Emperor He, the son of Emperor Zhang, had ascended the Chinese throne at the age of nine in 88; he would reign for seventeen years.

It is during his reign that the Eastern Han begins its decline.

Strife between consort clans and eunuchs had begun when the Empress Dowager Dou (Emperor He's adoptive mother) made her own family members important government officials.

Her family was corrupt and intolerant of dissension.

Emperor He had been able to remedy the situation in 92 by removing the empress dowager's brothers with the aid of the eunuch Zheng Zhong and his brother Liu Qing,the Prince of Qinghe.

This in turn had created a precedent for eunuchs to be involved in important affairs of state, a trend that would continue to escalate for the next century and contribute to the fall of the Han dynasty.

Further, while Qiang revolts, spurred by Han officials who were corrupt, oppressive, or both, had begun during Emperor Zhang's reign, they have begun to create major problems for the Han during Emperor He's reign and would last until the reign of Emperor Ling.

Emperor He himself appears to be a largely kind and gentle man who, however, lacks his father's and grandfather Emperor Ming's acumen for governance and for judgment of character.

Although Emperor He's reign arguably initiated Han's long decline, notable scientific progresses are made during this period including the invention of paper by the eunuch Cai Lun in 105.

At the emperor’s death in 106, Liu Sheng, the elder of his surviving sons, is still young (his actual age is unrecorded) and believed to be constantly ill; the younger, Liu Long, is only one hundred days old.

Both are welcomed back to the palace, and Empress Deng creates Liu Long crown prince, believing that he would be healthier, and he is that evening proclaimed Emperor Shang, but dies later in 106.

Empress Dowager Deng, apprehensive that Liu Sheng might resent her for not making him emperor first, now refuses to make him emperor, and instead creates Prince Qing's twelve-year-old son Liu Hu as Emperor An.

She will rule remain as regent until her death in 121.

Prince Long had been born in autumn 105 to Emperor He and a concubine whose identity is unknown.

Because Emperor He has, during his reign, frequently lost sons due to illnesses in childhood, according to the superstitions of the time, both Prince Long and his older brother Prince Sheng had been given to foster parents outside the palace to nurture.

When Emperor He dies early 106, his wife, Empress Deng Sui, retrieves the young princes back to the palace.

Prince Sheng is older but regarded as frequently ill and unfit for the throne, for Empress Deng first creates the infant Prince Long crown prince.

The same night, he is proclaimed emperor.

Empress Deng became empress dowager.

After Emperor Shang’s brother, Prince Sheng, is created the Prince of Pingyuan.

Concerned that Emperor Shang might not live long, Empress Dowager Deng also keeps Liu Hu, the twelve-year old cousin of Emperor Shang, in the capital Luoyang as insurance against the infant emperor's death.

(Prince Hu is the son of Prince Qing of Qinghe, who was once a crown prince under Emperor He's father Emperor Zhang but had been deposed due to machinations of Emperor Zhang's wife, Empress Dou.

Therefore, he is viewed by some as the rightful heir.)

As Emperor Shang is an infant, actual and formal power are in Empress Deng's hands.

Her brother Deng Zhi becomes the most powerful official in the imperial government.

She issues a general pardon, which benefits the people who had had rights stripped from them for associating with the family of Empress Dou.

Late in 106, Emperor Shang dies.

The officials have by this time realized that Prince Sheng, his older brother, is not as ill as originally thought, and want to make him emperor.

However, Empress Dowager Deng is concerned that he might bear a grudge at not being made emperor before his brother, and therefore insists on making Emperor Shang's cousin Prince Hu emperor instead, and he takes the throne as Emperor An.

Empress Dowager Deng remains as the regent.

Emperor Shang, having died as a toddler, is not given a separate tomb, as is customary for emperors.

Rather, in order to avoid unnecessary expenses, he is buried in the same tomb complex as his father Emperor He.