Cheng Han

Cheng Han (Chinese成 汉/成 汉, Pinyin Chéng Hàn ) was one of the many Chinese small states during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms. It was founded in 306 by Li Xiong (李雄) and destroyed in the year 347 by a general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Its territory was located mainly in today's Sichuan province, was the capital Chengdu, in its greatest extent, it included also areas in today's Yunnan and Guizhou.

Origin and establishment of the Cheng- Han

The leadership of the Cheng- Han consisted of two blocks with very different backgrounds. The first block (including the later imperial family ) consisted of immigrants from the Chinese mainland ( present-day provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Hunan ). They had fled the unrest at the end of the Western Jin to Sichuan. The second block consisted of major local families who were resident in Sichuan, where traditionally possessed influence and reputation.

The cause of unrest, at the end of the region declared independent, were the efforts of local officials to resolve the tensions between immigrants and residents by putting a deadline on which had to return to their homes, the refugees, or they would zwangsdepotiert. As the situation in Central China had not improved - the central government was still plagued by turmoil and as weak as ever, it was natural that a forced deportation was considered by the refugees as a death sentence. 301 they rebelled under the leadership of Te Li (李 特) against the measure. The rebellion was an act of desperation and in the beginning the chances of the rebels did not look good. Te Li died in a battle against an army of regular soldiers and paramilitaries Jin local landowners. His brother and successor Liu Li (李 流) died shortly afterwards from disease.

Only then changed the new leader, Li Liu Song Li Xiong, his tactics, while trying to reach a consensus with the local variables and to act jointly against the unwelcome Jin- government. Li Xiong found his ally in Yang Changsheng (范长生). Yang was not only a local celebrity, he was also the leader of a Taoist sect. This allies the rebels finally found local support. The tide turned.

303 conquered the rebels, the provincial capital of Chengdu. The following year, Li Xiong exclaimed to the king of Chengdu. Two years later, he called then from the Emperor of Cheng. His allies, to whom he owed his victory, Li did not forget. Catch was Grand Vizier of the state, later he was even worshiped as supreme priest of the state. He received extensive array of power, for example, he had to pay out of its territory no taxes to the imperial court and could even raise taxes.

Development

Li Xiong reigned for 30 years, in which Cheng- Han had relatively stable political conditions. The tax burden was low and the economy recovered well. In contrast to the rest of China that ruled from Cheng- Han area was peaceful and prosperous country.

In the election of his successor, but he made ​​one crucial mistake. Instead of making as customary, his son Crown Prince, he appointed his older brother as his successor. This led to an armed struggle for the throne between the new emperor and the princes careworn. Although in the end won the battle and the prince was proclaimed the new emperor, but the rest was in the country then. The tedious held together by the mildness of Li Xiong cracks between the different population groups broke up again. The new emperor lacked the necessary political sensitivity to cope with the crisis even begin. Instead, he harbored mistrust and doubt against everyone. With terror he tried to stabilize his government.

338 rose a relative, Li Shou (李寿), a grandson of Li Te, and overthrew the tyrant. Li Shou changed the name of the state of Cheng Han on (which is why the entire dynasty Cheng- Han is called ). Although the last two emperors were still trying to calm the situation again, but rebellions of minorities and natural disasters undid their efforts.

Downfall

December 349 took the ambitious and unauthorized General of the Eastern Jin Dynasty Huan Wen (桓温) from a campaign of conquest against Cheng- Han. Tan was one of the most brilliant generals of that time. When the news came to the capital of the Eastern Jin about his campaign, went all assume that he would get a bloody nose: Sichuan was always because of its mountainous terrain as difficult to take and Tan had only about 10,000 men, mostly lightly armed.

However, Tan put on his mobility. Elegant he maneuvered the troops home from that of Cheng- Han emperor had sent against him and plunged abruptly in front of the capital Chengdu. The Cheng Han troops hurried back to the capital, before whose wall it came to a showdown. Although the majority of the enemy seemed to gain the upper hand and the horse by Tan Wen was hit by several arrows, he made a desperate attack blow ( other reportedly missverstandt the drummer and blew his command to attack). The tide turned abruptly. The Jin troops were able to occupy the gate of the city and so march into the city. The last Cheng- Han emperor fled and surrendered. He was captured and sent to the Jin capital, where he later died a lot of old age.

Emperor of Cheng Han

Han Zhao | Cheng Han | Later Zhao | Earlier Liang | Former Yan | Former Qin | Later Qin | Later Yan | Western Qin | Later Liang | Southern Liang | Southern Yan | Western Liang | Northern Liang | Xia | Northern Yan

• Sixteen Kingdoms