The 6th Year of Yuanshou (117 BC): A Power Shift in the Late Reign of Emperor Wu of Han

Brief Introduction

The 6th Year of Yuanshou, corresponding to 117 BC, was the 35th year of the reign of Emperor Wu (Liu Che) of the Western Han Dynasty. In the historical narrative of the Zizhi Tongjian, this year marks the end of Emperor Wu's peak period and the beginning of political turmoil in his later years. With the decline of the Wei imperial in-law group, the empire's power structure underwent profound changes, laying the groundwork for the later "Witchcraft Incident."

Core Knowledge Points

* Time Positioning: 117 BC, belonging to the mid-Western Han period.
* Major Events:
1. Deposition and Death of Empress Wei: Implicated by Li Ling's surrender to the Xiongnu, the Wei Qing family lost power. Empress Wei Zifu was deposed and forced to commit suicide. This marked the end of the "Wei-Huo Era."
2. Xiongnu Invasion: The Xiongnu invaded Yanmen Commandery again. While border pressure remained, the Han dynasty lacked the previous vigor for large-scale counterattacks.
3. Emperor's Decline: Emperor Wu was aging, his physical functions were declining, and his control over court politics began to show signs of fatigue.

Connection with the Content of Zizhi Tongjian

In Zizhi Tongjian, Han Ji 4, Volume 17, Sima Guang recorded the 6th Year of Yuanshou in detail. He not only recorded the death of Empress Wei but also revealed the fragility of the relationship between imperial power and imperial in-laws through this event.

* Historical Style: When recording Empress Wei's death, Sima Guang emphasized how Emperor Wu's anger over the Li Ling incident affected the Empress, reflecting the harsh political ecology of "one person guilty, nine generations implicated."
Warning Significance: The Zizhi Tongjian* uses this as an example to warn future monarchs to balance the power of imperial in-laws when employing people and governing the country, avoiding over-reliance on a single political group. Otherwise, once power is lost, it will trigger drastic changes in the court situation.
Contextual Connection: Around this year, the Zizhi Tongjian* records the process from Li Guangli's expedition to the destruction of the Wei family, showing the historical trend of Emperor Wu's increased suspicion in his later years and the court atmosphere shifting from open to closed.

Historical Significance

The 6th Year of Yuanshou is an important watershed in Western Han history. It signifies the formal end of the era where Emperor Wu relied on military generals like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing to expand territory. Afterwards, Emperor Wu began to turn towards internal administrative rectification and succession issues, shifting the empire's focus from external expansion to internal stability. For studying Han political history and the narrative logic of the Zizhi Tongjian, this year provides a typical sample for understanding the rise and fall of families under imperial autocracy.

Keywords: 6th Year of Yuanshou, Emperor Wu of Han, Zizhi Tongjian, Empress Wei Zifu, Western Han History, 117 BC