Emperor Hui of Han (210–188 BC) was the second
emperor of the
Han Dynasty in
China. He was the second son of the first Han emperor,
Han Gaozu and
Empress Dowager Lü. He is generally remembered as a weak character dominated by his mother, Empress Dowager Lü, personally kind and generous but unable to escape the impact of her viciousness. He tried to protect
Ruyi, Prince Yin of Zhao, his younger half-brother, from being murdered by Empress Dowager Lü, but failed. After that he indulged himself in drinking and women and died at a relatively young age. Empress Dowager Lü installed two of his sons,
Liu Gong and
Liu Hong (known collectively as Emperors Shao of Han), the sons of the Emperor's
concubine(s) after he died without a designated heir. Emperor Hui's wife was
Empress Zhang Yan, a niece of his by his sister
Princess Yuan of Lu; their marriage was the result of insistence by Empress Dowager Lü and was a childless one.