Emperor Wudi of Han (157 BC–87 BC)

Many illustrious Chinese emperors who were great and well-known did not expand their empires. Instead, they reaped the rewards of earlier generations' efforts. An excellent illustration of this is Wudi, the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty. He had an extremely long reign lasting 54 years.

Under the skillful leadership of Emperors Wen and Jing, the Han Dynasty grew strong and stable prior to Wudi's rule. Therefore, when Wudi ascended the throne at the age of 15, power was also concentrated in the hands of the king. In other words, Wudi never had to worry about controlling the power or facilities of the court. Everything has been carefully prepared for him, and the only thing he has to do is manage his vast empire well.

Actually, Wudi has made a substantial contribution to the continued growth of a strong and focused China as a capable administrator. Along with fostering music and literature, he also built diplomatic ties with Western Eurasia. Matching his title of "Wu Emperor of the Han Dynasty", Wudi doubled the size of the Han Chinese empire through diplomatic alliances or the conquering of nearby nations like Nanyue. What is more, the Han Empire under his rule defeated multiple assaults that had besieged mainland China since the ancient Zhou Dynasty, including that of the Xiongnu from the north. In addition, he also founded the well-known trading route between east and west known as the Silk Road. Notably, Confucianism was practiced by Emperor Wudi, who used its ethics as his guideline for governing the empire. He practically united the nation via his beliefs and his leadership.

To conclude, Emperor Wudi of Han:

• ruled the Han dynasty from 157 BC to 87 BC.
• when Wudi ascended the throne at the age of 15, power was also concentrated in the hands of the king.
• as a rule, he contributed to the development of China by expanding the size of the Han empire through diplomatic alliances or conquering neighboring countries, establishing the Silk Road, and bringing Confucianism to China.