In the third chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he openly proposed deposing Emperor Shao, who was “timid and weak”, and installing the Prince of Chenliu, attempting to force officials to express agreement. Lu Zhi stepped forward, citing two historical cases—Yi Yin exiling Tai Jia and Huo Guang deposing the Prince of Changyi—to refute Dong Zhuo.
Again Dong Zhuo put the question. “Do you see reason in what I have said?” “Not altogether, my wise lord,” responded Lu Zhi. “In ancient times Yi Yin, the sage minister of the Shang dynasty, immured Tai Jia, an unfit sovereign, in the Paulownia Palace; and during the Han Prime Minister Huo Guang indicted his sovereign, the prince of Changyi, in the ancestral temple for three thousand misdeeds committed in twenty-seven days after he came to the throne, and then dethroned him. However, in the present situation, although the Emperor has not reached maturity, he has demonstrated his receptive intelligence and humane wisdom. There is no blemish in him. You, my lord, an imperial inspector from the western border districts, have never been a part of court administration. Lacking the remarkable abilities of an Yi Yin or a Huo Guang, how can you arrogate to yourself the authority to alter the succession? As the sage has said, ‘For the reasons of an Yi Yin it may be done; otherwise, it is treason.’”
— Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 3
Today, let us briefly introduce the story of Huo Guang deposing the Prince of Changyi. Let’s explore what insights this story can offer us.
Huo Guang deposing the Prince of Changyi
Deposition of the Prince of Changyi by Huo Guang was a famous event in Chinese history during the Western Han Dynasty in 74 BCE, where a powerful minister deposed and replaced an emperor.
Emperor Zhao of Han, Liu Fuling, passed away at the young age of 21 without an heir. Huo Guang, a trusted minister appointed by Emperor Wu of Han to assist the young ruler, took charge of the court. Huo Guang arranged for the Prince of Changyi(Liu He, was about 19 years old at that time), the grandson of Emperor Wu of Han, to ascend the throne. However, after assuming power, Liu He reigned for only 27 days and engaged in numerous actions that violated rituals and disrupted court order. With the support of the Empress Dowager, Huo Guang collaborated with other key ministers to stage a coup and depose Liu He. Liu He, unable to resist, was stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner, later being re-titled as the “Marquis of Haihun.”
Huo Guang then arranged for Liu Xun, the great-grandson of Emperor Wu of Han, to become emperor, known as Emperor Xuan of Han.
Historical Evaluation
Huo Guang is regarded as the reincarnation of Yi Yin, prioritizing national interests by deposing an incompetent ruler and installing a wise one, thereby stabilizing the Han Dynasty. However, there are also some doubts and negative comments. This event reflects the political reality of the mid-Western Han Dynasty, where imperial power was weak, and powerful ministers held sway.
The Deposition of the Prince of Changyi by Huo Guang became a template for powerful ministers deposing emperors in Chinese history. Later figures such as Cao Cao, Sima Yi, and Zhang Juzheng were compared to Huo Guang, and their merits and demerits remain debated among historians today.
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