  |
|
|
|
Guang Wudi succeeded the Emperor Wang Mang, who had founded the so-called 'New Dynasty' (the Xin Dynasty) which is not now recognised by Chinese historians. Wang Mang (r.9-23 CE) had embarked on an ambitious program of reform and policy creation that met with tremendous resistance from vested interests, to the extent that he was obliged to retract various declarations, such as those concerning the redistribution of land and the ban on sale of slaves. His fiscal policies led to the concentration of gold in the imperial treasury and this led to a shortage around the known world, so that the Roman Emperor Tiberius was obliged to try to ban the wearing of silk since buying it meant further outflows of scarce coins. Later historians have been rather unkind and indeed unfair to Wang Mang, describing him as having a 'large mouth, receding chin, bulging eyes and a loud, hoarse voice.' In any case, when the unrest that broke out and ultimately led to his death, Wang Mang was left with no support and he was cut down by a common soldier. Guang Wudi's route to the throne was far from clear. He was just one of a dozen claimants to the throne, most of who were, like him, minor provincial nobles with an eye to the main chance. The main power in the land was a faction known as the 'Red Eyebrows,' who were rebel soldiers who distinguished themselves from government troops by the red paint on their faces. It took a decade of fierce fighting for Guang Wudi to suppress all the various factions and, during this time, both the imperial tombs and the imperial capital at Chang'an were looted. Consequently, Guang Wudi moved his capital east to Luoyang and, therefore, he is considered to be the originator of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The turmoil in the country had been greatly intensified by famine and by the devastation caused by the Yellow River having twice changed its course during Wang Mang's reign. Natural disasters were considered by the Chinese to be the result of heaven's displeasure with the monarch. They did then provide some justification for rebellion. Hence, turmoil fed upon itself until chaos descended and only a strong military rule could provide order to the country. Go To Page: 1 2 |
|
|
|
