Huo Guang, a Chinese character, died in two years (68 years ago) during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Hedong Pingyang (now Linfen City, Shanxi Province) people. He followed Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty for nearly 30 years and was an important adviser during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. After the death of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he was appointed as the assistant minister of Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty and was in charge of the supreme power of the Han Dynasty for nearly 20 years. He contributed to the stability and revival of the Han Dynasty and became an important political figure in the historical development of the Western Han Dynasty.

Huo Guang is the half-brother of Huo Qubing, a famous Western Han Dynasty star. His father, Huo Zhongru, first became an official in Cao Xiang's Pingyang Houfu, had an affair with Wei Xiaoer, the maid of Pingyang Houfu, gave birth to Huo Qubing, and then returned to China to marry and have children Huo Guang. It was not until Huo Qubing became a general in Beijing that he knew that his biological father was Huo Zhongru. In the 4th year of the Yuan Dynasty (BC 1 19), Huo Qubing, 2 1 years old, led an army to attack the Huns as a general in title of generals in ancient times and passed by Hedong. Only then did he recognize his father and bought him a large field, real estate and handmaiden. Huo Guang was only a teenager at that time. When Huo Qubing returned to Beijing in triumph, he took Huo Guang to Chang 'an, Kyoto, and placed him as a Langguan under his own account. Later, he was promoted to Cao Cao's assistant to advise the military. Two years later, after Huo Qubing's death, Huo Guang became a captain in the car of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, enjoying the treatment of Dr. Guanglu, and was responsible for defending the safety of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. The so-called "get off and enter the waiter". During the period of following Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, he was cautious and won the trust of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. At the same time, he also got exercise from the complicated court struggle, which laid the foundation for his future administration.

In the last years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, an infighting around the issue of succession to the throne began gradually. In the second year of Liang Wudi reconciliation (9 1 year ago), Liu Yuxin, who was carefully cultivated by Liang Wudi, was forced to commit suicide because of witchcraft, and this struggle became more superficial. In order to avoid political chaos after death and restrain the influence of his sons Liu Dan and Liu Xu, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty appointed his youngest son Fu Ling as a prince, and then executed his mother, Mrs. Gou Jian, to avoid her monopoly. Soon, he ordered the painter to draw a picture of Duke Zhou carrying Zhou Chengwang on his back and give it to Huo Guang, and asked Huo Guang to help Liu Fuling as Duke Zhou helped young Zhou Chengwang.

In the spring of the second year of Liang Wudi (87 years ago), Liang Wudi died of illness, and Huo Guang officially accepted the testamentary edict of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty and became the assistant minister of Liu Fuling of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. He is the assistant minister of the Ministry of Finance together with General Che Jinri (Stan), General Zuo Shangguan Jie, and Imperial Advisor Sang Hongyang. Since then, Huo Guang has mastered the supreme power of the Han government. The emperor is eight years old, and political affairs are decided by light.

The determination of the throne does not mean the end of the struggle for the throne. Instead, it caused a fierce political struggle. This kind of fierce political struggle has been the first thing that Huo Guang encountered since he was an assistant minister. It was Shangguan Jie, who was assisted by Huo Guang at the same time, and Liu Dan, the son of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who made this struggle tend to be heated up. In order to seek the supreme power of the Han Dynasty, Shangguan Jie attached himself to Emperor Zhao's sister princess royal. First of all, he fawned on the princess's closest relatives, tried his best to seek official promotion for outsiders, won the princess's favor, and formed close friends with outsiders and the princess. Then he sent his young granddaughter to the palace through the princess and named it as a mother of honor, with the intention of replacing Huo Guang and Zhao Di with the princess and granddaughter. Liu Dan, the prince of Yan, was dissatisfied because he was longer than Emperor Zhao. Sang Hongyang, another assistant minister and ancient scholar, believes that the salt and iron monopoly policy formulated during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty made the country prosperous and made unparalleled contributions. He was unwilling to live under Huo Guang, so he had the desire to overthrow the current regime and let Shangguan Jie take charge, and colluded with Liu Dan, the prince. This formed two political forces headed by princess royal and Liu Dan, the prince of Yan. They estimated that it was not enough to overthrow Emperor Zhao Han on their own, so they had to unite temporarily. According to Shangguan Jie's plan, we should first use Dina Liu as the prince to launch a coup. After the coup, we should remove Taizi Dan and let him take charge of state affairs. This temporarily united political group naturally pointed its finger at Huo Guang and prevented them from seizing power.

