ABSTRACT
Under the regime of Wang Mang 王莽, the former imperial Liu 劉 clan had lost many of its privileges, and in the winter of 22 ce, members of the family in Nanyang 南陽 rose in rebellion. While the armies of the “usurper” were distracted by the need to defend the northern frontier against the newly hostile Chanyu 單于 Yu 輿 of the Xiongnu 匈奴, the insurgents received support from large troops of people driven from their lands by floods ravaging the North China plain. On March 11, 23 ce, Liu Xuan 劉玄 was proclaimed emperor of a new “Gengshi” 更始 reign period; Liu Xuan’s cousin Liu Bosheng 劉伯升 had been first leader of the rebellion, but he was eliminated soon afterward.
