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Emperor Xiao Xian's personal name was Xie; he was the middle son of Emperor Ling. His mother, Beauty Wang, was killed by Empress He. In the fourth month of Zhongping 6, when the Young Emperor came to the throne, Xie was enfeoffed as King of Bohai and then transferred as King of Chenliu. On jiaxu in the ninth month the boy emperor took the throne; he was nine years old. The empress dowager was relocated to Yongan Palace. A general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the realm. The era name was changed from Zhaoning to Yonghan. On bingzi Dong Zhuo had Empress Dowager He murdered.
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初令侍中、給事黃門侍郎員各六人。 賜公卿以下至黃門侍郎家一人為郎，以補宦官所領諸署，侍於殿上。
The court first fixed the establishment at six palace attendants and six gentlemen consultants at the yellow gates. One son from each household from the highest ministers down to the gentlemen consultants at the yellow gates was appointed gentleman to staff the bureaus the eunuchs had controlled, serving in the palace halls.
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On yiyou Liu Yu, grand commandant, was appointed grand marshal. Dong Zhuo took the grand commandant’s post for himself, with the ceremonial axe and halberd and a tiger-lancer guard. On bingxu Yang Biao, grand counselor, became minister of works. On jiawu Huang Wan, shepherd of Yu province, was appointed minister of education. Envoys were dispatched to mourn and sacrifice at the shrines of Chen Fan, Dou Wu, and the other victims of the earlier purge.
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省扶風都尉，置漢安都護。 詔除光熹、昭寧、永漢三號，還復中平六年。
The Fufeng commandant was abolished in favor of a Han’an protector. An edict abolished the three short-lived era names and reverted the calendar to the sixth year of Zhongping.
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In the first month of the first Chuping year commanderies east of the Taihang rose in arms against Dong Zhuo. On xinhai a general amnesty was declared. On guiyou Dong Zhuo murdered the deposed emperor, the prince of Hongnong. White Wave raiders pillaged Dong commandery.
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On yihai in the second month Huang Wan and Yang Biao were removed as grand commandant and minister of education. On gengchen Dong Zhuo executed Wu Qiong, commandant of the gates, and Zhou Bi, colonel director of the army. Zhao Qian, superintendent of the household for imperial proceedings, became grand commandant; Wang Yun, grand coachman, became minister of education. On dinghai the court ordered the capital transferred to Chang’an. Dong Zhuo herded the entire population of Luoyang west through the passes while he stayed behind encamped at Bigui Park. On renchen a white rainbow spanned the sun.
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On yisi the imperial train reached Chang’an and the court took up residence in Weiyang Palace. On jiyou Dong Zhuo torched the Luoyang palace complex, ancestral shrines, and countless homes. On wuwu Dong Zhuo slaughtered Yuan Kui, the grand tutor, and Yuan Ji, the grand coachman, and wiped out their kin. Xun Shuang, minister of works, died in the fifth month. On xinchou Chong Fu, grandee of brilliant candidacy, was appointed minister of works.
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冬十一月庚戌，鎮星、熒惑、太白合於尾。
On gengxu in the eleventh month Saturn, Mars, and Venus met in the Tail constellation.
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Officials argued that Emperors He, An, Shun, and Huan did not merit the temple epithet “founding ancestor,” and that Empresses Liang, Wang, and Fu had never been chief consorts, so their posthumous empress titles should be stripped. The edict answered, “It may be done.”. Sun Jian then killed Wang Rui, the inspector of Jing, and Zhang Zi, the governor of Nanyang.
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In the seventh month Chong Fu left the ministry of works; Chunyu Jia of Jinan, grandee of brilliant candidacy, replaced him. Zhao Qian was dismissed as grand commandant; Ma Midi, minister of ceremonies, succeeded him. In the ninth month a cometlike “Chiyou banner” appeared in the Horn and Neck asterisms. On renxu in the tenth month Dong Zhuo executed Zhang Wen, commandant of the guards.