Shangguan Jie, Yan Wangdan and others stepped up preparations for the coup in the sixth year of Emperor Zhao (the first 80 years). Liu Dan, the prince of Yan, bet on Shangguan Jie, sent more than ten people before and after, brought a lot of gold, silver and jewels, and bribed princess royal, Shangguan Jie, Sang Hongyang and others to support him to seize the throne. They used the old trick of "Jun Qing's side" and made people write a letter to Zhao Di in the name of Yan Wangdan, fabricating that Huo Guang was reviewing military equipment in Kyoto and the roads near Kyoto were under martial law; Huo Guang called Su Wu, who had been detained by Huns for 19 years, back to Jingdu. As a typical country, he planned to borrow the Xiongnu army. Huo Guang mobilized troops without authorization. All this is to overthrow Emperor Zhao and become emperor on his own. He also claimed that Liu Dan, the prince of Yan, wanted to stay in North Korea in order to prevent treacherous court officials from making trouble. Shangguan Jie tried to wait until Huo Guang went out on vacation to send this letter to Emperor Zhao, and then he announced Huo Guang's "indictment" according to the contents of the letter. Sang Hongyang organized courtiers to coerce Huo Guang to abdicate, thus abolishing Emperor Zhao.

They didn't expect Liu Dan's letter from the prince to reach Zhao Han, but it was detained there and ignored. Early the next morning, Huo Guang went to court, and after learning of Shangguan Jie's move, he stood in the studio where the Duke of Zhou was not a king, refused to appear before the court, and demanded to show his attitude. When Zhao Han saw that there was no Huo Guang in the imperial court, he asked the courtiers. Shangguan Jie took the opportunity to reply: "Because the prince denounced his crimes, he dared not come to the court." Emperor Zhao was very calm. He immediately called Huo Guang to the DPRK and said decisively: "I know that the letter is slanderous and you are not guilty"; "If you want to mobilize troops, in less than ten days, Prince Liu Dan is far away, how can you know!" "Besides, if you really want to overthrow me, you don't have to work so hard!" The conspiracy of Shangguan Jie and others was exposed by Emperor Zhao Di, who was 14 years old. All the ministers in the DPRK marveled that Emperor Zhao Di was so clever and decisive that Huo Guang's auxiliary position was stabilized.

After the conspiracy of Shangguan Jie and others was exposed, they simply went into battle shirtless and prepared to launch an armed coup. They planned that princess royal would hold a banquet for Huo Guang, and ordered the ambush soldiers to kill Huo Guang and abolish the emperor Zhao Han. At this critical juncture, an official in charge of rice field tax under princess royal reported the conspiracy of Shangguan Jie and others to Yang Chang, Sima Qian's husband. Yang Chang told the admonition officer Du Yannian, so Emperor Zhao and Huo Guang mastered the armed coup plan of Shangguan Jie and others. Before the coup, they took the initiative to arrest all the ministers responsible for the coup, such as Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang, and destroyed their homes. Princess royal and Liu Dan, the prince of Yan, knew that they could not be pardoned and committed suicide successively. The coup launched by Shangguan Ji was finally shattered by Huo Guang. The nine-year-old Shangguan Queen was not deposed because she was young and Huo Guang's granddaughter.

Huo Guang's struggle with Shangguan Jie, Yan Wangdan and others is essentially a struggle between feudal bureaucratic groups and imperial clan for dominance. It is a total outbreak of power struggle within the imperial clan and long-term conflicts between bureaucratic groups. Although Huo Guang and others went in and out of the palace for a long time during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, they were still unknown officials in the imperial court. They didn't have much power, much less wealth, and they represented the interests of small landlords in society at that time. To a certain extent, they are also suppressed by big landlords and businessmen. Therefore, they have to have a sharp conflict with those who represent the interests of big landlords and businessmen. Judging from the results of the struggle between the two sides, the collapse of Shangguan Jie and Yan Wangdan's coup also dealt a heavy blow to the overall interests of big landlords and businessmen in the later period of Hanzhong, thus helping to curb the development of decadent forces and promote social progress.

