Huo Guang(?) –68 BC), courtesy name Meng, a native of Pingyang County, Hedong County (present-day Linfen, Shanxi), was a prominent Han politician of the Western Han Dynasty. He is the half-brother of the famous Western Han Dynasty general Huo Fuyi.
Huo Guang's father was named Huo Zhongru, and around 141 BC, Huo Zhongru was sent to serve in the family of Cao Zong, the Marquis of Pingyang (the sixth generation grandson of Han Xiang Cao Shan), as a county official. Huo Zhongru and Wei Shao'er, the daughter of Wei Mi, the maid of the Marquis of Pingyang, gave birth to Huo's illness. Huo Zhongru returned home with Huo after the end of his mission at the Marquis of Pingyang, where he married another wife and gave birth to Huo Guang and other siblings, and Huo Zhongru and Wei Shao'er did not communicate with each other thereafter.
In the second year of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (121 BC), Huo Went ill at this time, the official Bai Hu riding the general, on the way to attack the Xiongnu, was welcomed by Hedong Taishou to the residence of the Marquis of Pingyang (平陽侯国, in modern Linfen, Shanxi), and sent someone to invite Huo Zhongru to meet Huo Zhiyi's father and son. Huo Wentyi bought many fields and properties for them and left, and since then Huo has been recognized by his father Huo Zhongru and younger brother Huo Guang. The following year, Huo went ill and then invaded the Xiongnu, passing through this place and taking his father's family to Live in Chang'an. Emperor Wu of Han remembered the merits of Huo Guang's illness and promoted Huo Guang to serve in the imperial court. He successively served as Lang Guan, and then moved Huo Guang to serve as Cao Guan and Attendant Zhong.
In the sixth year of the Yuan Dynasty (117 BC), the 24-year-old Sima Da, the general of the Hussars, and the champion Hou Huo died of illness. Emperor Wu of Han appointed Huo Guang as the Governor of Fengche and the Grand Master of Guanglu. Huo Guang was often at the mercy of Emperor Wu of Han and was deeply trusted by Liu Che. In the second year of Emperor Wu of Han's conquest (91 BC), the "Scourge of witchcraft" occurred in Han Ting, and the crown prince Liu Zhi was framed by Jiang Chong, the capital of Shuiheng, Su Wen, and Han Shu (the great-grandson of Han Wang Xin in the early Han Dynasty, not the great-grandson of Han Xin the Marquis of Huaiyin in the early Han Dynasty), and Liu Zhi's entire family was executed except for his newborn grandson (Great-grandson of Emperor Wu of Han) Liu Yi, who had just been born. Emperor Wu of Han intended to make Liu Fuling, the son of Zhao Jieyu (Lady Hook Yi), the crown prince, and planned to have Huo Guang and others assist him.
In the second year of emperor Wu of Han (87 BC), Emperor Wu of Han became seriously ill and made Liu Fuling, who was only 8 years old, crown prince. Huo Guang, the lieutenant of Fengche, was appointed as the Grand Sima and Grand General, and Kim Il-seok was made the Che Riding General and the Auxiliary Chancellor. He was made a general of the left, and Sang Hongyang, a lieutenant of sosu, was made an assistant minister of imperial history, and jointly assisted the young lord (Emperor Zhao of Han). In the first year of the han zhao emperor 's reign ( 86 BC ) , the general Jin Ilju , who had been assisting the imperial government for more than a year , died of illness , and Huo Guang held the supreme power of the Han government. Huo Guang had a marriage relationship with Jin Il-ri and Shangguan Jie. After Kim Il-seok's death. The huo and shangguan families were more closely related, and whenever Huo Guang went out to inspect or take a vacation to recuperate, Shangguan Jie often took the place of handling state affairs. The two worked together happily and governed the country well.
According to the opinion of Emperor Han Zhao, Huo Guang abolished many of the untimely and cruel laws and practices of Emperor Wu of Han, and in the fourth year of the first century (83 BC), Huo Guang issued a pardon in the name of Emperor Han Zhao, releasing many people who could not clarify, try and sentence. Began to rest with the people, put the people first, focus on agriculture, lightly levy taxes, reduce war expenditures, and so on. At the same time, Huo Guang also formulated many policies to benefit the people. Militarily, Huo Guang adjusted the northern defense and recruited the people of the county to build fortifications. He also personally led troops to quell the rebellion in the southwest and stabilize the situation on the frontier.
In the sixth year of the first century (81 BC), the Great Sima and the great general Huo Guang, in the name of Emperor Han Zhao, ordered Qianqiu Xiangtian and The Imperial Master Sang Hongyang to gather more than 60 xianliang people from all over the country to discuss "a general discussion on political gains and losses." This is the famous "Salt and Iron Conference" in history. Although Huo Guang did not attend the meeting, he was inclined to be conservative. Oppose salt and iron reforms. Chiaki Shodota and Mishi Daifu Sanghiro were adamant advocates of reform. Emperor Zhao of Han eventually adopted the reformed salt and iron reforms. But it did not completely abolish the salt and iron state monopoly, but banned some salt and iron monopolies.