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In the eleventh month Qingzhou Yellow Turbans invaded Taishan; Ying Shao, the governor, drove them off. The Yellow Turbans swung into Bohai; Gongsun Zan crushed them again at Dongguang. That year Changsha reported a man who had been dead a month and then sat up alive.
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三年春正月丁丑，大赦天下。
On dingchou in the first month of the third year a general amnesty was granted.
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The Qingzhou Yellow Turbans slew Liu Dai, the inspector of Yan, at Dongping. Cao Cao, governor of Dong commandery, shattered the Yellow Turbans at Shouzhang and took their surrender. On dingyou in the fifth month a general amnesty was proclaimed. On dingwei Huangfu Song, general who guards the west, was promoted to general of chariots and cavalry.
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Li Jue, Guo Si, Fan Chou, Zhang Ji, and other officers of Dong Zhuo’s old army turned on the capital. On wuwu the rebels stormed Chang’an; Chong Fu, Lu Xu, Zhou Huan, Cui Lie, and Wang Qi died fighting, and over ten thousand soldiers and civilians perished. Li Jue and his confederates each proclaimed themselves general. On jiwei another general amnesty was issued. Li Jue murdered Huang Wan, the metropolitan commandant; on jiazi he killed Wang Yun, the minister of education, and exterminated both men’s families. On bingzi Zhao Qian, the Former General, became minister of education.
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In the ninth month Li Jue took the rank of general of chariots and cavalry, Guo Si became general of the rear, Fan Chou general of the right, and Zhang Ji general who guards the east. Zhang Ji marched out to garrison Hongnong. On jiashen Chunyu Jia moved from the ministry of works to the ministry of education, while Yang Biao became the minister of works; both were given secretariat oversight.
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Huangfu Song was removed as grand commandant in the twelfth month. Zhou Zhong, a grandee of brilliant candidacy, became the grand commandant with shared secretariat authority.
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長安宣平城門外屋自壞。 夏五月癸酉，無雲而雷。
Structures outside the Xuanping Gate in Chang’an fell in without apparent cause. On guiyou in the fifth month thunder pealed from a clear sky.
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The sixth month brought a violent windstorm and hail in Fufeng. Mount Hua suffered a landslide and fissures. Zhou Zhong stepped down as the grand commandant; Zhu Jun, the grand coachman, replaced him with secretariat duties. Que Xuan, a rebel leader in Xiapi, declared himself emperor. Heavy rains continued. Attendant censor Pei Mao was sent to review imperial jail cases and free minor offenders. On xinchou a bright meteor, called the heavenly dog, streaked northwest across the sky.
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九月甲午，試儒生四十餘人，上第賜位郎中，次太子舍人，下第者罷之。 詔曰：『孔子歎「學之不講」，不講則所識日忘。 今耆儒年踰六十，去離本土，營求糧資，不得專業。 結童入學，白首空歸，長委農野，永絕榮望，朕甚愍焉。 其依科罷者，聽為太子舍人。』
On jiawu over forty classicists were examined; high scorers became gentlemen consultant, the next tier heir’s householders, and failures were sent home. The edict ran: Confucius mourned that “learning is not pursued”; without pursuit, knowledge slips away daily. Elder scholars past sixty have left home to sit the exams yet must scramble for food and cannot study as they should. They began as boys and go home old men with nothing to show, cast back to the countryside and shut out from office—this fills Us with pity. Those who fail the grading may nonetheless be appointed as householders to the heir apparent.”
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In the tenth month the university held its ceremony; the emperor watched from Yongfu Gate and rewarded the faculty in graded gifts. On xinchou the capital region shook with an earthquake. A comet appeared in the Celestial Market constellation. Yang Biao left the ministry of works; Zhao Wen, minister of ceremonies, succeeded him. Gongsun Zan murdered Liu Yu, grand marshal. On xinchou in the twelfth month an earthquake struck. Zhao Wen left the ministry of works; on yisi Zhang Xi, commandant of the guards, succeeded him. That year King Rong of Langye died.