As we all know, the economic policies of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, such as salt and iron official camp, losing wine and wine, were implemented in the case of counterattack against Xiongnu and financial emptiness. Its implementation enabled the Han government to broaden its financial resources, increase its tax revenue, and have a relatively solid material foundation to support the long-term war, thus constantly expanding its territory and stabilizing its frontiers. Under the circumstances at that time, the implementation of this economic policy was undoubtedly correct. However, the implementation of policies such as official management of salt and iron, monopoly of liquor, and even loss has gradually concentrated part of the wealth in the hands of big bureaucrats, big landlords, and big businessmen, while depriving small and medium-sized landlords of their interests. There has been a situation in which officials "cheat and sell their flats", farmers are miserable, and women pay taxes. "Rich officials and wealthy businessmen accumulate goods for emergency use, and despise traitors and officials to take advantage of cheap and expensive", which has made small and medium-sized landlords and ordinary people increasingly poor. Therefore, at the beginning of Zhao Di's accession to the throne, Huo Guang fought with Sang Hongyang and others about whether to change the economic policies such as salt and iron official operation, liquor monopoly and even loss.

In December of the first year of Zhao Di (86 years ago), Huo Guang sent Ting Wei and Wang Ping to counties to visit the people who were suffering, wronged and unemployed to prepare for the Salt and Iron Conference.

In February of the sixth year of Zhao Di (8 1 year), Huo Guang received the sages, scholars and others from counties and counties from Beijing, and was presided over by Prime Minister Tian and an imperial minister Sang Hongyang, and officially started the Salt and Iron Conference. Although Huo Guang did not attend the meeting in person to participate in the debate, his intention to change the economic policies such as salt and iron official camp, liquor monopoly and even loss was very clear. The debate at the meeting revolved around whether to waste salt and scrap iron and whether to lose, involving all aspects, including the treatment of Xiongnu, domestic governance and other major issues. In fact, it is an overall evaluation of the political economy during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and it is also a big discussion before Emperor Zhao implemented the New Deal. Due to the implementation of the policies of salt and iron official operation, liquor monopoly and even loss, the interests of small and medium-sized landlords have been directly harmed, and people of virtue and literature have loudly demanded to change this policy; On the other hand, Sang Hongyang, an ancient scholar who represented the interests of big landlords and businessmen at that time, resolutely opposed changing this policy on the grounds that it brought prosperity to the Han Dynasty. After this discussion, Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty gave an order, so in July 2006, the policy of "salt and iron official camp, all losses" was abolished. This fundamentally suppressed the interests of big landlords and businessmen, eased social contradictions to a certain extent, and adjusted class relations, thus making the economy of the Han Dynasty embark on the road of recovery and development.

"In the last years of Emperor Wu, the country was deserted, and the registered permanent residence was halved. Huo Guang knew the world, was frivolous and generous, and enjoyed the people. Even the Huns are close at hand, and the people are not happy, and they are a little embarrassed about the industry of literature and scenery. " This is Ban Gu's evaluation of the situation at that time in Hanshu, which can also prove the necessity of abandoning the salt and iron camp.

The reign of Emperor Han Zhaodi 13 years. With the assistance of Huo Guang, it laid a certain foundation for the consolidation of the Han Dynasty and the stable development of society. After the death of Emperor Hanzhao, the political situation in the Han Dynasty was once chaotic, but because of its relatively stable political foundation, the political situation soon became calm after a short period of chaos.

Emperor Zhao has no children. Who will succeed to the throne after his death is a difficult problem for Huo Guang and other ministers. At that time, the son of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xu, who was king in Guangling, acted rashly and lost the orthodoxy of imperial power. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty disliked him very much before his death, so they chose the grandson of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to attack Liu He, who was made king in Changyi, and let him inherit the throne. But this Liu He is a dude, dissolute. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty died and hunted around during his funeral. He indulged himself in spite of his subordinates' earnest persuasion. After Zhao Di's death, Huo Guang and other ministers sent a car to meet him in the name of Empress Dowager Cixi, and asked him to be in the spirit of heaven. On the way to Beijing, they sent people to plunder folk women and property and make them officials. The family members all put on the official uniforms of the secretariat, knighted the officials and let them run amok. See this kind of situation, Huo Guang and other ministers feel the gravity of the situation, if not dealt with as soon as possible, it will make the Han family all broken to Liu He's hands. So on the 27th day of Liu He's accession to the throne, Huo Guang called all the ministers, liehou and doctors in the DPRK to the Weiyang Palace for a meeting, and publicly announced that Liu He would be abolished and another sage would be chosen. The ministers, doctors and others attending the meeting were all surprised when they heard the news, because the abolition of legislation was so important that no one dared to speak. Tian Yannian saw this situation, immediately stood up and spoke, and for a pretence rebuked Huo Guang, saying that Emperor Wu entrusted the world of the Han family to Huo Guang because Huo Guang was loyal to the Han family, which could make the deep dynasty enjoy long-term stability. Now if we continue to maintain Liu He's mercy, the Korean family will be ruined. If Huo Guang dies in the future, how will you go to see Emperor Wu? Holding his sword hilt, he said sternly that anyone who dares to oppose the abolition of Liu He will be killed on the spot. Seeing this, the participants unanimously agreed that Huo Guang should preside over the meeting, abolish Liu He and choose a wise leader. So Huo Guang, Du Yannian, Yang Chang and others took great pains to write a letter, listing Liu He's misdeeds, killing the 15-year-old Queen Mother Shangguan, who presided over the Han Dynasty at that time, taking Liu to the Cheng Ming Hall of Weiyang Palace, reading the letter, abolishing Liu He on the same day, arresting all his officials, and then sending Liu He back to Changyi. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Liu Bingyi, a grandson of 18 years old who lived in Wei Ruyun for a long time, were made emperors. This is Xuan Di of the Han Dynasty.

