Legend has it that Emperor Xiaoming had nine sons: Emperor Zhang, born to Lady Jia; Prince Liangjie Wang Chang, born to Lady Yin; the remaining seven princes, the records do not mention their mothers. Prince Jian, known as the Ai King, was granted a fief in the third year of Yongping. He died the following year at a young age, leaving no sons, which resulted in the loss of his fiefdom. Prince Xian of Chen, also known as the Jing King, was enfeoffed as the Guangping King in the third year of Yongping. In the third year of Jianchu's reign, court officials suggested that Xian, Prince Gong of Julu, and Prince Dang of Lecheng return to their respective fiefdoms. The emperor was very fond of them and couldn't bear to part with his sons, so he kept them all in the capital. The next year, the emperor ordered a review of maps and household records, requiring that each fiefdom maintain the same population, with an annual tax of eighty million. Prince Xian of Chen was well-read and dignified, often engaging in discussions with scholars at Baihu Hall. Seven years later, the emperor believed that Guangping Prefecture, being in the north, incurred high border expenses, so he appointed Xian as the Xiping King, allocating eight counties in Runan as his fiefdom. After the emperor's death, his will appointed Xian as the Chen King, with his fiefdom located in Huaiyang County. That same year, he traveled to his fiefdom to take up his duties. He ruled as the Chen King for thirty-seven years before passing away, and his son, Prince Jun, ascended to the throne.
After Wang Jun ascended the throne, he committed many illegal and disorderly acts, even holding ceremonies such as the Grand Archery Ceremony! He was cunning and deceitful, liked to manipulate the law, and secretly targeted any national advisor (equivalent to a provincial governor) or official of the second rank (equivalent to a department-level cadre) he didn't get along with. He also hated Lady Li Yi and others close to Jing Wang (his uncle), and in the eleventh year of Yongyuan, he sent someone to kill Lady Li Yi and her entire family. The authorities caught the assassin and imprisoned him in Changping Prison. To eliminate him, Jun sent someone to assassinate the assassin. The matter was exposed, and the relevant officials reported to the court, which led to Jun losing his fiefdoms in Xihua, Xiang, and Xinyang counties. In the twelfth year of Yongyuan, he granted titles to six of his younger brothers as marquises. Later, Jun took a palace maid named Li Rao from the inner palace as his concubine, and as a consequence, he lost his fiefdoms once again in Yu, Yilu, and Fugou counties. In the seventh year of Yongchu, An Guo, the grandson of Jing Wang (Chen Jing Wang Xian), was ennobled as the Marquis of Gengting.
Jun ruled for twenty-one years as Chen Wang before passing away, and his son, Huai Wangdong, ascended to the throne. Huai Wangdong reigned for two years before his death, leaving no sons, and thus the fiefdom was discontinued. In the first year of Yongning, Chong, the grandson of Jing Wang, was ennobled as Chen Wang, known as Chen Qingwang. He reigned for five years before his death, and his son, Xiaowang, ascended to the throne.
After the death of Chen Wang Liu Chong's father, he inherited the throne. In the second year of Xi Ping, Prime Minister Shi Qian accused former Prime Minister Wei Yin and Liu Chong of conspiring against the divine during a sacrificial rite, a crime that was unforgivable. The court sent envoys to investigate the matter. At that time, Prince Liu Kui of Bo Hai had just been executed, and Emperor Ling of Han did not want to punish anyone further, so he ordered Wei Yin and Shi Qian to be transported to Beisi Zhaoyu Prison in prisoner carts, to be interrogated by Wang Pu, the Central Attendant, and other officials. Wei Yin defended himself by saying that he and Wang Pu had sacrificed to the Yellow Old Man to pray for longevity and blessings, with no other intentions. However, Wang Pu and others believed that Wei Yin, as Prime Minister, had behaved improperly, and Shi Qian had falsely accused Liu Chong of treason. In the end, both Wei Yin and Shi Qian were executed. Emperor Ling of Han issued a decree pardoning Liu Chong.
Liu Chong was skilled in archery, hitting the target with every shot. During the Zhongping period, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, causing many counties to abandon their cities and flee. However, Liu Chong had several thousand strong crossbows and stationed his troops in Duting. The people of Chen heard of his exceptional archery skills and dared not rebel, allowing Chen to remain safe. Many people flocked to him, with the number swelling to over a hundred thousand. In the early years of Emperor Xian, various local militias rose up, and Liu Chong led his army to camp in Yangxia, calling himself the Grand General of Han. Lu Jun of Kuaiji, the Prime Minister of Chen, had a good relationship with Liu Chong. During a severe drought and famine, Lu Jun depleted his family's resources to aid the starving populace, saving many lives. Later, Yuan Shu demanded grain from Chen, but Lu Jun refused. Enraged, Yuan Shu sent men to assassinate Lu Jun and Liu Chong, resulting in the fall of Chen.
