Why the Yin Clan Survived Near Eastern Han Power

After Yin Lihua became empress, her family stood close to power but did not rush to enlarge its own influence.

Yin Lihua had become empress, and Liu Zhuang had entered the crown prince's residence. By ordinary logic, the Yin family had finally reached its moment. Yet this clan of imperial relatives did not hurry to stretch out its hands.

Imperial Relatives Were Easy to Lose Control

Powerful relatives of empresses were nothing unusual in Han history. After Liu Bang's death came the Lu clan. After Emperor Wu came the Huo clan. At the end of Western Han, the Wang clan rose step by step until Wang Mang usurped the throne.

The Qin and Han official system already mixed state and household in complicated ways. Among the Nine Ministers were offices of state and offices of the palace. A queen's family stood near the emperor, the crown prince, and the inner palace. It naturally had a path toward the center of power.

That is why the behavior of Yin Lihua's brothers stands out. They did not lack qualifications for wealth and honor. But when wealth and honor came to the door, they often stepped back.

Yin Shi Left Study for War

The Yin family had long lived in Xinye in Nanyang and was one of the powerful local households. Yin Lihua's elder brother Yin Shi had also gone to Chang'an to study when young.

In the winter of the third year of Wang Mang's Dihuang reign, Liu Yan judged that the time to rise had come and raised the anti-Wang Mang banner. He sent his brother-in-law Deng Chen to contact powerful families in Xinye. The Deng and Yin families were related, so Deng Chen approached the Yin sons.

Yin Shi was still in Chang'an. The realm was in chaos, and he had already been worried about his family and property. When he heard Liu Yan and Deng Chen wanted him to join the uprising, he immediately gave up study and returned to Xinye.

He brought Yin family sons, clan members, and household guests, more than a thousand men, and joined Deng Chen in supporting Liu Yan.

Yin Shi was not only a reader. After the uprising, he followed Liu Xiu in battle and repeatedly earned merit. In Jianwu year one, Liu Xiu became emperor, sent for Yin Lihua in Nanyang, and also summoned Yin Shi to Luoyang.

Yin Shi came with his sister and became Cavalry Commandant.

A Meritorious Man Refused Extra Favor

When Liu Xiu later rewarded meritorious men, Yin Shi could have received a high enfeoffment on the basis of his battlefield service. Han marquis ranks included county, township, and village marquises, with county marquis highest. Given Yin Shi's merit, seniority, and relationship to the emperor, raising him to a county marquis would not have been strange.

But when Liu Xiu wanted to enlarge his fief, Yin Shi refused.

He said the realm had only just been pacified, and many generals had real merit. He himself had only relied on leaves in the rear palace, meaning his relationship through marriage, to receive favor. If more grace were added, it would be hard to explain to the world.

The words were deliberately modest. Yin Shi was not without military merit, but he described himself as someone favored because of his sister. Liu Xiu liked this brother-in-law even more: he could fight, and he knew how to avoid suspicion.

Liu Xiu accepted the refusal but promoted him to command Hangu Pass. Soon after, he made him Palace Attendant, a close official near the emperor.

The rank was not the highest, but the access was intimate. Yin Shi found this uncomfortable. He worried that because his sister was favored and he entered the palace often, officials would see him as an imperial relative gathering power.

So he submitted a request to resign, saying his mother missed him and he wished to return home to serve her. Liu Xiu allowed him to go back to Xinye.

Yin Shi stayed low for a long time. Only in Jianwu year fifteen did Liu Xiu add to his title as Marquis of Yuanlu. Even after later returning to court, he remained cautious and did not treat palace closeness as a chance to expand the clan.

The Crown Prince's Uncle Did Not Become Grand Tutor

In Jianwu year nineteen, Yin Lihua was already empress and Liu Zhuang was crown prince. The Yin family's rank became even more visible.

Liu Xiu made Yin Shi acting Bearer of the Gilded Mace, responsible for capital security. Another brother, Yin Xing, became Chamberlain for the Guards, in charge of palace gates and guards. Both offices stood close to imperial power.

Yin Shi was loyal and honest. At court he could speak directly. In private conversation with guests he spoke only of wind and moon, not state affairs. Liu Xiu respected him and often pointed to him as a model for imperial relatives.

He treated worthy men with courtesy and helped others, but he did not gather bold retainers or knights, avoiding any appearance of building a faction. A fellow townsman, Zhang Zong, did not get along with him, but Yin Shi knew he was useful to the state and praised his strengths, recommending him for office. Another friend was close to him, but Yin Shi judged him flashy and hollow. He helped him with money but never sought office for him.

When Liu Zhuang became crown prince, the court needed a Grand Tutor for the heir. Liu Xiu asked the officials for candidates. Many ministers guessed the emperor's preference and said only the crown prince's uncle Yin Shi was suitable.

Then the erudite Zhang Yi stood up. He asked: did the emperor establish the crown prince for the Yin family, or for the realm? If for the Yin family, Yin Shi could be used. If for the realm, a worthy man from the realm should be chosen.

Liu Xiu praised him. The Grand Tutor existed to guide the crown prince. Since the erudite dared correct the emperor's mistake today, he would surely dare speak directly while teaching the heir. Liu Xiu appointed Zhang Yi Grand Tutor.

