Liu Jiyuan

Biography

Family Background and Early Life

Liu Jiyuan was originally surnamed He. His mother, a woman of the Liu clan, was a daughter of Liu Min, the founder of Northern Han, who later changed his name to Liu Chong. She first married Xue Zhao and gave birth to Liu Jien. After Xue Zhao committed suicide, she remarried a man of the He family and gave birth to Liu Jiyuan. After Liu Jiyuan's parents both died, he and his maternal half-brother Liu Jien were adopted by their maternal uncle Liu Jun, a son of Liu Min. Through this combination of blood relationship and adoption, Liu Jiyuan grew up within the Northern Han court. During Liu Jun's reign, Liu Jien served as governor of Taiyuan, while Liu Jiyuan likewise grew up in the palace and was familiar with the core of Northern Han politics.

Accession and Domestic Government

In the seventh month of 968, the twelfth year of Tianhui, Liu Jun, Emperor Ruizong of Northern Han, died in grief as Song pressure intensified and the state's position deteriorated. Liu Jien succeeded him. In the ninth month of the same year, Liu Jien was assassinated by Hou Barong. The Minister of Works Guo Wuwei then installed Liu Jiyuan as emperor, and Liu Jiyuan adopted the era name Guangyun. From the outset he faced pressures both at home and abroad: the Northern Song was advancing from outside, while powerful officials struggled among themselves and military morale was unstable within the state.

Liu Jiyuan was cruel and suspicious. Soon after taking the throne, he believed Ma Feng's slanders and killed the general Zheng Jin. He also favored the eunuch Wei Degui, removed Wei Chou from command of the Tuyuhun troops, and transferred him to be prefect of Liao Prefecture. Several thousand Tuyuhun soldiers objected and asked that the order be rescinded, but Liu Jiyuan refused. Later, after hearing that Wei Chou had complained in private and fearing a mutiny, he sent men to kill him. General Li Yin protested on Wei Chou's behalf; Wei Degui then persuaded Liu Jiyuan to send Li Yin to Lan Prefecture under supervision, and Li Yin was soon killed as well. The Tuyuhun forces were a main component of the Northern Han army. The killing of their commanders shattered morale and greatly weakened the state's military strength.

To consolidate his throne, Liu Jiyuan also killed members of the ruling house. Liu Min had more than ten sons; among them Liu Gao, Liu Kai, Liu Qi, Liu Xi, and Liu Xian were still alive during Liu Jiyuan's reign. Except for Liu Xian, who escaped death by pretending to be foolish, the others were killed by Liu Jiyuan. Liu Jiyuan also suspected his adoptive mother Empress Guo, wife of Liu Jun, of causing the death of his wife Lady Duan. After becoming emperor, he ordered his favored retainer Fan Chao to strangle Empress Guo in front of Liu Jun's coffin. By this point, almost all remaining descendants of the Liu house had been wiped out.

Resistance to the Northern Song

In the spring of 969, the thirteenth year of Tianhui, Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, personally led an invasion of Northern Han. After repelling Liao relief forces, the Song army built long dikes to divert the Fen River and flood the city of Jinyang. Northern Han held the threatened city. By the intercalary fifth month, floodwaters broke through the southern wall of Jinyang and poured into the city. Chancellor Guo Wuwei attempted to surrender to the Song and was executed by Liu Jiyuan. Northern Han soldiers and civilians built barriers to close the breach. The weather was hot and rainy, Song troops were encamped on wet grassland and many suffered from diarrhea, while Khitan forces again moved to reinforce Northern Han. Emperor Taizu was forced to withdraw, abandoning large quantities of grain, military provisions, tea, and silk, all of which were taken by Northern Han.

In the first month of 979, the sixth year of Guangyun, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, having eliminated the southern separatist states, concentrated his forces for a personal campaign against Northern Han. He ordered Pan Mei and other commanders to lead several hundred thousand troops in a four-pronged attack on Taiyuan. Liu Jiyuan sent his son Liu Rang to the Khitan as a hostage to request military aid. On the sixteenth day of the third month, the Song commander Guo Jin decisively defeated the Liao relief army at Shiling Pass; the Liao commander Yelü Dilie was killed and more than ten thousand Liao troops were lost. After this defeat the Liao forces no longer dared to advance south, leaving Northern Han isolated. In the fourth month, Emperor Taizong advanced from Zhen Prefecture, captured Long Prefecture, and personally arrived beneath the walls of Taiyuan to supervise the siege.

Surrender to the Song and Later Years

Under intense Song attacks, on the first day of the fifth month the southwest outer enclosure of Jinyang fell. Fan Chao, Northern Han's commissioner of the Palace Communications Office, and Guo Wanchao, commander of the cavalry and infantry, successively surrendered. On the fourth day, Emperor Taizong personally drafted an edict urging Liu Jiyuan to surrender and promising that his wealth and rank would be preserved. Ma Feng, a retired deputy commissioner of military affairs, also entered the palace to urge surrender. With no remaining options, Liu Jiyuan sent a formal submission to Emperor Taizong.

