Book of Shu · Biographies of the Two Liu Governors

Liu Yan, courtesy name Junlang, was a native of Jingling in Jiangxia. He was a descendant of King Gong of Lu (Liu Yu, 劉餘) <a Han prince's posthumous royal title>. During Yuanhe under Emperor Zhang (Liu Da) <the Han emperor's posthumous title>, the family's fief was transferred to Jingling, and a collateral branch settled there.

Liu Yan served in provincial and commandery offices when young and was appointed a Gentleman of the Household because of his membership in the imperial clan. He later left office to mourn his teacher, Lord Zhu (Zhu Tian).

He lived on Mount Yangcheng, accumulating learning and teaching pupils. Recommended as Worthy and Upright, he was recruited to the office of the Minister over the Masses and successively served as Magistrate of Luoyang, Inspector of Ji Province, Grand Administrator of Nanyang, Minister of the Imperial Clan, and Minister of Ceremonies. Seeing the decline of government under Emperor Ling (Liu Hong) <the Han emperor's posthumous title> and the many troubles of the royal house, he proposed: 'Inspectors and grand administrators acquire office through bribes and fleece the people, causing estrangement and rebellion. Eminent ministers of unblemished reputation should be chosen as provincial governors to pacify the regions.' Privately he sought the governorship of Jiaozhi to escape the age's troubles. Before the proposal was implemented, Dong Fu of Guanghan, a Palace Attendant, privately told him: 'The capital will fall into disorder. The celestial region corresponding to Yi Province has the aura of a Son of Heaven.' Hearing this, Liu Yan shifted his attention to Yi Province.

At that time Xi Jian, Inspector of Yi Province, imposed burdensome levies, and reports of discontent spread far and wide.

Bing Province killed its inspector Zhang Yi, and Liang Province killed its inspector Geng Bi. Liu Yan's proposal could therefore be put into effect. He was sent out as Envoy Supervising the Army, concurrently Governor of Yi Province, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangcheng (Liu Yan) <a territorial marquisate>. He was to arrest Xi Jian and bring him to justice.

Dong Fu also requested appointment as Commandant of the Western Dependent State of Shu Commandery. Zhao Wei of Baxi, Prefect of the Great Granary, resigned as well, and both accompanied Liu Yan. <The source inserts 會, hui, parenthetically before Baxi; its textual connection is uncertain.>

At this time Ma Xiang, Zhao Zhi, and other rebels in Yi Province called themselves Yellow Turbans in Mianzhu County. Gathering people exhausted by labor service, they acquired several thousand followers in a day or two. They first killed Li Sheng, Magistrate of Mianzhu. Officials and civilians flocked to them until they numbered more than ten thousand. They advanced to defeat Luo County, attacked the provincial administration, and killed Xi Jian. Then they reached Shu and Qianwei commanderies, devastating three commanderies within about a month. Ma Xiang called himself Son of Heaven, and his following numbered tens of thousands. Jia Long, a provincial administrative officer, had several hundred troops on Qianwei's eastern boundary. He gathered officials and civilians, obtaining more than a thousand men, attacked Ma Xiang and the others, and routed them within days. The province became peaceful. Jia Long selected officials and soldiers to welcome Liu Yan. Liu Yan moved his seat to Mianzhu, reassured and received the estranged rebels, and strove to be generous and lenient, while secretly harboring other designs. Zhang Lu's mother initially practiced the way of spirits and also retained youthful beauty; she often visited Liu Yan's household. Liu Yan therefore appointed Zhang Lu Major Who Supervises Righteousness and stationed him in Hanzhong, where he severed the valley plank roads and killed Han envoys. Liu Yan memorialized that the Rice Bandits had blocked the roads, preventing further communication. On other pretexts he also killed more than ten powerful local figures, including Wang Xian and Li Quan, to establish intimidating authority. <Yi is supplied in brackets at the beginning of this passage; 素, su, is parenthetical in the sentence about Jia Long's troops.>

Ren Qi, Grand Administrator of Qianwei, and Jia Long consequently rebelled and attacked Liu Yan, who defeated and killed them.