At that time, all the vassal states were devoid of tax revenue, often falling victim to foreign plunder. The people endured hunger and starvation, with countless individuals perishing in ditches. Many women and concubines were captured by Danling soldiers and Wuhuan tribes.
Prince Jing of Pengcheng, Liu Gong, received the title of King of Lingshou in the ninth year of Yongping and was enfeoffed as King of Chenlu in the fifteenth year. In the third year of Jianchu, he was re-designated as King of Jiangling, with Nanjun as his domain. In the second year of Yuanhe, the Three Dukes reported that Jiangling was located directly south of the capital, inappropriate for a royal title, so he was renamed King of Lu'an, with Lujiang as his realm. After the death of Emperor Suzong, a decree renamed him King of Pengcheng, with Chu County as his fief, and he passed on in the same year. Liu Gong was known for his integrity, stability, and moderation, and was greatly respected by officials and the people. In the sixth year of Yongchu, Liu Gong's son, Liu Anu, was appointed Marquis of Zhuyi.
In the third year of Yuanchu, Prince Gong offended his son, Zikui, who subsequently took his own life. Prime Minister Zhao Mu reported this to the court, falsely accusing Prince Gong of uttering treasonous remarks during sacrifices. Court officials suggested putting Prince Gong to death. Prince Gong defended himself in writing. Considering his usual upright behavior and finding no evidence to support Zhao Mu's accusations, the court ordered Zhao Mu imprisoned. Later, due to a general amnesty, his death sentence was commuted to a lesser punishment.
After ruling for forty-six years, Prince Gong passed away, and his son, King Dao, succeeded to the throne. In the fifth year of Yuanchu, the court appointed King Dao's three brothers as marquises of their respective territories and appointed Prince Gong's grandson, Shun, as Marquis of Dong'an Pavilion.
After ruling for twenty-eight years, King Dao passed away, and his son, King Ding, succeeded to the throne. In the first year of Benchu, the court appointed nine of King Ding's brothers as Marquises.
After ruling for four years, King Ding passed away, and his son, King Xiao, succeeded to the throne. King Xiao was deeply filial; after his mother's death, he observed mourning with great sorrow, even going beyond the customary mourning rituals. This was reported to the court by the Chancellor. Emperor Huan of Han sent envoys to greet King Xiao back to the palace with oxen and wine. King Xiao was humble, generous, and beloved by the people. During the Chunping period, there was significant turmoil across the realm, and King Xiao was attacked by bandits. He fled to Dong'a and later returned to his domain.
King Xiao passed away after reigning for sixty-four years, and his grandson Zhi inherited the throne. King Zhi reigned for seven years, and the state of Wei surrendered. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Chongde.
Dǎng, the Prince of Lê Chéng, was granted the title of Prince Chóng Xī in the ninth year of Yǒng Píng, and in the fifteenth year, he was enfeoffed as King Lê Chéng. Prince Dǎng was wise, skilled in historical texts, and had a passion for editing texts. He was of the same age as Emperor Sùzōng of Han, and they had a particularly good relationship. In the fourth year of Jiànchū, the court transferred eight counties to the state of Lê Chéng, including Yóu and Guān Jīn in Qīng Hé, Dōngguāng and Chéng Píng in Bó Hǎi, and Zhōng Shuǐ, Ráo Yáng, Ān Píng, and Nán Shēn Zé in Zhuō Jùn. When Emperor Zhāng of Han passed away, Prince Dǎng finally went to his fiefdom to take up his rule. Prince Dǎng was harsh and disregarded the law. Previously, it was stipulated that palace maids could not marry into the states of princes. A palace maid named Āi Zhì had married a man named Zhāng Chū, but Prince Dǎng secretly summoned her to the palace for an illicit relationship. When Zhāng Chū wanted to report him, Prince Dǎng, fearing that his actions would be revealed, secretly bribed Āi Zhì's sister Jiāo Shì to kill Zhāng Chū. When the truth came to light, Prince Dǎng also executed three eunuchs to eliminate witnesses. He also took a maid named Lǐ Yǔ Shēng as a concubine, who was previously the maid of Prince Jiǎn of Zhōng Shān. In the seventh year of Yǒng Yuán, the prime minister reported these incidents to the emperor. Emperor Hé of Han ordered the annexation of Dōngguāng and Qī counties from Lê Chéng.