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興平元年春正月辛酉，大赦天下，改元興平。 甲子，帝加元服。
On xinyou in the first month of the first Xingping year a general amnesty was proclaimed and the era name changed to Xingping. On jiazi the emperor underwent the capping ceremony and came of age.
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On renwu the emperor’s mother, Lady Wang, was given the posthumous title Empress Linghuai; on jiashen her remains were moved to Wenzhao Mausoleum. On dinghai the emperor performed the spring plowing rite at the ritual field.
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On bingzi in the sixth month the four Hexi commanderies were split off from Liang as a new Yong province. On dingchou the earth shook. On wuyin another tremor struck. A solar eclipse on the month’s last day, yisi, led the emperor to withdraw from court, stand down the guard, and suspend audiences for five days. Locusts swarmed in devastating numbers. In the seventh month Zhu Jun was removed as grand commandant. On wuwu Yang Biao, the minister of ceremonies, became the grand commandant with secretariat authority.
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From the fourth month through the seventh the metropolitan region baked under severe drought. He quit the main hall to seek rain, had prisoners ritually cleansed, and freed minor offenders. Grain reached half a million cash a hu, beans and wheat two hundred thousand; cannibalism spread and bones littered the streets. Hou Wen was told to draw grain from the imperial granary for gruel kitchens, but the daily death toll did not fall. Suspecting fraud in famine relief, the emperor had gruel prepared before his seat and proved the ration was short; he sent Liu Ai to rebuke the officials in charge. The director of the secretariat downward went to apologize and asked that Hou Wen be arrested and questioned. The edict read, “I will not send Hou Wen to trial; give him fifty strokes of the rod.”. After that, famine victims more often survived.
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In the eighth month Fengyi Qiang raiders struck outlying counties until Guo Si and Fan Chou drove them off. In the ninth month mulberries flowered out of season, giving people something to eat. Chunyu Jia was dismissed as minister of education. In the tenth month Chang’an’s market gates fell in on their own. Zhao Wen, commandant of the guards, became minister of education with secretariat duties.
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十二月，分安定、扶風為新平郡。
In the twelfth month territory was carved from Anding and Fufeng to create Xinping commandery.
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On bingyin Li Jue forced the emperor into his encampment and torched the palaces.
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On jiawu in the fourth month Worthy Lady Fu was elevated to empress. On dingyou Guo Si’s assault on Li Jue brought missiles to the emperor’s very feet. That same day Li Jue hustled the court into the northern walled camp. A punishing drought continued. On renwu in the fifth month Li Jue took the title of grand marshal.
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On jiazi in the seventh month the court began its march back east. Guo Si took rank as general of chariots and cavalry while Yang Ding, Yang Feng, and Dong Cheng received generalcies and formed the escort for the emperor’s train. Zhang Ji was named general of agile cavalry and went back to garrison Shan. On jiachen the court reached Xinfeng.
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On wuxu Guo Si sent Wu Xi to fire the school compound where the emperor was staying, pressing the court to move on. Yang Ding and Yang Feng attacked Guo Si and broke his force. On renyin the party halted south of the road at Huayin. That night crimson light shot through the Purple Palace asterism. Zhang Ji turned coat again and allied with Li Jue and Guo Si.
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On gengwu Li Jue and Guo Si overtook the imperial column at Eastern Stream, shattered the escort, and slew Deng Quan, Shisun Rui, Xuan Bo, Miao Si, Wei Jie, Zhu Zhan, and Ju Jun. On renshen the court took refuge in the open fields at Caoyang. Yang Feng and Dong Cheng rallied Hu Cai, Li Yue, Han Xian, and the Xiongnu left worthy king Qubei, relieved the emperor, and turned back Li Jue’s pursuit.
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On gengchen the column was able to move forward again. Li Jue struck again, routing the escort, slaughtering and seizing ladies of the palace; Tian Fen, Zhang Yi, and others fell in the melee. The party pressed on to Shan and forded the river under cover of darkness. On yihai the emperor reached Anyi. On guiyou in the first month of the first Jian’an year the court sacrificed to Heaven at Anyi, proclaimed a general amnesty, and adopted the era name Jian’an. In the second month Han Xian attacked Dong Cheng, general of the guards. In the sixth month, on yiwei, the emperor visited Wenxi.
