Qian Liu

Background Qian Liu was born in Lin'an County in 852, during the reign of Emperor Xuānzong of Tang. His father was named Qian Kuan, In his childhood neighborhood, there was a huge tree. When he played with the other children in the neighborhood near the tree, he would sit on a large rock and order the other children to march in formations; the other children feared him and followed his orders. After he grew up, he did not have a legitimate job, so he became a salt privateer. He befriended several sons of the county secretary Zhong Qi and often drank and gambled with them. Zhong, however, disliked Qian and initially forbade his sons from associating with Qian until, on one occasion, a traveling fortuneteller informed both Qian and Zhong that Qian would one day be extremely honored. Only after that did Zhong allow his sons to associate with Qian. Zhong's sons often gave Qian money. During this time, Qian was described to be good at archery and using spears, and he had a basic understanding of mystical texts.

Service under Dong Chang and takeover of Zhenhai Circuit A statue of Qian Liu by the shore of the West Lake in Hangzhou, near the Shrine to the Qian Kings where Qian Liu and his successors are commemorated. During the rebellion of the army officer Wang Ying in 876–877, Qian and Dong Chang, also from Lin'an, joined a local militia to defend against Wang's raids. After Wang's rebellion was defeated, Dong, for his contributions during the campaign, was made the defender of Shijing Base (石鏡, in modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang), and Qian became a commander under Dong. In 878, when the agrarian rebel Cao Shixiong was pillaging both Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), which Hang Prefecture (which Shijing and Lin'an belonged to) was a part of, and Zhedong Circuit (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), the Hang Prefecture government tried to resist the pillages by recruiting 1,000 men from each of the counties in the prefecture. Dong and seven others became the militia commanders, and their troops became known as the "Eight Corps of Hang Prefecture."

In 882, Liu Hanhong the governor (, ) of Zhedong, who wanted to take over Zhenhai, sent his brother Liu Hanyou and officer Xin Yue to attack Hang Prefecture. Dong sent Qian to resist the Zhedong army, and Qian defeated them, forcing them to flee. Liu made another attack in 883, and Dong's army, under Qian, again defeated the Zhedong army, killing Xin and Liu Hanhong's brother Liu Hanrong .

In 886, Dong and Qian were discussing what to do with Zhedong—which by this point had been renamed Yisheng Circuit —when Dong made the offer to Qian, "If you can capture Yue Prefecture [(越州, Yisheng's capital)], I will yield Hang Prefecture to you." Qian agreed, responding, "You are right. If Yue were not captured, it will eventually be harmful to us." Qian thus launched the Hang Prefecture army and attacked Liu Hanhong, repeatedly defeating his army. By winter 886, Qian had captured Yue Prefecture, and Liu Hanhong was captured by his own subordinate Du Xiong the prefect of Tai Prefecture (台州, in modern Taizhou, Zhejiang). Dong executed Liu, and moved his headquarters to Yue, claiming the title of acting governor, while making Qian the prefect of Hang Prefecture. In 887, Emperor Xizong commissioned Dong as the governor of Zhedong and Qian as the prefect of Hang Prefecture. Later, Dong was made the military governor of Yisheng, which was then renamed to Weisheng .

In 887, a mutiny at Zhenhai's capital Run Prefecture , led by Zhou's officer Xue Lang, forced Zhou to flee from Run Prefecture to Chang Prefecture (常州, in modern Changzhou, Jiangsu) to come under the protection of his officer Ding Congshi the prefect of Chang Prefecture, while Xue claimed the title of acting military governor. (The New Book of Tang indicated that Qian killed Zhou, but Sima Guang, the lead author of the Zizhi Tongjian, found the account not credible and did not adopt it. ) Meanwhile, Qian ordered Ruan to attack Run Prefecture, and Ruan captured it. Xue was taken captive, and Qian had his heart cut out of his body to be sacrificed to Zhou. Qian also sent his cousin Qian Qiu to attack Su Prefecture (蘇州, in modern Suzhou, Jiangsu), Meanwhile, to placate Qian, then-reigning Emperor Zhaozong (Emperor Xizong's brother and successor) created Qian the Baron of Wuxing, and created him the Marquess of Pengcheng.

