page_title: Wang Mang
section_title: Early reign
hierarchical_section_title: Wang Mang / Early reign
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of Xin Dynasty (8 - 23 AD) 中文（中国大陆）‎: 王莽的新朝
context_page_description: Wang Mang, courtesy name Jujun, was a Han dynasty official and consort kin who seized the Chinese imperial throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin dynasty. He ruled from 9 AD to 23 AD. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and his rule marked the separation between the Western Han dynasty and Eastern Han dynasty. Some historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a usurper, while others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the classics, his efforts ended in chaos.
  In October 23 AD, the capital Chang'an was attacked and the imperial palace ransacked. Wang Mang died in the battle.
  The Han dynasty was re-established in 25 AD when Liu Xiu took the throne.
context_section_description: Early in his reign, Emperor Wang Mang self-confidently sought to implement his ideals of restoring the legendary golden age of the early Zhou Dynasty. To those ends, he modified the governmental structure to better conform with Zhou standards. He also continued the regime of modifying geographical names to fit with ancient names (or more euphemistic names). This meant that even imperial edicts discussing the locations by their new names were forced to include notes on the old names so that the recipients of the edicts could tell what locations he was referring to. As part of this regime, the capital Chang'an's name was changed , involving the change of a now-homophonous character—長安 (eternal peace) to 常安 (constant peace).
  In 9 AD, Wang Mang made his wife, Lady Wang, empress. By this point, only two of her four sons were still alive. The older, Wang An (王安) was described as lacking in talent, so Wang made the younger, Wang Lin (王臨), crown prince, and made Wang An the Lord of Xinjia (新嘉辟). He selected many Confucian scholars to serve as advisors for Crown Prince Lin.
  Wang, grateful to his aunt Grand Empress Dowager Wang (who, however, resented him for deceiving her and usurping the throne), continued to honour her as empress dowager, but also gave her an additional title of Wangmu (王母), the same title carried by the mother of King Wen of Zhou, implying that she was also his mother and had helped establish a new dynasty. She died in 13 AD.
caption: Territory of Xin Dynasty
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