Liu You
Chinese prince
About Liu You
Lived 250 BC – 181 BC (aged 68–69). Liu You was a Chinese.
Liu You (; died 21 February 181 BC ) was the sixth son of Emperor Gaozu of Han. He was made Prince of Huaiyang in 196 BC, and recreated as Prince of Zhao two years later.
Liu You married Empress Dowager Lü's niece, who found that he was having affairs with secret mistresses. Lady Lü, angered, went to Empress Dowager Lü and claimed that Liu You was speaking of rebelling against the Lü clan after the Empress Dowager's death. The Lü clan, led by the Empress Dowager, had been controlling the imperial court.
The Empress Dowager subsequently summoned Liu You to Chang'an, the capital, and put him under house arrest there without food. While in prison, Liu You made a song cursing the deeds which Empress Dowager Lü had done to the Liu family. He was afraid to commit suicide, ended up starving to death, was buried with commoner rites, and given the posthumous name You (幽).
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Important facts
People in Liu You's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Liu You's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Liu You?
Chinese prince
When was Liu You born?
Liu You was born in 250 BC.
When did Liu You die?
Liu You died in 181 BC.
What nationality was Liu You?
Liu You was Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Liu You. https://biography.guide/liu-you/
MLA: "Liu You." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/liu-you/.
Chicago: "Liu You." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/liu-you/.
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