King Lê Chéng Dǎng passed away after reigning for twenty-five years, and his son King Āi Chóng inherited the throne. King Āi Chóng passed away after two months of reigning, without any heirs, which led to the end of the kingdom of Lê Chéng.
The following year, Emperor Hé of Han appointed Xún, the son of Marquis Chóng Xiū, as King of Lê Chéng, who would later be known as King Lí. King Lí reigned for fifteen years before dying, and his son King Yǐn Bīn inherited the throne. King Yǐn reigned for eight years before dying without heirs, leading to the end of the kingdom of Lê Chéng.
In the second year, the court appointed Chang, the son of Prince Huai of Jibei, as the new King Cheng of Lecheng. After arriving in the Kingdom of Lecheng for a few months, Chang became extravagant and debauched, committing many crimes. The Governor of Jizhou and the Prime Minister of Lecheng jointly submitted a memorial, stating that Chang's crimes were extremely severe and lawless. Emperor An of Han issued a decree saying, "Although Chang appears respectable, he is morally unrestrained. He knows the importance of ancestral sacrifices and should follow the rituals in inheriting the throne, but he not only failed to fulfill his duties with respect and caution, but also dared to damage the sacrificial livestock and incomplete offerings. He disregarded the royal lady, did not follow the teachings, led a life of excess, tarnished the family name, forcibly took another man's wife, and offered bribes to his concubines. He beat officials, acted tyrannically and cruelly. His crimes are extremely serious and shameful! After reading the opinions of eight ministers, I find it hard to punish him according to the law. Let him be demoted to the Marquis of Linhu! I lack the wisdom of the ancient virtuous kings, which has led to disorder in state affairs, and I regret not being able to assist the royal lady properly, filled with regret and lamentation."
In the first year of Yanguang, Emperor An of Han appointed the son of Prince Xiaowang of Hejian as the new King Jing. Since the previous King Cheng was deposed, and the capital was severed, the country was renamed Anping, and the new king was King Xiaowang of Anping. King Xiaowang of Anping reigned for thirty years before his death, and his son succeeded him. In the first year of Zhongping, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out. King Xiaowang of Anping was taken hostage by the Yellow Turban army, imprisoned in Guangzong. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion was suppressed, King Xiaowang of Anping returned to his country. In the autumn of the same year, he was executed for his transgressions, and the Anping state was abolished thirty-four years later.
King Yan Hui of Xiapi was conferred the title of king in the fifteenth year of the Yongping era. Yan had a dignified appearance. After Emperor Su of the Han dynasty ascended the throne, Yan often served by the emperor's side. During the Jianchu era, upon reaching adulthood, Yan received gold and silk from Emperor Zhang of Han for his teacher and other officials, with varying rewards. Four years later, the court transferred seventeen counties, including Zhongli, Dangtu, Dongcheng, Liyang, and Quanjiao, from Linhuai and Jiujang Commanderies to the Kingdom of Xiapi. After the emperor's death, Yan returned to Xiapi to take up his reign. Later, Yan fell seriously ill, and his condition worsened. His crown prince, Yang, was deposed after committing a crime. His concubines competed to have their sons named heirs, submitting petitions to accuse one another. Emperor He of Han, feeling sympathetic, sent Prince Gong of Pengcheng to Xiapi to investigate the legitimacy of the succession. Ultimately, Yan's son was appointed crown prince. Yan ruled for fifty-four years before his death, after which his son, King Cheng, succeeded him. In the first year of Yongjian, Emperor An of Han granted titles of marquis to Cheng's two brothers and Yan's two grandsons. Two years later, Yan passed away, and his son, King Min, ascended to the throne. In the first year of Yangjia, King Min's eight younger brothers were granted titles as village and pavilion marquises. In the first year of Zhongping, King Min faced the Yellow Turban Rebellion and fled the kingdom. After the rebellion was suppressed, he returned to his kingdom, but died a few months later. He ruled for fifty-seven years and lived to the age of ninety. His son, King Ai, ascended to the throne but died a few months later without leaving an heir. In the eleventh year of Jian'an, the Kingdom of Liang was dissolved.
