The Later Han (947–951 AD) holds the distinction of being the shortest-lived of the Five Dynasties in northern China, yet its brief four-year existence was a dramatic microcosm of the era's relentless chaos. The dynasty was founded by Liu Zhiyuan, a seasoned military governor of Shatuo Turk descent who had faithfully served the preceding Later Jin dynasty.
When the Later Jin emperor disastrously attempted to break free from the suzerainty of the Khitan Liao Empire, the furious Khitan Emperor Yelü Deguang launched a massive invasion, capturing the capital of Kaifeng and destroying the Later Jin in 947. However, the Khitan occupation of the Central Plains was met with fierce local resistance and logistical nightmares.
Unaccustomed to the sweltering southern summer climate and facing continuous guerrilla warfare, Yelü Deguang was forced to abruptly withdraw his forces back to the northern steppes, dying on the journey home. This sudden retreat created a massive power vacuum in the heart of China.
Seizing this golden opportunity, Liu Zhiyuan, who had been biding his time and preserving his military strength in his stronghold of Taiyuan, rapidly marched his forces south to the abandoned capital of Kaifeng. Declaring himself emperor, he established the Later Han Dynasty, claiming to be the legitimate continuation of both the Han people and the Shatuo legacy.
He sought to quickly restore order by heavily rewarding his veteran generals and attempting to pacify the war-torn provinces. However, fate was cruel; Liu Zhiyuan fell severely ill and died the very next year in 948, leaving his fragile new empire in the hands of his teenage son, Liu Chengyou (Emperor Yin).
The young and inexperienced emperor found himself surrounded by powerful, ambitious military commanders whom his father had entrusted with the state's defense. Deeply paranoid and easily manipulated by his close courtiers, Liu Chengyou initiated a bloody purge against these veteran generals to consolidate his absolute power.
This paranoid streak proved fatal. When he ordered the execution of the family of his most capable commander, Guo Wei, he ignited a fierce rebellion.
Enraged by the senseless slaughter of his loved ones, Guo Wei turned his battle-hardened army toward Kaifeng. In 951, Guo Wei's forces captured the capital, and the young emperor was killed in the chaos.
With this, the Later Han was extinguished just four years after it began, replaced by Guo Wei's Later Zhou dynasty. Despite its fleeting lifespan, the Later Han marked the final chapter of Shatuo Turk dominance in the Central Plains and unwittingly set the stage for the rise of Guo Wei and Chai Rong, whose subsequent reforms would finally pave the road for the reunification of China.