Liu Li

Historical Record

Liu Li, courtesy name Fengxiao, was a younger half-brother of the Later Ruler of Shu Han, Liu Shan, and was not born of the same mother as the Prince of Lu Liu Yong.^[1] In the sixth month of the first year of Zhangwu (221 CE), Liu Bei formally enfeoffed Liu Li as Prince of Liang. The then Minister over the Masses Xu Jing was charged with presiding over the investiture ceremony and reading the document of enfeoffment. In it, Liu Bei set forth for Liu Li his duty as a protective bulwark of the Han royal house, stressing that the land of Liang, as a domain of the metropolitan region, had simple and honest customs easy to transform, and expressing the hope that Liu Li would devotedly cherish and protect the common people, so as to make his state's fortunes forever secure.^[1]

Liu Li's princely title changed in the eighth year of Jianxing (230 CE), when he was re-enfeoffed as Prince of Anping. Afterward, Liu Li died in the seventh year of Yanxi (244 CE), with the posthumous title of Prince Dao. His son Liu Yin inherited the rank of Prince of Anping and was posthumously titled Prince Ai, but died nineteen years later. Liu Yin's son Liu Cheng succeeded to the rank and was posthumously titled Prince Shang, yet died the following year, the fourth year of Jingyao (261 CE), so that the rank of Prince of Anping was cut off through three generations of early death, the line of heirs ending.^[1]

In view of the tragic end of the Prince of Anping's line, in the fourth year of Jingyao the Shu Han court issued an edict, grieved that Liu Li's line had perished early through three generations with the line of heirs broken. To continue the line of the Prince of Anping, the edict ordered the Marquis of Wuyi, Liu Ji, to succeed to the princely rank. Liu Ji was Liu Li's son, but the historical materials do not clearly record his mother or his exact birth date; it is only mentioned that after the fall of Shu Han in the first year of Xianxi (264 CE), he was relocated eastward to Luoyang, granted by the Cao Wei court the post of Commandant of the Equipage, and enfeoffed as a Village Marquis.^[1]

In the Novel

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms' account of Liu Li centers chiefly on the scenes of his birth and enfeoffment, linking him to Liu Bei's family life and his deathbed entrusting of the orphan, and lending more literary color. In Chapter 77 of the Romance, after Liu Bei returned to Chengdu from Dongchuan, Fa Zheng advised him to take a consort to assist in domestic affairs. Fa Zheng recommended the younger sister of Wu Yi, that is, Lady Wu. Although Liu Bei at first had misgivings because Lady Wu had once been betrothed to his kinsman Liu Mao, Fa Zheng persuaded him with the allusion to Duke Wen of Jin and Huai Ying, and Liu Bei finally took Lady Wu as his royal consort. Lady Wu later bore two sons, the elder Liu Yong, courtesy name Gongshou, and the younger being Liu Li, courtesy name Fengxiao.^[2] This accords with the historical record of Lady Wu as empress, but whether Liu Yong and Liu Li were born of Empress Wu has no clear historical record.

In Chapter 80, Liu Bei became emperor at Chengdu and changed the era name to the first year of Zhangwu. After installing Lady Wu as empress and Liu Shan as crown prince, Liu Bei then enfeoffed his second son Liu Yong as Prince of Lu and Liu Li as Prince of Liang.^[3] This episode matches the historical record of Liu Li being installed as Prince of Liang in the sixth month of the first year of Zhangwu, but the Romance places it amid the overall enfeoffments after Liu Bei became emperor, lending it greater solemnity and grandeur.

Chapter 85 of the Romance depicts the moving scene of Liu Bei entrusting his orphan on his deathbed. At his sickbed, Liu Bei summoned Zhuge Liang and expressed his worry for Shu Han's future. He not only entrusted Liu Shan to Zhuge Liang but deliberately called for the Prince of Lu Liu Yong and the Prince of Liang Liu Li, charging the three brothers that after his death they should serve the chancellor Zhuge Liang as they would their father, with not the slightest negligence.^[4] Liu Bei even had the two princes bow in thanks to Zhuge Liang on the spot, and Zhuge Liang pledged to repay the kindness of recognition with utter devotion. This episode greatly enriches Liu Li's image as a prince, giving him a place in Liu Bei's deathbed words and displaying Liu Bei's deep care for his children and his absolute trust in Zhuge Liang.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han: As a prince, Liu Li was an important member of the Shu Han royal house; the establishment and inheritance of his princely rank were an embodiment of the Shu Han regime's stability and continuity.^[1]
* Liu Bei: Liu Li's father, who enfeoffed him as Prince of Liang and on his deathbed charged the three brothers to serve Zhuge Liang as their father, embodying paternal affection and concern for the nation's future.^[1],^[4]
* Liu Shan: Liu Li's elder half-brother, the Later Ruler of Shu Han. Liu Li and his brother Liu Yong were together charged before Liu Bei's death to serve Zhuge Liang, showing the bond between brothers.^[4]
* Lady Wu: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lady Wu is clearly described as Liu Li's mother, but in history Lady Wu was Liu Bei's empress, while Liu Li was Liu Shan's younger half-brother, of a different mother than Liu Yong, and the historical materials do not clearly record his mother.^[2],^[1]
* Zhuge Liang: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei on his deathbed charged Liu Yong and Liu Li to serve Zhuge Liang as their father, making Zhuge Liang an important elder and assistant in Liu Li's life (novel only).^[4]
* Liu Yong: Liu Li's elder brother, with whom he received Liu Bei's deathbed charge together in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.^[4]
* Liu Yin: Liu Li's son, who inherited the rank of Prince of Anping with the posthumous title Prince Ai.^[1]
* Liu Cheng: Liu Yin's son, who inherited the rank of Prince of Anping with the posthumous title Prince Shang.^[1]
* Liu Ji: Liu Li's son, who was ordered by edict to succeed to the princely rank after the Anping line's heirs were cut off.^[1]

Iconic Scenes

* Enfeoffed as Prince of Liang in the first year of Zhangwu: After Liu Bei became emperor, Liu Li was formally installed as Prince of Liang. Through the Minister over the Masses Xu Jing reading the document of enfeoffment, Liu Bei clarified Liu Li's status and duty as a protective bulwark of the Han royal house, stressing that he should cherish and protect the common people so as to make the state's fortunes forever secure.^[1] This scene marks the establishment of Liu Li's identity as a prince and the expectation laid on him to govern a region.
* Re-enfeoffed as Prince of Anping in the eighth year of Jianxing: Liu Li's title was changed from Prince of Liang to Prince of Anping, an important shift in his rank.^[1] Although the historical materials do not detail the reason for the change, it reflects the Shu Han dynasty's adjustment of clan enfeoffments.
* Liu Bei's deathbed entrusting of the orphan (novel only): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as Liu Bei lay dying, he not only entrusted Liu Shan to Zhuge Liang but deliberately summoned Liu Yong and Liu Li, charging the three brothers to "serve the chancellor as their father," and ordered the two princes to bow in thanks to Zhuge Liang on the spot.^[4] This scene is highly dramatic and emotionally charged, profoundly displaying Liu Bei's trust in Zhuge Liang and his earnest hopes for his children, and rounding out Liu Li's image in literature.
* The Prince of Anping's three generations of early death and Liu Ji's succession: After Liu Li died, his son Liu Yin and grandson Liu Cheng died early in succession, so that the Prince of Anping's line was cut off through three generations. Finally, the court issued an edict for Liu Li's other son Liu Ji to succeed to the princely rank and continue the line.^[1] This affair reveals the twists of clan succession and embodies the Shu Han regime's attention to the continuation of the clan's bloodline.