The exchange could have embarrassed the Yin family. Yin Shi did not retaliate or show anger. He acted as if nothing had happened.

Yin Xing Would Not Accept Enfeoffment

Yin Xing, Yin Lihua's younger brother, had also followed Liu Xiu in war from early on. He was brave and careful. Whenever he accompanied the emperor on campaign or returned in victory, he often held the canopy against wind and rain and personally led men to clear roads and prepare temporary residences.

Liu Xiu liked this younger brother-in-law. In Jianwu year nine, Yin Xing was made a Marquis Within the Passes and promoted to Palace Attendant, clearly being drawn close to the inner councils.

After Yin Lihua's mother was killed by bandits, Liu Xiu wanted to comfort the Yin family and prepared to enfeoff Yin Xing. The seal and ribbons had already been set out.

Yin Xing lay on the ground and refused to rise, firmly declining.

Liu Xiu thought perhaps the reward was too small. Yin Xing hurried to explain. He had little merit from charging into battle. He could not compare with Feng Yi, Wu Han, or Deng Yu, nor even with his elder brother Yin Shi. The Yin family had already received too much imperial favor. More enfeoffment would only make people envy and hate them.

Liu Xiu had to follow his wish.

Later Yin Lihua asked her brother why he refused the emperor's reward. Yin Xing said families of imperial relatives most feared not knowing when to advance and when to stop. When giving daughters, they wanted kings and marquises; when taking wives, they wanted princesses. One wrong step could create a gulf between heaven and earth. Wealth and honor always have limits. A person should know enough.

Yin Lihua was deeply moved. After that she became even more restrained and did not seek offices or titles for her natal relatives. If someone came through her asking favor, she turned them back.

Even the Grand Marshal Post Was Given Up

In the second year after Liu Zhuang became crown prince, Liu Xiu suffered a serious headache illness. One day the illness worsened. Yin Xing was serving as Palace Attendant, and Liu Xiu summoned him, intending to entrust affairs after his death.

Liu Xiu later recovered. After the Grand Marshal Wu Han died, he summoned Yin Xing again and wanted him to become Grand Marshal.

Yin Xing still refused firmly. Bowing and weeping, he said he did not value his own life but feared damaging the emperor's virtue. If an imperial relative became Grand Marshal, the world would say the emperor only used his own brothers-in-law.

Those around Liu Xiu were moved. Yin Xing was not afraid of being criticized himself. He feared that people would criticize Liu Xiu.

This was not a single performance. Rewards and heavy offices were placed before Yin Xing several times, and he stepped back. The Yin family's wealth and rank were already secure. The hard part was not reaching out for more.

Yin Jiu Treated Worthies with Respect

Another Yin brother, Yin Jiu, was made Marquis of Xinyang. He was eloquent and few at court could match him, though his temperament was not especially gentle. Still, he left a story of respecting worthy men.

There was an Imperial Academy student named Zhu Hui, who had shown courage from youth. At thirteen, when Wang Mang's regime collapsed and scattered soldiers looted everywhere, Zhu Hui fled with his maternal grandfather's family. On the road, they met bandits. The bandits held blades against the women, and no one dared resist. Zhu Hui drew a sword and rebuked them. The bandits were startled and withdrew.

After Liu Xiu died, Yin Jiu was eager to find talent for his nephew, Emperor Ming. He went to visit Zhu Hui. Zhu Hui did not want to associate with powerful men and avoided meeting him. The next day, Yin Jiu sent a steward with generous gifts. Zhu Hui still refused.

A domineering imperial relative might have been humiliated and angry. Yin Jiu was not. He praised Zhu Hui's spirit and told his people not to force him.

Yin Lihua Also Knew How to Hold Back

The restraint of the Yin brothers was tied to Yin Lihua herself.

After becoming empress, she did not mistreat Guo Shengtong or Guo's sons. Liu Fu, King of Zhongshan and Guo Shengtong's youngest son, was especially liked by Yin Lihua and remained in Luoyang for a long time. Only in Yongping year two, after Emperor Ming had succeeded, did he go to his fief.

When Liu Fu left the capital, Yin Lihua gave him many guards. Under the system, princes were not supposed to enter the capital freely, but she specially allowed him to come to Luoyang whenever he wished.

When the former crown prince Liu Qiang, King of Donghai, died, Yin Lihua personally went out of the city with Emperor Ming to mourn.

Her comfort toward Guo's sons softened the aftershocks of deposing the empress and changing the crown prince. Though Guo Shengtong lost the empress position, her sons and clan kept royal and noble dignity.

Toward her own natal family, Yin Lihua was stricter. She sent the hot-tempered Yin Jiu back home to keep him from causing trouble in the capital. She also had Yin Xing dismiss his guests. Even if those guests were not necessarily bad men, suspicion had to be avoided first.

The Yin family was already prominent enough in early Eastern Han, but it knew that the place nearest power was also the most dangerous. Not every family of imperial relatives could show such restraint. In Liu Xiu's final years and around Emperor Ming's accession, other people were already nursing private ambitions. Next, Emperor Ming has to secure his own throne.