Han1

漢

THE WIDER LIÚ CLAN 

The progenitor of the clan was a man posthumously known as Fēng-gōng (豐公), the Lord of Bounty. He had issue:

• • 1) Liú Tàigōng (劉 太公 – “Grandfather Liu,” not his real name, obviously), a peasant. He married Liú Ǎo (劉 媼 – “Old Lady Liu”), posthumously known as Zhaoling-hou. He lived to see his son become Emperor, after which he was styled Tài Shàng Huáng (太上皇), "Grand High Emperor." He died in 197 BC at Xīn-Fēng, the pleasure village which his son had established for him. He had issue:

    • a) Liú Bó (劉 伯) (son of Ǎo). He died long before his brother rose to become Emperor. He was posthumously made Marquis of Wǔāi in 202 and King of Wǔāi in 181. He married Yīnān-hóu (陰安侯), Marquis of Yīnān ('dark peace'), who was dismissive of Liú Bāng, the future First Emperor of Han, who was then just another bandit; when he visited while on the run, she refused even to give him soup. He had issue:

      • • i) Gēngjiá-hóu Liú Xìn (羹頡侯 劉 信). When Liú Bāng became the First Emperor of Han, he refused to grant Xìn any title because he had been insulted by treatment he had received from his mother before he became Emperor (when she refused to give him soup). Eventually in 200 he agreed to make him Marquis of Gēngjiá, meaning 'Soup-thief.' He was demoted to a Marquis of the Interior in 187 for criminal activity.

    • b) Qǐng-wáng Liú Zhòng (頃王 劉 仲) (son of Ǎo). Initially Marquis of Yixin, he was made King of Dai by his brother in 200, after the former King of Dai had rebelled against Han. In 199 Dai was attacked by the nomadic Xiongnu and he fled to the Han Capital rather than face the nomads in battle. As a result, he was demoted to marquis of Héyáng. He married a woman known only as Qǐng-wánghòu (頃王后), who was involved in the selection and appointment of Wéndì as the Fifth Emperor of Han in 180 BC. He had issue:

      • • i) Wú-wáng Liú Pì (吳王 劉 濞), King of Wú. Born in 215, when Ying Bu rebelled against the new Han Empire in 196, he served as a Cavalry Generarl and was made Marquis of Pèi (The family’s home district) as a reward. In 195 he was promoted to be King of Wú, which was far from the Capital and rich in copper; he was largely independent and soon became very wealthy. He became increasingly hostile to the central court after his son and heir was killed by the Imperial Heir. When that Heir became Jǐngdì, the Sixth Emperor of Han, and tried to reduce the strength of his Kingdom, he became even more disaffected and in 154 he organised a major revolt, known as the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. The Emperor offered to negotiate, but by now Liú Pì was claiming the throne for himself, styling himself Dōngdì (東帝), "Eastern Emperor."    Defeated in battle, he was offered no quarter by the Emperor and so he fled China to the southern state of Dong Yue, where he was put to death. He had issue: 

          • • (1) Liú Xián (劉 賢), who was accidentally killed by the Imperial Heir (Jǐngdì, the future Sixth Emperor of Han) during a drunken revel; the Heir went unpunished and his father became increasingly hostile to Imperial power, eventually rebelling in 154.

            • (2) Liú Qìjūn (劉 棄軍), he fled with his family to the southern barbarian state of Dong Yue in 154, where his father was treacherously murdered. With his brother he escaped to the neighbouring state of Min Yue.

            • (3) Liú Zǐ-jū (劉 子駒), in 154 he fled with his family to the southern barbarian state of Dong Yue, and then to Min Yue. In 139 he convinced the king of that country to attack Dong Yue.

        • ii) Dé-hóu Liú Guǎng (德侯 劉 廣), Marquis of De. He was proposed as King of Wu to replace his brother after the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms, but this was vetoed by the Empress Dowager Dou.

    • c) Hàn Tàizǔ Gāo-huángdì Liú Bāng Jì (漢 太祖 高皇帝 劉 邦 季), First Emperor of Han (see below) (son of Ǎo).