Before dawn on the sixth day, Emperor Taizong and his generals held the surrender ceremony at Liancheng Terrace north of Taiyuan. Liu Jiyuan led his officials, dressed in white robes and gauze caps, and prostrated himself below the terrace to acknowledge guilt. Emperor Taizong immediately granted him the ranks and offices of Tejin, Acting Grand Preceptor, and General-in-Chief of the Right Guard and made him Duke of Pengcheng Commandery. He was given a fine residence in the capital and generous annual rewards. After the fall of Northern Han, Liu Jiyuan lived comfortably and at leisure. In 981 he was advanced to Duke of Pengcheng, and in 986 he became military governor of Baokang Army.

In 991, the second year of Chunhua, Liu Jiyuan became ill. Emperor Taizong sent eunuchs and imperial physicians to treat him. Before his death, Liu Jiyuan submitted a memorial entrusting his six-year-old son Sanzhu to the court. Emperor Taizong expressed sympathy and mourning, posthumously appointed Liu Jiyuan Secretariat Director, and made him Prince of Pengcheng Commandery; the government bore the expenses of his funeral. Sanzhu was given the name Shoujie, appointed deputy commissioner of the Western Capital workshops, allowed to reside at home, and provided with a stipend.

Major Activities

Political Activity

During Liu Jiyuan's twelve-year reign from 968 to 979, Northern Han's domestic government was deeply disordered. He favored the eunuch Wei Degui and excluded capable men, allowing state affairs to deteriorate. By believing slanders and killing the generals Zheng Jin, Wei Chou, Li Yin, and others, he broke the morale of the Tuyuhun troops, a major component of the Northern Han army. To secure his position, he killed several sons of Liu Min and his adoptive mother Empress Guo, nearly exterminating the remaining ruling clan.

Resistance to the Northern Song

In 969, the thirteenth year of Tianhui, Emperor Taizu of Song personally attacked Northern Han and diverted the Fen River to flood Jinyang. Liu Jiyuan executed Chancellor Guo Wuwei, who advocated surrender, and led soldiers and civilians in defending the endangered city until the Song army withdrew without success. In 979, the sixth year of Guangyun, Emperor Taizong of Song again led a personal campaign. Liu Jiyuan sent his son to the Khitan to seek aid and organized resistance, but the Liao relief army was defeated by the Song general Guo Jin. Isolated and without support, Northern Han eventually opened its gates and surrendered.

Places of Activity

Liu Jiyuan's life was centered mainly on Taiyuan, or Jinyang, and Kaifeng. Before his accession he lived for a long period in Taiyuan, the Northern Han capital, and after taking the throne he used Taiyuan as his base to resist two major Northern Song offensives. After surrendering he moved to Kaifeng, capital of the Northern Song, where he lived in comfort until his death.

Relations with Contemporaries

Liu Jiyuan's relationship with the powerful official Guo Wuwei was complex. Guo had helped install him as emperor but was later executed after advocating surrender to the Song. Liu Jiyuan closely favored the eunuch Wei Degui, who used this influence to eliminate rivals. Liu Jiyuan maintained an alliance with the Liao and repeatedly sought military assistance, but Liao relief armies were repeatedly defeated by Song forces. After surrendering, he had a comparatively favorable relationship with Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, received generous treatment, and died peacefully.

The stages of his reign were as follows: in 968 (twelfth year of Tianhui) Liu Ji'en was assassinated by Hou Barong and Liu Jiyuan came to the throne with Guo Wuwei's support, changing the era name to Guangyun; in 969 (thirteenth year of Tianhui) Emperor Taizu of Song campaigned in person against the Northern Han, and he held Taiyuan and killed the chancellor Guo Wuwei, so that the Song army withdrew without success; in 975 (second year of Guangyun) Emperor Jingzong of Liao enfeoffed him as "Great Han Heroic Emperor"; in 979 (sixth year of Guangyun) Emperor Taizong of Song campaigned in person, he opened the city and surrendered, and the Northern Han came to an end, after which he was made specially advanced, acting grand preceptor and senior general of the right guards and enfeoffed as Duke of Pengcheng Commandery; in 981 (sixth year of Taiping Xingguo) he was advanced to Duke of Pengcheng; in 986 (third year of Yongxi) he became military commissioner of Baokang; in the twelfth month of 992 he died and was granted posthumously the title of secretariat director and the rank of Prince of Pengcheng Commandery. His passage from holding Taiyuan to opening the city and surrendering was directly bound up with the repeated failure of Liao relief attempts and the untenability of an isolated town.