Dong sent messengers to Qian to inform Qian that he had become emperor and that he was making Qian the commander of the forces of the "Two Zhes"—i.e., Zhenhai and Yisheng, which were on the opposite banks of the Qiantang River (Zhe River). Qian, disagreeing with Dong's decision to claim imperial title, wrote back: "Rather than closing up your gates to try to be the Son of Heaven, so that your entire clan and the people will all fall into fire, why not open your door to be Jiedushi, so that you will have honor and wealth the rest of your life? It is still not too late to repent." Dong refused Qian's suggestion, so Qian advanced to Yue Prefecture with 30,000 men, bowing down to him outside the Yue city gates, and stating to him that he brought soldiers to force Dong to repent. Dong, in fear, rewarded Qian money and delivered several sorcerers who advocated his taking the throne to Qian, claiming that he would soon submit a confession to Emperor Zhaozong. Only then did Qian withdraw and report the matter to Emperor Zhaozong. then submitted an accusation against Dong, pointing out that Dong committed the unpardonable crime of treason. Emperor Zhaozong thus issued an edict ordering Qian to attack Dong. Meanwhile, Yang Xingmi, who did not want to see Qian take over Weisheng, sent messengers to Qian to point out that Dong had already repented and should be pardoned, but Qian did not relent. In 901, Emperor Zhaozong bestowed the honorary chancellor title of Shizhong on Qian. Also that year, Qian's mother Lady Shuiqiu died.

In fall 902, Qian faced the most serious challenge to his rule since he took over the two circuits. He was visiting his ancestral neighborhood in Lin'an, which he had promoted to the status of Yijin Base . Meanwhile, he ordered his officer Xu Wan, and Xu's soldiers to dredge a canal, a task that Xu and his soldiers, who had previously served under Sun Ru and who fled to Qian after Yang defeated Sun, complained about; despite the advice by Cheng Ji, who was Qian's deputy military governor by this point, to rescind the dredging order, Qian did not relent. While Qian was at Yijin, Xu and Xu Zaisi started a mutiny and tried to capture Hang Prefecture, which was defended by Qian's son Qian Chuanying and Ma Chuo. They captured the outer city, but Qian Chuanying and Ma held out against the attack in the inner city. Qian Liu, hearing of the mutiny, had to rush back to Hang Prefecture and only got into the inter city through the siege with difficulty. With the inner city continued to be under siege, there were some suggestions that Qian flee to Zhendong's capital Yue Prefecture, but Qian remained at Hang after advice from Du Leng's son Du Jianhui .

Mu Prefecture, however, remained out of Qian's control, and in late 904, after Qian sent Ye Rang to try to assassinate Chen Zhang the prefect of Qu Prefecture (衢州, in modern Quzhou, Zhejiang), whom Qian had resented for receiving Xu Wan's associate Zhang Hong ,

As Later Liang vassal Qian Liu as depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang. In spring 907, Zhu Quanzhong, who had had Emperor Zhaozong killed in 904 and replaced with Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai,

Late in 907, Hongnong forces attacked Xin Prefecture (信州, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi), then-held by the independent warlord Wei Quanfeng's brother Wei Zaichang . Wei Zaichang sought aid from Wuyue, and Wuyue forces attacked Hongnong's Ganlu Base (甘露鎮, near Run Prefecture) in spring 908 to try to relieve the pressure on Xin. Later in the year, he further sent Wang Maozhang (whose name was then changed to Wang Jingren to observe naming taboo for Emperor Taizu's father Zhu Cheng to Later Liang to submit a plan to attack Hongnong. (Wang would thereafter remain at Later Liang and serve as a Later Liang general.) In response, Hongnong (which by this point was ruled by Yang Wo's brother and successor Yang Longyan after Yang Wo was assassinated in 908

