TUNG CHO

died AD 192, , China general whose seizure of power and tyrannical rule ended the Han dynasty (206 BCAD 220) and divided the Chinese empire. In AD 190 Tung Cho burned Lo-yang, the capital, and removed himself and the emperor to the ancient capital of Ch'ang-an. He had the city of Mei-wu, said to have been an exact duplicate of the capital, built for his clansmen. Opposition to his rule sprang up throughout the country, and the empire gradually became divided into satrapies ruled by rival generals. Tung was assassinated by one of his own lieutenants at the bidding of a rival.