Wang Mang (, c. 45 – 6 October 23 AD),
courtesy name Jujun (巨君), was a
Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the
Liu family and founded the
Xin (or Hsin, meaning "renewed") Dynasty (新朝), ruling AD 9–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty (before Xin) and Eastern Han Dynasty (after Xin). 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.