Child Emperor

  • The Loyal Regent: Huo Guang [Western Han]

    A Child Emperor, a Steadfast Guardian Though only eight years old when he ascended the throne in 87 BCE, Emperor Zhao of Han proved remarkably wise. Under the regency of Huo Guang – half-brother of the legendary general Huo Qubing and a trusted regent (minister entrusted with the orphaned heir) – the young emperor…

  • The Poisoned Banquet [Three Kingdoms]

    Upon his deathbed in 252 CE, Emperor Sun Quan of Eastern Wu entrusted state affairs to a coalition of regents: General-in-Chief Zhuge Ke (son of Zhuge Jin, nephew of Zhuge Liang), along with imperial clansmen Sun Hong and Sun Jun.

  • Was Emperor Xian really weak? [Three Kingdoms]

    Emperor Xian of Han (Liu Xie) has long been cast in the shadows of history and literature as a helpless puppet, a symbol of imperial decay and impotence. In both Romance of the Three Kingdoms and traditional historiography, he is often portrayed as a passive victim—first under Dong Zhuo, then Cao Cao, and finally…