King Liu Chang of Liang was titled King of Runan in the fifteenth year of Yongping. His mother, Lady Yin, was greatly favored in the palace, which meant that Liu Chang was also highly favored by the Emperor. The income from his fiefdom from taxes and rents was twice that of other vassal states. When Emperor Suzong ascended the throne, he bestowed numerous rewards and favors upon Liu Chang due to his relationship with the late Emperor. In the second year of Jianchu, Liu Chang's uncle Yin Tang was appointed Marquis of Xiling. In the fourth year, Liu Chang was re-titled as King of Liang, and his fiefdom was expanded to include the counties of Yan and Ningling in Chenliu, as well as Bo, Danfu, Jishi, and Chengwu in Jiyin. In the year of the Emperor's death, Liu Chang returned to his fiefdom.
Liu Chang was intelligent, but he had been indulged since childhood due to his noble status, often disregarding the rules. Upon returning to his fiefdom, he often had nightmares. There was an official named Bian Ji who claimed to be able to command the Six Ding spirits and was skilled in interpreting dreams, so Liu Chang often sought his advice. Additionally, Liu Chang's wet nurse, Wang Li, and others claimed to be able to see ghosts and spirits, so they would together study feng shui, perform rituals to the spirits, and pray for good fortune. To please Liu Chang, Bian Ji and others told him that the gods foretold that he would become Emperor. Liu Chang was delighted to hear this and reciprocated their sentiments. In the fifth year of Yongyuan, the Inspector of Yuzhou and the Prime Minister of Liang together submitted a memorial accusing Liu Chang of misconduct. After an investigation, Liu Chang refused to confess. The authorities requested Liu Chang be sent to the Ministry of Justice prison, but the Emperor couldn't bear to and did not agree. The authorities submitted another memorial, requesting Liu Chang's title be abolished and for him to be exiled to Jiuzhen Commandery. However, the Emperor still couldn't bring himself to do that and only removed the two counties of Chengwu and Danfu. Ashamed and afraid, Liu Chang wrote a letter of apology, stating:
I was born a bit foolish, with a bad temper, and grew up in the inner palace, relying on wet nurses and those around me for care. I easily believe what others say. After returning to the sealed country, I had no idea about the rules, getting mixed up with officials and guards, taking their gifts and getting blinded by them. I didn't see anything clearly, just went along with them without thinking, never imagined I’d end up committing a serious crime, until I was interrogated, and only then did I realize. At that time, I was shaking with fear and my heart racing, filled with regret, feeling like my soul was about to leave my body. Unexpectedly, Your Majesty is wise and compassionate, even bending the law and showing me mercy, not listening to the officials' advice, but instead pardoning me. For these past few months, I have been too scared to relax even a little.
I know I’ve really let down the late emperor’s expectations, letting Your Majesty clean up the mess for me, feeling so ashamed I just want to disappear. I know I won’t be able to receive such grace a second time, so I promise to keep myself and my family in check, I won’t break the rules again or spend money carelessly. I still have some salary left; I want to hand over the fields of Suiyang, Gushu, Yu, Meng, and Ningling counties, leaving only the fields of the other four counties for self-sufficiency. I have thirty-seven concubines, and I want to send the ones who haven’t given birth back to their parents' homes. I’ve picked out two hundred servants; the rest of the troops, soldiers, craftsmen, musicians, warehouse managers, and all the weapons and horses, I have all returned to their original units. Because I colluded with relatives, damaging the emperor’s reputation and sullying the court’s integrity, now being saved by Your Majesty's grace, I really can’t bear to stay in the palace anymore, enjoying wealth and luxury, showing off, and hoarding treasures.
I hope Your Majesty would give me another chance, allow me to turn over a new leaf, do good deeds to make up for my mistakes, so that the people of the world know of your grace towards me, escaped death, and truly repent. I keep the impeachment decrees from those ministers before me, reciting them day and night. I am ignorant and self-indulgent, seeking comfort and pleasure, failing to rein in my desires in time, only hoping Your Majesty will pity me and let me live for a while. If Your Majesty does not grant my request, I truly cannot bear to live on, and after death, I will have no face to meet the late Emperor. This is my heartfelt plea. I wish to return all the wealth I have accepted, but I am afraid Your Majesty will not agree, so I have kept only a little to support my livelihood.
