Liu Yan (Shu Han)
Liu Yan (died 234), courtesy name Weishuo, was a military general serving in the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms of China. He previously served under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty. Liu Yan succeeded Huang Zhong as General of the Rear in 223 and was reappointed every year until 231 where he was promoted to General of the Chariots and Cavalry. Liu was given these high ranks not for his merits but for his long service and relation to the imperial clan as well as being handsome and well spoken. He served Liu Bei since 194 in Xu province and until his general-ships served in mid-level civil and administrator posts to an average performance at best. Some military generals including Wei Yan didn't respect him , which led to their quarrel in 232. Even as a high ranked General, Liu probably never led troops into battle and Zhuge Liang may have relied on the later for advice on various topics. Liu Yan's downfall and execution led to a reform of many court policies for the Shu Han.[3] [2]
Liu Yan | |
|---|---|
劉琰 | |
| General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍) | |
| In office 230[1] – 234 | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Minister of the Guards (衛尉) | |
| In office 223 – ? | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Central Military Adviser (中軍師) | |
| In office 223 – ? | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| General of the Rear (後將軍) | |
| In office 223 – ? | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Administrator of Guling (固陵太守) | |
| In office 214 – 223 | |
| Monarch | Liu Bei |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Qufu, Shandong |
| Died | 234[2] Chengdu, Sichuan |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Hu |
| Occupation | General |
| Courtesy name | Weishuo (威碩) |
| Peerage | Marquis of a Chief District (都鄉侯) |
Early career under Liu Bei
Liu Yan was born during the late Eastern Han dynasty in the Lu State (魯國), a princedom around present-day Qufu, Shandong.[4] He was also a member of the Liu clan, the ruling house of the Han dynasty. When the warlord Liu Bei was the nominal governor of Yu Province during the early 190s, he met Liu Yan and recruited him as an assistant officer (從事). A charming and eloquent man with ties to the imperial clan, Liu Yan gained Liu Bei's favour and had accompanied the warlord on his exploits since then.[5]
In 214, after Liu Bei seized control of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) from the warlord Liu Zhang,[6] he appointed Liu Yan as the Administrator of Guling Commandery (固陵郡; a.k.a. Badong Commandery 巴東郡; covering parts of present-day Chongqing).[7]
Service under Liu Shan
In 223,[8] after Liu Bei's son and successor Liu Shan became emperor of Shu, he enfeoffed Liu Yan as a Marquis of a Chief District (都鄉侯) and accorded him honours and privileges second to those accorded to Li Yan. He also appointed Liu Yan as Minister of the Guards (衛尉), Central Military Adviser (中軍師), and General of the Rear (後將軍). Liu Yan was later promoted to the position of General of Chariots and Cavalry (車騎將軍).[9]
Despite holding an important position and having 1,000 troops under his personal command, Liu Yan was not actively involved in state and military affairs. His participation was limited to only speaking to Zhuge Liang, the Imperial Chancellor, on miscellaneous issues.[10] Outside the workplace, he led an extravagant and pretentious lifestyle. He also had dozens of maids to attend to him; many of them could also sing and play music. He even taught them to recite the "Lu Ling Guang Dian Fu" (魯靈光殿賦), a rhapsody by Wang Yanshou.[11]
In 232, Liu Yan got into a quarrel with the Shu general Wei Yan and made baseless accusations against him. After Zhuge Liang reprimanded him for his behaviour,[12] Liu Yan wrote an apology to Zhuge Liang as follows:
"I am naturally inclined towards pretensions and affectations. I have never been mindful of my behaviour. To make things worse, I tend to talk nonsense when I am drunk. Since I started following the Late Emperor, I have said many absurd things that were detrimental to the State's fortunes. I am grateful to you, Sir, for recognising that I am faithful and loyal to the State, for forgiving me for my many flaws, for providing me much support, and allowing me to get to the high position that I am in today. I got addicted to alcohol and failed to watch my tongue. You are kind and generous enough to forgive me for my transgression and not pursue the matter, thus allowing me to preserve my life. I will definitely perform my duties more carefully, motivate myself to do better, and correct my mistakes. I swear to the gods that I will do this. If I cannot serve the State with my life, then I will feel so ashamed to continue living."[13]
Zhuge Liang then sent Liu Yan back to Chengdu, the Shu capital, and restored him to his former position.[14]
Downfall and execution
Despite his promise to Zhuge Liang that he would improve his behaviour, Liu Yan became more disheartened and absent-minded after his quarrel with Wei Yan. In February or March 234, Liu Yan's wife, Lady Hu (胡氏), entered the palace to pay her respects to Empress Dowager Wu. For reasons unknown, the empress dowager ordered Lady Hu to remain in the palace. Lady Hu returned home after living in the palace for a month.[15]
As Lady Hu had a beautiful appearance, Liu Yan suspected that she had a secret affair with the emperor Liu Shan during that one month she stayed in the palace. He ordered 500 of his soldiers to beat her up, slapped her in the face with a shoe, and then divorced her and sent her back to her maiden family.[16]
Lady Hu reported Liu Yan to the authorities for his abusive behaviour. As a result, Liu Yan was arrested and thrown into prison.[17] During this time, an official commented on the incident as follows: "Soldiers aren't meant to help someone beat up his wife. Shoes aren't meant to be used to hit someone in the face."[18] Liu Yan was then executed and his body was abandoned in the streets, he was in his mid-fifties.. After the scandal, the Shu government put an end to the practice of allowing officials' wives and mothers to enter the palace to pay their respects to the imperial family.[19]
References
- http://kongming.net/novel/ranks/shu
- de Crespigny (2007), p. 573.
- http://kongming.net/encyclopedia/Liu-Yan-2
- (劉琰字威碩，魯國人也。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (先主在豫州，闢為從事，以其宗姓，有風流，善談論，厚親待之，遂隨從周旋，常為賓客。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- Sima (1084), vol. 67.
- (先主定益州，以琰為固陵太守。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- Sima (1084), vol. 70.
- (後主立，封都鄉侯，班位每亞李嚴，為衛尉中軍師後將軍，遷車騎將軍。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (然不豫國政，但領兵千餘，隨丞相亮諷議而已。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (車服飲食，號為侈靡，侍婢數十，皆能為聲樂，又悉教誦讀魯靈光殿賦。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (建興十年，與前軍師魏延不和，言語虛誕，亮責讓之。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (琰與亮箋謝曰：「琰稟性空虛，本薄操行，加有酒荒之病，自先帝以來，紛紜之論，殆將傾覆。頗蒙明公本其一心在國，原其身中穢垢，扶持全濟，致其祿位，以至今日。間者迷醉，言有違錯，慈恩含忍，不致之於理，使得全完，保育性命。雖必克己責躬，改過投死，以誓神靈；無所用命，則靡寄顏。」) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (於是亮遣琰還成都，官位如故。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (琰失志慌惚。[建興]十二年正月，琰妻胡氏入賀太后，太后令特留胡氏，經月乃出。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (胡氏有美色，琰疑其與後主有私，呼（卒）五百撾胡，至於以履搏面，而後棄遣。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (胡具以告言琰，琰坐下獄。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (有司議曰：「卒非撾妻之人，面非受履之地。」) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- (琰竟棄市。自是大臣妻母朝慶遂絕。) Sanguozhi vol. 40.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9789004156050.
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.