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63-525: Liu Yao's father Liu Lü (劉綠) died early, and he was raised by Liu Lü's cousin Liu Yuan . When he was young, Liu Yuan became impressed with his intelligence and strength. As he grew, he became known for his archery skills and his studiousness—although his studies were described to be surveys rather than careful readings, except for books on military strategy, which he spent much of his time on. He often deprecated Wu Han and Deng Yu , instead comparing himself to

126-550: A Han descendant, he would succeed to the Han throne, and therefore claimed the title of the King of Han—deliberately choosing a title that had been previously held by the Han dynasty's founder, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao). He reestablished the worship of eight Han emperors—Emperor Gao, Emperor Wen , Emperor Wu , Emperor Xuan , Emperor Guangwu , Emperor Ming , Emperor Zhang , and Liu Bei (Emperor Zhaolie). He created his wife Lady Huyan (likely

189-675: A campaign against the Di chief of Chouchi , Yang Nandi , Liu Yao was stricken by a communicable disease, and while he was still able to force Yang to submit, his general Chen An , a former subordinate of Sima Bao, mistakenly thought that Liu Yao had already died, and therefore declared independence as the Prince of Liang, controlling most of Qin Province (秦州, modern eastern Gansu ). In 323, Liu Yao, having recovered, personally attacked Chen's headquarters at Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui , Gansu ). Chen fled but

252-497: A coalition of Han Chinese and tribal rebels in northern China. Though he would not live long to see it, his family and generals would eventually drive the Jin dynasty out of the north. According to official history, Liu Yuan was a member of Xiongnu nobility, as a descendant of the first great chanyu in Xiongnu history, Modu Chanyu , who, along with their people, had long been loyal vassals to

315-555: A letter to Liu Xi and Liu Yin, ordering them to surrender. Instead, Liu Yao wrote a letter that stated: "Protect the empire with your officials. Do not care about me." Shi saw the letter and grew angry, and eventually executed Liu Yao. Late in 329, Shi Hu would capture and execute Liu Xi and Liu Yin, ending the Han-Zhao dynasty. In the Book of Jin , Liu Yao was described as a tall man (approximately 2.28 metres) and that he had greyish eyebrows and

378-477: A linkage with the Han dynasty —to which he claimed he was a descendant, through a princess, but Liu Yao felt that it was time to end the linkage with Han and explicitly restore the linkage to the great Xiongnu chanyu Maodun , and therefore decided to change the name of the state. However, this was not a break from Liu Yuan, as he continued to honor Liu Yuan and Liu Cong posthumously. In winter 319, Shi declared himself

441-526: A major battle near Luoyang (which the two, as well as Jin, had fought over for months), and after some initial Former Zhao successes, Later Zhao's general Shi Hu decisively defeated and captured Former Zhao's general Liu Yue (劉岳), after Liu Yao himself encountered difficulties with his army discipline and could not come to Liu Yue's aid. Later Zhao took this opportunity to effectively take the modern central Henan , northern Jiangsu , and western Shandong under its control. Later in 325, Liu Yao created Liu Yin

504-434: A relative of his mother) princess. (The name of Liu's state was therefore "Han," but is often referred to as "Han-Zhao" or "Former Zhao" because his nephew Liu Yao , who took the throne in 318, changed the name of the state to Zhao in 319.) For those impressed with Liu's abilities previously, however, his reign was somewhat of a let down. He spent great energy on trying to restore the Han system of government, but he himself

567-716: A smaller horse, and during battle Shi made a surprise attack, and the horse, unable to bear his weight, fell, and he was thrown off the horse. Later Zhao soldiers inflicted many wounds on him before capturing him and taking them to the general Shi Kan (石堪). Shi Le then ordered his army to stop engagement and allow the Former Zhao forces to retreat. Shi Kan delivered Liu Yao to Shi Le. Shi ordered that Liu's wounds be treated, and he then took Liu Yao to Xiangguo. He put Liu Yao under heavy guard but supplied him with women, and also permitted his previously captured generals Liu Yue and Liu Zhen (劉震) to visit him. Shi then ordered Liu Yao to write

