Wang Mang

Wang Mang, courtesy name Jujun, was a Han dynasty official and consort kin who seized the Chinese imperial throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin dynasty (新朝). He ruled from 9 AD to 23 AD. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and his rule marked the separation between the Western Han dynasty and Eastern Han dynasty. Some historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a usurper, while others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the classics, his efforts ended in chaos.