Later in 909, Wei Quanfeng gathered the forces in his domain (Fu (撫州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangxi), Xin, Yuan (袁州, in modern Yichun, Jiangxi), and Ji (吉州, in modern Ji'an, Jiangxi) Prefectures) and attacked Hongnong's Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi), aided by Ma Yin the Prince of Chu. Hongnong sent Zhou to engage Wei, and Zhou defeated and captured him. Wei Zaichang initially agreed to submit to Hongnong, but when Hongnong sent the officer Zhang Jingsi to replace Wei Zaichang, Wei Zaichang, in fear, fled to Wuyue. Qian gave Wei Zaichang the title of deputy military governor of Huainan and changed his surname from Wei to Yuan (as Qian disliked "Wei," which meant "danger").

In 916, Qian Liu sent the official Pi Guangye to submit tributes to Zhu Youzhen, taking the lengthy route (as was required by geopolitical situations) through the domain of Wang Shenzhi the Prince of Min, the independent warlord Tan Quanbo (譚全播, whose headquarters was at Qian Prefecture (虔州, in modern Ganzhou, Jiangxi), and Chu. Zhu Youzhen was greatly touched by this gesture and conferred on Qian the title of Generalissimo of All Circuits (諸道兵馬元帥, Zhudao Bingma Yuanshuai), and then in 917 modified the title to Generalissimo of All Forces in the Realm (天下兵馬元帥, Tianxia Bingma Yuanshuai), which would from this point on become a title traditionally held by Wuyue kings. Also in 916, Qian Liu's son Qian Chuanxiang entered into a marriage with a daughter of Wang Shenzhi, and thereafter Wuyue and Min had friendly relations. Also in 920, Qian Liu and Ma Yin entered into a marriage arrangement where Qian's son Qian Chuansu married a daughter of Ma's, to cement a relationship between Wuyue and Chu. The Later Liang emperor's edicts also referred to him only as the King of Wuyue and no longer by his name, to show deference to him. Subsequently, when Qian sent an emissary, Shen Tao , to Wu to inform Wu what had occurred, Wu authorities (probably referring to Xu Wen) refused Shen entry to Wu territory, on the basis that it believed that Wuyue, by the virtue of its name, was improperly showing ambition against Wu. The two states' relations interrupted for some time thereafter.

In 926, there was a time when Qian was, due to illness, resting at Yijin, leaving Qian Chuanguan in charge of the state affairs at the capital Qiantang (i.e., Hang Prefecture). Xu sent emissaries, ostensibly to wish Qian Liu a speedy recovery. Qian, judging correctly that Xu was trying to figure out how ill he was and preparing a potential attack, met with the emissaries despite his illness. Xu, believing that Qian was not that ill, cancelled the planned attack. Qian soon recovered and returned to Qiantang.

By 929, Qian had offended Emperor Mingzong's army chief of staff (Shumishi) An Chonghui by being arrogant in his style in his letters to An. Further, after Emperor Mingzong's emissaries to Wuyue, Wu Zhaoyu and Han Mei returned to Later Tang on a mission, Han accused Wu Zhaoyu of bowing to Qian and revealing state secrets to Qian. An thus persuaded Emperor Mingzong to order Wu Zhaoyu to commit suicide. Thereafter, Emperor Mingzong ordered Qian to retire with the title of Taishi and stripped him of all other titles, and further ordered that the Later Tang circuits arrest all Wuyue emissaries. Qian had his sons submit petitions to plead for him, but An ignored them. In 930, Qian, as Pei Yu , the emissary that Emperor Mingzong had sent to create Wang Shenzhi's son and successor Wang Yanjun the Prince of Min was returning to Later Tang, wrote an apologetic petition and gave it to Pei to submit to Emperor Mingzong; in response, Emperor Mingzong released the Wuyue emissaries, but did not restore Qian's titles. In 931, after Emperor Mingzong removed An from his position as army chief of staff, he restored all of Qian's titles and blamed the situation on An.