630-594: A sparse long beard . Liu Yuan (Han Zhao) Liu Yuan (劉淵) (died 19 August 310), courtesy name Yuanhai (元海), also known by his posthumous name as the Emperor Guangwen of Han (Zhao) (漢(趙)光文帝) was the founding emperor of the Xiongnu -led Han-Zhao dynasty of China during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Due to Tang dynasty naming taboo , he is referred to by his courtesy name as Liu Yuanhai (劉元海) in

693-458: Is not clear where Heiniyuju was or why Liu Yin waited until Chen's defeat to reveal his identity to the chief; it could have been that Heiniyuju was initially a Chen ally, and while Chen was, prior to his rebellion, nominally a Former Zhao general, Liu Yin might have been concerned about being detained by Chen as a bargaining chip.) Liu Yao considered making Liu Yin his crown prince instead (since Liu Yin had previously been his heir), but, not having

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756-668: The Book of Jin . With the dissolution of the Southern Xiongnu in 216, the last vestiges of their power were divided into Five Divisions in Bing province around modern-day Shanxi . Liu Yuan was born into the aristocracy of the Five Divisions and was sent to the Chinese capital, Luoyang as a hostage during his youth, where he became highly sinicized and later held several government offices under

819-402: The Han dynasty and to its successor states Cao Wei and Jin . In late Wei or early Jin times, the Xiongnu nobles claimed that they descended from the Han dynasty's ruling Liu clan also — through a princess who had married Modu Chanyu – and therefore changed their family name to Liu. Liu Yuan's father, Liu Bao , was a son of one of the last Southern Xiongnu chanyus, Yufuluo , and the nephew of

882-450: The Wei River . When his official You Ziyuan (游子遠) tried to persuaded him against these actions, he threw You into jail. Aggravated, Di and Qiang tribes declared independence in a state named Qin (秦). Subsequently, he released You and commissioned You with a force to suppression the rebellion, and You was able to persuade most of the rebels to surrender and defeat the rest. In 322, while on

945-769: The Western Jin dynasty . As the War of the Eight Princes weakened Jin authority in northern China, Liu Yuan was called upon by the Five Divisions to lead their rebellion, and in 304, he declared independence from the Jin and founded the Han-Zhao dynasty , one of the first of the Sixteen Kingdoms. His declaration, along with the founding of the Cheng-Han dynasty in Sichuan that same year, marked

1008-566: The Xianbei rebel Tufa Shujineng . Eventually, even Emperor Wu's brother Sima You the Prince of Qi, impressed and fearful of Liu's abilities, encouraged Emperor Wu to have Liu executed, but Wang Hun persuaded Emperor Wu that it would be wrong. When Liu Bao died in 279, Emperor Wu permitted Liu Yuan to take over command of the Left Tribe. In 289, he was transferred to Commander of the North Tribe. As

1071-670: The Xiongnu -led Han-Zhao dynasty of China who briefly usurped the throne in 318. Jin Zhun staged a coup d'état against the Han emperor and his son-in-law Liu Can (Emperor Yin) and then massacred the Liu imperial family . He then proclaimed himself Heavenly King of Han and nominally submitted to the Eastern Jin dynasty as a vassal. His forces were subsequently squeezed in by the troops led by Liu Yao and Shi Le , and, facing probable defeat, his followers assassinated him. Liu Yao then succeeded Jin Zhun to

1134-571: The crown prince was conspiring against him and his father, and subsequently participated heavily in Liu Can's plot to have his uncle falsely accused of treason and removed as crown prince in 317. Jin also assassinated the former Crown Prince Ai, on Liu Can's orders. Liu Can became crown prince, and Princess Jin became crown princess. After Liu Cong died in summer 318, Liu Can succeeded to the throne, and proceeded to spend day and night committing adultery with his father's four surviving empresses—one of which

1197-692: The Chinese general Wang Mi and the Jie general Shi Le (both of whom declared loyalty to Han in 307), who generally only nominally submitted to Liu's orders while maintaining separate power structures but who also did appear to genuinely respect and fear Liu. As for troops under his own control, Liu largely entrusted them to his son Liu Cong the Prince of Chu and his nephew Liu Yao the Prince of Shi'an. The four generals, while not being able to hold cities, were generally able to rove throughout northern and central China unimpeded by Jin forces, defeating most Jin generals who opposed them. In 308, Wang's troops advanced on

