Liu Zhang () (fl. 190–219), courtesy name Jiyu, was a Chinese politician and warlord who served as provincial governor who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He became the Governor of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), succeeding his father Liu Yan and ruled the region until 214, when he surrendered to Liu Bei. Six years later, Liu Zhang again surrendered to Eastern Wu, and died shortly afterwards. Liu Zhang is often considered an incapable leader but is noted to have been the original lord of some of Shu Han's most famous generals and officials such as Fa Zheng, Meng Da, Zhang Ni, Liu Ba, Huang Quan, Wu Yi, Li Yan, Dong He and others.
Liu Zhang | |
|---|---|
| 劉璋 | |
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Liu Zhang | |
| General Who Inspires Might (振威將軍) | |
| In office c. 214 – c. 220 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Governor of Yi Province (益州牧) | |
| In office c. 194–214 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Preceded by | Liu Yan |
| Succeeded by | Liu Bei |
| Inspector of Yi Province (益州刺史) | |
| In office c. 194 | |
| Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Qianjiang, Hubei |
| Died | c. 220[1] |
| Children |
|
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Lady Wu (sister-in-law) Pang Xi (in-laws)[2] |
| Occupation | Politician, warlord |
| Courtesy name | Jiyu (季玉) |
Early life
editLiu Zhang was a descendant of Liu Yu, who was Prince of Lu in the early Han dynasty.[3]
The youngest son of Liu Yan, Liu Zhang spent his early career at the Han imperial court as an assistant to his two eldest brothers, Liu Fan and Liu Dan. They served at the court when it was controlled by the warlords Li Jue and Guo Si. Liu Zhang was sent by the imperial court to admonish his father for brutal actions, but upon arriving his father refused to let him go back to the imperial court.[4]
Governorship of Yi Province
edit
In 194, following the deaths of his elder brothers, though Liu Zhang's brother Liu Mao was still alive at this time,[5] Liu Zhang was nominated to take over the governorship of Yi Province by former Liu Yan's ministers Zhao Wei(赵韪) and Wang Shang(王商) along with other gentries of Yi Province, due to Liu Zhang's timid and kindly nature.[6] Following Liu Zhang's succession, former subordinates Shen Mi (沈彌) and Lou Fa (婁發) rebelled, aided by Gan Ning and receiving support from Liu He (劉闔), an official from the neighbouring Jing Province. However, they failed and were forced to flee to Jing Province.[7]
During his rule over Yi Province, Liu Zhang's soft and timid nature and lack of decisiveness led to widespread resentment from the people of Yi Province. Due to Liu Zhang's laxity, his laws and authority was too feeble to control the clans and officials of Yi,[8] while Liu Yan's former army composed of refugees of Nanyang and regions around Chang'an, named the Dongzhou military (東州兵), subjugated and bullied the local people. Zhao Wei used the opportunity to earn people's trust behind Liu Zhang's back. Due to the resentment of the people of Yi, Zhao Wei then established relations with the eminent families of Jing Province, intending to raise arms against Liu Zhang. [9]
In 200, Zhao Wei began his rebellion against Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang fortified within Chengdu. Dongzhou military, fearing for their potential loss if Liu Zhang were defeated, came to Liu Zhang's aid. The combined forces beat back Zhao Wei, forcing him to retreat to Jiangzhou, where he would die soon after.[10] In the same year,[11] Zhang Lu, who had previously recognised Liu Yan as his master, also rebelled against Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang had Zhang Lu's mother, and younger brother(s) executed; the pair became enemies from this point on.[12]
In late 208, Liu Zhang received news that Cao Cao was attacking Jingzhou and had already occupied Hanzhong. He dispatched Yin Pu (阴溥) as an emissary to pay homage to Cao. Cao then recommended that Liu Zhang and his brother Liu Mao (husband of Lady Wu) be granted positions as generals. Liu Mao later died from illness.[13]
In 211, at the suggestion of his adviser Zhang Song, he asked Liu Bei to come to his assistance in the battle against Zhang Lu. The welcoming of Liu Bei was a plan by Zhang Song, Fa Zheng and Meng Da to ultimately make him their leader, since they considered him more ambitious and worthy of serving than Liu Zhang. Wang Lei (王累), Huang Quan, Li Hui and others tried to persuade Liu Zhang not to accept Liu Bei into his territory, but their pleas were ignored and Liu Bei was welcomed as a guest of Liu Zhang where he would go to the front to fight against Zhang Lu.[14]
When Zhang Song's true intentions were revealed to Liu Zhang by Zhang Song's elder brother Zhang Su, he executed Zhang Song and began his battle against Liu Bei, who then began his conquest of Yi Province. Although generals such as Zhang Ren fought hard to defend their master, Liu Bei's forces had the upper hand, and by 214 they had surrounded Yi Province's capital, Chengdu. Liu Zhang's advisers Liu Ba, Dong He and Hu Jing pleaded to their master to resist at all costs, but Liu Zhang rejected their pleas, saying "I don't want my subjects to suffer any more." He then surrendered to Liu Bei.[15]
Later life
editSoon after surrendering his territory, Liu Bei sent Liu Zhang and his second son Liu Chan to the western part of Jing Province, on the border with Sun Quan's territory. In the winter of 219-220, however, forces led by Lü Meng, a subordinate of Sun Quan, captured Liu Bei's general Guan Yu and executed him, seizing Jing Province. Liu Zhang and Liu Chan were taken in by the Wu forces, and Sun Quan, seeking to establish a claim to the rest of Liu Bei's territory, appointed Liu Zhang as the Governor of Yi Province, which was his previous appointment before Liu Bei seized it from him. However, Sun Quan made no further attempts to invade Liu Bei's territory, and Liu Zhang died shortly after becoming a vassal under Sun Quan. Liu Chan continued to serve in Eastern Wu while Liu Xun served in Shu Han.
Family
editLiu Zhang had at least two sons. His eldest son, Liu Xun (劉循), served as a General of the Household of Equipage in the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period. His second son, Liu Chan (劉闡), accompanied his father to Jing Province after their defeat by Liu Bei and served as Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk (御史中丞) in Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period.
Historical evaluation
editIn popular accounts of the period, such as the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Zhang is portrayed as a foolish and incapable ruler.
In Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, contemporary accounts evaluate Liu Zhang as being benevolent and unambitious but weak-willed and ineffectual ruler, who lacked the authority and decisiveness to sufficiently control and administer the state. His modesty safeguarded Yi Province from the outside, his leniency lead to many internal troubles and disloyalty in his state. [16][17][18][19]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Guan Yu was killed in January or February 220. Since Liu Zhang died shortly after this incident, he likely died in 220.
- ^ Pang Xi's daughter married Liu Xun, Liu Zhang's elder son. (璋长子循妻，庞羲女也。) Sanguozhi, vol.31
- ^ Rafe de Crespigny (1967). "An Outline of the Local Administrations of the Later Han Empire" (PDF). Chung-chi Journal: 57–71.
- ^ (献帝使璋晓谕焉，焉留璋不遣。) Sanguozhi, vol.31. A Dianlüe annotation in the same volume claimed that Liu Yan feigned illness, which gave Liu Zhang the excuse to leave the imperial court. (《典略》曰：时璋为奉车都尉，在京师。焉托疾召璋，璋自表省焉，焉遂留璋不还。)
- ^ Liu Zhang's brother Liu Mao was still alive at this time, but it is unclear if he was older or younger than Liu Zhang.
- ^ (兴平元年，痈疽发背而卒。州大吏赵韪等贪璋温仁，共上璋为益州刺史，诏书因以为监军使者，领益州牧，以韪为征东中郎将，率众击刘表。) Sanguozhi vol.31, Pei Songzhi annotation.
- ^ (英雄記曰：焉死，子璋代為刺史。會長安拜潁川扈瑁為刺史，入漢中。荊州別駕劉闔，璋將沈彌、婁發、甘寧反，擊璋不勝，走入荊州。) Sanguozhi vol. 31, Yingxiong Ji annotation.
- ^ (刘璋暗弱，自焉已来有累世之恩，文法羁縻，互相承奉，德政不举，威刑不肃。蜀土人士，专权自恣，君臣之道，渐以陵替；宠之以位，位极则贱，顺之以恩，恩竭则慢。所以致弊，实由於此。) Sanguozhi vol. 35, Shu ji annotation.
- ^ ((先是，南陽、三輔人流入益州數万家，收以為兵，名曰東州兵。璋性寬柔，無威略，東州人侵暴舊民，璋不能禁，政令多闕，益州頗怨。趙韙素得人心，璋委任之。韪因民怨谋叛，乃厚赂荆州请和，阴结州中大姓，与俱起兵，还击璋。蜀郡、广汉、犍为皆应韪。璋驰入成都城守，东州人畏威，咸同心并力助璋，皆殊死战，遂破反者，进攻韪於江州。韪将庞乐、李异反杀韪军，斩韪。汉献帝春秋曰：汉朝闻益州乱，遣五官中郎将牛亶为益州刺史；徵璋为卿，不至。) Sanguozhi vol.31, Yingxiong Ji annotation.
- ^ (蜀郡、广汉、犍为皆应韪。璋驰入成都城守，东州人畏威，咸同心并力助璋，皆殊死战，遂破反者，进攻韪於江州。韪将庞乐、李异反杀韪军，斩韪。汉献帝春秋曰：汉朝闻益州乱，遣五官中郎将牛亶为益州刺史；徵璋为卿，不至。) Sanguozhi vol.31, annotation of Records of Heroes.
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol.63
- ^ (而张鲁稍骄恣，不承顺璋，璋杀鲁母及弟，遂为仇敌。) Sanguozhi vol.31
- ^ (璋闻曹公征荆州，已定汉中，遣河内阴溥致敬于曹公。加璋振威将军，兄瑁平寇将军。瑁狂疾物故。) Sanguozhi, vol.31
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol.66
- ^ Zizhi Tongjian, vol.67
- ^ (刘璋暗弱，自焉已来有累世之恩，文法羁縻，互相承奉，德政不举，威刑不肃。蜀土人士，专权自恣，君臣之道，渐以陵替；宠之以位，位极则贱，顺之以恩，恩竭则慢。所以致弊，实由於此。) Sanguozhi vol. 35, Shu ji annotation.
- ^ (璋性寬柔，無威略，東州人侵暴舊民，璋不能禁，政令多闕，益州頗怨。) Sanguozhi vol.31, Yingxiong Ji annotation.
- ^ (璋才非人雄，而据土乱世，负乘致寇，自然之理，其见夺取，非不幸也。)Sanguozhi vol. 35
- ^ (“璋能闭隘养力，守案先图，尚可与时推移，而遽输利器，静受流斥，所谓羊质虎皮，见豹则恐，吁哉！”) Book of Later Han' 'vol.75
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).