In 932, Qian grew seriously ill. Despite his prior designation of Qian Chuanguan as heir, he, in order to test the subordinates' loyalty, stated, "I will surely not recover from this illness. My sons are foolish and weak. Who can succeed me as generalissimo?" The subordinates all responded, "The chancellor for the two circuits [(i.e., Qian Chuanguan, who had been given an honorary chancellor title)] is both kind and filially pious, and also had accomplishments. Who would dare not to support him?" Qian Liu thus gave all of the keys to the storages to Qian Chuanguan, stating, "The generals and the administrators all support you. You should govern benevolently." He also stated, "My descendants should serve Zhongguo [(i.e., the governing central state of China)] faithfully, regardless of what the surname of the ruling dynasty is." He died thereafter. Qian Chuanguan (who then changed his name to Qian Yuanguan) succeeded him (as King Wenmu). Emperor Mingzong gave Qian Liu the posthumous name of Wusu (武肅, "martial and solmen").

Personality and impact of reign Under Qian Liu's reign, Wuyue prospered economically and freely developed its own regional culture that continues to this day. He developed the coastal kingdom's agriculture, built seawalls, expanded Hangzhou, dredged rivers and lakes, and encouraged sea transport and trade. He built an embankment against the famous "bore" in the Qiantang River near Hangzhou, which was his capital; and on one occasion, when the works were threatened, he is said to have driven back the waters by the discharge of a flight of arrows. Qian Liu is said to have used on his campaigns a cylindrical pillow, to prevent him from sleeping too heavily. Despite these contributions, however, the Song dynasty historian Ouyang Xiu (the lead author of the New History of the Five Dynasties) blamed him for luxurious living and for imposing heavy taxation and punishments on his people. Qian Liu is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.