Shangguan An, the son of Shangguan Jie, married Huo Guang's eldest daughter and had a daughter of the Shangguan clan. Earlier, in the fourth year of the first century (83 BC), Liu Fuling, the Emperor of Han Zhao, was only 12 years old. Princess Eyi (the eldest sister of Emperor Zhao of Han, also known as Princess Gaichang) chose an empress for her, and Huo Guang's son-in-law, Shangguan An, planned to have her 6-year-old daughter Shangguan Shi enter the harem, but Huo Guang opposed it. Shangguan An had a good relationship with Princess Eyi's lover, Ding Wairen, through the relationship of Princess Gaichang. The empress dowager Shangguan (later Empress Shangguan) was made empress, and Shangguan An was thus promoted to the rank of Cheqi general and given the title of Marquis of Sangle. In order to repay Princess Eyi, the Shangguan family wanted Ding Wairen to be made a marquis (according to the Han Dynasty, non-marquises could not marry princesses), but Huo Guang rejected it on the grounds that Han "could not be crowned marquis without merit". Huo Guang had also prevented other relatives of the Shangguan family from becoming officials many times before, and Shangguan Jie thus formed a grudge with Huo Guang and became a political enemy. Shangguan Jie thought that he was jiuqing at a very early age, and his status was higher than Huo Guang's. Why is he now the final say?
The imperial master Sang Hongyang was proud of his high merits, and his request for an official for his sons was also rejected by Huo Guang. At that time, the political views of Sang Hongyang and Huo Guang were seriously different, especially after the "Salt and Iron Conference", Sang Hongyang resented Huo Guang's monopoly of power, and the two gradually drifted apart. Emperor Han Zhao's brother Liu Dan the Prince of Yan held a grudge because he was not made emperor. So these forces united in this way, and they tried to kill Huo Guang and blame Emperor Han Zhao. Taking advantage of the opportunity to depose Liu Fuling, Liu Dan the Prince of Yan was made emperor. Li Guan Ji was made king, and Ding Wairen was made Hou.
Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang, Ding Wairen, and others then secretly collected Huo Guang's faults and gave these materials to Liu Dan, the King of Yan. Liu Dan sent people to take advantage of Huo Guang's vacation to write these so-called "incriminating evidence" to Emperor Han Zhao, saying: "Huo Guang inspected the military exercises of the Yulin Army in Guangming, prohibited officers from entering and leaving freely, and also transferred the shogunate lieutenants to the General's Mansion to guard without authorization. He also said that Huo Guang was still dissatisfied with the monopoly of power, and he was afraid that he would plot against him." Unexpectedly, although Emperor Han Zhao was only 14 years old, he was extremely intelligent. One look at it and you know it, and put it aside and ignore it.
When Huo Guang heard the news, he stayed at home for several days and did not dare to go to the court. Emperor Han Zhao asked, "Where is Sima Da now?" Shangguan Jie replied: "Because the King of Yan exposed his crimes, he did not dare to enter the dynasty!"! Emperor Han Zhao ordered people to summon Huo Guang, and Huo Guang trembled and trembled, so he had to enter the court hall with his scalp, take off his hat and prostrate his head to apologize! Emperor Han Zhao said, "Put on your hat, I know you are not guilty"! Huo Guang asked, "How did Your Majesty know?" "Does it still need to be asked?" The exercise was only more than ten days old, so how did the Yan King, who was thousands of miles away, know? How did you get to school so quickly? Even if you want to plot against you, you don't need the lieutenant to guard the door in the palace, this is clearly fake!" When the courtiers heard this, they were surprised that the emperor was so sophisticated at such a young age. The messenger who wrote the book was frightened to run away overnight when he heard the news. Emperor Zhao of Han ordered the posthumous messenger of the King of Yan, and Shangguan Jie was afraid that if he caught the emissary, he would be exposed. Hurry up and say: "Such a small thing is not worth pursuing"! When Emperor Han Zhao saw that Shangguan Ji and his gang were still slandering Huo Guang again, he angrily said: "The great general is a loyal subject, and the former emperor asked him to assist him, and whoever dares to slander him again will be punished according to the crime!"
In the first year of the Han Zhao Emperor Yuan Feng (80 BC), Shangguan Jie was worried that this matter would be leaked, so he conspired with Princess Eyi and Liu Dan the Prince of Yan to launch an armed coup. They planned that Princess Gaichang would set up a banquet to invite Emperor Zhao of Han, Huo Guang, and others, order the ambushed soldiers to kill Huo Guang, and then abolish Emperor Han Zhao, and welcome Liu Dan, the King of Yan, to succeed him. Unexpectedly, he was denounced by the rice emissary (the official who managed the rice field tax) under the princess and heard about it. The matter was revealed, and The King of Yan and Princess Gaichang committed suicide. Shangguan Jie, Shangguan An, and Ding Wairen were exterminated. Empress Shangguan was young, did not participate in this rebellion, and was Huo Guang's granddaughter, so she was not deposed. The Sanghong sheep were implicated and exterminated.