1260-571: The Chuge in the 250s. It is likely that Liu Yuan and Han-Zhao historians fabricated his ties to the Luandi clan for more legitimacy by presenting his rule as both a continuation of the Southern Xiongnu chanyus and a restoration of the Han dynasty. Consort and their respective issue(s): Jin Zhun Jin Zhun ( Chinese : 靳準 ; c. January 319 ) was an official and a member of the consort kin of

1323-416: The Five Divisions nobles, led by the commander of the North Tribe, Liu Xuan , tired of the Jin misrule and secretly plotted reindependence from Jin. They sent a messenger to secretly offer Liu Yuan the title of Grand Chanyu. Liu Yuan then told Sima Ying, who was then concerned about an attack from Wang Jun , whose troops were reinforced with Xianbei and Wuhuan soldiers, that he would be willing to mobilize

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1386-613: The Former Liang leader Zhang Mao (then carrying the Jin-created title Duke of Xiping) into submission. Zhang was indeed intimidated and submitted to Former Zhao suzerainty . Liu Yao created him the Prince of Liang. Later that year, Liu Yao's son Liu Yin, who had been a slave with the Heiniyuju tribe, because Chen had been defeated, revealed his identity to the chief, who was surprised and respectfully delivered Liu Yin back to Liu Yao. (It

1449-658: The Han throne. Jin Zhun was probably an ethnic Xiongnu, although some sources claim that he was of Han descent. The first reference to Jin Zhun in history was in 315, when he was mentioned as a minor Han general, whose two beautiful daughters Jin Yueguang and Jin Yuehua were taken by the Han emperor Liu Cong (Emperor Zhaowu) as consorts. Liu Cong, who was then starting the highly unorthodox practice of creating multiple empresses , creating Jin Yueguang as "Upper Empress" and Jin Yuehua as "Right Empress." That same year, Upper Empress Jin

1512-684: The Jin capital Luoyang, but was repelled. That year, after capturing more territory, Liu Yuan moved his capital to Puzi (蒲子, in modern Linfen , Shanxi ) and declared himself emperor, signifying an even more complete break from Jin. In 309, he moved the capital once more to Pingyang (平陽, also in modern Linfen). By this time, Liu Cong and Wang Mi had eventually been able to control all of southern Shanxi for Han, and they again attacked Luoyang, but were again repelled. In 310, Liu Yuan grew ill, and he created his second wife Lady Dan empress and his oldest son Liu He (by his first wife Empress Huyan —who appeared to have died by this point, although her death

1575-511: The Pingyang massacre offered the throne to Liu Yao, who accepted. He offered to not only spare Jin Zhun's life but continue to grant him power if Jin would surrender. However, when Jin Zhun was subsequently assassinated and succeeded by his cousin Jin Ming (靳明), who then surrendered to Liu Yao, Liu Yao massacred the Jin clan. As Pingyang was in ruins after the coup and the subsequent war, Liu Yao moved

1638-580: The Prince of Han in 304, creating the Han state and effectively declaring independence and war on (Western) Jin, he made Liu Yao a major general. Liu Yao was probably created the Prince of Shi'an in 306, when Liu Yuan declared himself the emperor. During Liu Yuan's reign, Liu Yao engaged in many campaigns against Jin forces and often was victorious, although he, like other Han generals, had difficulty permanently holding cities that he captured. In 309, along with his cousin Liu Cong and Wang Mi , he attacked Luoyang, but

1701-473: The Prince of Nanyang and further bestowed on him the title of Grand Chanyu, putting Wu Hu tribal forces under his command. He also created a second empress, Empress Liu . In 326, Empress Liu died, and according to her wishes, Liu Yao married her cousin Liu Fang as empress. In 327, believing that Former Zhao had been weakened by its defeat at Later Zhao's hands, Zhang Jun , Zhang Mao's nephew and successor as

