The Rise of the Zhao Sisters

During the reign of Emperor Cheng of the Han Dynasty, two sisters from the Zhao family—Zhao Feiyan and her younger sister, Zhao Hede—rose to prominence in the imperial court. Zhao Feiyan, whose name literally meant “Flying Swallow,” became Empress, while her sister was granted the title of Zhaoyi, a high-ranking imperial consort. Their ascent was marked by beauty, cunning, and ruthless ambition.

Emperor Cheng, known for his weak governance and indulgence in pleasures, became increasingly infatuated with the Zhao sisters. However, their influence extended beyond mere favoritism. Historical records and folk songs from the time suggest that they systematically eliminated potential threats to their power—particularly the male heirs born to other imperial consorts. A chilling folk rhyme circulated after Emperor Cheng’s death:

“The swallow flies,
Pecking at imperial grandsons.
The imperial grandsons die,
The swallow pecks at filth.”

The “filth” (矢, shi) was a crude metaphor for excrement, symbolizing the sisters’ eventual downfall and disgrace.

The Death of Emperor Cheng and the Aftermath

Emperor Cheng’s sudden death in 7 BCE shocked the court. Officially, his demise was attributed to an accidental overdose of aphrodisiacs administered by Zhao Hede while she was intoxicated. The scandal forced Zhao Hede to commit suicide, but Zhao Feiyan, now Empress Dowager, survived—thanks to her political maneuvering.

The throne passed to Emperor Ai, a grandson of Emperor Cheng’s half-brother, Liu Xing of Dingtao. Zhao Feiyan had supported his succession, ensuring her temporary safety. However, investigations into the infant deaths in the harem were swiftly suppressed by the new emperor, who owed his position to her.

Emperor Ai and the Scandal of the Cut Sleeve

Emperor Ai’s reign (7–1 BCE) was short and tumultuous. His most infamous legacy was his relationship with Dong Xian, a handsome young courtier. Their affair became the origin of the Chinese euphemism for homosexuality: duanxiu (断袖, “cut sleeve”).

The story goes that one afternoon, Emperor Ai awoke from a nap to find Dong Xian still asleep on his sleeve. Unwilling to disturb him, the emperor cut off his own sleeve rather than wake his lover. This act of devotion scandalized the court, particularly the Dowager Empress Wang, who despised Dong Xian’s rapid rise to power.

When Emperor Ai died childless in 1 BCE, Dong Xian’s fate was sealed. The Dowager Empress forced him to resign, and he committed suicide shortly after.

The Return of Wang Mang

With Emperor Ai’s death, the throne passed to the nine-year-old Emperor Ping, and power shifted back to the Wang family. Wang Mang, a shrewd and ambitious statesman, was reinstated as Grand Marshal.

Wang Mang had spent years cultivating a reputation for humility and virtue. Stories of his frugality—such as his wife wearing servant’s clothing—were widely circulated to bolster his image. Now, with a child emperor on the throne, he consolidated power ruthlessly.

One of his first acts was to dismantle the remnants of the Zhao family’s influence. Zhao Feiyan, stripped of her titles, was forced to commit suicide. The same fate befell Emperor Ai’s widow, Empress Fu, whose family had briefly held power.

The Downfall of the Wei Clan

Wang Mang’s greatest fear was that Emperor Ping’s maternal relatives, the Wei clan, would challenge his authority. To prevent this, he barred the emperor’s mother, Lady Wei, from the capital. When protests arose, Wang Mang silenced dissenters, including his own son, Wang Yu, who had secretly conspired to reconcile with the Wei family.

In a brutal display of political theater, Wang Mang exposed his son’s plot, forced him to commit suicide, and executed the Wei clan en masse. The public praised Wang Mang for his “unwavering loyalty,” unaware that he was laying the groundwork for his eventual usurpation of the Han throne.

Legacy of the Late Han Court

The scandals of Emperor Cheng, the Zhao sisters, Emperor Ai, and Wang Mang marked the decline of the Western Han Dynasty. The court’s moral decay, political infighting, and Wang Mang’s machinations culminated in the short-lived Xin Dynasty (9–23 CE), which collapsed amid rebellion and chaos.

The folk song about the “swallow” pecking at imperial heirs became a symbol of unchecked ambition and its inevitable downfall. Meanwhile, the “cut sleeve” tale endured as a cultural reference to forbidden love and the dangers of favoritism in politics.

Wang Mang’s rise and fall demonstrated how virtue signaling and ruthless pragmatism could coexist in imperial politics—a lesson that resonated through later Chinese dynasties.

Conclusion

The late Western Han Dynasty was a period of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy. From the Zhao sisters’ lethal scheming to Emperor Ai’s ill-fated love affair and Wang Mang’s calculated rise to power, these events underscored the fragility of imperial authority. The folk songs, scandals, and political purges of this era remain a cautionary tale about the corrupting nature of absolute power.