Family Consorts and issue Lady Ma, of the Ma clan (馬氏), sister of Ma Chuo Lady Dowager Zhaoyi of Jin, of the Chen clan (晉國昭懿太夫人 陳氏) Qian Yunlian (錢元璉, 877 – 884), né Chunlian (錢傳璉), first son Qian Yuanguan (錢元瓘, 30 November 887 – 17 September 941), né Qian Chuanguan (錢傳瓘), King Wenmu of Wuyue (吳越文穆王), seventh son Qian Yuanjin (錢元瑾, 889 – 903), né Chuanjin (錢傳瑾), eleventh son Qian Yuanyou (錢元祐, b. 893), né Qian Chuanyou (錢傳祐), seventeenth son Qian Yuanbi (錢元弼, b. 894), eighteenth son Qian Yuanyuan (錢元邧, 898 – 922), né Qian Cuanyuan (錢傳邧), nineteenth son Lady Zhuangmu of Wuyue, of the Wu clan (吳越莊穆夫人 吳氏) Qian Chuanying (錢傳瑛, 878 – 913), né Qian Chuankai (錢傳鍇), Duke of Yun (雲國公), third son Qian Yuanliao (錢元璙, 887–942), né Qian Chuanliao (錢傳璙), honored Prince Xuanyi of Guangling (廣陵宣義王) posthumously, sixth son Qian Chuanji (錢傳㻑, 889 – 910), the Marquess of Jinhua (金華侯), tenth son Qian Chuansu (錢傳璛, 890 – 925), Marquess of Xin'an (新安侯), fourteenth son Qian Yuanjing (錢元璟, 891 – 921), Duke of Zhao (霅國公), fifteenth son Qian Yuanlin (錢元琳, b.899), Marquess of Wuxing (吳興侯), twenty-third son Lady Qing'an, of the Hu clan (慶安夫人胡氏) Qian Yuanji (錢元璣, 877 – 910), né Qian Chuanji (錢傳璣), the Duke of Ning (宁国公), second son Qian Yuansui (錢元璲, 880 – 933), né Qian Chuansui (錢傳璲), Marquess of Yongjia (永嘉侯), fourth son Qian Yuanxiang (錢元珦, b. 890), né Qian Chuanxiang (錢傳珦), Marquess of Huaiyin (淮陰侯), twelfth son Qian Yuanzuo (錢元琢, b. 898), twentieth son Qian Yuanxu (錢元禧, b. 929), thirtieth son Lady Jin, of the Jin clan (金氏) Qian Yuanyi (錢元懿) (886–951), né Qian Chuanchou (錢傳儔), Prince Xuanhui of Jinhua (金華郡王), fifth son Qian Yuanqiu (錢元球, 888 – 937), né Qian Chuanqiu (錢傳球), Marquess of Funan (扶南侯), ninth son Qian Yuanyun (錢元玧, b.890), né Qian Chuanyan (錢傳琰), thirteenth son Qian Yuandang (錢元璫, 899 – 970), né Qian Chuandang (錢傳璫), twenth-second son Qian Yuanxun (錢元珣, b. 911), twenty-fourth son Lady Zhang, of the Zhang clan (章氏) Qian Yuanpu (錢元璞, b. 898), né Qian Chuanpu (錢傳璞), Marquess of Qiantang (錢塘侯), twenty-first son Lady Ji'nan, of the Tong clan (童氏) Qian Chuanqu (錢傳(王瞿)) (888–907), Marquess of Yuyao (餘姚縣侯), eight son Qian Yuanchen (錢元琛, b. 922), twenty-sixth son Qian Yuangui (錢元璝, d. 965), Prince of Ningming (追封寧明王), twenty-eight son Lady Xiao, of the Chen clan (小陈氏) Qian Yuanyu (錢元裕, b. 891), sixteenth son Qian Yuanyuan (錢元(王𣶒), b. 912), twenty-fifth son Qian Yuanfan (錢元璠, b.925), twenty-seventh son Qian Yuanxu (錢元勗, b. 927), twenty-ninth son Lady Zheng, of the Zheng clan (鄭氏) Unknown Qian Yuangui (錢元珪), thirty-first son Unnamed seventh son Lady Qian (錢氏), first daughter married Cheng Rengxiu (成仁琇), a son of Cheng Ji (成及)

Descendants Millions of people today in Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang bear the surname Qian, many of whom are direct descendants of Qian Liu. Many of his 38+ sons were posted to different parts of his kingdom, greatly increasing the density of the Qian surname within the former territory of Wuyue. Notable descendants include:

Qian Xuesen, (1911–2009) was a prominent Chinese aerodynamicist, cyberneticist and politician who contributed to rocket science and established engineering cybernetics Qian Yuanguan, (887–941) the second king of the state of Wuyue, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of China Hsue-Chu Tsien, (1914–1997) aeronautic and mechanical engineer who played important roles in aircraft building in both China and afterward the United States Roger Y. Tsien, (1952–2016) Chinese-American biochemist. He was a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego and was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein Richard W. Tsien, (1945–) Chinese-born American neurobiologist and engineer. He is the Druckenmiller Professor of Neuroscience, Chair of the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, and Director of the NYU Neuroscience Institute at New York University Medical Center Robert Tjian, Asian-American biochemist best known for his work on eukaryotic transcription, currently Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley Ch'ien Mu, (1895–1990) was a Chinese historian, educator, philosopher and Confucian Chien Shih-Liang, (1908–1983) was a Taiwanese chemist, educator Qian Liren, (1924–) a Chinese politician, diplomat, and translator who had a distinguished career in foreign affairs Robert Chien (February 8, 1929 – March 2, 2014) was a Taiwanese economist Shu Chien (1931–) is a Taiwanese physiologist and bioengineer

In fiction The 1620 short story collection Illustrious Words to Instruct the World by Feng Menglong contained a story on Qian Liu titled "Qian Poliu Begins His Career in Lin'an" .

A 28-episode Chinese television series King Qian in Wuyue was produced in 2006 starring Wang Yanan as Qian Liu.