1764-443: The Prince of Zhao, thus establishing his own state of Zhao. Historiographers distinguish the two states by referring to Liu Yao's state as Former Zhao and Shi Le's state as Later Zhao . Liu Yao's impulsiveness led to a major Di and Qiang rebellion in 320. After a conspiracy involving two Di chiefs, Ju Xu (句徐) and Ku Peng (庫彭) was discovered, Liu Yao executed not only Ju and Ku but also 50 other Di chiefs, throwing their bodies into

1827-524: The Southern Xiongnu chanyus, with Tang in particularly presenting three reasons. Firstly, Liu Bao's lifespan was unusually long, as he was serving as Tuqi King in 195 and died after Tufa Shujineng rebelled , which should be after 274. Secondly, the Leader (or Commander) of the Left Tribe in 272 was Li Ke (李恪) and not Liu Bao according to Emperor Wu's entry in the Jinshu , but Liu Yuan's entry states that he inherited

1890-439: The Xiongnu, he was given the title of North Chanyu rather than the vacant title of South Chanyu, which was held by his supposed ancestors. Tang hypothesized that these discrepancies were due to Liu Yuan actually being from the Chuge tribe (屠各; also known as Xiuchuge (休屠各)), which is supported by the fact that he and his family members are referred to as "Chuge" in several passages from relevant records. The Chuge are theorized to be

1953-671: The Zou version of Confucius ' Spring and Autumn Annals and of the military strategies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi . The key Jin official Wang Hun (one of the lead generals who later participated in conquering Eastern Wu ) became impressed with him, and Wang Hun's son Wang Ji (王濟) became a close friend of Liu Yuan's. Wang Hun believed Liu to be general material and repeatedly recommended Liu Yuan to Emperor Wu , but Kong Xun (孔恂) and Empress Yang Zhi 's uncle Yang Ji (楊濟) suspected Liu for his Xiongnu ancestry and persuaded Emperor Wu against giving Liu military commands during campaigns against Eastern Wu and

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2016-468: The armies, carried out a coup against Liu Can, capturing and executing him. He then massacred all members of the imperial Liu clan whom he could capture—regardless of gender or age. He also dug up the graves of Liu Cong and the founding emperor, Liu Yuan , and burned the Han imperial temple. Jin claimed for himself the titles of supreme commander and (historical sources are in conflict) either " heavenly king " (天王) or "great king" (大王) of Han. He acted in

2079-506: The capital to Chang'an. As emperor, Liu Yao showed flashes of brilliance, both at governance and military matters, at times, as well as willingness to listen to contrary opinions. However, he was also often impulsive and quick to anger, and toward the end of his reign appeared to develop alcoholism , which impaired his judgment. His first sign of impulsiveness might have contributed to the formal division of Han into two. In 319, when Shi Le sent messengers to offer tribute to Liu Yao, Liu Yao

2142-427: The commander of the tribes, Liu became known for his fair administration of laws and willingness to listen to ideas, and also for his willingness to spread his wealth. Therefore, the ambitious people in his region, not only of the Five Divisions but of many Han clans, flocked to him. After Emperor Wu's death and succession by Emperor Hui , the regent Yang Jun made Liu the commander of all Five Divisions, but toward

2205-608: The coup that allowed him to be emperor, because the government had become so corrupt late in Liu Cong's and in Liu Can's reigns, and offered not only to spare his life but to continue to allow him to be an important official. Jin, however, distrusted Liu Yao's offer, because he had killed Liu Yao's mother and brother in the massacre. However, as he hesitated, he was assassinated by cousins Jin Ming (靳明) and Jin Kang (靳康), Qiao Tai (喬泰), and Wang Teng (王騰), who then surrendered to Liu Yao, who then massacred

2268-486: The deceased Emperor Hui 's wife, Yang Xianrong , as his own wife. Later that year, after Liu Cong's son Liu Can captured Chang'an , Liu Yao was put in charge of the Chang'an region, although he subsequently lost that city to Jin forces under Qu Yun (麴允), allowing the Jin prince Sima Ye (Emperor Huai's nephew) to occupy that city and subsequently declare himself emperor (as Emperor Min of Jin ) in 313 after Liu Cong executed

