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The Rise of the Dou Family When Empress Dowager Dou – great-granddaughter of the famed general Dou Rong – assumed regency for her ten-year-old stepson, Emperor He of Han, real power fell to her brother, Dou Xian. As the de facto ruler, Dou Xian’s first major act was to repeal the state monopolies on…
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A Scholar’s Son, a Warrior’s Heart After leaving the warlord Wei Xiao, historian Ban Biao joined Dou Rong in Hexi. Later summoned by Emperor Guangwu, he began compiling the Sequel to Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji Houzhuan) – but died before completing it. He left behind two gifted sons: Ban Gu, the elder,…
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In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the Ten Regular Attendants (led by Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong) are portrayed as a treacherous eunuch clique that harmed the nation and its people. Yet, Emperor Ling of Han (Liu Hong) obeyed them unconditionally and relied on them extensively. Why did such a political situation arise? This…