kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Cheng Han

304 CE – 347 CE · capital Chengdu

A refugee-founded kingdom in Sichuan, one of the first states established in the collapse of the Western Jin, noted for its light taxes and Daoist influence.

Origins

Li Te led Ba and Di refugees from famine in Gansu into Sichuan around 298 and rebelled against Jin officials. After his death his son Li Xiong took Chengdu in 304, styling himself King of Chengdu, and in 306 proclaimed himself emperor of Cheng.

Rule and society

Li Xiong governed leniently, with simple laws and low taxes, and appointed the Daoist master Fan Changsheng as chancellor, reflecting the strong presence of the Celestial Masters tradition among his followers. Later rulers were less able: Li Shou seized the throne in 338, renamed the state Han and built extravagant palaces.

Decline and legacy

In 347 the Eastern Jin general Huan Wen marched up the Yangtze, captured Chengdu and accepted the surrender of Li Shi, restoring Sichuan to Chinese dynastic rule.

Connections (1)

More states of China, Tibet and Mongolia →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Cheng Han. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cheng-han
MLA
“Cheng Han.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cheng-han. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Cheng Han.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cheng-han.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Cheng Han’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/cheng-han (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