In the late Eastern Han period, political crises were set in motion by the controversial decision of Emperor Ling of Han (Liu Hong) to replace his elder son(the Crown prince) with the younger one. Emperor Ling had two sons: the elder son, Liu Bian (born to Empress He), and the younger son, Liu Xie (born to Consort Wang). Dissatisfied with Liu Bian’s ‘frivolous’ character, Emperor Ling favored the younger Liu Xie, intending to designate him as the future emperor.
Historically, Liu Bian was not an incompetent ruler. Emperor Ling of Han’s evaluation of him may not have been objective or fair. Additionally, Liu Bian’s reign lasted only four months, leaving insufficient time for independent governance—making it difficult to fully assess his political capabilities. See more details from this post Reevaluating Liu Bian: Historical truth vs. Literary vilification.
The prelude to disaster: Revoke the crown prince
Emperor Ling’s decision stemmed from his fear of losing control over power—he was acutely aware of the immense influence wielded by the He clan (Empress He’s family) and the scholar-officials class. Meanwhile, eunuchs, who had no heirs, were easier to manipulate. Thus, Ling entrusted Liu Xie to the eunuch Jian Shuo, hoping to use the eunuch faction to counterbalance the He clan.
Though Jian Shuo is not traditionally listed among the “Ten Attendants” in historical records, his command over the Western Garden Army made him a pivotal figure within the eunuch faction. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jian Shuo is included in the list of Ten Attendants, highlighting his crucial role in the power struggle. As Emperor Ling lay on his deathbed, Jian Shuo attempted a preemptive strike against He Jin by plotting his assassination. However, this plan failed due to a leak by Pan Yin, an officer loyal to He Jin, whose personal relationship with He Jin became a turning point in history.
The struggle for power: Jian Shuo vs. He Jin
In May 189 AD, Emperor Ling passed away, escalating the conflict between Jian Shuo and He Jin. Jian Shuo plotted to assassinate He Jin during his entry into the palace but failed due to the earlier betrayal. Consequently, Liu Bian ascended the throne, Empress Dowager He assumed regency, and He Jin took control of the imperial guards, temporarily tipping the balance in favor of the He clan. Despite this setback, Jian Shuo did not give up. He allied with other eunuchs like Guo Sheng to arrest He Jin, but another betrayal by Guo Sheng foiled their plans. He Jin swiftly executed Jian Shuo and took over the Western Garden Army, reaching the zenith of his power.
The assassination of He Jin: A turning point
Facing the growing threat posed by He Jin, eunuchs such as Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong decided to strike first to gain the initiative. They ambushed He Jin inside the palace, luring him into a trap and assassinating him. Zhang Rang’s dying words carried a poignant irony: “The chaos in the realm is not solely our fault!”—while the eunuchs were indeed corrupt, they also exposed the widespread decay of the Eastern Han bureaucracy.
He Jin’s tragedy stemmed primarily from his arrogance and lack of strategic foresight. His arrogance blinded him to the political risks, while his tactical blunders sealed his fate. See the fall of He Jin and its lesson for more insights.
He Jin’s death plunged the situation into chaos. His subordinate Yuan Shao seized the opportunity to lead troops into the palace, launching a brutal purge against the eunuchs. Figures like Zhang Rang and Duan Gui committed suicide by drowning. This palace coup marked the end of the century-long struggle between the He clan and the eunuchs, but it also created a power vacuum that was quickly filled by Dong Zhuo.
Yuan Shao’s radicalism vs. Cao Cao’s caution
During the decision-making process to exterminate the eunuchs, Yuan Shao’s radical approach contrasted sharply with Cao Cao’s caution. See more details from following article: Two fatal errors of He Jin and Yuan Shao.
Yuan Shao advocated for the complete eradication of the eunuch faction, even suggesting mobilizing border troops to pressure the capital. On the other hand, Cao Cao warned that such actions would invite disaster. History vindicated Cao Cao’s prediction—Dong Zhuo exploited the pretext of quelling rebellion to march his forces into the capital, ultimately deposing the young emperor Liu Bian and enthroning Liu Xie (Emperor Xian), thereby hollowing out imperial authority.
The Aftermath: The decline of Eastern Han
The direct consequence of the Ten Attendants’ uprising was the nominal existence of the Eastern Han dynasty. Dong Zhuo’s tyrannical rule incited rebellion among warlords, eventually leading to a century-long era of warlord conflicts. The root cause of this series of upheavals can be traced back to Emperor Ling’s decision to replace the elder son with the younger one.
Ancient China traditionally adhered to the principle of primogeniture (“establishing the eldest as heir”). Emperor Ling’s deviation from this norm exacerbated internal court strife and fractured the power structure.
As noted in the Book of the Later Han:
“The downfall of Emperor Ling began with the replacement of the rightful heir and culminated in calamity.”
This struggle, sparked by the “replacement of the elder by the younger,” ultimately spiraled into a nationwide catastrophe.
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