Li Ban (李班) (288–334),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theo ...

Shiwen (世文),

posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given mostly to the notable dead in East Asian culture. It is predominantly practiced in East Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. Reflecting on the person's accomplishm ...

initially Crown Prince Li (戾太子), later Emperor Ai of Cheng (Han) (成(漢)哀帝), was briefly an

emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...

of the Di-led Cheng Han dynasty of China. Li Ban was the founding emperor Li Xiong (Emperor Wu)'s nephew—the son of his older brother Li Dang (李蕩), who died in battle in 303. After Li Dang's death, Li Ban was said to have been raised by Li Xiong and his wife Empress Ren—even though his mother Lady Luo was still alive. Although Li Xiong himself had more than 10 sons by

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

s, Empress Ren was sonless. Li Xiong was resolved to make one of the sons of his brother Li Dang

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the w ...

and his successor. Initially, he considered Li Han (李琀), Li Ban's older brother, but Li Han died in battle against

Yang Nandi Yang Nandi (died 334) was a ruler of Chouchi during the Jin dynasty (266–420) and Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was the son of Yang Maosou who founded Chouchi in 296. During his reign, attacks on Chouchi by Former Zhao and Cheng Han became mor ...

in 323. In 324, he declared Li Ban the crown prince, reasoning that the empire's foundation was actually built by

Li Te Li Te (李特, died 303), courtesy name Xuanxiu (玄休), posthumously King Jing of Chengdu (成都景王) and later Emperor Jing (景皇帝), was the spiritual founder of Cheng Han during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a ...

and Li Dang, and that it would be proper for him to pass the throne to Li Dang's son. He also valued Li Ban highly for his kindness and studiousness. Li Xiang (李驤) and Wang Da (王達), foreseeing that this action would bring succession issues, objected, but were overruled by Li Xiong. In 334, Li Xiong grew ill from an infected head wound, which then spread to other wounds that he had suffered over the years over his body. His body was said to be causing such a great stench that his sons avoided him, but Li Ban cared for him day and night. Li Xiong died in summer 334 and was succeeded by Li Ban. However, as Li Xiang had predicted, Li Xiong's sons were unhappy that they had been passed over. Two of them, Li Yue (李越) and his younger brother Li Qi, conspired against Li Ban. Li Ban's younger brother Li Wu (李玝), who had heard rumors of the conspiracy, suggested to Li Ban that he immediately send Li Yue and Li Qi away from the capital, back to their defense posts, but Li Ban did not have the heart to send away Li Xiong's sons before their father was buried. Instead, he sent Li Wu away to try to decrease the friction. In the winter, during one night when Li Ban was on mourning watch before Li Xiong's casket, Li Yue assassinated Li Ban and his older brother Li Du (李都), and made Li Qi emperor, after forging an edict from Empress Dowager Ren accusing Li Ban of crimes. Li Qi initially gave Li Ban the posthumous name Crown Prince Li (the same posthumous name that

Emperor Wu of Han Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), formally enshrined as Emperor Wu the Filial (), born Liu Che (劉徹) and courtesy name Tong (通), was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty of ancient China, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. His reign last ...

's crown prince

Liu Ju Liu Ju (; 128–91 BC), formally known as Crown Prince Wei (衛太子) and posthumously as Crown Prince Li (戾太子, literally "the Unrepentant Crown Prince", where Li is an unflattering name) was a Western Han Dynasty crown prince. He was the ...

, forced into rebellion against his father, received), effectively refusing to recognize Li Ban as an emperor. In 338, when Li Qi was overthrown by

Li Shou Li Shou (; 300–343), courtesy name Wukao (武考), formally Emperor Zhaowen of (Cheng) Han ((成)漢昭文帝), was an emperor of the Di-led Chinese Cheng Han dynasty. He was the cousin of Cheng Han's founding emperor Li Xiong, but after he ov ...

, Li Shou posthumously honored Li Ban as Emperor Ai.

Personal information

* Father ** Li Dang (李蕩), the second son of

and older brother to Li Xiong (Emperor Wu) * Mother ** Lady Luo (executed by Li Qi 334)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Ban 4th-century Chinese monarchs Cheng Han emperors Assassinated Chinese people Murdered Chinese emperors 288 births 334 deaths