Liu Yan's ambitions gradually increased, and he manufactured more than a thousand imperial carriages with their equipment. Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, memorialized that Liu Yan resembled Zixia in Xihe, where people came to confuse him with the Sage. At that time Liu Yan's sons Fan, General of the Household of the Left, Dan, Censor Who Examines Documents, and Zhang, Commandant of Attending Carriages, were all with Emperor Xian (Liu Xie) <the Han emperor's posthumous title> at Chang'an.

Only his son Mao, a Detached Command Major, had always accompanied Liu Yan. Emperor Xian (Liu Xie) sent Liu Zhang to instruct and persuade his father, but Liu Yan detained him instead of sending him back. <The source inserts 小, 'young,' parenthetically before 'son.'>

At that time Ma Teng, General Who Attacks the West, was stationed at Mei and rebelled. Liu Yan and Liu Fan plotted with him to bring troops against Chang'an. Liu Fan's plans leaked, and he fled to Huaili. Ma Teng was defeated and retreated to Liang Province. Liu Fan was immediately killed, and Liu Dan was then arrested and executed.

Pang Xi of Henan, a Consultant whose family had close ties with Liu Yan's, recruited men and brought Liu Yan's grandsons into Shu.

At this time a heavenly fire burned Liu Yan's city, destroying all his carriage equipment and spreading to the people's homes. He moved his seat to Chengdu. Grieving for his sons and shaken by the ominous disaster, he developed an abscess on his back and died in Xingping 1. Zhao Wei and other senior provincial officials coveted Liu Zhang's mild and humane disposition and jointly recommended him as Inspector of Yi Province. An edict accordingly made him Envoy Supervising the Army, concurrently Governor of Yi Province. He appointed Zhao Wei General of the Household Who Attacks the East, leading troops against Liu Biao.

Liu Zhang's courtesy name was Jiyu. After he inherited Liu Yan's position, Zhang Lu gradually grew arrogant and refused to obey him. Liu Zhang killed Zhang Lu's mother and younger brother, and they became enemies. Liu Zhang repeatedly sent Pang Xi and others against Zhang Lu but was defeated. Since many of Zhang Lu's followers were in Baxi, Liu Zhang made Pang Xi Grand Administrator of Baxi, commanding troops against him. <數為, 'repeatedly were,' is supplied in brackets in the source's clause about defeat.>

Later a rift arose between Pang Xi and Liu Zhang. Zhao Wei raised troops and turned inward against Liu Zhang; his forces dispersed and he was killed. All this resulted from Liu Zhang's lack of discernment and susceptibility to outside reports.

Hearing that Lord Cao (Cao Cao) <a respectful designation> was campaigning against Jing Province and had already secured Hanzhong, Liu Zhang sent Yin Pu of Henei to convey his respects. Liu Zhang received the additional title General Who Inspires Awe, and his elder brother Liu Mao became General Who Pacifies Bandits. Liu Mao died after suffering mental derangement. <The sequence of Jing Province and Hanzhong follows this source and is not silently rearranged.>

Liu Zhang again sent Zhang Su of Shu Commandery, his Attendant Officer, with three hundred Sou troops and assorted fine articles for Lord Cao (Cao Cao), who appointed Zhang Su Grand Administrator of Guanghan. Liu Zhang next sent his Attendant Officer Zhang Song to Lord Cao (Cao Cao). At that time Lord Cao (Cao Cao) had secured Jing Province and put the Former Lord (Liu Bei) <the retrospective designation for Shu's founding ruler> to flight, and paid Zhang Song no attention. Zhang Song resented this. Lord Cao (Cao Cao) then suffered defeat at Red Cliffs, compounded by deaths from epidemic disease. Returning, Zhang Song disparaged Lord Cao (Cao Cao) and urged Liu Zhang to break with him.

