Cheng Han

Cheng Han (成漢) 成 (304-338), 漢 (338-347)
← 304–347 →
Capital	Chengdu
Language(s)	Ba-Shu Chinese
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
- 304-334	Li Xiong
- 334	Li Ban
- 334-338	Li Qi
- 338-343	Li Shou
- 343-347	Li Shi
History
- Li Te's change of Jin Dynasty era name	303
- Li Xiong's claim of princely title	304 304
- Li Xiong's claim of imperial title	306
- Name change to Han	338
- Disestablished	347
- Li Shi's death	361

The Cheng Han (simplified Chinese: 成汉; traditional Chinese: 成漢; pinyin: Chénghàn; 303 or 304-347) was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty (265-420) in China. It represented two states, the Cheng state (成, pinyin Chéng) proclaimed in 304 by Li Xiong and the Han state (汉, pinyin Hàn) in 338 by Li Shou. Since they were both ruled by the Li family of the Ba ethnicity,^[1] scholars with Chinese backgrounds often combined them into a single Cheng Han state. (The Li family has also been described as being of Ba-Di ethnicity, they were originally Ba from modern Sichuan who had settled among the Di in modern Gansu.)^[2] Western texts frequently referred to the two states separately. Whether the treatment is correct is debatable—when Li Shou claimed the throne in 338, he did not acknowledge his throne as having been inherited from Li Xiong's line, and indeed, while continuing the worship of Li Xiong, maintained it in a separate temple. Li Shou's son Li Shi, however, acknowledged the prior emperors as his predecessors. Cheng Han's was the earliest establishment of the Sixteen Kingdoms.

All rulers of the Cheng Han declared themselves "emperors".

The commonly accepted founding year of Cheng has been 304. Nevertheless Li Te declared a new era name in 303 and self-declaration of era name has been considered by some Chinese scholars to be a symbol of a new government. At that time, however, Li Te claimed no imperial or other special titles for himself.

Rulers of the Cheng Han

Temple names	Posthumous names	Family names and given name	Durations of reigns	Era names and their according durations
Chinese convention: use family and given names
Cheng 303 or 304-338
Shizu (始祖 pinyin Shǐzǔ) or Shizu (世祖 Shìzǔ)	Jing (景 Jǐng)	Li Te (李特 Lǐ Tè)	303	Jianchu (建初 Jiànchū) or Jingchu (景初 Jǐngchū) 303
Did not exist	Did not exist	Li Liu (李流 Lǐ Liú)	several months in 303	Did not exist
Taizong (太宗 Tàizōng)	Wu (武 Wǔ)	Li Xiong (李雄 Lǐ Xióng)	303-334	Jianxing (建興 Jiànxīng) 304-306 Yanping (晏平 Yànpíng) 306-311 Yuheng (玉衡 Yùhéng) 311-334
Did not exist	Ai (哀 āi)	Li Ban (李班 Lǐ Bān)	7 months in 334	Yuheng (玉衡 Yùhéng) 7 months in 334
Did not exist	Yougong (幽公 Yōugōng)	Li Qi (李期 Lǐ Qī)	334-338	Yuheng (玉恆 Yùhéng) 335-338
Han 338-347
Zhongzong (中宗 zhōngzōng)	Zhaowen (昭文 Zhāowén)	Li Shou (李壽 Lǐ Shòu)	338-343	Hanxing (漢興 Hànxīng) 338-343
Did not exist	Guiyihou (歸義侯 Guīyìhóu)	Li Shi (李勢 Lǐ Shì)	343-347	Taihe (太和 Tàihé) 343-346 Jianing (嘉寧 Jiàníng) 346-347

See also

• Ba
• Di (ethnic group)
• List of past Chinese ethnic groups
• Wu Hu
• Sixteen Kingdoms
• Huan Wen
• Sichuan
• Eight Immortals from Sichuan

Notes

1. ^ Kleeman, 2.
2. ^ Holcombe, Charles (2001). The Genesis of East Asia, 221 B.C.-A.D. 907. University of Hawaii Press. p. 24. ISBN 0824824652.

References

• Kleeman, Terry F., Great Perfection: Religion and Ethnicity in a Chinese Millennial Kingdom, ISBN 0-8248-1800-8

External links

• History of China: A good catalogue of info