The Liu Brothers of Chongling
In Chongling County, Nanyang (modern Henan), lived Liu Qin – a distant descendant of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang. He was the eighth-generation grandson of the Han founder, and his three sons – Liu Yan (eldest), Liu Zhong (second), and Liu Xiu (youngest) – were ninth-generation heirs of the imperial Liu lineage. All deeply resented Wang Mang’s usurpation of the Han throne and dreamed of restoring their ancestral dynasty.
Liu Yan was bold, outspoken, and impulsive; Liu Xiu, by contrast, was cautious, composed, and strategic. Liu Yan often mocked his younger brother for lacking ambition. But Liu Xiu remained unperturbed. Believing that success required connections, he traveled to Chang’an to study at the Imperial Academy, where he cultivated relationships with scholars and officials. After returning home, he became a grain merchant – quietly building influence while awaiting the right moment.
The Conspiracy in Wan County
One day, while selling grain in Wan County (Nanyang), Liu Xiu met his friends Li Tong and Li Yi. They invited him home and laid out a bold plan: “The empire is in chaos. Wang Mang’s reign is collapsing. You and your brother are the most capable men in Nanyang – and true Han descendants. Why not raise an army now and restore the Han?”
Liu Xiu agreed instantly. The three sealed a pact to launch a rebellion in Nanyang. Li Tong, a man of local influence, would rally supporters in Wan, while Li Yi accompanied Liu Xiu back to Chongling to persuade Liu Yan.
Rallying the Nanyang Elite
Liu Yan embraced the plan without hesitation. With Li Yi and Li Tong as allies, he gathered about a hundred local magnates and declared: “Wang Mang is tyrannical! Heaven has ordained the fall of Xin. This is our chance to restore the glory of Emperor Gaozu!” Many hesitated – fearing execution or clan extermination – but when they saw the famously prudent Liu Xiu donning armor and wielding a sword, their doubts vanished. Within days, over 7,000 men flocked to the Liu banner.
Yet disaster struck before the uprising began. Li Tong’s plot was exposed in Wan. He fled, but sixty-four members of his family were executed. The planned coordination collapsed.
Alliance with the Lulin Forces
With only 7,000 men, Liu Yan knew he couldn’t stand alone. Fortunately, two branches of the Lulin Army – the Xinshi and Pinglin forces – had recently entered Nanyang. Liu Yan sent envoys to their leaders, Wang Feng and Chen Mu, proposing a joint attack on Changju. The alliance was accepted. Together, the three armies captured Changju, then took Jiyang (northeast of Xinye), establishing a base there.
But their next move – attacking Wan – ended in catastrophe. At the hands of Wang Mang’s generals Zhen Fu and Liangqiu Ci, the rebel infantry, poorly armed and untrained, suffered a crushing defeat and retreated to Jiyang.
Zhen Fu, confident of victory, left his supplies at Lanxiang (Biyang, Henan), crossed the Bi River with 100,000 troops, destroyed the bridges, and vowed: “We shall not return until every ‘Lulin bandit’ is dead.”
The Arrival of the Xiajiang Army
Desperate, Liu Yan considered retreat – until Li Tong reappeared with crucial news: the Xiajiang Army, led by the respected general Wang Chang, had arrived at Yiqiu (southwest of Tanghe). Liu Yan, Liu Xiu, and Li Tong rode immediately to meet him.
Wang Chang readily agreed to join: “Wang Mang has lost the Mandate of Heaven. I will support your cause.” Though his fellow Xiajiang leaders Cheng Dan and Zhang Ang initially resisted subordinating themselves to the Liu clan, they yielded to Wang Chang’s judgment. Thus, the peasant armies and Han loyalists united.
The Night Raid on Lanxiang
On New Year’s Eve, the four rebel armies – Nanyang, Xinshi, Pinglin, and Xiajiang – launched a surprise night attack on Lanxiang. The imperial garrison, drunk and asleep during festivities, offered no resistance. The rebels seized or burned all stored grain and weapons, crippling Zhen Fu’s logistics.
The next day – New Year’s Day – they crossed the Bi River. Zhen Fu’s army, already demoralized by the loss of supplies, collapsed under the assault. Both Zhen Fu and Liangqiu Ci were slain; over 20,000 imperial soldiers perished. A second relief force was also routed. The rebels then laid siege to Wan.
The Debate Over Kingship
With over 100,000 troops united, the rebels needed a supreme leader. Influential nobles invoked the slogan “The people long for Han” and insisted on crowning a Liu descendant as emperor. But which one?
Wang Chang and the Nanyang faction supported the capable Liu Yan. However, the Xinshi and Pinglin leaders feared his ambition and backed the more pliable Liu Xuan – a distant Han relative with little power. Even Zhang Ang sided with them. The vote went against Liu Yan.
Liu Yan argued strategically: “If we crown an emperor now, the Red Eyebrows in the east may do the same, fracturing our cause before Wang Mang falls. Let us first appoint a king – enough for unity – but delay imperial coronation until after victory.”
But Zhang Ang drew his sword, slammed it into the ground, and roared: “No more debate! The decision is made!” Liu Yan, outnumbered, submitted in silence.
The Rise of the Gengshi Emperor
In early 23 CE, by the Yu River (modern Bai River, Henan), Liu Xuan was enthroned as the Gengshi Emperor, inaugurating the “Gengshi” era. Key appointments followed:
- Wang Kuang and Wang Feng as Shanggong (Senior Dukes)
- Zhu Wei as Grand Marshal
- Liu Yan as Grand Minister of Works
- Chen Mu as Grand Minister of Justice
- Liu Xiu as Assistant General of the Grand Master of Ceremonies
Though styled as “Han Army,” real power lay with the Xinshi and Pinglin commanders. The Liu clan of Chongling – especially Liu Yan – felt sidelined. Outwardly compliant, they began plotting their own path forward.
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