transportation between China and the West. After suffering a major defeat in the fourth year of Yuanshou (119 BC), the Xiongnu migrated to the northwest. At this time, the focus of the Han Xiong conflict had shifted to the Western Regions.
Jiaohe Ancient City, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
This is the ancient city of Jiaohe, which was built with rammed earth over two thousand years ago. Many of the remaining walls have traces of scorching fire, reminiscent of the intense battles that occurred when the city was destroyed. That was in the spring of 108 BC, when the Xiongnu and Han armies began to engage in the largest and longest positional warfare in the history of the Western Regions to compete for territory. It lasted for nearly 50 years and underwent five large-scale battles. In the 5th Battle, Loulan and some small countries in the Western Regions also competed to send troops to assist the Han army in the battle. Under the more fierce pincer attacks from the Han army, the Xiongnu army eventually surrendered, known as the Five Battle Chariots Division, and Han eventually took control of the gateway to the Western Regions.
In the sixth year of Yuanfeng (105 BC), Emperor Wu of Han married Princess Xijun to King Wusun, further consolidating his control over the Western Regions, and communication between China and the Western world became unobstructed. Due to the dominance of silk in trade at that time, this road was known as the “Silk Road”.
Emperor Wu of Han invaded the Xiongnu and advanced 15 wars. The remaining soldiers of the Xiongnu believed that they were not opponents of the Han Dynasty and instead sent envoys to seek peace. Emperor Wu decided to suspend military operations and sent Su Wu to lobby for the Xiongnu’s submission. Unexpectedly, a palace coup occurred in the Xiongnu, and Su Wu was taken hostage by the Xiongnu. Su Wu spent a long 19 years in the desolate North Sea. In fact, the Han Dynasty general Li Ling, who had surrendered to the Xiongnu, came to persuade Su Wu to surrender on the order of Chanyu. Looking at Su Wu, who was skinny and holding a cane, Li Ling shed tears of sadness. He said, “Life is like morning dew, why have you been suffering like this for so long?” Su Wu said, “How can I, Su Wu, be virtuous? It’s all thanks to Emperor Wu. Today, I have the opportunity to kill myself and take effect, and I am willing and willing to do so.” After hearing this, Li Ling wept and bid farewell to Su Wu. In the sixth year of Emperor Zhao’s Shiyuan era (81 BC), the Han and Xiongnu reconciled, and Su Wu finally returned in full, and the Xiongnu no longer posed a threat to the Han.
Emperor Wu of Han devoted his entire life to building a powerful empire. He fought against the Xiongnu for forty years, and his ambition to expand territory continued to inspire the talented and strategic Liu Che. Against the backdrop of the dominant position of Central Plains culture, the rulers and officials of the Western Han Dynasty formed a strong national consciousness that those who violated the strong Han Dynasty would be punished even if they were far away.
(Wu Wenling, a researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Since the early Han Dynasty, a very appeasement policy and a compromise approach have been adopted towards the surrounding areas. With the increase of national strength, the people also feel that this approach is too oppressive, and they hope to change the previous situation. Emperor Wu of Han’s expansion of territory basically laid the foundation for a later map of China.)
Jun and Chen unanimously believed that the great era of prehistoric times had arrived. In the first ten months of the first year of Yuanfeng (110 BC), Emperor Wu led his troops on his first northern tour, with 180000 cavalry divided into 12 magnificent units. This northern tour not only intimidated the Xiongnu, but also prepared for the upcoming Fengshan ceremony. Fengshan is the highest ideal of emperors since the Warring States period, and only the Holy Emperor who has opened a prosperous era is qualified to perform the Fengshan ceremony.
After some preparation, in the winter of the first year of Yuanfeng (110 BC), the Fengshan ceremony began. On that day, Emperor Wu ordered 180000 soldiers to patrol the north and pay tribute to the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor. In April, Emperor Wu ascended Mount Taishan and officially opened the ceremony. During the sacrificial ceremony, the altar was adorned with five colored soil, Emperor Wu wore a yellow dress to pay his respects, drums and bands played music in unison, and the mountains and fields were filled with rare birds and beasts transported from afar. After the ceremony, Emperor Wu gazed out at the beautiful mountains and rivers, his heart surging with excitement and his thoughts myriad. After the Fengshan ceremony, Emperor Wu held a meeting with his courtiers in the Mingtang and declared this year as the first year of Yuanfeng.
(Song Yanping, Associate Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: The practice of enfeoffment is conditional. Only when the country is strong and the monarch has achieved outstanding political achievements can he be eligible to participate in it. Emperor Wu of Han held a large-scale enfeoffment activity, with the important purpose of promoting his great achievements.)
