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Restoring Peace Through Frugality and Reform After decades of civil war, Emperor Guangwu of Han (Liu Xiu) turned his focus inward. His domestic reforms followed two clear principles: reduce state expenditure and lighten the people’s burden.
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The Ambitious Warlord of Longyou Wei Xiao, a respected scholar from Chengji (northwest of modern Qin’an, Gansu), rose to prominence during the anti-Wang Mang uprisings. Appointed by local elites, he seized control of Tianshui and built a powerful regional base. Though he briefly submitted to Liu Xuan (the Gengshi Emperor), he later joined the…
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The Collapse of the Gengshi Regime As the Red Eyebrows advanced on Chang’an in two columns, Liu Xuan, the Gengshi Emperor, suffered defeat after defeat. His generals – Zhang Ang, Wang Kuang, and others – had already been routed by Deng Yu and fled back to the capital. Seeing the end near, they plotted…
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The Last Stand of a Doomed Regime By late 23 CE, Wang Mang’s Xin dynasty was on the brink of collapse. The Gengshi Emperor Liu Xuan had dispatched Grand Duke Wang Kuang to attack Luoyang, while Generals Shen Tu Jian and Li Song marched on Wuguan Pass (in modern Danfeng, Shaanxi). Panic-stricken, Wang Mang…
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A Fragile Victory and a Fateful Decision After proclaiming Liu Xuan as the Gengshi Emperor, the Han restoration forces split their efforts: Liu Yan was sent to besiege Wan County once more, while Wang Feng, Wang Chang, and Liu Xiu marched on Kunyang (modern Ye County, Henan). Kunyang, lightly defended, fell quickly, followed by…
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The Cao Quan Stele, formally titled “The Stele of Cao Quan, Magistrate of Heyang in the Han Dynasty,” was erected in 185 CE during the Eastern Han Dynasty by Wang Chang and others to commemorate the achievements and virtues of Cao Quan, who served as the magistrate of Heyang. The inscription on the stele…