    • d) Chǔ Yuán-wáng Liú Jiāo (楚 元王 劉 交), King of Chu. He fought with his brother Liú Bāng, the future First Emperor of Han, in the revolt which overthrew the Qin Dynasty. He was involved in operations in the southeast and was rewarded with the title of Lord of Wenxin. In the civil war that followed the defeat of the Qin he remained loyal to his brother, and was present at the final defeat of his archenemy, Xiang Yu (項 羽) in 202. he was made King of Chǔ by his brother in 201.  He lost territory during the reign of the Empress Dowager Lu (195-180), but received it back in 180. By this time he was quite elderly and his advice was sought by Wéndì, the Fifth Emperor, on several important dynastic matters. He died in 179. (son of a concubine or second wife)

      • • i) Liú Bìfēi (劉 辟非). He predeceased his father.

        • ii) Chǔ Yí-wáng Liú Yǐngkè (楚 夷王 劉 郢客), King of Chu. He was made Marquis of Shangpi and Director of the Imperial Clan in 186. He succeeded his father as King of Chu in 179 and died in 175.

          • • (1) Chǔ-wáng Liú Wù (楚王 劉 戊), King of Chu. He became King in 175. In 154 he joined the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms because  the Sixth Emperor Jǐngdì's Chancellor had accused him of immoral behaviour and threatened to fine him and reduce the size of his kingdom as punishment. The rebellion was not a success, and he lost his kingdom. He had issue:

              • • (a) A son, who had issue:

                • (i) A son, born after 121, who had issue:

                • 1. Liú Xiangfū (劉 相夫), she married Yuánguìmǐ (元貴靡), who was expected to become Chief of the Wusun, a nomadic people far to the northwest (in what is now Kyrgyzstan). He did not actually succeed to the title, so she was recalled to China.

                • (ii) Liú Jiěyōu (劉 解憂). Born in 121, she married (first) Lièqiāomǐ (獵驕靡), Chief of the Wusun. She married (second), his successor as Chief, Féi-wáng Wēngguīmǐ (肥王 翁歸靡). In 72 she appealed to the Imperial court on his behalf for help in defending against depredations of the nomadic Xiongnu. She married (third), his successor as Chief, Kuáng-wáng Nímǐ (狂王 泥靡), who imprisoned her on suspicion of involvement in an assassination attempt. She was rescued and allowed to return to China in 51, she died in the Capital, Chángān, in 49. She had issue (see WUSUN)

        • iii) Liú Yì (劉 藝). He was involved in the 154 Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms, and was punished by Jǐngdì, the Sixth Emperor, by expulsion from the Imperial family.

        • iv) Chǔ Wén-wáng Liú Lǐ (楚 文王 劉 禮), King of Chu. He was Director of the Imperial Clan during the reign of Wéndì, the Fifth Emperor, and was made a General in order to face the Xiongnu invasion of 158. He was Marquis of Pínglù and Superintendent of the Imperial from 156 until 154, when he was appointed King of Chu to replace the previous King, his nephew, who had been involved in the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. He died in either 151 or, more likely, in 150.

          • • (1) Chǔ Ān-wáng Liú Dào (楚 安王 劉 道), King of Chu. He ruled from 150 until his death in 128. He had issue:

              • • (a) Chǔ Xiāng-wáng Liú Zhù (楚 襄王 劉 注), King of Chu. He became king in 128 and died in 116.

                • (i) Chǔ Jié-wáng  Liú Chún (楚 節王 劉 純), King of Chu. He became king in 116 and died in 100. He had issue:

                • 1. Chǔ-wáng Liú Yánshòu (楚王 劉 延壽), King of Chu. He became king in 100 and became involved in plots in favour of his brother-in-law, Imperial prince Liu Xu, King of Guangling. When these plots were discovered in 68 he committed suicide. His kingdom was abolished.

                • He married a daughter of Yuánqī-hóu Zhào Chángnián (爰戚侯 趙 長年), who revealed his son-in-law's conspiracy in 68 and was rewarded by being made Marquis of Yuánqī (Apparently meaning 'to lead to grief').

                • (b) Xìngshān-hóu Liú Chéng (杏山侯 劉 成), Marquis of Xìngshān. He was made a Marquis in 129 and deposed for tax evasion in 112.

                • (c) Fúqiū Jié-hóu Liú Bùhài (浮丘 節侯 劉 不害), Marquis of Fúqiū. He was Marquis from 127 until his death in 118.