2331-639: The descendants of King Xiutu's tribe, who surrendered to the Han dynasty much earlier than the Southern Xiongnu in 121 BC. From the Hexi Corridor , the Chuge spread out throughout northern China and became the most powerful and prestigious tribe among the Xiongnu within China. In 188 AD, they killed the Southern Xiongnu chanyu, Qiangqu and exiled his son Yufuluo . After the Southern Xiongnu were divided into five divisions in Bingzhou , they were all annexed by Liu Bao of

2394-611: The eastern empire, both moved their troops against him. Shi Le, whose headquarters were closer at Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xingtai , Hebei ), quickly arrived near the capital Pingyang (平陽, in modern Linfen , Shanxi ), but chose to not engage Jin Zhun immediately. In winter 318, Liu Yao, a cousin of Liu Cong, declared himself emperor, and advanced on Pingyang as well. Jin was caught between Liu Yao's and Shi's forces. Jin sent imperial garments and wagons to Shi, seeking peace. Shi, however, sent those, along with Jin's messenger, over to Liu Yao. Liu Yao claimed that he admired Jin for carrying out

2457-425: The end of the subsequent regency of Emperor Hui's wife Empress Jia Nanfeng , Liu was removed from that position due to his inability to stop one of his countrymen's rebellions. Later, when Sima Ying the Prince of Chengdu became the military commander at Yecheng , he invited Liu to be one of his subordinate military commanders, and Liu accepted the invitation. In the midst of the War of the Eight Princes , in 304,

2520-595: The formal end of the Western Jin's brief unification of China following the Three Kingdoms period. Liu Yuan proclaimed himself a direct descendant of the Southern Xiongnu chanyus and, by extension, the Han dynasty , since his ancestors had married Han princesses through the practice of heqin . His state of Han (renamed Zhao in 319) was initially depicted as a restoration of the Han dynasty, and as anti-Jin sentiment continued to grow, Liu Yuan soon found himself leading

2583-458: The former Jin emperor. In 312, while fighting Liu Kun the Jin governor of Bing Province (并州, modern central and northern Shanxi ) and his ally Tuoba Yilu the Duke of Dai in conjunction with Liu Can, Liu Yao suffered a serious injury and was almost captured or killed by Jin forces, but was able to escape after the general Fu Hu (傅虎) yielded his own horse and sacrificed his own life in doing so. For

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2646-471: The great Warring States general Le Yi , the great Han dynasty prime minister Xiao He , and the Han general and official Cao Can (曹參). When people heard these remarks, they often criticized him for being overly arrogant, but Liu Yuan's son Liu Cong respected him and remarked, "Yongming should be compared to Shizu (the temple name of Emperor Guangwu of Han ) and Emperor Wu of Wei ( Cao Cao ); Le, Xiao, and Cao Can cannot be compared to him." When Liu Yao

2709-533: The greater title of Prince of Qin. Late in Liu Cong's reign, Liu Cong grew increasingly cruel and extravagant, as well as increasingly trusting eunuchs and the treacherous official Jin Zhun . In 318, as Liu Cong grew ill, he summoned Liu Yao and Shi Le to be regents for his son Liu Can, but both Liu Yao and Shi declined, perhaps not wishing to contest the authorities of Jin Zhun, whose daughters had sway with Liu Cong and Liu Can as their wives. Subsequently, when Liu Cong died later that year and Liu Can succeeded to

2772-626: The head of Former Liang, declared himself again a Jin vassal and pillaged Former Zhao's Qin Province. Liu Yin led an army and defeated Former Liang's forces, even crossing the Yellow River, but eventually settling for capturing Former Liang's remaining territory east of the Yellow River. In fall 328, Shi Hu attacked Former Zhao's Hedong Commandery (roughly modern Yuncheng , Shanxi ). Liu Yao personally led an army and defeated Shi Hu, and then headed south and surrounded Luoyang, capturing several commanderies around it. This greatly shocked Shi Le, as he

2835-514: The heart to depose Liu Xi, the son of Empress Yang (who died earlier that year), and particularly because Liu Yin personally declined and did not wish to replace his brother, Liu Yao left Liu Xi as crown prince and created Liu Yin the Prince of Yong'an with special honors. In 324, the first real battle between Later Zhao and Former Zhao occurred at Xin'an (新安, in modern Luoyang , Henan ), ushering an era in which Later Zhao and Former Zhao would continuously battle for years. In 325, their armies fought