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On jiazi in the seventh month the court entered Luoyang and lodged in the old mansion of Zhao Zhong. On dingchou he offered the suburban sacrifice to Heaven and proclaimed a general amnesty. On jimao he paid his respects at the dynastic temple.
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On xinchou the court took up the Yang’an Hall in the Southern Palace. On guimao Zhang Yang became the grand marshal, Han Xian the general-in-chief, and Yang Feng the general of chariots and cavalry. The palaces were ash; ministers picked their way through thorns and huddled under ruined walls. Regional warlords kept their armies home and sent no supplies; clerks starved; junior secretariat men foraged for wild grain and died in the ruins or at soldiers’ hands. On xinhai Cao Cao, general who guards the east, added metropolitan commandant and control of the secretariat. Cao Cao executed Tai Chong, Feng Shuo, and other courtiers. Dong Cheng was promoted to general who aids the state, thirteen men including Fu Wan received marquisates, and Ju Jun was honored posthumously as governor of Hongnong. On gengshen the seat of government shifted to Xu. On jisi the emperor lodged in Cao Cao’s encampment.
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In the spring of the second year Yuan Shu declared himself emperor. In the third month Yuan Shao assumed the title of general-in-chief. Locusts scourged the land in the fifth month. The Han River burst its banks in the ninth month. Famine drove the people along the Yangzi and Huai to cannibalism. Yuan Shu murdered Liu Chong, prince of Chen. Sun Ce dispatched envoys with tribute to the court.
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In the fourth month of the third year Pei Mao and Duan Wei were sent to destroy Li Jue and extirpate his kin to the third degree. Lu Bu rose in rebellion. In the eleventh month assassins slew Zhang Yang, grand marshal. On guiyou in the twelfth month Cao Cao defeated Lu Bu in Xu province and executed him.
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In the third month of the fourth year Yuan Shao took Yijing and captured Gongsun Zan. Dong Cheng, general of the guards, was promoted to general of chariots and cavalry. Yuan Shu died in the sixth month. That year the posts of left and right vice director of the secretariat were first created. A woman in Wuling who had been dead fourteen days reportedly returned to life.
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In the first month of the fifth year Dong Cheng, Wang Fu, and Zhong Ji received a secret order to kill Cao Cao, but the plot leaked. On renwu Cao Cao executed Dong Cheng and his co-conspirators and wiped out their kin to the third degree. In the seventh month the emperor enfeoffed Liu Feng as king of Nanyang. On renwu King Feng of Nanyang died. The new moon on gengwu in the ninth month was eclipsed. An edict called on the three excellencies to nominate two men of supreme filial piety each, and on every nine-minister, colonel, and commandery or kingdom chief each to nominate one. All submitted sealed memorials with nothing held back. Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu and drove him into flight. On xinhai in the tenth month a comet appeared in the Daliang asterism. King Zhi of Donghai died.
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六年春二月丁卯朔，日有食之。
The new moon on dingmao in the second month of the sixth year was eclipsed.
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On gengxu in the fifth month of the seventh year Yuan Shao died. The kingdom of Khotan sent trained elephants as tribute. That year a man in Yuexi was said to have transformed into a woman.
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八年冬十月己巳，公卿初迎冬於北郊，總章始復備八佾舞。 初置司直官，督中都官。
On jisi in the tenth month the court held the winter welcoming rite at the northern suburb and restored the eight-row dance at the Hall of Grand Unity. The new post of director upright was created to oversee metropolitan officials.
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On wuyin in the eighth month Cao Cao crushed Yuan Shang, subdued Ji province, and added the title shepherd of Ji. A comet appeared in the Eastern Well constellation in the tenth month.
