霍光自從被漢武帝任命為託孤大臣以來，遵照武帝晚年的政策，在鹽鐵會議後確立漢朝與民休息的施政方針，並平定政敵的謀反，建立起專擅國政的地位。其後宣帝駕崩，無子嗣，霍光迎立昌邑王，旋即又廢之，另立宣帝即位。霍光具備廢立皇帝的權勢，令宣帝不敢親政，直到霍光去世，霍夫人毒殺許皇后之事洩露，霍家最終招來滅族之禍。
本文主要探討霍光歷經昭帝、昌邑王、宣帝時期權力之爭的過程，以及霍光一生對漢朝政治的貢獻與霍家招致滅亡的原因。
Since Huo Kuang had been designated as a minister by Emperor Wu-Ti to assist his son, he, following the policies set up by the late Wu-Ti period, had confirmed the Han's administration policy, suppressed the conspiracy of rebellion from the antagonists, and established the status of his governing the national affairs. After the death of the Emperor Chao-Ti who hadn't had sons, Huo Kuang had acclaimed Chang-Yi as the Emperor but unthroned him soon. After that, he had acclaimed Hsuan-Ti as the Emperor. Emperor Hsuan-Ti had dared not to govern the Han by himself because Huo Kuang had had the power and influence to acclaim and unthrone the emperor. The entire Huo Family hadn’t been exterminated until the reveal of the Queen Hsu had been poisoned by Miss Huo after the death of Huo Kuang.
This article is discussing the process of Huo Kuang's fighting for the power from Chao-Ti, Chang-Yi to Hsuan-Ti; the contribution to the Han politics from his whole life and the reason of the extermination of the entire Huo's.
