Liu Wu

Liu Wu (; died September 25, 825 ), noble title Prince of Pengcheng , was a Chinese military general and politician of the Tang dynasty, whose killing of his superior, the warlord Li Shidao, and subsequent submission to the imperial government, were the high point of Emperor Xianzong's campaign to end warlordism. During the subsequent reign of Emperor Muzong, however, Liu, angered by a conspiracy between an imperial eunuch and one of his subordinates, drifted away from the imperial government and ruled Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義; headquartered in modern-day Changzhi, Shanxi) semi-independently.

Background It is not known when Liu Wu was born. His grandfather Liu Zhengchen had served as the Tang military governor (jiedushi) of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, then headquartered in modern Chaoyang, Liaoning) during the Anshi Rebellion and combatted the army of the rebel Yan, but was unable to capture the Yan northern capital Fanyang before being poisoned by his own subordinate Wang Xuanzhi . During the time that Liu Wu's uncle Liu Quanliang served as the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), as he valued Liu Wu for Liu Wu's bravery and decisiveness, he made Liu Wu an officer under him, but Liu Wu subsequently committed a crime and fled to Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), where the military governor of Zhaoyi, Wang Qianxiu , made him an officer. Liu Wu soon became ill and resigned, and he went to the eastern capital Luoyang. Liu Quanliang had a storage of money at Luoyang, and Liu Wu broke into it and spent it. Liu Wu also associated with violent young men who killed people and dogs. As a result, Liu Wu was arrested and held at the jail of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the Luoyang region), but the defender of Luoyang Wei Xiaqing released him. who ruled the circuit in de facto independence from the imperial government. Liu was not initially well known in the Pinglu army. On one occasion, when the officers were playing polo, his horse charged Li Shigu's horse, causing Li Shigu's horse to fall. Li Shigu, in anger, was set to execute him. Liu responded with proud words without fear. Li Shigu was amazed and pardoned him, and found a wife for him. He thereafter was promoted several times, until he became army commander (兵馬使, Bingmashi). Li Shidao had Liu command troops to defend against imperial armies' attack, in position at Cao Prefecture (曹州, in modern Heze, Shandong). It was said that Liu was lenient and simplified the military laws, and as a result the soldiers were happy to be under his command—such that he was referred to as "Father Liu." After Tian Hongzheng the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) crossed the Yellow River and pressured Pinglu's capital Yun Prefecture directly in winter 818, Emperor Xianzong created Liu the Prince of Pengcheng and awarded him a mansion and an estate.

Meanwhile, the eunuch monitor of the army that Emperor Muzong stationed at Zhaoyi, Liu Chengjie , because of the favor that both Emperor Muzong and the emperor's mother Empress Dowager Guo showed him, was arrogant and often insulted Liu Wu, and allowed his subordinates to disobey the law. He also conspired with Liu Wu's subordinate Zhang Wen the prefect of Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan) to arrest Liu Wu and let Zhang replace him. When Liu Wu found out about this, he encouraged his subordinates to act against Liu Chengjie and Zhang, and in a subsequent mutiny, soldiers killed Zhang and arrested Liu Chengjie, intending to kill him as well. Jia, however, warned Liu Wu:

Liu Wu died suddenly in 825. A final request to then-reigning Emperor Jingzong (Emperor Muzong's son) in Liu Wu's name requested that Liu Congjian be allowed to inherit the command. The officials in the imperial government argued among each other about whether Liu Wu's son Liu Congjian should be allowed to do so, but finally, with the chancellor Li Fengji and the powerful eunuch Wang Shoucheng in favor, Liu Congjian was allowed to inherit the circuit. Liu Wu was given posthumous honors.

Notes and references

Old Book of Tang, vol. 161. New Book of Tang, vol. 214. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 241, 242, 243.