Prosperity and decline, lingering behind the surface of a prosperous era, are terrifying shadows. According to Emperor Wu’s original policy, after completing the task of pacifying the four barbarians in foreign affairs, the military and state affairs must be shifted from external conquests to restoring economic development and stabilizing social order domestically. Emperor Wu’s original plan was to have his successor, Crown Prince Liu Ju, take over and complete this historic transformation. But in the late years of Emperor Wu’s reign, the Crown Prince’s overthrow and the nationwide uprising pushed the country to the brink of collapse. Emperor Wu realized that the policy change could no longer wait for the next generation, and that it was necessary to change the course in advance. In the fourth year of the Zhenghe era (89 BC), Emperor Wu issued the Luntai Edict, deeply reflecting on and reflecting on his mistakes over the years, while proposing a comprehensive transformation of national policies, highlighting the key points. Politically, he shifted from strict punishment and law to leniency and moderation; Economically shifting from monopolizing financial benefits to developing agriculture; Transitioning from strategic offensive to strategic defense in foreign relations; For the general public, there has been a shift from heavy burden of labor to light corv é e and light taxes.
The Luntai Edict was the first imperial decree in Chinese history to punish himself. In his later years, Emperor Wu of Han remained calm, serious, and clear headed. He did not take credit for himself or be arrogant, but instead sincerely blamed and regretted his mistakes as a hero. How many emperors can there be from ancient times to the present?
Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum
In August 1977, some wooden slips and cultural relics were unearthed from the Han Dynasty beacon tower site in Huahai Commune, Yumen County, Gansu Province. The most eye-catching among these bamboo slips is a red willow stick that has been cut into a seven sided shape. It is 37 centimeters long and each side is written in clerical script in ink. Experts speculate that it may be a posthumous edict from Emperor Wu on his deathbed in the second year of the Later Yuan Dynasty.
Zhang Xiaodong, Director of the Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum: In this edict, he also mentioned that one is to enable the people to live a good life, to serve agriculture and mulberry. As a government, we should pay lenient taxes and reduce corv é e. The autumn wind poems written by Emperor Wu in the later period of the imperial edict are particularly similar in style to the Luntai edict, both of which are quite heroic and contain some sad emotions.
The time between the promulgation of the Luntai Crime Edict and the issuance of the last edict was only two years, and the time given by the turbulent times to Emperor Wu to correct his mistakes was really too short. Emperor Wu of Han had a great and legendary life. He promoted Confucianism, sought out virtuous and virtuous individuals, and appointed talented individuals to make contributions to the country. He established the Imperial Academy, improved etiquette, revised the calendar, and established the Han family system of promoting virtue, punishing evil, and combining virtue and punishment, which had an impact on future generations. He suppressed external threats, expanded territories, and established a powerful empire, but his life was also controversial. It was not until the Qing Dynasty that some people accused him of engaging in military warfare and relentless campaigns. By the end of Emperor Wu’s reign, the national household registration had halved, and the country was on the brink of collapse.
Among historical figures, there is one generation of figures, and there are hundreds of generations of figures. If Han Gaozu established his foundation and career as one generation of figures, then Emperor Wu of Han’s literary and military achievements, influence for thousands of years, and glorious history, he is a hundred generation figure. The Chinese nation will never forget this outstanding politician and military strategist for generations. In 87 BC, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, passed away at the age of seventy.
90 Seconds of History: Exclusive Respect for Confucianism
In 134 BC, Emperor Wu of Han, who was able to make complete decisions, urgently issued an edict to solicit the essence of the Tao and the ultimate principles of governance from the wise and knowledgeable literary scholars of the whole country. Dong Zhongshu immediately responded with a wise and virtuous strategy. Emperor Wu of Han asked three strategies in a row, and Dong Zhongshu answered three chapters in a row, pointing directly at the core issues of society at that time and proposing fundamental solutions. This is a famous three strategies and three answers in Chinese history, which will completely change the fate of Confucianism. In the “Three Strategies for Heaven and Man”, Dong Zhongshu proposed the most influential suggestion that all those who are not in the Six Arts or Confucius’ techniques should cut off their own path and not make progress together. The Six Arts are the six essential talents for scholars. He emphasized the need to unify the world with Confucianism and Confucianism. After hearing this, Emperor Wu of Han dismissed all the Tai Chang PhDs who did not govern Confucianism from the Five Classics, and generously recruited hundreds of Confucian students. He approved the appointment of fifty disciples as PhDs and appointed them as PhDs. Based on their academic achievements, they filled the gaps in Chinese studies. Those who were proficient in one art were selected to hold important positions, which had a profound impact on ancient Chinese culture. This led to the removal of the Hundred Schools of Thought and the exclusive reverence of Confucianism.