Emperor Zhang of Han

Emperor Zhang of Han (; 56 – 9 April 88), born Liu Da (劉炟), was an emperor of the Chinese Han dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Eastern Han. Emperor Zhang was a hardworking and diligent emperor. He reduced taxes and paid close attention to all affairs of state. Zhang also reduced government spending as well as promoted Confucianism. As a result, Han society prospered and its culture flourished during this period. Along with his father Emperor Ming, Emperor Zhang's reign has been highly praised and was regarded as the golden age of the Eastern Han period, and their reigns are collectively known as the Rule of Ming and Zhang. During his reign, Chinese troops under the leadership of General Ban Chao progressed far west while in pursuit of Xiongnu insurgents harassing the trade routes now collectively known as the Silk Road. The Eastern Han dynasty, after Emperor Zhang, would be plagued with internal strife between royal factions and eunuchs struggling for power. The people for the coming century and a half would yearn for the good days of Emperors Ming and Zhang. (However, part of the strife came from the power obtained by consort clans – and the precedent was set by Emperor Zhang's bestowing of power on both his adoptive mother Empress Dowager Ma's clan and his wife Empress Dou's clan.) The strife between the eunuchs and royal factions would start a chain reaction of events that led to the end of the Han dynasty in 220. Then-Prince Da was born to then-Crown Prince Liu Zhuang and one of his consorts, Consort Jia, in 56. As Crown Prince Zhang's favorite, Consort Ma – Consort Jia's aunt (her mother's sister) – had no sons, at Crown Prince Zhang's instruction, Consort Ma adopted Prince Da as her own son. Prince Da therefore grew up considering Consort Ma as his mother, and while he clearly knew that Consort Jia was his birth mother, he never treated her as mother. In 57, Prince Da's grandfather Emperor Guangwu died, and his father Crown Prince Zhuang succeeded to the throne as Emperor Ming.