                • (i) Fúqiū-hóu Liú Bà (浮丘 節侯 劉 霸), Marquis of Fúqiū. He was Marquis from 118 until 112, when he was deposed for tax evasion.

        • v) Hóng-hóu Liú Fù (紅侯 劉 富), Marquis of Hóng. He was Marquis of Xiū from 156 until 154, when he was suspected of being involved in the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. It subsequently became clear that he had tried to prevent the Kingdom of Chu from entering the Rebellion, at great personal risk, and so he was made Marquis of Hóng in 153. He died in 150, but had issue:

          • • (1) Hóng Huái-hóu Liú Dēng (紅 懷侯 劉 登), Marquis of Hóng. He was Marquis from 150 until his death in 149. He had issue:

              • • (a) Hóng Jìng-hóu Liú Jiā (紅 敬侯 劉 嘉), Marquis of Hóng. He was Marquis from 149 until his death in 125. He had issue:

                • (i) Hóng-hóu Liú Zhāng (紅 哀侯 劉 章), Marquis of Hóng. He was Marquis from 125 until his death in 124.

            • (2) Liú Bìqiǎng (劉 辟彊). He was invited to the Imperial palace in 153, as a reward for his father’s loyal service during the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms. A devoted scholar, he did not persue employment in the civil service, though he was certainly qualified. However, in the reign of Zhāodì, the Eighth Emperor, when he was quite elderly, he was appointed a Counsellor of the Palace, Superintendent of the Guards of Changle Palace and finally, in 85, Superintendent of the Imperial Clan. He had issue:

              • • (a) Yángchéng Mù-hóu Liú Dé (陽城 繆侯 劉 德), Marquis of Yángchéng. A highly competent poet, he was also gifted scholar of Huáng-Lǎo (黃老), an ideology which claimed exceptional antiquity and favoured the traditional nobility (this philosophy was gradually eclipsed by Confucianism and became extinct after the Han Dynasty). He entered the civil service as an Assistant to the Superintendent of the Imperial Clan. In 85 he became Assistant to the Superintendent of State Visits, then Grand Councellor of the Imperial Palace and in 80 he became Superintendent of the Imperial Clan. He refused to marry the daughter of the Eighth Emperor Zhāodì’s Regent, which led to his dismissal on trumped up charges of bias. In 79 he was appointed Regional Inspector of Qingzhou and in 78 he was once again Superintendent. In that role he was pivotally involved in the selection, appointment and deposition of Liú He as Ninth Emperor in 74 and in the selection of his successor Xuāndì as the Tenth Emperor (also in 74). He was rewarded with a landless Marquisate in 73, and further made Marquis of Yángchéng in 66. He died in 56, but had issue:

                • (i) Yángchéng Jié-hóu Liú Ānmín (陽城 節侯 劉 安民), Marquis of Yángchéng. He was a Gentleman of the Imperial Palace from 66. He became Marquis in 56, surrendering a large portion of his domain to the central government to save his younger brother, a failed alchemist, from execution. He died in 48.

                • 1. Yángchéng Lí-hóu Liú Qìngjì (陽城 釐侯 劉 慶忌), Marquis of Yángchéng from 48. He was appointed Superintendent of the Imperial Clan in 33 and was promoted in 31 to Superintendent of Ceremonial. He was dismissed in 26 owing to illness and died shortly after. He had issue:

                • a. Yángchéng-hóu Liú Cén Zǐzhāng (陽城侯 劉 岑 子張), Marquis of Yángchéng. He is conjectured to have been Marquis from 26 BC to AD 6, but he is not consistently attested. He was Leader of the Gentlemen of the Palace, Colonel and finally Superintendent of Ceremonial, at the Imperial court.

                • i.Yángchéng-hóu Liú Lì (陽城侯 劉 颯), Marquis of Yángchéng. He became Marquis in AD 6. When Wang Mang usurped power from the Han Dynasty, Li chose to support him, continuing in his Marquisate until Wang Mang’s defeat in AD 23.

