Emperor Ming of Han

Who was Emperor Ming of Han?

Emperor Ming of Han, was second emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty.

He was the second son of Emperor Guangwu. It was during Emperor Ming's reign that Buddhism began to spread into China. One night, he is said to have dreamed of a golden man or golden men. The next day he told his ministers, and the minister Zhong Hu explained to him that he probably dreamed of Buddha in India. The emperor then sent a delegation of 18 headed by Cai Yin, Qin Jing and Wang Zun to seek Buddhism. They returned from India with an image of Gautama Buddha, the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters and two eminent monks. The next year, the emperor ordered the construction of White Horse Temple three li west of the capital Luoyang, to remember the horse that carried back the sutras. It was probably China's earliest Buddhist temple.

Emperor Ming was a hard-working, able administrator of the empire who showed integrity and demanded integrity from his officials.

Emperor Ming also established the control of the Chinese Empire on the Tarim Basin and eradicated the Xiongnu influence there, through the conquests of his general Ban Chao.