70. The Diabolical Things Chinese Emperors Did During Their Reign | A Day In History

China is an ancient civilization that has existed for nearly 4000 years, responsible for some of the most important inventions ever conceived, such as the compass, gunpowder, paper, and printing. Yet China is also the place where some of the most wicked emperors to ever rule were able to order and perform acts so brutal and savage they defy belief. Here are some of the worst examples.Gao Yang was an infamous alcoholic who sat on the throne of the Northern Qi from 529 to 559.Yang wasn’t always a terrible drunk, starting his reign off fairly successfully by strengthening the Qi’s military capabilities and reducing taxes. In fact, within a short space of time, the Northern Qi had become the top dog in China, commanding admiration from all.With his kingdom flourishing, Yang began to indulge more and more in his favorite pastime to celebrate the stability he had brought to the land. In the later stage of his life, excessive drinking transformed Yang from a respected statesman into a mad crackpot whose depraved acts became a regular feature of court life. Toghon Temur ascended to the Chinese throne in 1333 when he was only 13 years old, becoming the longest reigning Yuan monarch. Given his young age, it was only natural that Temur would grow up with a wacky sense of entitlement. He was perhaps influenced by his equally outlandish chancellor, Bayan, who suggested that all Chinese with the 5 most popular names should be executed, around 90% of the population!Sun Hao, who governed ancient China from 242 to 284, was not only an incompetent king but also a vindictive maniac.At first Sun Hao took his new position as emperor seriously, impressing the populace by lessening taxes, regulating the behavior of many of his corrupt officials, and releasing many concubines. However he soon grew bored of his duties, preferring to fill his days with wine, women, and execution orders. #chineseemperors #history #chinesehistory #imperialchina #ancientchina #chinaScriptwriter: Jake LeighHowarthVoiceover Artist: Stephan VoxMusic: Motionarray.com Copyright © 2021 A Day In History. All rights reserved.DISCLAIMER: All materials in these videos are used for entertainment purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. If you are, or represent, the copyright owner of materials used in this video, and have an issue with the use of said material, please send an email to [email protected] by ⁠PodcastPayouts.com⁠ ------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices