Liu Wei

Liu Wei

Liu Wei (942-980), formerly known as Liu Jixing, was born in Panyu county (now Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province), the eldest son of Liu Sheng, the emperor of Hanzhong, and the last emperor of Southern Han Dynasty.

In the 16th year of Qianhe (958), Liu Sheng died and Liu Jixing succeeded to the throne. During the reign of Liu Wei, he was licentious, his rule was fatuous, his national strength declined greatly, and his government was in a state of debauchery. In 970, the Song Dynasty sent pan Mei to attack the Southern Han Dynasty. In the Southern Han Dynasty, most of the old generals were killed for slander, and the imperial clan was also destroyed. Only the eunuchs were in charge of military power. In the fourteenth year of Dabao (971), Liu Zhen set fire to the palace and the Treasury, ready to flee into the sea; before he set out, the eunuch and the guard stole the ship and fled, Liu Zhen surrendered, and the Southern Han Dynasty perished. Zhao Kuangyin, the Taizu of Song Dynasty, pardoned Liu Wei, and appointed him as the senior general of jinziguanglu, the chief inspector, and youqianniuwei.

In the eighth year of Kaibao (975), he was appointed the general of the guard of the left prison and was granted the title of Pengcheng county. Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty ascended the throne and then renamed him Duke of Wei. In 980, he died at the age of 39. He was granted a grand master and was granted the title of Nanyue King. Historians used to call him the empress of the Southern Han Dynasty.

Life of the characters

Inherit the throne

Liu Wei was the eldest son of Zhongzong Liu Sheng in the Southern Han Dynasty. His original name was Liu Jixing. During his reign, Zhongzong Liu Sheng was granted the title of King Wei. In the 16th year of Qianhe (958, the fifth year of Later Zhou Xiande), Liu Sheng died. Liu Wei succeeded as the eldest son. He was 17 years old and changed his name to Dabao. He was known as the empress of the Southern Han Dynasty.

Committee and administration group

Liu can't run the country. He appointed all political affairs to the eunuchs Gong Chengshu, Chen Yanshou and the maid Lu qiongxian. The palace maids were also appointed to participate in political affairs. The rest of the officials were just making a little preparation. Liu Wei believed that all the officials had families, and they would not be loyal to their descendants, so they only trusted eunuchs, and their subordinates had to be employed in their own palace. At one time, there were as many as 20000 eunuchs. Moreover, he doted on a Persian woman, played with her in the harem, called her "flattering pig" and called herself "doctor Xiaoxian", ignoring political affairs. Later, he handed over the political affairs to the witch fan Hu. Even Gong Chengshu and Lu qiongxian were attached to her, and the political affairs were in disorder.

Surrender to subjugation

In the 13th year of Dabao (the 3rd year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty, 970), pan Mei, a Tanzhou defense envoy, led the army to attack the Southern Han Dynasty, and the song army was stationed in Baixia. In the Southern Han Dynasty, most of the old generals were killed for slander, and their clans were destroyed. Only the eunuchs were in charge of military power. The city walls and moats were decorated with palaces and ponds; the buildings, warships, weapons and armor were all decayed. Liu Wei sent Gong Chengshu to Hezhou, Guo Chongyue to Guizhou, and Li Tuo to Shaozhou to guard against the song army. Soon after, the song army successively captured Hezhou, Zhaozhou, Guizhou and Lianzhou in the Southern Han Dynasty. Liu said happily, "Zhaozhou, Guizhou, Lianzhou and Hezhou belong to Hunan. Now the song army is satisfied with the capture and will not go south to attack the Southern Han Dynasty." Most of its follies are like this. In December of the same year, the song army captured Shaozhou. In the fourteenth year of Dabao (the fourth year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty, 971), the song army marched forward, Liu selected more than ten ships, loaded with gold and silver treasures and concubines, ready to flee into the sea; before he set out, the eunuchs and guards stole the ships and fled, Liu had to surrender, and the Southern Han Dynasty perished.

Life after death

After Liu's surrender, he completely shifted the responsibility to Gong Chengshu. Song Taizu beheaded Gong Chengshu, pardoned Liu's crime, and appointed him as the commander of youqianniuwei, and granted him an amnesty. After the surrender of the licentious Liu, he was treated favorably by song Taizu and Song Taizong, and there were many interesting stories, which formed a strong contrast with Li Yu's country worries and family hatred. In the 13th year of the Song Dynasty, he was appointed general of Nanwei. Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty was the emperor, and then he was renamed the Duke of Wei. In 980, Liu died at the age of 39. He was granted the title of grand master and was granted the title of king of Nanyue. As Liu Wei was the last monarch in the Southern Han Dynasty, he had no posthumous title or temple title, so historians used to call him the queen of the Southern Han Dynasty.

Anecdotes and allusions

With song Taizu, I am plump and beautiful. He was skillful and eloquent. He once presented the saddle to song Taizu in the shape of a dragon. Song Taizu sighed: "if Liu Fei could use this skill in governing the country, how could he perish?" In the Southern Han Dynasty, Liu often poisoned his subordinates with poisonous wine. One day after he came to the Song Dynasty, he was given wine by Taizu of the Song Dynasty. Liu Wei thought he wanted to poison himself, so he cried. Song Taizu laughs and drinks wine. Liu is ashamed. In 979, Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty defeated Liu Jiyuan of the northern Han Dynasty and gave banquets to pan Mei and other generals in Changchun hall. At that time, Liu Chu, Qian Chu, the former king of Wu and Yue, and Chen Hongjin, the former governor of Qingyuan, who had been demoted to the Song Dynasty, took part in the ceremony. Therefore, Liu Chu said, "the monarchs who are famous in the imperial court and steal their positions are all here today. Soon Taiyuan will be pacified, and Liu Jiyuan will arrive again. The officials will take the lead in coming to the court, hoping to become the leader of the surrendering monarchs of all countries with sticks in their hands." Song Taizong laughed.

Historical evaluation

member of family

Father and ancestor

brother

Empress

Son

Historical records

Chinese PinYin : Liu Chang