Jiang Chong and the Witchcraft Incident: The Sycophantic Official and Imperial Crisis in the Hanshu

Brief Introduction

Jiang Chong (? – 91 BC), courtesy name Ciqian, was a native of Handan. He was one of the central figures in the late court of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, renowned for his snitching and cruel severity. In the Hanshu (Book of Han), Jiang Chong is not only a famous "sycophantic official" (ning) but also the key catalyst for the "Witchcraft Incident" (Wugu zhi huo). This event directly led to the suicide of Crown Prince Liu Ju and the hanging of Empress Wei, leaving tens of thousands displaced. It profoundly altered the political landscape of the Western Han and laid the groundwork for the later "Zoo-Xuan Restoration" under Emperors Zhao and Xuan.

Core Knowledge Points

1. The Rise of Jiang Chong
Initially, Jiang Chong fled to the capital to escape punishment for crimes, seeking refuge as a retainer under General Wei Qing. He was adept at reading people's expressions and mastering the arts of "shamanic divination." In his later years, Emperor Wu was suspicious and deeply believed in alchemy and immortality rituals. Jiang Chong gained favor by reporting witchcraft cases within the palace to the Emperor. He repeatedly used the method of "unearthing gui" (digging up buried corpses or idols) to falsely accuse others of practicing witchcraft curses against the Emperor. Consequently, he rose to the position of Direct Advisor, was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Duyangzi, and wielded power that dominated the court.

2. The Trigger of the Witchcraft Incident
According to the Biographies of Sycophants in the Hanshu, in the second year of Zhenghe (91 BC; note: the source text mentions Jianyuan year one, which is likely a typo for this period, as the incident occurred in 91 BC), Emperor Wu suffered from long-term illness and suspected that someone was cursing him via witchcraft. Jiang Chong instigated messengers to dig for "gui" in Chang'an. First, he arrested officials serving the Crown Prince Liu Ju, torturing them into confessing that the Prince was involved in witchcraft. Subsequently, Jiang Chong sent a barbarian shaman to dig in the Prince's residence, where they found a paulownia wooden doll. This was used as "evidence" to accuse the Crown Prince.

3. Political Consequences and Family Destruction
Although Crown Prince Liu Ju was typically supported by officials such as the Grand Tutor Jiji An (Note: The text mentions Jiji An, but historically it was likely other confidants or officials like Tian Ren who were involved or in conflict; this refers to the Prince's close associates being implicated), under immense pressure, Liu Ju was forced to raise troops against Jiang Chong. Although Liu Ju eventually failed and perished, Jiang Chong’s actions completely exacerbated Emperor Wu’s paranoia in his later years. After the incident, as Emperor Wu realized the truth and influenced by Huo Guang and Shang Guan Yi, Jiang Chong was executed along with his three clans. This tragedy marked the deterioration of the political ecosystem in Emperor Wu’s twilight years, signaling the formal outbreak of the "Witchcraft Rebellion."

Connection to Content in the Hanshu

In the Hanshu written by Ban Gu, Jiang Chong’s image primarily appears in the Biographies of Sycophants (Ningxing Zhuan). This biographical category itself carries a strong evaluative tone from the historian; "Ning" refers to flattery and treachery, while "Xing" refers to being favored. By placing Jiang Chong in this section, Ban Gu intended to criticize his behavior of exploiting the Emperor's superstitious mentality, manipulating cruel punishments, and framing the loyal and upright.

Furthermore, records of Jiang Chong are interspersed in the Annals of Emperor Wu and the Biography of General Wei and Marquis Qian in the Hanshu. For instance, when narrating the rise and fall of the Wei family (Wei Qing, Wei Zifu, Crown Prince Wei), Jiang Chong is depicted as an "outsider" interfering in imperial internal affairs, forming a stark contrast with the Wei clan. Through the specific act of Jiang Chong "unearthing gui," the Hanshu reveals the political deadlock in Emperor Wu’s later years, characterized by the Emperor's many taboos and the subordinates' prevalence of treachery and flattery.

The story of Jiang Chong in the Hanshu is not merely a tragedy of individual fate but also a crucial footnote to the Western Han's transition from prosperity to decline. It illustrates the deep mechanisms by which irrational decision-making and the alienation of the bureaucratic system jointly led to national crisis under the backdrop of autocratic imperial power. For historians studying Han political institutions, the relationship between imperial and prime ministerial power, and the impact on Confucian orthodox concepts, the case of Jiang Chong is an indispensable part of analyzing the political shifts during Emperor Wu's reign.