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十二月，賜三公已下金、帛，各有差。 自是三年一賜，以為常制。
In the twelfth month gold and silk were distributed down the official ladder by rank. Henceforth such gifts were to be made every three years by rule.
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A comet blazed in the Northern Dipper in the first month of the eleventh year. In the third month Cao Cao took Gao Gan in Bing province alive. In the seventh month Zhang Meng, governor of Wuwei, murdered Handan Shang, inspector of Yong.
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That year Liu Xi, son of the late Prince Rong of Langye, was installed as king of Langye. The eight vassal kingdoms of Qi, Beihai, Fuling, Xiapi, Changshan, Ganling, Jibei, and Pingyuan were abolished.
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On xinmao in the tenth month a comet appeared in the Quail’s Tail. On yisi Yellow Turbans murdered Liu Yun, prince of Jinan. In the eleventh month Gongsun Kang, governor of Liaodong, executed Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi.
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On dingwei Xi Lu, superintendent of the household for imperial proceedings, became imperial counselor. On renzi Cao Cao executed Kong Rong, the grand counselor, and wiped out his family. That same month Liu Biao died; his younger son Liu Cong succeeded and handed the Jing province to Cao Cao. The tenth month opened on guiwei with a solar eclipse.
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十四年冬十月，荊州地震。
In the tenth month of the fourteenth year Jing province was shaken by an earthquake.
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十五年春二月乙巳朔，日有食之。
The second month of the fifteenth year opened on yisi with a solar eclipse.
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十八年春正月庚寅，復《禹貢》九州。
On gengyin in the first month of the eighteenth year the administrative map was redrawn to match the nine provinces of the 《Tribute of Yu》.
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On dingmao in the eleventh month Cao Cao executed Empress Fu, her entire clan, and her two young sons.
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On jiazi in the first month of the twentieth year Worthy Lady Cao was elevated to empress. Every man in the realm received one step in rank; model sons and model farmers received two. Grain was distributed to princes and officials down the ladder in graded amounts. In the seventh month Cao Cao conquered Hanzhong and Zhang Lu submitted.
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On jiawu in the fourth month of the twenty-first year Cao Cao took the title king of Wei. The fifth month opened on jihai with a solar eclipse. In the seventh month the Southern Xiongnu Shanyu paid a formal visit to the court. That year Cao Cao executed Liu Xi, king of Langye, and abolished the kingdom.
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坐謀欲渡江，被誅。
He was executed for plotting to cross the Yangzi.
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二十四年春二月壬子晦，日有食之。
The second month closed on renzi with a solar eclipse.
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In the twenty-fifth year, in spring, on gengzi in the first month, Cao Cao, King of Wei, died. His son Pi succeeded to his position. In the second month, on dingwei, the first day, there was a solar eclipse. In the third month, the reign title was changed to Yankang.
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On yimao in the tenth month the emperor abdicated and Cao Pi, king of Wei, became emperor. The former emperor was enfeoffed as duke of Shanyang with ten thousand households, precedence over other princes, privilege to address the throne without calling himself a subject, to receive edicts without bowing, to worship Heaven and Earth with imperial regalia, and to keep Han ritual at his court in Zhuolu. The four imperial sons who held kingships were demoted to marquises.
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On gengyin in the third month of Wei’s second Qinglong year the duke of Shanyang died. Fourteen years passed from his abdication to his death at the age of fifty-four; he received the posthumous title Emperor Xian. On renshen in the eighth month he was interred at Shan Mausoleum with full Han imperial honors and officials to tend the tomb.
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The historian comments: the classics compare the throne to a bronze tripod—small yet weighty, a thing the spirits protect and none may seize by force. Yet here was a man who bore that burden on his back and hurried onward—was this not fate run to its bitter end! Heaven had turned against Han’s mandate long before; the duke of Shanyang hardly deserved reproach!
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The summation reads: Emperor Xian was born under an ill star, his person tossed from throne to exile while the dynasty stumbled. Thus ended the Han’s four centuries, its last sovereign standing as a guest king like the heirs of Shun before the Xia.