The imperial edict came down, saying, "I know you are a close relative of the royal family, naturally kind and pure, but the people around you have not been up to the task and failed to help you resist evil slander, leading to accusations from officials in the court. Now that you have reflected deeply and are working hard to correct your mistakes, I sympathize with you greatly. The responsibility for this matter does not lie with you, but with those villains. As long as you can restrain yourself daily and restore propriety, the world will return to benevolence and righteousness. Rest assured and cultivate your virtue. As the Book of Changes says, 'With a humble attitude, one can gain benefits from all directions; even with minor mistakes, there will eventually be good results.' Stay strong, and take good care of yourself." Changgu declined several times, submitted several memorials, but the Emperor ultimately did not agree.
Twenty-seven years later, he passed away, and his son, Prince Gong, ascended to the throne. In the sixteenth year of Yongyuan, the Emperor granted titles of village marquis and pavilion marquis to Prince Gong's two younger brothers.
Prince Gong ruled for twenty-six years, and after his death, his son, Prince Huai, ascended to the throne. In the second year of Yongjian, the Emperor granted titles of village marquis and pavilion marquis to Prince Huai's seven brothers.
Prince Huai ruled for eleven years before passing away without a son. Emperor Shun then enfeoffed Prince Huai's younger brother, Marquis Xiaoyangting, as King of Liang, known as the King of Yi.
The King of Yi ruled for twenty-nine years before his passing, after which his son, Prince Jing, ascended to the throne.
King Jing ruled for sixteen years before he passed away, and his son Mi succeeded to the throne. Mi ruled as king for forty years, but after the Wei Kingdom took over the Han Dynasty, he was granted the title of Marquis of Chongde.
Next, Prince Bing of Huaiyang was granted the title of King of Changshan in the fifteenth year of Yongping. In the fourth year of Jianchu, he was reassigned as King of Huaiyang, and the counties of Xin'an and Xihua in Runan Commandery were included in the territory of Huaiyang.
He ruled for sixteen years before his death, without being able to appoint a successor. In the second year of Yongyuan, Emperor He appointed his son Cefu as King of Changshan and tasked him with caring for Prince Bing's widow, earning him the title of King Shang.
King Shang ruled for thirteen years before his death, and both father and son were buried in the capital, never having the chance to visit their assigned territories. As King Shang had no sons, Emperor He appointed his older brother, Hou Zhang, as King of Changshan. Taking pity on young Zhang, who had become an orphan, Emperor He bestowed many rewards upon him. In the first year of Yanping, Zhang finally made it to his territory.
Zhang ruled for twenty-five years before his death, referred to as King Jing. His son, King Yi, succeeded to the throne. In the second year of Yongjian, the Emperor appointed Yi's two older brothers as Marquises.
Yi ruled for seventeen years before his death, and his son, King Bao, succeeded to the throne. In the first year of Yuanjia, the Emperor appointed Bao's four older brothers as Marquises.
Bao ruled for eight years before his death, and his son, Hao, succeeded to the throne. In the eleventh year of Jian'an, during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he fled and abandoned his territory, leading to the abolition of the Huaiyang Kingdom.
Lastly, Prince Zhang of Jiyin was named King of Jiyin in the fifteenth year of Yongping. In the fourth year of Jianchu, the counties of Lihu and Changyuan were included in the territory of Jiyin. He ruled for thirteen years before his death in the capital, without any sons, which led to the abolition of the Jiyin Kingdom.
So, someone commented: Yanzi once said, "To live with integrity, to do things with an eye on benefits, and then regulate it with rules, this is referred to as 'Fuli'." This means that in human affairs, there must be moderation to uphold proper morals, just as cloth needs to be tailored to meet certain standards. Emperor Han Ming granted land to his sons, with annual tax revenue not exceeding twenty million, despite the empress's unsuccessful counsel. Ah, what wisdom! This is not just about thriftiness! He deeply understood that extravagance has no limits, desires are hard to satisfy, so few of the Eastern Han princes faced downfall due to extravagance.
Now, let’s examine the evaluation of this situation: "Filial piety and wise succession, the eight states are secure. Chen is respectful and serious, Pengcheng is virtuous. Xiapei is weak and sickly, Liang acts eccentrically and confoundingly. Three princes died prematurely, and their followers were equally extravagant and reckless." This poem suggests that Emperor Han Ming passed the throne to his sons, consolidating the rule of the eight vassal states. The ruler of Chen is respectful and serious, the ruler of Pengcheng is virtuous and kind. The ruler of Xiapei is weak and sickly, the ruler of Liang acts eccentrically and confoundingly. Three young princes died prematurely, and their followers were equally extravagant and reckless.
