Historians often categorize periods of history as “Golden Ages,” which are times of great peace and achievement. Yet Han rule is NOT considered a Golden Age. Why do you think historians don’t see it as such?

The corruption at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty was so bad that the people revolted.

In the last decades, two emperors named Emperor Huan (132–168) and Emperor Ling (156–189) lived decadent lives. It was said that they spent their time with hundreds of concubines and let the eunuchs rule the empire. Assassinations and fighting between rivals for power was common all over the empire, and the empire's money was wasted for luxuries during this time of crisis.

The peasants were oppressed by high taxes and believed a series of devastating natural disasters were a sign that Emperor Ling was corrupt and had lost the Mandate of Heaven. So the peasants and others rebelled in various places. The widespread Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion in Sichuan both started in 184. The first rebel armies were defeated in most of the empire except Sichuan.

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