Liu Yan

Historical Record

Liu Yan, courtesy name Weishuo, was a man of the state of Lu. In his early years, when the Former Ruler Liu Bei was in Yu Province, Liu Bei recruited him as an Attendant Official. Because Liu Yan was a member of the imperial clan, of elegant and unconventional bearing and skilled in discourse, he was warmly treated by Liu Bei and often kept at his side like a guest.^[1] After Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, he appointed Liu Yan Administrator of Guling. When the Later Ruler Liu Shan ascended the throne, Liu Yan was enfeoffed as a Capital District Marquis, his rank second only to Li Yan. He successively held the posts of Commandant of the Guards, Central Army Advisor, and General of the Rear, finally rising to General of Chariots and Cavalry. Yet Liu Yan took no part in state affairs, commanding only a thousand-odd soldiers and accompanying the chancellor Zhuge Liang in remonstrative discourse.^[1]

Liu Yan's life was extravagant in the extreme; his carriages, horses, clothing, and food and lodging were all elaborate. He had several dozen serving maids who not only excelled in music but were all taught by him to recite the Rhapsody on the Hall of Numinous Brilliance of Lu.^[1] In the tenth year of Jianxing (232 CE), Liu Yan fell out with the Front Army Advisor Wei Yan, and his words betrayed empty boasting, for which he was reproached by Zhuge Liang. Liu Yan thereupon submitted a letter of apology to Zhuge Liang, in which he confessed that "my nature is empty, my conduct of slight worth, and I am moreover afflicted with the disease of drink," and recalled that since the time of the Former Emperor his improper words and deeds had often risked overthrow. He thanked Zhuge Liang for, mindful of his single-hearted devotion to the state, pardoning his personal filth and supporting him so that he could keep his salary and rank. He admitted that in recent days, through drunken stupor, his words had been amiss, and that fortunately, by Zhuge Liang's mercy and forbearance in not handing him over to the law, he had been able to preserve his life. He vowed to master himself and reproach his own conduct, to reform, and to repay the spirits with his death, never again to fail.^[1] Zhuge Liang thereupon sent Liu Yan back to Chengdu, his office and rank both unchanged.

Thereafter, however, Liu Yan grew despondent and his mind distracted. In the first month of the twelfth year of Jianxing (234 CE), Liu Yan's wife Lady Hu entered the palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager specially kept Lady Hu, so that she stayed in the palace more than a month before leaving. Lady Hu was of outstanding beauty, and Liu Yan therefore suspected she had carried on an affair with the Later Ruler Liu Shan. He assembled five hundred soldiers, flogged Lady Hu before them, even beating her face with shoes, and then cast her off.^[2] Lady Hu denounced the matter in full. Liu Yan was thereupon arrested and imprisoned. In deliberating the case, the responsible officials argued: "Soldiers are not the sort to flog a wife, and the face is not a place to receive the beating of shoes." In the end, Liu Yan was sentenced to be cast away in the marketplace (that is, executed in the public market).^[2] From then on, the custom of court ministers' wives and mothers entering the palace to pay respects was discontinued because of this affair.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Yan's image differs somewhat from the historical record; his military ability is shown to a limited degree, but his final end roughly accords with history and is given more literary color.

Liu Yan first appears in the Romance during Zhuge Liang's northern expeditions. In Chapter 92, after Zhuge Liang cleverly took Nan'an Commandery, in order to further take Tianshui Commandery he deployed his forces. At this point Liu Yan was appointed to remain in defense of Anding Commandery, taking over Wei Yan's defensive duties so that Wei Yan could lead troops to attack Tianshui Commandery.^[3] This episode is not recorded in the histories; it is a literary creation by the novel to enrich the plot, giving Liu Yan a certain military duty, though one of defending a city rather than attacking.

Liu Yan's final end is depicted in detail in Chapter 115 of the Romance, basically consistent with the historical Lady Hu affair, but with the added background of the Later Ruler Liu Shan's debauchery and misrule and the eunuch Huang Hao's abuse of power. The novel notes that the Later Ruler Liu Shan, at Chengdu, heeded the words of the eunuch Huang Hao, indulged in wine and women, and neglected court affairs. Liu Yan's wife Lady Hu was of outstanding beauty, and because she entered the palace to pay respects to the empress, she was kept in the palace a full month before leaving. Liu Yan therefore suspected Lady Hu of an illicit affair with the Later Ruler, and assembled five hundred soldiers of his command, bound his wife, and ordered each soldier to beat her face dozens of times with shoes, so that Lady Hu nearly died of it.^[4]