                • (ii) Liú Xiàng Zǐzhèng (劉 向 子政), born Liú Gēngshēng (劉 更生) in 79. He persued a life of learning, being appointed an Advisory Councillor at the Imperial Court on reaching adulthood. At some point, however, he became interested in alchemy, and expended enormous amounts of Imperial money in fruitless attempts to transmute gold. His inevitable failure caused the Tenth Emperor, Xuāndì, to have him imprisoned, and he was only released after a massive payment by his brother in 56. Rehabilitated as a result of the respect his scholarship was held in, he was promoted to Superintendent of the Imperial Clan in 48 at the accession of Yuándì as the Eleventh Emperor. In this role he attempted to curtail the power of the clans of Yuándì's consorts, but he was unsuccessful, dismissed and imprisoned again in 47 or 46. He wrote many letters to the Imperial court, appealing to historical precedent and the need for the Emperor to select true advisors (like himself) to receive the approval of Heaven and avoid discord on Earth; in the process he popularised, if not invented, the idea of the Mandate of Heaven, according to which, when the Emperor ruled well, he would be supported by Heaven, but, should he rule badly, the Empire would be racked by disaster and Heaven would desert him in favour of another. This idea, which conveniently justified a successful revolt, was to dominate Chinese political thought for the next two thousand years. Eventually he was released and promoted to Gentleman of the Palace and then to Counsellor of the Palace in 33. From this position he criticised the enormous amount of power being given to the Wang family of Imperial in-laws. His warning was not, or could not be, heeded. One of their number, Wáng Măng (王莽), would overthrow the Han Dynasty in AD 9, but Zǐzhèng did not see this, for he died in 8 BC, but had issue:

                • 1. Liú Jí (劉 伋), a scholar of the Confucian classics, particularly divination, he eventually became Governor of a commandery.

                • 2. Liú Cì (劉 賜), a minor scholar, he was appointed Assistant to a Minister of State, but died soon thereafter.

                • 3. Liú Xīn Zǐjùn (劉 歆 子駿), born in 46 BC, he later renamed himself Liú Xiù Yǐngshū (劉 秀 穎叔), and became a great scholar like his father. He was Colonel of the Central Ramparts from 8 BC, promoted to Commandant of the Imperial Carriages in 6 BC and ordered to compile the Seven Summaries, a bibliography of the Chinese classics. He argued for more a holistic approach to the classic texts than that then in favour and the incorporation of newly discovered works into the corpus. His views would eventually become orthodox, but for the moment were viewed as radical and, apparently, offensive; he was sent away to be Governor of Henei in 7 BC, demoted to Governor of Wuyuan, again to Governor of Zhuojun and again to Commandant of Anding. However, he enjoyed close relations with the Regent Wáng Măng (王莽), who was increasingly ascendent at court, and in AD 3 he returned to be a Counsellor of the Palace, and then Grand Counsellor of the Palace, determining the proper ceremonial for the elevation of Wáng Măng's daughter as Empress. When Wáng Măng abolished the Han Dynasty and usurped power for himself in AD 9, Liú Xīn Zǐjùn continued to support him and was appointed Marquis of Xihe and Hongxiu as well as Governor of the Capital. As one of his major ideologues, he had a great deal of influence over Wang Mang's (unrealistically idealistic) policies. In AD 21, however, as Wang Mang's regime began to look shaky, he was dismissed. Only now did he desire the restoration of the Han Dynasty, joining a conspiracy in AD 23, which however was revealed, leading him to commit suicide. He had issue:

                • a. Yīxiū-hóu Liú Dié (伊休侯 劉 疊). He supported the usurper Wáng Măng (王莽) and was rewarded in AD 9 with a Marquisate. Later he was made Palace Attendent and Leader of the Gentlemen of the Palace. During the revolt to restore the Han Dynasty in AD 23, however, his family origin as a member of the Imperial clan made him suspect in Wáng Măng's eyes. He was demoted to commoner and stripped of all positions but that of Counsellor.

                • b. Longwēi-hóu Liú Fen (隆威侯 劉 棻). He supported the usurper Wáng Măng (王莽), reporting messages from occult sources to him. He was rewarded with the titles of Marquis of Longwei and Palace Attendent. After the Han Dynasty was restored in AD 23 he was executed.

                • c. Fálǔ-hóu Liú Yǒng (伐虜侯 劉 泳), Marquis of Fálǔ. He supported the usurper Wang Mang and was rewarded with the positions of Bureau Head of the Right, Changshui Colonel and a Marquisate. After the Han Dynasty was restored in AD 23 he was executed.

