Liu Churang

Liu Churang (881 -April 6, 943 ), courtesy name Deqian , was a general of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Later Tang (including Later Tang's predecessor state Jin) and Later Jin, serving as a chief of staff (Shumishi) during the reign of Later Jin's founding emperor Shi Jingtang.

Background Liu Churang was born in 881, during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang. It is known that he was from Cang Prefecture (滄州, in modern Cangzhou, Hebei), but all that is known about his family background were the names of his grandfather Liu Xin and father Liu Yu . and then to Taining Circuit (泰寧, headquartered in modern Jining, Shandong). While Zhang served as the military governor of Taining, Liu Churang became a close associate of his. Shortly after, he was made the deputy protocol officer. Liu received an honorary minister title, and was often put in charge of delivering orders to major generals on Li Cunxu's behalf. He continued to serve in that role after Li Cunxu's death and succession by his adoptive brother Li Siyuan, and soon was given the title of director of protocol (引進使, Yinjinshi). In 932, he was given an imperial guard general title in addition to being director of protocol. In 933, with the warlord Meng Zhixiang the military governor of Xichuan Circuit (西川, headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan) having cut off communications with the imperial government, Li Siyuan sent Liu on a mission to Xichuan to persuade Meng to at least nominally submit. Liu Churang returned to Luoyang and submitted to Shi. Shi made him one of the directors of palace affairs (宣徽使, Xuanhuishi). Initially, Liu was to serve under Yang Guangyuan in attacking Fan, In 939, when Liu took leave from governmental service to observe a mourning period for his stepmother, After Shi Chonggui became emperor, Liu went to see the chancellors and, citing his contributions, sought higher position, but was not given such position. One day when visiting the chancellors Feng Dao, Zhao Ying, Li Song, and He Ning, he was drunk and complained about them. It was said that Feng laughed the criticism off, although it was not stated what the other chancellors' reactions were. After a month, he claimed to be ill and apparently took a leave from his general position. When Shi Chonggui returned from Yedu to Daliang in 943, Liu accompanied him, and took residence at Fengshan Temple . While there, he became ill and died. He was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 94. New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 47. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 271, 281, 282.