Portrait of Emperor Gaozu of the Later Han

original: "後漢高祖" (Hou Han Gaozu). This refers to Liu Zhiyuan (reigned 947–948 CE), the founder of the Later Han dynasty. Like his predecessors in the Later Tang and Later Jin, he was of Shatuo Turkic descent. His reign was extremely brief, lasting only about a year before his death.

original: "三才圖會" (Sancai Tuhui). This is the title of the source material, a massive encyclopedia compiled by Wang Qi and his son Wang Siyi during the Ming Dynasty, intended to catalog all knowledge across the "Three Realms" of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.

Visual Description
The portrait depicts the Emperor in a formal, frontal pose characteristic of imperial woodcut hagiography.

• The Headgear: He wears a putou; a traditional black gauze cap with stiffened, wing-like extensions. By the time of the Five Dynasties and into the Ming when this book was published, this headwear was the definitive symbol of officialdom and imperial authority.
• The Robe: He is shown in a dark, round-collared robe. The simplicity of the garment in the illustration emphasizes the dignity of the ruler's carriage rather than intricate textile patterns.
• Facial Features: He is rendered with a prominent mustache and a long, flowing goatee, following the aesthetic standards for a "venerable leader" in Chinese portraiture.

Historical Significance
Liu Zhiyuan was a high-ranking military official under the Later Jin. When the Khitan Liao Empire invaded and destroyed the Later Jin in 947 CE, the Khitan Emperor initially declared himself the ruler of China. However, due to local resistance and supply issues, the Khitans withdrew north. Liu Zhiyuan seized this power vacuum in Taiyuan; a strategic city in modern-day Shanxi province to proclaim the founding of the Later Han.

Founder of the Later Han

Liu Zhiyuan, posthumously known as Emperor Gaozu

While his dynasty was the shortest of the Five Dynasties—lasting only four years total before being overthrown by the Later Zhou—Liu Zhiyuan is remembered for providing a brief moment of stability and Chinese-style imperial continuity in the wake of the Khitan withdrawal.