Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che

Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, was later acclaimed alongside Qin Shi Huang as one of the two greatest emperors of the Qin and Han dynasties. He is regarded as one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history. He appointed people based on their talent, regardless of their background, and many renowned ministers and brilliant generals were trained and emerged during his reign. He adopted the policy of dismissing the hundred schools of thought and elevating Confucianism alone, which became the mainstream ideology of Chinese society to this day. He greatly expanded the empire's territory, sent Zhang Qian on missions to the Western Regions, opened the Silk Road, and ushered in the flourishing era of Emperor Wu's reign. In his later years, his temperament grew erratic, and he became superstitious and suspicious, leading to the calamity of the witchcraft plots and tarnishing his otherwise overwhelmingly positive reputation. In response to a grave social crisis, he issued an edict of self-reproach, expressing regret for his mistakes. Looking back at the historical record today, we cannot deny that he was an outstanding figure. Yet his achievements must still be judged over the long course of history. Most importantly, the circumstances he created could not be sustained by those who came after him.