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Huang Chao (?–884 CE) was the leader of a major peasant rebellion at the end of the Tang dynasty. He was a native of Yuanju, Caozhou (in present-day northwestern Cao County, Shandong) and originally worked as a smuggler of salt – a highly profitable but illegal trade under Tang monopoly laws.
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Brief: This article depicts the fall of Wang Mang’s Xin Dynasty. Rebels stormed Chang’an, set fire to Weiyang Palace, and killed Wang Mang at Gradual Terrace. Amid chaos, Liu Xuan became a puppet emperor, while Liu Xiu, aided by loyal Feng Yi, quietly built his strength to restore the Han Dynasty.
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Brief: This article records the legendary Battle of Kunyang. Liu Xiu led 9,000 defenders against Wang Mang’s 420,000‑strong army. A sudden storm turned the tide; the Xin army was destroyed. Though Liu Xiu won glory, his brother was executed by the Gengshi Emperor. He hid his grief and bided his time to restore the…
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Brief: This article traces the rise of the Liu brothers – Liu Yan and Liu Xiu – who rebelled against Wang Mang’s Xin Dynasty. They allied with Lulin peasant armies, won key battles, and helped enthrone Liu Xuan as the Gengshi Emperor. Though sidelined, the brothers laid the groundwork for the Eastern Han restoration.
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Brief: This article tells the rise of the Red Eyebrows rebellion. Triggered by injustice and famine, Lü Mother first revolted; after her death, Fanchong united the rebels, marking their eyebrows red. They defeated Wang Mang’s armies, won popular support, and shook the Xin Dynasty, paving the way for the Eastern Han restoration.
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Brief: This article records the Dazexiang Uprising, China’s first peasant rebellion. Trapped by rain and facing death for tardiness, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang led 900 conscripts to revolt against Qin’s tyranny. Though their regime fell quickly, they ignited a nationwide flame that paved the way for Liu Bang and Xiang Yu to topple…
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In a previous article, we discussed how the author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms was unfair in his evaluation of the Yellow Turban Uprising. Writing from the standpoint of the landlord class, his perspective on the peasant uprising was inevitably biased.