Emperor Wen, or Liu Huan, was the third son of Liu Bang and the third emperor of Han Dynasty. He advocated frugality and educated his people by virtue, thus initiated the millennium of peace and prosperity during the reign of Emperor Wen and Jing.

Liu Huan was conferred as King Dai in the beginning with his capital founded in Jinyang. After the death of his elder brother Liu Ying, or Emperor Hui, Emperor Shao enthroned with the help of Queen Lv, which was breaking with the convention. So after Queen Lv's death, with the support of Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, Liu Huan defeated the remaining forces of Queen Lv and enthroned.

During his reign of 23 years, Emperor Wen carried out the policies of "relaxing the people" and alleviating taxes and levies, thus promoting the rapid recovery and development of agricultural production. In order to strengthen the centralization of state power, he gradually weakened the force of vassals, upheld the unity of the country and properly managed the relationship between the Han Dynasty and Southern Yue and the Hun. The social stability and improved living standard of people all showed the initiation of prosperity during the reign of Emperor Wen and Jing.

In 157 B.C., Emperor Wen died of disease and was conferred the posthumous title of Emperor Wen with a temple name of Taizong. His son Liu Qi succeeded to the throne and was known as Emperor Jing. Then the reign of Emperor Wen and Jing in Chinese history is called the "Great Reign of Wen and Jin".