Liu Du

Historical Record

Concerning Liu Du, there is no clear record in the official histories. In sources such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, no direct record of any kind can be found regarding his life, deeds, or official posts. From the standpoint of the historical sources, then, Liu Du is a figure lacking historical record; his very existence, specific identity, and activities cannot all be verified.^[1] The historical documents never mention the figure of Liu Du, Administrator of Lingling, nor record that Liu Bei's faction ever received in surrender a local official named Liu Du.^[2] This places Liu Du in a blank zone in historical research, his image presented chiefly through the literary work.

In the Novel

In the literary world of Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Du is shaped as the Administrator of Lingling Commandery, one of the local powers faced by Liu Bei's faction when, after the Battle of Red Cliffs, it marched south to take the four commanderies of southern Jing.^[1] In the novel, Liu Du at his first appearance shows a posture of wariness and resistance toward Liu Bei's army. When he learned that Xuande's great army had reached the city walls, he conferred with his son Liu Xian on a course of action. Liu Xian advised his father that the commandery had a valiant general, Xing Daorong, whose bravery and strength were extraordinary and sufficient to hold off generals such as Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. Liu Du adopted his son's advice and dispatched Liu Xian and Xing Daorong to lead over ten thousand troops to make camp thirty li outside the city, leaning on the mountains and by the water, preparing to meet the foe in battle.^[1]

Liu Du's resistance, however, did not last long. After Zhuge Liang arrived leading the army in person, Xing Daorong, though he rode out to challenge, was in the end easily defeated and captured through Zhuge Liang's wit. After Xing Daorong was released, he tried to set an ambush to counterattack, but again fell into Zhuge Liang's trap and was finally killed by Zhao Yun.^[1] Xing Daorong's defeat gave Liu Xian a deeper understanding of Zhuge Liang's wit and the strength of Liu Bei's army. After Liu Xian returned to Lingling, he recounted to his father Liu Du in detail the virtue and wit of Zhuge Kongming, and strongly urged his father to surrender. Liu Du heeded his son's advice, and at once raised a flag of surrender on the city wall, threw open the gates, and, bearing the seal of office in his own hands, came out of the city to Liu Bei's main camp to offer his surrender.^[2] Zhuge Liang did not make things difficult for Liu Du, but instead kept him in office as Administrator of Lingling Commandery, while Liu Xian was assigned to serve with the army in Jing Province. This action made the people of Lingling Commandery all very glad.^[2] The Liu Du of the Romance displays the image of one who, under great military pressure and an assault of wit, ultimately chose to comply with the times in order to preserve the commandery's people. His image stands in sharp contrast with the lack of record in the histories, and is entirely a product of literary creation.

Key Relationships

* Liu Xian (parent_of): Liu Du's son, who in the Romance played the key role of urging his father to surrender. When Liu Bei's army reached the city walls, Liu Du conferred with Liu Xian on a course of action, and Liu Xian recommended the valiant general Xing Daorong to go into battle.^[1] After Xing Daorong's defeat and death, Liu Xian, deeply impressed by Zhuge Liang's wit, returned to the city and strongly urged his father Liu Du to surrender to Liu Bei.^[2] In the end, Liu Xian was assigned by Zhuge Liang to serve with the army in Jing Province, showing Liu Bei's faction's acceptance and employment of Liu Xian.

* Liu Bei's faction (defected_to): In the Romance, Liu Du is one of the local administrators received in surrender by Liu Bei's faction when it took the four commanderies of southern Jing. He at first tried to resist, but under his son Liu Xian's urging ultimately chose to surrender to Liu Bei.^[2] Zhuge Liang adopted a conciliatory policy toward him, keeping him in office as Administrator of Lingling Commandery, so that Liu Bei's faction smoothly took control of Lingling Commandery and won the support of the local people.^[2] This relationship is an important part of Liu Bei's faction's expansion of power in the Romance, but it has no record in the historical sources (Romance only).

Signature Scenes

* Conferring with his son on resisting the enemy: When Liu Bei's great army reached the walls of Lingling, Liu Du conferred with his son Liu Xian on a course of action. Liu Xian recommended to his father the commandery's valiant general Xing Daorong, holding that he could match ten thousand men and was sufficient to oppose Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun in Liu Bei's army. Liu Du adopted his son's advice and dispatched Liu Xian and Xing Daorong to go into battle.^[1] This scene displays Liu Du's initial reaction and decision-making process as a local administrator facing a powerful external foe, and leads into the subsequent clash between Xing Daorong and Zhuge Liang.

* Raising a flag of surrender on the wall and submitting: After Xing Daorong was defeated and killed, Liu Xian returned to Lingling city and recounted to his father Liu Du in detail the virtue and wit of Zhuge Kongming, strongly urging his father to surrender. Liu Du heeded his son's advice, and at once raised a flag of surrender on the wall, threw open the gates, and, bearing the seal of office in his own hands, came out of the city to Liu Bei's main camp to offer his surrender.^[2] This scene is Liu Du's final destination in the Romance, marking Lingling Commandery's passing to Liu Bei's faction, and reflecting the success of Zhuge Liang's strategy of "attacking the heart first," by which Liu Du was preserved, kept on as Administrator, and won over the hearts of the local people.