                • a. Liú Yīn (劉 愔), a talented astrologist, she married Wáng Lín (王 臨), son of Wáng Măng (王莽) (see XIN)

        • vi) Shěnyóu Yí-hóu Liú Suì (沈猷 夷侯 劉 歲), Marquis of Shěnyóu, from 156 until his death in 136. He had issue:

          • • (1) Shěnyóu-hóu Liú Shòu (沈猷侯 劉 受), Marquis of Shěnyóu. He became Marquis in 136 and in 119 also became Superintendent of the Imperial Clan. He was deprived of both offices in 118 when he was convicted of disrespect to the Imperial house.

        • vii) Wǎnqú-hóu Liú Yì (宛朐侯 劉 埶), Marquis of Wǎnqú from 156 until his execution in 153 for involvement in the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms in the previous year. His tomb has been discovered at Xuzhou.

        • ix) Jílè Jìng-hóu Liú Diào (棘樂 敬侯 劉 調), Marquis of Jílè. He was Marquis from 154 until his death in 138. He had issue:

          • • (1) Jílè Gōng-hóu Liú Yīng (棘樂 恭侯 劉 應), Marquis of Jílè. He was Marquis from 138 until his death in 123.

    • a) Xuān-fūrén (宣夫人), as sister of the First Emperor, she was posthumously honoured as Zhāoāi-hòu (昭哀后) "Illustrious and Mourned Queen" in 181.

  • 2) A Son, who had issue:

• • • • a) Jīng-wáng Liú Jia (荊王 劉 賈), King of Jing. A cousin of Liú Bāng, the First Emperor of Han. He fought at Liú Bāng's side while he was still one warlord among many and was of crucial importance in bringing about his ultimate victory. As a reward, he was made King of Jing in 201. He fought against the rebellious King of Huainan in 196 and died in battle. As he was childless, his kingdom was abolished.

      • b) Yàn Jìng-wáng Liú Zé (燕 敬王 劉 澤), King of Yàn. A cousin of Liú Bāng, the First Emperor of Han. He was a Gentleman of the Palace in 204. In the 190s, Liú Bāng slowly eliminated many of those who had helped him achieve power and had now outlived their usefulness; Liú Zé served as his general, reducing them by force, as a reward, in 196, he was made Marquis of Yingling. In 194, following Emperor Liú Bāng's death, he was appointed Superintendent of the Guards. The Empress Dowager Lǚ (呂太后) was in power during these years; with great brutality she strove to reduce the power of the Liú family in favour of her own. Thus this was not a safe time for a collateral member of the Liú  family, but Liú Zé survived, and, in 181, was allowed to leave the Capital to become King of Langye. The very next year the Empress Dowager died and his Kingdom was invaded by the neigbouring Kingdom of Qi, which was revolting against the Lǚ clan. He supported the appointment of the King of Dai, Liu Heng as Fifth Emperor Wendi in 179 and was rewarded with the large northern Kingdom of Yan. He died in 177 but had issue:

• • i) Yàn Kāng-wáng Liú Jiā (燕 康王 劉 嘉), King of Yàn. He became King in 177. He did not join in the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms in 154. He died in 151.

  • (1) Yàn-wáng Liú Dìngguó (燕王 劉 定國), King of Yàn. He became King in 151. Sexually depraved, he had relations with his step-mother, his sister-in-law and three of his daughters. When he was criticised for this by a magistrate, he had him beaten to death. For this he was condemned to death in 127, but he committed suicide instead. He had issue:

  • (a – c) Three daughters who had relations with their father.

  • (1) a daughter who in 135 married Wǔān-hóu Tián Fén (武安侯 田 蚡), a relative of the Empress of Jǐngdì the Sixth Emperor, who became powerful in the reign of the Seventh Emperor Wudi, becoming a Grand Counsellor of the Palace and Marquis of Wǔān, and then Grand Commandant from 140 until 139 when he was dismissed for arguing against military intervention in the south and opposing Confucianism. He became Chancellor in 135, but offended the royal family, senior officials and powerful families. In 131 he died wracked by illness, and supposedly persued by the spirits of deceased enemies. He had issue:

  • (a) Wǔān-hóu Tián Tián (武安侯 田 恬), Marquis of Wǔān from 131 until 126 when he was demoted to commoner for disrespectful conduct (Visiting the Imperial Court while dressed in rugs).