After quelling the civil unrest, Huo Guang gained the full trust of Emperor Han Zhao. Not only did Huo Guangquan fall to the opposition, "Wei Zhen Hai Nei". Moreover, his sons and relatives all became high officials, and their influence spread throughout the imperial court of the Western Han Dynasty. Huo Guang had become the de facto supreme ruler at that time. Huo Guang adopted a policy of recuperation, repeatedly pardoned the world, encouraged farming and mulberry seeds, and the national strength of the Han Dynasty was restored to a certain extent. Huo Guang adopted a policy of easing relations with the Xiongnu and restoring a policy of peace and pro-Xiongnu. Emperor Han Zhao reigned for thirteen years, and "the people were enriched, and the four Yi were obeyed." Unveiled the prelude to the "Zhaoxuan ZTE".
In April of the first year of Yuan Ping (74 BC), Emperor Zhao of Han died three years after his pro-government, at the age of 21. Since Emperor Zhao of Han had no heirs, Huo Guang decided to install Liu He the Prince of Emperor Wu of Han(sun Changyi, present-day Juye, Shandong) on the throne, and Liu He reigned for only 27 days and was deposed for absurdity. On the recommendation of Bing Ji and Du Yannian, Huo Guang decided to make Emperor Wu of Han's great-grandson Liu Qing (Liu Yijie) emperor for Emperor Xuan of Han. Huo Guang continued to support the government. Emperor Xuan of Han, liu qing, did not take the advice of his courtiers to make Huo Chengjun, huo Guang's daughter, empress, and expressed his wish to make his wife Xu Pingjun empress. Huo Guang did not object, but Huo Guang's stepsister felt that his daughter was not an empress and was very dissatisfied, so she bought the Tai Doctor Chun Yuyan. In the first month of the third year of the Han Dynasty (71 BC), Chun Yuyan took advantage of Xu Pingjun's pregnancy and poisoned Empress Xu.
In March of the second year (68 BC) of emperor Xuandi of Han, Huo Guang died of illness and was given the title of Xuancheng. Emperor Xuan and Empress Shangguan personally mourned and buried Huo Guang according to the emperor's specifications. In the third year of Emperor Xuan of Han (51 BC), Emperor Xuan of Han accepted the surrender of the Southern Xiongnu and recalled that he had assisted the meritorious ministers in the past, but he had people paint eleven images of meritorious servants in the Qilin Pavilion to commemorate and commend them, with Huo Guang as the first.
Three years after Huo Guang's death, the Huo family was afraid of their rights, and the rebellion was suppressed, and the Huo family was destroyed.
Emperor Xuan of Han said: "Therefore, Emperor Xiaowu of the Great Sima And the Great General, the Marquis of Bolu, had more than thirty years, and Emperor Xiaozhao of Fu had more than ten years, and when he suffered great hardships, he bowed down to Bingyi and led the Three Dukes, the Ninth Qing, and the Great Doctor to set the Ten Thousand Books, and to settle the Records of the Ten Thousand Worlds, to an Sheji, and to steam the world to Kangning. The merit is lush and the merit is very good. After the restoration of his future generations, his titles, there is nothing to do with the world, and the merit is like Xiao Xiangguo. Bolu Xuancheng Hou Guangsu Wei Zhongzheng, industrious country". The Eastern Han Dynasty historian Ban Gu said: "Huo Guang was entrusted with the infancy of the swaddling, the sender of the Han Dynasty, kuang guoguo, An Sheji, Yongzhao, and Lixuan, although why did Zhou Gong and Ah Heng do so?" However, Huo Guang did not learn the art of death, but was immersed in Dali; the evil wife plotted, the daughter was established as the queen, and the desire to drown was overflowing, in order to increase the disaster of subversion, and it was only three years after his death, and the clan cursed and mourned"! The chancellor of the Tang Dynasty said, "Han Xing, Xiao He, Zhang Liang, Huo Fuyi, Huo Guang, Wen Wu, Zuo Han zhi Taiping, one is not good, but there are Wen Zhen, Wen Cheng, Jing Huan, xuan cheng." Sima Guang said in the Zizhi Tongjian: "Huo Guang's auxiliary Han room can be described as loyal." The modern historian Cai Dongfan said: "(Huo) Guangguang is loyal and generous, but his intelligence is insufficient, and he sincerely does not learn and has no skills"? Later generations said, "Alas! Huo Guang knew that before he died, he did not count his death, and three years after his death, the family was destroyed, and he was sad"?