In 91 BC, the entire Han Dynasty was shrouded in tension; after Crown Prince Liu Ju raised troops in rebellion due to the witchcraft scandal and committed suicide upon failure, the question of who would be the next heir to the throne became the top priority for the other princes, with covert struggles gradually escalating into open contention, greatly troubling Emperor Wu of Han. Ultimately, Emperor Wu favored his youngest son, Liu Fuling, and decided to make him crown prince; to ensure the other princes would not pose a threat to the heir in the future, Emperor Wu weakened the power of Liu Dan and Liu Xu, and also ordered the death of the crown prince's mother, Lady Gouyi, to prevent interference from the maternal relatives. After the crown prince was chosen, Emperor Wu commissioned a painting of the Duke of Zhou carrying King Cheng of Zhou on his back and bestowed it upon the Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, Huo Guang, hoping he would faithfully assist the young ruler like the Duke of Zhou.
Why did Emperor Wu of Han specifically choose Huo Guang to support the crown prince?
Huo Guang was born in Hepingyang (present-day Linfen, Shanxi) and was the half-brother of the famous Western Han general Huo Qubing. In 119 BC, when General Huo Qubing led a northern campaign against the Xiongnu and returned victorious through Pingyang, he brought Huo Guang to Chang'an and appointed him as a court attendant in his military camp. Huo Guang lived up to his brother's expectations, handling affairs with meticulous order, and was quickly promoted to various court positions, participating in the management of military matters. After Huo Qubing's death, Emperor Wu of Han greatly appreciated Huo Guang, appointing him as Commandant of Chariots and Cavalry, responsible for the emperor's safety, and granting him the treatment of a Grand Master of Remonstrance. Whenever Emperor Wu traveled, Huo Guang was always by his side, and through his interactions with the emperor, he gradually learned how to navigate the intrigues of the imperial court.
In 87 BCE, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty passed away, and Crown Prince Liu Fuling ascended the throne, becoming Emperor Zhao of Han, with Huo Guang serving as the regent, jointly managing state affairs alongside General of Chariots and Cavalry Jin Midi, General of the Left Shangguan Jie, and Imperial Censor Sang Hongyang. At that time, Emperor Zhao was only eight years old, and since Huo Guang had been personally appointed as the regent by Emperor Wu, all court matters had to be decided through Huo Guang's hands.
In 85 BCE, to honor Huo Guang for his loyal service to the state, Emperor Zhao of Han enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Bolu. With the help of Princess Gai, Huo Guang's granddaughter entered the palace and became empress. Originally, Huo Guang's daughter had married Shangguan Jie's son, Shangguan An. Seeking to seize power at court, Shangguan Jie and Shangguan An curried favor with Princess Gai, hoping to have a girl from their own family made empress. Having received benefits from them, Princess Gai naturally did everything she could to send Shangguan An's daughter into the palace. Huo Guang initially opposed this, but with everyone strongly insisting, and since the empress was his own granddaughter, he reluctantly agreed. Shangguan An was thus enfeoffed as the Marquis of Sangle. To repay Princess Gai's kindness, the Shangguan father and son repeatedly asked Huo Guang to arrange official positions for those close to the princess. Huo Guang, believing that officials should possess genuine talent and learning rather than obtaining posts through power and connections, rejected their requests. The Shangguan father and son felt deeply embarrassed, and Princess Gai was also furious, but due to Huo Guang's influence at court, they dared not openly vent their resentment.
Sang Hongyang was also deeply dissatisfied with Huo Guang. Although he was also a regent minister, Emperor Zhao of Han only listened to Huo Guang, and Huo Guang and Sang Hongyang were always at odds. So Sang Hongyang allied with the father and son Shangguan and joined forces with Princess Gai to secretly plot a rebellion, intending to depose Emperor Zhao and install Liu Dan, the Prince of Yan, as emperor. Just as they were intensely planning, someone secretly informed Huo Guang and Emperor Zhao. Upon hearing this, both flew into a rage and ordered the execution of the Shangguan father and son and Sang Hongyang's entire clan. Princess Gai and the Prince of Yan, realizing the situation was hopeless, committed suicide one after another. Because Empress Shangguan was still young and also Huo Guang's granddaughter, she was not deposed.
From then on, the imperial court was almost entirely monopolized by Huo Guang alone. Under the glow of his power, many of his relatives also obtained official positions, and the Huo family grew increasingly prosperous.
In 74 BCE, Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty died without leaving any heirs, so Huo Guang gathered his ministers to discuss who should be made emperor. Emperor Wu of Han still had a son, Liu Xu, the Prince of Guangling, but since Emperor Wu had not favored him during his reign, the ministers did not consider having Liu Xu ascend the throne. Emperor Wu also had a grandson, Liu He, the Prince of Changyi, so everyone supported Liu He's accession to the throne, with Huo Guang continuing to serve as the regent.
Unexpectedly, Liu He, the Prince of Changyi, turned out to be a dissolute playboy who lived extravagantly and even went out for pleasure trips and hunting during the mourning period for Emperor Wu of Han, despite repeated admonitions from his subordinates. When Liu He learned that Empress Dowager Shangguan had summoned him to the palace to ascend the throne, he became even more arrogant. On his journey to Chang'an, he ordered his men to plunder money and grain from the people and seize any beautiful women they encountered. He also allowed his relatives to wear official robes and condoned their illegal and harmful actions against the populace. After Huo Guang and the ministers learned of this, they agreed that Liu He could not be allowed to continue his reckless behavior, as it would surely ruin the Han Dynasty. So Huo Guang convened all the court officials and scholars to discuss deposing Liu He and installing a new emperor. Since deposing an emperor was a grave and serious matter, no one dared to make a rash decision. Seeing that everyone remained silent, a minister named Tian Yannian grew impatient. He drew his sword and pointed it at Huo Guang, saying, "Emperor Wu trusted you so much that he entrusted you with assisting the young ruler and governing the Han Dynasty. If the Han Dynasty falls because of Liu He, how will you face Emperor Wu in the afterlife?" Upon hearing this, everyone immediately understood the stakes and agreed to depose Liu He. Huo Guang then drafted a memorial with several learned ministers, requesting Empress Dowager Shangguan's approval to depose Liu He and install a new ruler. And so, Liu He, who had been in the palace for only 27 days, returned to his own fiefdom.
Afterwards, Huo Guang found Liu Bingyi, a descendant of the Liu family living among the common people, who was the great-grandson of Emperor Wu of Han and Wei Zifu, and was already eighteen years old at the time. After Liu Bingyi ascended the throne, he became Emperor Xuan of Han. Emperor Xuan still asked Huo Guang to help manage court affairs and bestowed many gifts upon him.
In 68 BC, Huo Guang died.
The policies a country adopts to govern are very important, but the people who manage the country are equally crucial—if the ruler is morally corrupt, it can endanger the entire nation, even leading to its downfall. Therefore, establishing a good emperor was vital for the Han Dynasty, and as the chief regent, Huo Guang bore greater responsibility than others. When he discovered that the bad habits of King Changyi, Liu He, could bring about the destruction of the Han Dynasty, he was willing to bear the infamy himself to ensure the safety of the state. Huo Guang's loyalty to the country was evident to all; he promptly deposed Liu He, selected Emperor Xuan of Han, and fully protected the Liu family's rule.