Crown Prince Li
| Liu Ju | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Prince of Han | |||||
| Crown Prince of Han | |||||
| Predecessor | Crown Prince Liu Che | ||||
| Successor | none (eventually Crown Prince Liu Shi | ||||
| Born | 128 BC | ||||
| Died | 91 BC (aged 37) Hu, Han |
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| Spouse | Consort Shi | ||||
| Issue | Liu Jin two other sons a daughter |
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| Father | Emperor Wu of Han | ||||
| Mother | Empress Wei Zifu | ||||
| Posthumous name | |
|---|---|
| Crown Prince Li 戾太子 |
Liu Ju (Traditional Chinese: 劉據) (128 BC – 91 BC), formally known as Crown Prince Wei (衛太子) and posthumously as Crown Prince Li (戾太子, literally "the Unrepentant Crown Prince") was a Western Han Dynasty crown prince. He was the eldest son and the heir apparent to his father, Emperor Wu of Han, until his death at age 38 during the political turmoil in 91 BC. Contrary to his less-than-flattering posthumous name, Liu Ju was generally regarded by historians as a well-mannered, benevolent, morally upright man who, by circumstances out of his control, was forced into an uprising against his father's army and died as a consequence of the rebellion.
Liu Ju's mother, Wei Zifu, was Emperor Wu's second wife. Emperor Wu's first wife, Empress Chen Jiao, had long lost the Emperor's favor due to infertility, as well as her spoiled and jealous personality. When Empress Chen was found employing witchcraft to curse Emperor Wu's other concubines (aimed at Wei Zifu in particular), she was officially deposed in 130 BC, leaving open the position of empress. Wei Zifu, who was Emperor Wu's favorite consort since 138 BC, had then already born him three daughters. In 128 BC, she gave birth to Liu Ju, Emperor Wu's first son, and was created empress as a result.
It was recorded that Emperor Wu, who was already 29 years old when he had the first son, was overjoyed and ordered poets to write paeans celebrating the arrival of the "grand prince", hinting Liu Ju would become his imperial heir by default. Prince Ju was later formally created crown prince in 122 BC, at the age of 6.
Emperor Wu had high hope for Prince Ju, and made sure he got the best education possible, even constructing the "Broad Vision Academy" (博望苑) to allow his son exposure to all schools of scholars. It is unclear when did Liu Ju become involved in government affairs, but as he matured and Emperor Wu began to take more and more time vacating away from the capital since 113 BC, he was entrusted as the prince regent while his father was absent. His mother Empress Wei, whose sexual attraction decreased in the eyes of Emperor Wu, was still entrusted for domestic palace affairs. Both Liu Ju and Empress Wei remained well respected by Emperor Wu.
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Wikipedia