The Tumultuous Reign of Emperor He of Han

The reign of Emperor He of Han (89-105 CE) marked a pivotal transition in the Eastern Han Dynasty, characterized by court intrigues, military campaigns, and significant administrative reforms. This period witnessed the dramatic fall of the powerful Dou clan, the beginning of eunuch influence in governance, and important developments in frontier management and foreign relations. The emperor’s reign, while relatively short, set patterns that would profoundly influence the later Eastern Han period.

The Dominance and Downfall of the Dou Clan

The Dou family’s rise to power began when Emperor He was still a child under the regency of Empress Dowager Dou. Her brother Dou Xian became the dominant figure at court, serving as General-in-Chief and controlling military and political affairs. The Dou clan filled key positions with their relatives and allies, creating an extensive network of influence that permeated the government.

Dou Xian’s military achievements against the Northern Xiongnu in 89 CE had brought him great prestige, but his growing arrogance and the clan’s unchecked power eventually provoked opposition. The historian Ding Hong’s memorial to Emperor He captured the prevailing anxiety: “Although the Grand General Dou Xian exercises self-restraint and does not dare overstep his authority, all officials near and far tremble and fawn upon him, not daring to disobey his commands.”

The turning point came in 92 CE when Emperor He, then just fourteen years old, orchestrated a carefully planned coup against the Dou clan. Working primarily through the eunuch Zheng Zhong, the young emperor moved decisively. On June 23, 92 CE, he ordered the arrest and execution of Dou Xian’s key allies Guo Ju, Guo Huang, Deng Die, and Deng Lei. Dou Xian himself was stripped of his general’s seal and relegated to his marquisate, where he was soon forced to commit suicide.

The Emergence of Eunuch Power

The overthrow of the Dou clan marked a significant development in Han politics—the beginning of eunuch involvement in high-level governance. Zheng Zhong, who had assisted Emperor He in eliminating the Dou faction, was ennobled as Marquis of Chaoxiang in 102 CE, setting a precedent for eunuch participation in state affairs.

This shift occurred because Emperor He, having grown up isolated under the Dou regency, found eunuchs to be his most reliable allies against the powerful consort clans. As the historian Hua Shan noted: “The young emperor had no connection with the ministers inside or outside the court, and those who were with him were only eunuchs.” This reliance on palace eunuchs rather than the regular bureaucracy would become a defining feature of later Eastern Han politics.

Frontier Management and Ethnic Relations

Emperor He’s reign saw significant developments in the management of the empire’s frontiers. The pacification of the Western Regions under Ban Chao reached its zenith, with fifty states submitting to Han authority. Ban Chao’s innovative strategies combined military force with diplomatic skill, creating a network of alliances that maintained Han influence with relatively few troops.

In the northwest, the Qiang tribes presented ongoing challenges. The death of Protector of the Qiang Deng Xun in 92 CE led to renewed rebellions under leaders like Mitang. Han officials experimented with different approaches—from Deng Xun’s combination of firmness and conciliation to Nie Shang’s failed attempt at pure appeasement—revealing the complexities of managing frontier relations.

The Southern Xiongnu also experienced turmoil during this period. After the death of Shizi in 98 CE, factional conflicts emerged between established Southern Xiongnu elites and newly surrendered Northern Xiongnu groups, culminating in a major rebellion in 94 CE that required substantial Han military intervention to suppress.

Cultural and Intellectual Developments

The period saw important debates about Confucian orthodoxy and education. In 101 CE, Minister of Works Xu Fang memorialized about the need for standardization in the imperial academy examinations, complaining that students were departing from approved interpretations of the classics. His proposal to enforce adherence to specific scholarly traditions reflected growing concern about intellectual heterodoxy.

The court also saw debates about ritual reform. The ritual system compiled by Cao Bao under Emperor Zhang was abandoned after objections from conservative officials like Zhang Pu, despite having been used for Emperor He’s coming-of-age ceremony. This episode highlighted tensions between innovation and tradition in state ritual.

The Question of Succession and Emperor He’s Death

Emperor He faced persistent difficulties in securing the succession. With multiple sons dying in infancy, he began secretly raising potential heirs outside the palace. When he died in 105 CE at just twenty-seven years old, his infant son Liu Long (Emperor Shang) was brought from concealment and placed on the throne, with Empress Deng assuming regency.

The Dowager Empress demonstrated remarkable political skill during the transition. Her handling of a jewelry theft case and a false accusation of witchcraft against a palace favorite showed her ability to balance justice with mercy—qualities that would characterize her long regency.

Legacy and Historical Assessment

Emperor He’s reign represented both continuity and change in Eastern Han politics. While he successfully asserted imperial authority against the Dou clan, his reliance on eunuchs established a pattern that would contribute to later political instability. The historian Wang Fuzhi saw the Dou case as originating the destructive “factional strife” that would plague later dynasties.

The period also saw the Han empire at its greatest geographical extent, thanks largely to Ban Chao’s efforts in the Western Regions. Yet this expansion brought new challenges in frontier management and ethnic relations that would trouble subsequent reigns.

Emperor He’s reign thus stands as a microcosm of Eastern Han strengths and weaknesses—administrative competence coupled with growing court factionalism, military success alongside persistent frontier tensions, and the emergence of patterns that would ultimately contribute to the dynasty’s decline.