Liu Zhong

Liu Xi (died 193 BC), better known by his courtesy name Liu Zhong,[1][2] was an elder brother of Emperor Gaozu, founder of China's Han dynasty. He served as marquess of Hexin, king or prince of Dai, and marquess of Heyang.

Liu Xi
Traditional Chinese	劉喜
Simplified Chinese	刘喜
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Liǘ Xǐ Wade–Giles Liu Hsi
Liu Zhong (courtesy name)
Traditional Chinese	劉仲
Simplified Chinese	刘仲
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Liú Zhòng Wade–Giles Liu Chung
Qingwang (posthumous name)
Traditional Chinese	頃王
Simplified Chinese	顷王
Literal meaning	The Brief King
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qīngwáng Wade–Giles Ch‘ing Wang

Life

Liu Xi was the son of the man known to history as Liu Taigong. His elder brother Liu Bo (t 劉伯, s 刘伯, Liú Bó) died young, leaving Liu Xi the eldest male in the family of Liu Bang,[2] who became the first Han emperor of China and was posthumously known as Emperor Gaozu ("High Ancestor").

After Liu Bang's establishment of the Han, Liu Xi was created Marquess of Hexin.

In 201 BC, King Xin of Han—who had been removed by the emperor from his native land to rule over the northern border from Mayi—defected to the Xiongnu.[2] Liu Xi was named King or Prince of Dai in his place.[2] This territory spread over the three northern commanderies of Dai, Yanmen, and Yunzhong and formed the front line between the Han state and the nomads of the Eurasian steppe. Liu Xi fled to Luoyang[2] by himself[3] before a Xiongnu attack in the 12th month of the 7th year of Liu Bang's reign[3] (200 BC).[4]

Following this display of cowardice, Liu Xi was replaced in Dai and demoted to Marquess of Heyang (t 合陽, s 合阳, Héyáng),[3][5] a county southeast of present-day Heyang County.[3]

In 195 BC, Liu Xi's son Prince Pi was made Prince or King of Wu.

Liu Xi died in 193 BC and was subsequently honored under the posthumous name of the "Qing" or "Momentary King".[6][7]

References

Citations

1. Johnston (2017), p. 171.
2. Nienhauser Jr. & al. (2002), p. 72.
3. Nienhauser Jr. & al. (2002), p. 75.
4. Olberding (2013), p. 87.
5. Sima Guang. "漢紀" [Han Annals]. Zizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). Volume 11. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
6. Book of Han, s:zh:漢書/卷014 Vol. 14: "Table of Nobles Related to the Imperial Clan".
7. Nienhauser Jr. & al. (2002), p. 151.

Sources

• Ban, Gu; et al., Book of Han. (in Chinese)
• Gu Yanwu (2017), Johnston, Ian (ed.), Record of Daily Knowledge and Collected Poems and Essays, Translations from the Asian Classics, New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
• Olberding, Garret (2013), "The Debate between Wang Hui and Han Anguo: A Case Study of Early Han Military Addresses", in Lorge, Peter Allen (ed.), Debating War in Chinese History, History of Warfare, Vol. 83, Leiden: Brill, pp. 79–107.
• Sima Qian; et al. (2002), Nienhauser, William H. Jr.; et al. (eds.), The Grand Scribe's Records, Vol. II: The Basic Annals of Han China, Bloomington: Indiana University Press.