His political relations during his reign were complex: Guo Wuwei raised him to the throne and later urged him to surrender to the Song, for which he had him killed; the eunuch Wei Degui, in his favour, used his position to remove opponents; he maintained the alliance with the Liao and repeatedly sent envoys for help, but Liao relief forces were beaten back by the Song again and again. In 975 Emperor Jingzong of Liao enfeoffed him as "Great Han Heroic Emperor", showing that his standing depended on Liao investiture; and in 979, with the isolated city of Taiyuan untenable and Liao help ineffective, he opened the gates and surrendered. After his surrender he was well treated by Emperor Taizong of Song, serving as military commissioner of Baokang among other posts and ending his life in peace; he died in 992 and was granted posthumously the title of secretariat director and the rank of Prince of Pengcheng Commandery.

The Northern Han existed on the single corner of Taiyuan, and its survival depended largely on the balance between Liao and Song: Liao investiture and relief forces were both the source of its standing and the support that made military action possible. Once the Song adopted the policy of subduing the south first and then concentrating its forces on Taiyuan, the position of the isolated city deteriorated rapidly, and the repeated defeat of relief armies made the decline irreversible. Liu Jiyuan was well treated after his surrender, and his experience shows that the rulers of the small regimes at the end of the Ten Kingdoms were for the most part passive recipients of geopolitics rather than agents able to decide their own fate, a situation borne out by his appointments and domestic measures while in power.

Personal Relations

• Maternal grandfather: Liu Min, founder of Northern Han
• Maternal uncle / adoptive father: Liu Jun, Emperor Ruizong of Northern Han
• Maternal half-brother: Liu Jien, ruler of Northern Han
• Adoptive mother: Empress Guo, wife of Liu Jun; killed by Liu Jiyuan
• Wives: Empress Duan, his first wife, posthumously honored; Empress Ma, his later wife
• Sons: Liu Shoujie, originally named Sanzhu; Liu Xu
• Guo Wuwei: helped place him on the throne and was later executed for urging surrender
• Ma Feng: deputy commissioner of military affairs under Northern Han who in his later years urged Liu Jiyuan to surrender to the Song
• Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin: personally invaded Northern Han in 969 but failed to capture it
• Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi: personally invaded Northern Han in 979, accepted Liu Jiyuan's surrender, and later granted him titles
• Emperor Jingzong of Liao, Yelü Xian: conferred on Liu Jiyuan the title “Great Han Emperor Yingwu”
• Hou Barong: assassin of Liu Jien; later killed by Guo Wuwei
• Wei Degui: favored eunuch who assisted Liu Jiyuan in eliminating rivals
• Wei Chou: commander of the Tuyuhun troops, killed by Liu Jiyuan
• Zheng Jin: general killed by Liu Jiyuan
• Li Yin: general killed by Liu Jiyuan
• Liu Gao, Liu Kai, Liu Qi, Liu Xi: sons of Liu Min killed by Liu Jiyuan

Historical Assessment

Song and Contemporary Accounts

• New History of the Five Dynasties described Liu Jiyuan as “cruel by nature,” referring to his readiness to execute members of the ruling family and senior officials.
• The History of Song records Emperor Taizong as telling Liu Jiyuan that if he surrendered quickly his wealth and rank would be preserved for the rest of his life, portraying him as a ruler who held an isolated city after the wider strategic situation had become hopeless.
• After accepting his surrender, Emperor Taizong treated Liu Jiyuan with relative leniency, granting a residence, offices, and noble titles. He did not pursue Liu Jiyuan's explanation that men who feared death had forced him to resist surrender.

Song and Yuan Periods

• Ouyang Xiu, in the “Hereditary House of Eastern Han” in New History of the Five Dynasties, recounted Liu Jiyuan's killing of relatives and ministers in detail and remarked that “no descendants of the Liu family remained,” clearly condemning his brutality.
• Sima Guang's Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance records many events of Northern Han history and treats Liu Jiyuan as the last ruler of a separatist regime, criticizing his reliance on the Khitan and resistance to the political unification of the Central Plains.

Ming and Qing Periods

• Wang Fuzhi, in Song Lun, discussed the fall of Northern Han and argued that Liu Jiyuan's defense of an isolated city and killing of loyal and capable men made his destruction inevitable.
• The Qing compilation Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance followed earlier Song judgments in classifying Liu Jiyuan as the ruler of an illegitimate regime, while approving of the favorable treatment he received after surrender as evidence of sound policy by Emperor Taizong.

Modern Assessments

• Modern historians generally assess Liu Jiyuan from the perspective of the political fragmentation of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. As the last emperor of Northern Han, he was unable to reverse the larger trend toward Northern Song unification, while his harsh domestic rule accelerated his state's collapse.
• Some scholars note that despite his failures in domestic government, Liu Jiyuan held Taiyuan through two major Northern Song attacks and thus demonstrated the strong resistance of Northern Han's soldiers and people. On this view, his ultimate defeat resulted more from the overwhelming disparity in state power and the failure of effective Liao relief.