On learning of this, the Later Ruler Liu Shan was furious and ordered the responsible officials to deliberate Liu Yan's crime. The officials argued: "Soldiers are not the sort to flog a wife, and the face is not a place to receive punishment." In the end Liu Yan was sentenced to be cast away in the marketplace and beheaded.^[4] The novel further specifically stresses that from then on titled ladies were not permitted to enter court. In the novel, this affair is depicted as a marker of the later Shu Han period's political corruption, the gradual retreat of worthy men and daily advance of petty men, so that the officials of the time had much suspicion and resentment of the Later Ruler Liu Shan's debauchery.^[4] Although in history Liu Yan's end was due to his cruelty toward his wife, the novel sets it against a grander political background, intensifying its tragic color and its function as a warning of Shu Han's decline.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han: Liu Yan was a member of the Shu Han imperial clan, warmly esteemed by the Former Ruler Liu Bei, and later rose under Liu Shan to General of Chariots and Cavalry, an important member of the Shu Han regime.^[1]
* Wei Yan (rival_of): The histories record that Liu Yan once fell out with the Front Army Advisor Wei Yan, and was reproached by Zhuge Liang for his empty, boastful words.^[1] In the novel there is the episode of Liu Yan taking over Anding's defense from Wei Yan during Zhuge Liang's northern expedition, allowing Wei Yan to go take Tianshui Commandery—not a direct conflict, but reflecting an intersection of the two in military deployment.^[3] (novel only)
* Lady Hu (spouse_of): Liu Yan's wife, whose entering the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and being kept a month aroused Liu Yan's suspicion that she had an affair with the Later Ruler, ultimately leading Liu Yan to abuse and cast her off, directly bringing about the tragedy of Liu Yan being cast away in the marketplace.^[2]
* Liu Shan (dies_in): Suspecting his wife Lady Hu of an affair with the Later Ruler Liu Shan, Liu Yan abused Lady Hu and was finally ordered by Liu Shan to be tried by the responsible officials and punished by being cast away in the marketplace.^[2] In the novel, the Later Ruler's debauchery is further stressed as one of the backgrounds to this affair.^[4]
* Zhuge Liang: Zhuge Liang showed Liu Yan the kindness of recognition and forbearance. Liu Yan, having fallen out with Wei Yan over empty, boastful words, was reproached by Zhuge Liang, but Zhuge Liang, mindful of his loyalty, did not punish him heavily and only sent him back to Chengdu with his office and rank unchanged.^[1]

Iconic Scenes

* Extravagant living and recitation of the Rhapsody on the Hall of Numinous Brilliance of Lu: Liu Yan lived in extreme extravagance, with several dozen serving maids who not only excelled in music but were all taught by him to recite the Rhapsody on the Hall of Numinous Brilliance of Lu. This displays his refined indulgence and reflects his side of taking no part in affairs and giving himself to pleasure.^[1]
* Reproached over the falling-out with Wei Yan: In the tenth year of Jianxing, Liu Yan fell out with the Front Army Advisor Wei Yan over empty, boastful words, and was therefore reproached by the chancellor Zhuge Liang. This affair reveals the trait of "empty boasting" in Liu Yan's character and embodies Zhuge Liang's strict management of his subordinates.^[1]
* "Soldiers are not the sort to flog a wife, and the face is not a place to receive the beating of shoes": Suspecting his wife Lady Hu of an affair with the Later Ruler Liu Shan, Liu Yan assembled five hundred soldiers to flog Lady Hu in public and beat her face with shoes. In deliberating the case, the officials' verdict, "Soldiers are not the sort to flog a wife, and the face is not a place to receive the beating of shoes," became the key reason for sentencing Liu Yan to be cast away in the marketplace, and became an allusion handed down to later ages, profoundly reflecting the legal ideas and social ethics of the time.^[2] The novel's description of this scene is even more vivid, setting it against the background of the Later Ruler's debauchery and the eunuch's abuse of power, strengthening its admonitory significance.^[4]
* Remaining in defense of Anding (novel only): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, during Zhuge Liang's northern expedition, Liu Yan was appointed to remain in defense of Anding Commandery, replacing Wei Yan's troops so that Wei Yan could go take Tianshui Commandery.^[3] Although this scene has no clear historical record, in the novel it gives Liu Yan a certain military duty, enriching his characterization.