Hanwu Emperor – Liu Che

1. Hanwu Emperor – Liu Che 汉武帝 –刘彻

2. How Liu Che Became the Heir… • When he’s father was the emperor, he didn't have have much advantage to become the heir comparing with his brothers. • Princess Guantao, his father’s older sister, was very influential and powerful. The oldest son of the emperor became the heir, and she wanted her own daughter to marry him, but the heir’s mother refused arrogantly, who didn’t realize what Princess Guandao’s influence. Prince Guantao got angry and decided to get rid of the heir. She talked a lot to his brother, the emperor and finally the heir was dethroned. • Once Prince Guantao joked with Liu Che, who was only 4 years old: “Do you want a wife?” She pointed to different women, but Liu Che didn’t want them. At last she pointed to her own daughter, whose name was 阿娇 (A Jiao): “Do you want A Jiao to be your wife?” Liu Che said: “If I can marry A Jiao, I’d built a house with gold to put her inside.” (“Gold House Hides Jiao” became an idiom.) His aunt was very pleased and helped Liu Che become the new heir.

3. Hanwu Emperor – Liu Che • Hanwu Emperor was a very important emperor in Chinese history. He decided to abandon all other theories and only keep Confucianism, and only from that time, Confucianism became special and gradually became the basis of mainstream Chinese culture. • He weakened 诸侯’(kings)s strength drastically, and Han finally became a center-powered (中央集权的) empire. • He sent messengers to the remote countries where is west of China now, which started the “The Silk Road”– a road that had been used for thousands of years. • He attacked other countries, which made China bigger and stronger, but also added heavy burdens to Chinese people.

4. Gold House to Hide Jiao(金屋藏娇)？ • When he became the emperor, A Jiao became the queen. Unlike what he promised before, he didn‘t treat his wife well. At first he had to pretend he likes her because of her powerful mother, but after a few years, when he got control over things, he deprivedA Jiao of the Queen’s title. • A Jiao spent huge amount of money to hire a talented person to write an essay trying to move the emperor. Although loved the essay, the emperor didn‘t give his love back to A Jiao. • His sister, Princess Pingyang, always chose pretty girls to give him. Wei Zifu, a girl among them, was loved by the emperor and became the queen. Her son became the heir.

5. The Sad End • Hanwu Emperor was very suspicious when he was old. He suspected the heir would take his position by force, and the heir finally committed a suicide. His mother, the queen, couldn'tbear the loss, also killed herself. • Hanwu Emperor still didn’t trust anyone after the tragedy. When he was dying, he ordered his youngest song, who was only eight, would be the next emperor, since he lost trust to any grown sons. Being afraid the young son’s mother would take advantage and snatch power, he found a little mistake that she made and killed her. The poor woman never knew why she got killed over such minor mistake. • http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/bDZyfDOstH8/