2898-415: The news, he became angry and was resolved to declare himself independent of Han. Later in 319, Liu Yao created Princess Yang—the former Jin empress—empress, making her the only person in Chinese history to serve as empress for two emperors and two empires. He created her son Liu Xi crown prince . He also changed the name of the state from Han to Zhao. Liu Yuan had declared the empire's name Han to create

2961-401: The next few years, Liu Yao fought largely inconclusive battles against Jin forces, both those directly under Emperor Min and those under Sima Bao the Prince of Nanyang. However, in 316, after Emperor Min's forces collapsed and Sima Bao failed to come to his aid, Liu Yao captured Chang'an and Emperor Min (whom Liu Cong subsequently executed in 318). For this accomplishment, Liu Cong created him

3024-441: The position from his father. Thirdly, Liu Yuan was from Xinxing Commandery (新興郡; north of present-day Xinzhou , Shanxi ), which would have placed him in the North Tribe (北部), so for him and his father to hold command over the Left Tribe is suspect. Furthermore, the Jinshu states that after becoming Leader of the Left Tribe, he was later transferred to become Commander of the North Tribe, and when Sima Ying permitted him to return to

3087-467: The role of an emperor, and he sent messengers to Emperor Yuan of Jin , claiming that he was about to revert to the Jin dynasty's rule. The Jin emperor believed him, and sent out an army to try to support him. Before that Jin army could come close to arriving, however, Jin Zhun was caught in a trap. The major Han generals Liu Yao, the Prince of Qin, who controlled the Chang'an region, and Shi Le, who controlled

3150-622: The soldiers of the Five Divisions to support Sima Ying's cause. Sima Ying agreed and allowed Liu Yuan to return to the Five Divisions. Once Liu Yuan returned to his people, he gathered 50,000 men quickly and was readying himself to rush to Sima Ying's aid, but he also publicly accepted the title of Grand Chanyu. (Previously, Sima Ying had bestowed the title of North Chanyu on him.) However, he then heard that Sima Ying's forces had collapsed in fear of Wang's troops and that Sima Ying had, against his prior advice, fled to Luoyang. He then declared his people independent from Jin and further declared that, as

3213-599: The throne, Jin Zhun became powerful and overthrew Liu Can, slaughtering all members of the imperial Liu clan in the capital Pingyang (平陽, in modern Linfen , Shanxi ). In the massacre, Liu Yao lost his mother Lady Hu, brother, and (he thought at the time) his son and heir Liu Yin . (However, unknown to his father, Liu Yin fled but was captured by or sold to a tribe named Heiniyuju (黑匿郁鞠) as a slave.) Upon hearing news of Jin Zhun's coup, Liu Yao and Shi each led their armies against Jin, catching him trapped between their forces. Meanwhile, senior Han princes and officials who escaped

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3276-405: The very last Southern Xiongnu chanyu Huchuquan (before Cao Cao abolished the office in 216 and divided the Xiongnu into Five Divisions ( bu , 部)); Liu Bao had the command of the Left Tribe (左部). Liu Yuan's mother Lady Huyan (呼延) appeared to be from a noble family, and was in probability Liu Bao's wife, not concubine. As all Five Divisions settled down in Bingzhou (modern southern Shanxi ), that

3339-475: Was Jin Zhun's daughter Jin Yuehua. Jin hatched a plan to overthrow Liu Can, and managed to persuade Liu Can, with the help of his two daughters (Empress Dowager Jin and Empress Jin) that several imperial princes and high-level officials were conspiring against him. With Liu Can's approval, those imperial princes and high-level officials were executed. Jin Zhun became in control of government, and, after putting his cousins Jin Ming (靳明) and Jin Kang (靳康) in command of

3402-478: Was eventually captured and killed. Qin Province was once again Former Zhao domain. After his victory over Chen, Liu Yao continued west and attacked the Jin vassal Former Liang , crushing all bases that Former Liang had east of the Yellow River . He declared that he would next cross the Yellow River and head for the Former Liang capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei , Gansu ), but instead was intending to intimidate