Zhang Song accordingly told Liu Zhang: 'Liu Yuzhou (Liu Bei) <"Liu of Yu Province," a designation from his governorship> is your close kinsman. You can establish relations with him.' Liu Zhang agreed and sent Fa Zheng to make an alliance with the Former Lord (Liu Bei). Soon he again ordered Fa Zheng and Meng Da to take several thousand troops to help the Former Lord (Liu Bei) defend his position, after which Fa Zheng returned. Later Zhang Song again urged Liu Zhang: 'The province's generals, Pang Xi, Li Yi, and others, all rely arrogantly on their achievements and contemplate disloyalty. Without Liu Yuzhou (Liu Bei), enemies will attack from outside and the people from within: this is the certain path to defeat.' Liu Zhang again followed him and sent Fa Zheng to invite the Former Lord (Liu Bei). His Registrar Huang Quan explained the advantages and dangers, and Wang Lei of Guanghan, an administrative officer, suspended himself upside down at the provincial gate to remonstrate. Liu Zhang accepted none of their advice. He ordered the local authorities to supply the Former Lord (Liu Bei), who entered the province as though returning home. Reaching north of Jiangzhou, the Former Lord (Liu Bei) followed the Dianjiang River

and arrived at Fu,

three hundred sixty li from Chengdu. This was Jian'an 16. Liu Zhang led more than thirty thousand infantry and cavalry, with carriages, tents, and hangings glittering in the sunlight, to meet him. He and the generals and soldiers led by the Former Lord (Liu Bei) visited one another and feasted joyfully for more than a hundred days. Liu Zhang supplied the Former Lord (Liu Bei) and sent him against Zhang Lu; they then parted.

The following year, the Former Lord (Liu Bei) reached Jiameng, turned his army southward, and conquered wherever he went. In Jian'an 19, he advanced and besieged Chengdu for several dozen days. The city still contained thirty thousand picked troops and enough grain and silk for a year. Officials and civilians all wanted to fight to the death. Liu Zhang said: 'My father and I have been in this province for more than twenty years without bestowing kindness or virtue upon its people. For three years they have fought, their flesh strewn in the wilds, because of me. How could my heart be at peace?' He therefore opened the city and surrendered. All his subordinates wept. The Former Lord (Liu Bei) moved him to Gong'an in Nan Commandery, returning all his property and the seal and ribbon he had formerly worn as General Who Inspires Awe. Sun Quan killed Guan Yu and took Jing Province, then appointed Liu Zhang Governor of Yi Province and stationed him at Zigui.

Liu Zhang died. Yong Kai, a powerful chieftain of Nanzhong, occupied Yi Commandery in rebellion and attached himself to Wu. Sun Quan then appointed Liu Zhang's son Liu Chan Inspector of Yi Province and stationed him on the border between Jiao and Yi provinces. After Chancellor Zhuge Liang pacified the south, Liu Chan returned to Wu and became Palace Assistant Censor-in-Chief. <This Liu Chan is 劉闡, Liu Zhang's son, not Liu Bei's son 劉禪.>

Earlier, Liu Zhang's eldest son Liu Xun had married Pang Xi's daughter. After the Former Lord (Liu Bei) secured Shu, Pang Xi became Major to the General of the Left. At that time Liu Zhang petitioned through Pang Xi to leave Liu Xun behind, and the Former Lord (Liu Bei) appointed him General of the Household of Attending Carriages. Thus the descendants of Liu Zhang's two sons lived separately in Wu and Shu.

Appraisal: Formerly Wei Bao heard Xu Fu's words and took Lady Bo into his household.

Liu Xin saw the wording of prophetic charts and changed his name and courtesy name. In the end neither escaped destruction, while the blessing fell upon two other rulers. This is certain proof that divine powers cannot be vainly constrained and Heaven's mandate cannot be recklessly hoped for. Yet after hearing Dong Fu's words, Liu Yan set his heart on Yi Province; after hearing a physiognomist's words, he sought marriage with the Wu family. He hurried to manufacture imperial carriages and robes, plotting to steal the sacred regalia of sovereignty. His delusion was extreme. Liu Zhang lacked the talent of an outstanding leader yet occupied territory in an age of disorder. 'Carrying a burden while riding a carriage brings robbers': this was the natural outcome. That he was dispossessed was no mere misfortune.