The Fracturing of Han Dynasty Loyalties

As Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) returned triumphantly to Chang’an after suppressing rebellions, two urgent matters demanded his attention: the precarious status of Crown Prince Liu Ying and the alleged treason of Lu Wan, King of Yan. These intertwined crises would test the fragile stability of the newly established Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE).

The political landscape had grown increasingly treacherous following the systematic elimination of non-imperial kings. Former allies like Han Xin, Peng Yue, and Ying Bu—all rewarded with kingdoms for their wartime service—had been purged on suspicion of rebellion. Only two non-Liu kings remained: Wu Chen of Changsha (who secured his position by betraying his brother-in-law Ying Bu) and Lu Wan of Yan.

Lu Wan’s Desperate Gambit

Reports indicated Lu Wan had conspired with the rebel Chen Xi, though the truth remained unclear. When summoned to the capital, Lu Wan feigned illness, fearing the fate of his predecessors. In reality, his contact with Chen Xi was not treasonous but self-preservation—he hoped prolonged rebellion would delay imperial forces from turning on Yan.

Lu Wan’s tactics included:
– Half-hearted military campaigns against Chen Xi
– Secret envoy Zhang Sheng sent to secure Xiongnu support for Chen Xi
– Refusing multiple summonses from the emperor

Investigations by envoy Shen Yiji uncovered damning evidence:
1. Correspondence between Lu Wan and Chen Xi
2. A Xiongnu captive’s confession about Zhang Sheng’s mission

With proof of collusion, Liu Bang stripped Lu Wan’s title and ordered Fan Kuai to lead a punitive expedition. The new King of Yan would be Liu Bang’s son, Liu Jian.

The Psychology of a Doomed Friendship

Lu Wan’s actions stemmed from paralyzing fear rather than ambition. His unique relationship with Liu Bang—born the same day in neighboring families, childhood companions who hid together during Liu Bang’s outlaw years—convinced him a personal audience could resolve matters. He withdrew to the Great Wall frontier, hoping to wait out Liu Bang’s illness.

Fan Kuai, the expedition commander and another childhood friend from Pei County, deliberately marched away from Lu Wan’s position in tacit understanding. This act of mercy would have unforeseen consequences.

The Power Struggle Behind the Throne

Liu Bang’s illness intensified court intrigues:

The Concubine’s Gambit
– Consort Qi and her son Liu如意 pressed for replacing Crown Prince Ying
– Court eunuchs warned that Fan Kuai’s 200,000 troops could slaughter Consort Qi’s faction at Empress Lü’s command

The Emperor’s Rash Order
In a fevered state, Liu Bang commanded advisors Chen Ping and Zhou Bo to:
1. Have Zhou assume military command
2. Execute Fan Kuai immediately

Recognizing the order’s danger, the ministers compromised:
– Arrested Fan Kuai
– Transported him to Chang’an for imperial judgment
– Avoided irreversible action that might anger Empress Lü

The Four Graybeards and the Succession Crisis

The crown prince’s fate hinged on an unexpected intervention. During a banquet, Prince Ying arrived accompanied by four legendary sages—Dongyuan公, Luli先生, Qili季, and Xiahuang公—whom Liu Bang had previously failed to recruit.

Their rebuke cut deep:
“We serve rulers who value scholars, not those who insult advisors.”

Their endorsement of Prince Ying’s virtue forced Liu Bang’s hand. To weeping Consort Qi, he sang the symbolic “Song of the Swan”:

“The swan soars high, a thousand miles at once,
Its wings now full, it crosses the four seas.
What can be done when it crosses the four seas?
Though I have arrows, where can they reach?”

The metaphor acknowledged Prince Ying’s unassailable position.

The Emperor’s Final Arrangements

As Liu Bang’s health failed, he rejected medical care with fatalistic resolve:
“I took heaven’s mandate with a three-foot sword; heaven now recalls it.”

To Empress Lü, he outlined a succession plan:
1. Chancellor Xiao He as initial regent
2. Cao Can as Xiao’s successor
3. Wang Ling and Chen Ping as subsequent administrators
4. Zhou Bo as military safeguard

When pressed about later generations, the dying emperor dismissed the question—a silent jab at his wife’s mortality.

Legacy of the Crisis

This episode reveals critical dynamics in early Han governance:

1. The Perils of Decentralization
The purge of non-Liu kings marked the transition from a feudal system to centralized imperial rule.

2. The Power of Symbolism
The Four Graybeards’ appearance demonstrated how Confucian scholar-elites could shape succession politics—a precedent for later Han rulership.

3. The Shadow of Empress Lü
Liu Bang’s deathbed arrangements anticipated her regency (195–180 BCE), the first of many Han power struggles between emperors and maternal clans.

4. Military Loyalty Dilemmas
Fan Kuai’s near-execution foreshadowed later conflicts between generals and court factions.

The twin crises of 195 BCE—resolved through a mix of ruthlessness, sentimentality, and political theater—established patterns that would define Han politics for centuries. Liu Bang’s pragmatic blend of legalist control and Confucian pageantry became the dynasty’s enduring template.