Wudi (156-87 B.C.), also spelled Wu-ti, was the fifth emperor of China’s Han dynasty. He is sometimes called Han Wudi, to distinguish him from emperors named Wudi who ruled other Chinese dynasties. During his reign, Confucianism became the only official philosophy in China.
Wudi was born in 156 B.C. and became emperor at the age of 15. He ruled the country from 141 to 87 B.C. This was the longest reign of any Chinese emperor until the Kangxi Emperor, who ruled from 1661 to 1722. Wudi introduced state control of money and of trade in salt and iron. He gave out favors by decree to weaken the separatist power of dukes and princes in his empire.
Wudi sent military leaders to attack the Xiongnu, a people then living in northwestern China. His troops forced the Xiongnu to migrate to the north of the Gobi Desert. He sent diplomatic missions to western China to strengthen his rule there. In later years, he had fantasies of immortality and became superstitious and extravagant. He died on March 29, 87 B.C.
