Liu Ju - Being Forced Into Rebellion

Being Forced Into Rebellion

Near the end of his reign, Emperor Wu became paranoid, fearful of the use of witchcraft against him, and those who were suspected of witchcraft were often summarily executed. Many important people, including his own daughters Princesses Yangshi and Zhuyi and Wei Qing's son Wei Kang (衛忼) became victims of this witch hunt, in 91 BC. In the same year, the witchcraft investigations would ensnare Crown Prince Ju and not allow him to escape.

One of the conspirators against Prince Ju would be Jiang Chong (江充), the head of the secret intelligence, who once had a run-in with Prince Ju after arresting one of Prince Ju's assistants for improper use of an imperial right of way. It appears likely that Jiang was behind many of the witchcraft accusations against important persons. One other conspirator was Emperor Wu's guard Su Wen (蘇文), who had falsely accused Prince Ju of committing adultery with Emperor Wu's junior concubines.

Jiang and Su decided on using witchcraft as the excuse to move against Prince Ju. Jiang, with approval from Emperor Wu, who was then at his summer palace in Ganquan (甘泉, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), searched through various palaces, ostensibly for witchcraft items, eventually reaching Prince Ju's palace. He planted dolls and a piece of cloth with mysterious writing in Prince Ju's palace, and then announced that he found them there. Prince Ju was shocked. He considered his options, and his teacher Shi De (石德), invoking the story of Ying Fusu and raising the possibility that Emperor Wu might already be deceased, suggested that Prince Ju start an uprising. Prince Ju initially hesitated and wanted to speedily proceed to Ganquan to try to see his father to explain himself, but he found out that Jiang's messengers were already on their way. He decided to accept Shi's suggestion.

Prince Ju then sent an individual to impersonate a messenger from Emperor Wu to arrest Jiang and his coconspirators—except for Su, who escaped. After they were arrested, Prince Ju personally killed Jiang. He then led the guards of his and Empress Wei's palaces and prepared to defend himself. Su fled to Ganquan and accused Prince Ju of treason. Emperor Wu, not believing it to be true and correctly (at this point) believing that Prince Ju had merely been angry at Jiang, send a messenger back to the capital Chang'an to summon Prince Ju. The messenger did not dare to proceed to Chang'an, but instead returned and falsely reported to Emperor Wu that he fled because Prince Ju was going to kill him. By now enraged, Emperor Wu ordered his nephew, Prime Minister Liu Qumao (劉屈犛), to put down the rebellion. The forces battled for five days, but Liu Qumao's forces prevailed after it became clear that Prince Ju did not have his father's authorization. Prince Ju fled the capital.

Emperor Wu continued to be enraged and ordered that Prince Ju be tracked down, but after a junior official risked his life and spoke on Prince Ju's behalf, Emperor Wu's anger began to subside, but he had not yet issued a pardon for Prince Ju when Prince Ju, having fled to Hu (湖縣, in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and surrounded by troops, committed suicide by hanging. His two sons died with him. Consort Shi, her son Liu Jin and his wife Consort Wang died in the capital in the same incident, but it is not clear how they died—whether by their own hands or by execution. Liu Ju's only daughter also died, although it is similarly unknown whether or not she was executed or committed suicide, or if she was one of the victims of Emperor Wu's witchcraft trials. Empress Wei committed suicide after it became clear she would be deposed.