Han Hong () (765 – January 19, 823), formally Duke Yin of Xu (許隱公), was a general of the Tang dynasty of China, who also served as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Xianzong's son Emperor Muzong.
Background
Han Hong was born in 765, during the reign of Emperor Daizong. His family was originally from Yingchuan (潁川, in modern Xuchang, Henan), but had for generations lived at Hua Prefecture (滑州, in modern Anyang, Henan). Neither his grandfather Han Wang () nor his father Han Chui () was prominent, and he lost his father early in his life. He relied on his mother's clan, particularly his maternal uncle, the general Liu Xuanzuo (), serving on Liu's staff. When Liu, who was then the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), died in 792, the soldiers supported Liu's son Liu Shining () as his successor initially, and, despite some reluctance, Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong agreed. In 793, after the soldiers mutinied and expelled Liu Shining, Han left Xuanwu's capital Bian Prefecture () and became an officer at another prefecture of Xuanwu's, Song Prefecture (宋州, in modern Shangqiu, Henan).
As military governor of Xuanwu Circuit
In 799, Liu Shining's successor Liu Quanliang () died, and the Xuanwu soldiers, remembering Liu Xuanzuo, supported Han Hong as the acting military governor. It was said that Han was good at judging which soldiers were brave and which soldiers were not, and assigning the right soldiers for the right tasks. Emperor Dezong subsequently made Han military governor. Meanwhile, Wu Shaocheng the military governor of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan) had recently rose against the imperial government and had reached a secret agreement with Liu Quanliang to jointly attack Chenxu Circuit (陳許, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan) and divide it among them. Han repudiated the agreement and sent troops to help the imperial forces' attacks against Wu.
In 800, Han, after he became familiar with the officers, came to understand that one of them, Liu E (), had long been involved with the repeated mutinies against military governors. He gathered Liu E and 300 of Liu E's followers and executed them. It was said that after this incident, until Han left the circuit two decades later, the Xuanwu soldiers did not dare to create disturbances again.
In 805, after Emperor Dezong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Shunzong, but before the news of Emperor Dezong's death had reached the circuits, Li Yuansu () the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan), had found out about Emperor Dezong's death. As he wanted to let the warlord Li Shigu the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), not felt left out, he secretly informed Li Shigu — but Li Shigu, wanting to use this opportunity to enlarge his territory, battered Li Yuansu's messenger and accused Li Yuansu of falsely proclaiming the emperor's death. He prepared troops to attack Yicheng, and Li Yuansu sought immediate aid from Han. Han sent messengers to warn Li Shigu, and Li Shigu, apprehensive that Han might attack his back, did not attack Yicheng. Han further intercepted the messengers of Li Shigu and Wu Shaocheng's successor Wu Shaoyang as the messengers went through Xuanwu, and he confiscated the gifts that Li Shigu and Wu were sending each other — salt from Li Shigu to Wu and cowhide from Wu to Li Shigu, pointing out that imperial regulations forbid military governors from sending each other gifts. In 808, by which time Emperor Shunzong's son Emperor Xianzong was emperor, Han received the honorary chancellor title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi ().
In 812, after another warlord, Tian Ji'an the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei), his relative Tian Xing seized control of Weibo from Tian Ji'an's son Tian Huaijian and submitted the circuit to imperial orders. When Li Shigu's brother and successor Li Shidao threatened to attack Tian Xing along with Wang Chengzong the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and threatened Han with this, Han threatened to attack Pinglu's Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze, Shandong) if Li Shidao attacked Weibo. Li Shidao became apprehensive and did not act against Weibo.