3465-468: Was initially very happy, as Shi was effectively the master of the eastern half of the empire and his submission therefore showed that his throne was secure. He created Shi the Prince of Zhao and granted him a number of imperial privileges. However, when one junior member of Shi's delegation, who wished to stay in Chang'an, thereafter submitted a report that Shi was in fact plotting an attack, Liu became angry and slaughtered Shi's delegation. When Shi received

3528-430: Was likely where Liu Yuan was born and raised. As powerful nobles from the Five Divisions were usually encouraged or pressured by Cao Wei and Jin authorities to send their sons to the capital Luoyang (both to encourage them to further sinicization and as collateral for their loyalty), Liu Yuan was sent to Luoyang to reside and to study traditional Chinese literature. He became well known for his studies, particularly of

3591-466: Was not mentioned in history) crown prince . When he died later that year, Liu He became emperor. However, only a week later, he was overthrown and killed by Liu Cong , who then became emperor. In the Book of Wei , Chinese author Wei Shou notes that Liu Yuan was over six feet tall and that he had strands of red hair in his long beard . Some modern Chinese academics, such as Tang Changru (唐长孺) and Chen Yong (陈勇), cast doubt on Liu Yuan's lineage from

3654-533: Was repelled. After Liu Yuan's death in 310, Liu Cong overthrew his older brother and Liu Yuan's successor Liu He (after Liu He had tried to have him and the other brothers killed and successfully killed two) and succeeded to the throne himself as Emperor Zhaowu. He trusted Liu Yao greatly and commissioned him with a large force, and Liu Yao served his cousin faithfully. In 311, Liu Yao, in conjunction with Wang, Shi Le , and Huyan Yan , captured Luoyang and Emperor Huai of Jin . He took Emperor Huai's sister-in-law,

3717-550: Was revealed by the official Chen Yuanda as having committed adultery, causing Liu Cong to feel compelled to depose her. Ashamed, she committed suicide. It was also mentioned that another daughter of Jin Zhun married Liu Cong's son, Liu Can, but the year is unknown. As years went by, Jin Zhun became closely associated with the Liu Can and several eunuchs and servants trusted by Liu Cong and Liu Can, including Wang Chen (王沈), Xuan Huai (宣懷), and Guo Yi (郭漪). Jin and Guo were instrumental in persuading Liu Can that his uncle, Liu Ai (劉乂)

3780-563: Was unable to quickly expand his sphere of influence. He set his capital at Lishi (離石, in modern Lüliang , Shanxi ), but his control of territory became limited to that local region. His forces were often able to achieve victories over Jin forces but unable to hold cities. In 305, after a famine, he relocated to Liting (黎亭, in modern Changzhi , Shanxi). As years went by, however, the various agrarian rebel generals who were resisting Jin rule, whether ethnically Wu Hu or Han, often chose to come under Liu Yuan's Han banner. Chief among these were

3843-469: Was uttered the only phrase in the Jie language which has survived to modern times, recorded phonetically in the Chinese annals, glossed with a Chinese translation. The phrase has since been analyzed and translated in numerous publications. Around the new year 329, the armies engaged in battle. Before the battle, Liu Yao, who had taken to drinking in his late reign, drank a large amount of liquor. His usual horse had suffered leg spasms, and so he had to ride

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3906-413: Was worried that Liu Yao would next attack his capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai , Hebei ). In winter 328, Shi Le personally led a relief force to Luoyang. Meanwhile, during the siege of Luoyang, Liu Yao took no precautious to cut off Chenggao Pass (in modern Zhengzhou , Henan ), and Shi was able to pass through it and arrive at Luoyang. In connection with this war by Shi Le against Liu Yao in 328 CE

3969-485: Was young, he, along with his cousin Liu Cong, were studying in the Jin capital Luoyang , when on one occasion he committed an unspecified crime punishable by death. He therefore fled to Chaoxian (朝鮮, near modern Pyeongyang , North Korea —not, in this case, a generic geographic term for Korea ). Later, after a general pardon , he returned, but decided to live in the mountains away from trouble. After Liu Yuan declared himself

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