The establishment of a new emperor was the need to stabilize the whole country at that time, but what kind of emperor was also related to the long-term stability of the Han Dynasty. Huo Guang considered both the former and the latter. Therefore, he would rather bear the notoriety of abolishing the dynasty without authorization than overthrow the Han Dynasty. This shows that he is loyal to the Han Dynasty and highly responsible for the country. Facts have proved that Huo Guang chose Xuan Di to maintain the prosperity of the Han Dynasty. After Xuan Di ascended the throne, Huo Guang continued to assist in state affairs until his death.

Huo Guang was in charge of the Han Dynasty for 20 years. He is loyal to the Han Dynasty, self-serious, resolute and decisive, and is a far-sighted politician. He defeated the coup launched by Shangguan Jie and others, abolished Liu He, established Emperor Xuan Di, and saved the Han Dynasty. His political courage can be compared with that of Xiao He. He changed the policy of exorbitant taxes and levies in the last years of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, constantly adjusted class relations, and was closely related to the people, which led to another period of economic development in the Han Dynasty, which also reflected his thought of governing the country and protecting the people. Of course, it is undeniable that these achievements are inseparable from those created by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Without the foundation laid during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, it would be difficult for Huo Guang to succeed politically and economically. But even so, we can't deny his talent and efforts.

Huo Guang is good at employing people, and a political group eager to serve the public has formed around him. At the beginning of his assistant administration, a strange phenomenon appeared in the hall where ministers discussed, and all ministers were shocked. In order to prevent unexpected changes, he called the Lang Guan who was in charge of the emperor's seal and asked him to hand over the seal in case someone stole it and disturbed the state affairs. However, the official in charge of the seal was unwilling to give it to him. When Huo Guang tried to seize the seal, Lang Guan immediately flew into a rage and said according to the hilt, I have a head, and I can't pay the seal! Such people who are loyal to their duties and risk their lives are naturally the talents needed by the country. So Huo Guang quickly raised the salary scale. Prime Minister Tian, assistant minister Du Yannian, and right general Zhang Anshi, who was used after putting down the Shangguan Jie Rebellion, were all able men during the Zhao and Xuan Dynasties. It is precisely because they can make good use of people and unite a large number of people with high political quality that his measures can be implemented smoothly.

Huo Guang also attached great importance to his political accomplishment and used Confucian classics to restrain himself. His every move has certain rules, which should be in line with etiquette. These can also be seen from his abolition of Liu He's throne. Most of the misdeeds listed by Liu He in the memorial are things that don't abide by etiquette and the old adage. He attached importance to the role of virtue and literature, and was also influenced by Confucianism in his thoughts.

Like any successful politician in history, Huo Guang is also limited by the times and history, and can't get rid of the shackles of ancestor worship and the decadent tradition of being an official and being a son. When he was in power, the children of the clans were all high-ranking officials and dignitaries, and the Huo forces also "based on the party and the family, based on the court". Many clans did not obey the law, leaving a curse for the Huo family.

The newly acceded emperor Xuan Di married Xu Pingjun, the daughter of a petty official. After he ascended the throne, ministers suggested that Huo Guang's youngest daughter Huo should be the queen, and sent messengers to find the sword he lost when he was humble. The ministers understood the emperor's mind and called Xuandi Xu Pingjun the queen. Huo's wife is a famous person. She always wanted her daughter to be a queen, so after three years on the throne, she bribed the physician and poisoned the pregnant queen Xu.

In 68 BC, Huo Guang died, and Xuan Di went to visit him personally. Minister Wei Xiang wrote a secret letter through Queen Xu's father, referring to the arrogance and indulgence of the Huo Chen family. After Huo Guang's death, this situation became more and more serious, and even a coup was planned, which was finally eliminated in 65 BC.