Liu Yao

Historical Record

Liu Yao, courtesy name Zhengli, was a man of Mouping in Donglai. His family was illustrious for generations: his uncle Liu Chong had served as Grand Commandant of the Han, renowned for his integrity and praised as the "Administrator who took but a single coin" ^c:636. Liu Yao's elder brother Liu Dai, courtesy name Gongshan, was likewise a man of talent, serving in turn as Palace Attendant and Inspector of Yanzhou. Liu Yao showed exceptional daring in his youth; at nineteen, when his uncle Liu Wei was abducted by bandits, Liu Yao single-handedly recovered him, and thereby rose to fame ^c:638.

He was recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt candidate and served as a Gentleman of the Interior, later being appointed Chief of Xiayi. However, because the commandery governor relied on his status as an imperial relative, Liu Yao was unwilling to compromise with him and so resigned his office and left. Later he was summoned by the provincial office to a post at Jinan, during which he impeached and dismissed the avaricious and lawless Chancellor of Jinan. Tao Qiuhong of Pingyuan once recommended Liu Yao to the Inspector as a Cultivated Talent; the Inspector hesitated on the grounds that "Gongshan was recommended only the year before," whereupon Tao Qiuhong described the talents of the brothers Liu Dai and Liu Yao as "driving two dragons on a long road, galloping fine steeds a thousand li," strongly urging Liu Yao's recommendation ^c:638.

In the great chaos at the end of the Han, Liu Yao fled the turmoil to Huaipu. An imperial edict appointed him Inspector of Yangzhou. At the time Yuan Shu was entrenched in Huainan with great power; fearing Yuan Shu, Liu Yao dared not go directly to the Yangzhou seat, and so crossed the Yangtze southward and, welcomed by Wu Jing and Sun Ben, encamped at Qu'e. Yuan Shu, intending to usurp the imperial title, seized many commanderies and counties of Yangzhou. Liu Yao dispatched Fan Neng and Zhang Ying to garrison the riverbank to resist Yuan Shu. Because Wu Jing and Sun Ben were men appointed by Yuan Shu, Liu Yao then drove them out. Yuan Shu thereupon set up his own Inspector of Yangzhou and joined forces with Wu Jing and Sun Ben to attack Fan Neng and Zhang Ying, but for over a year could not overcome them. The Han court promoted Liu Yao to Governor and General Who Rouses Valor, with several tens of thousands of troops under his command ^c:638.

Later, Sun Ce crossed the river and advanced eastward, smashing the forces of Fan Neng and Zhang Ying. Liu Yao was forced to flee to Dantu. On Xu Zijiang's advice, Liu Yao did not go to wealthy Kuaiji but went upriver to the south, to Yuzhang Commandery, encamping at Pengze. However, Ze Rong had already arrived in Yuzhang, killed the Administrator Zhu Hao, and occupied the commandery seat. Liu Yao advanced to attack Ze Rong and was at first defeated by him. But he soon recruited his followers again and attacked Ze Rong once more, finally smashing him; Ze Rong fled into the mountains and was killed by the local people. Soon afterward, Liu Yao himself died of illness, at the age of forty-two ^c:638.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Yao is cast as a kinsman of the Han house, a conservative and somewhat pedantic provincial governor. Driven across the river to the east by Yuan Shu, he retreated to hold Qu'e ^c:8373. The novel emphasizes his struggle with Sun Ce in the Jiangdong region, and in particular his handling of Taishi Ci, where it departs from the historical record. In the novel, after relieving the siege of Beihai, Taishi Ci came to serve Liu Yao, but Liu Yao did not fully trust his ability, considering him "still young, not yet fit to be a great general," and only kept him at hand to await orders, which directly led to Taishi Ci's frustrated discontent ^c:8373.

In the novel, Liu Yao appears irresolute in his confrontation with Sun Ce. When Sun Ce came alone over the ridge to scout Liu Yao's stockade, Liu Yao thought this was a ruse to lure the enemy and would not pursue. Taishi Ci, however, thought it the perfect chance to capture Sun Ce, and in defiance of Liu Yao's orders, donned his armor, mounted alone, and gave chase ^c:8374. This further highlights Liu Yao's caution against Taishi Ci's valor. While Cheng Pu and Taishi Ci were fighting some thirty rounds, Liu Yao, on hearing news that Zhou Yu had taken Qu'e, hastily sounded the gongs to recall his troops, so that Taishi Ci could not fight to his heart's content—indirectly bringing about Taishi Ci's eventual defection to Sun Ce ^c:8375.

In the novel, after his defeat, Liu Yao together with Ze Rong fled to Yuzhang to take refuge with Liu Biao, which differs from the historical episode in which Liu Yao died of illness soon after defeating Ze Rong in Yuzhang ^c:639. The novel's depiction of Liu Yao serves mostly to set off Sun Ce's martial valor and Taishi Ci's loyalty and righteousness, casting him as a representative of a separatist power that failed to make effective use of talent and finally went down to defeat.

Key Relationships

* Liu Chong (kin_of): Liu Yao's uncle, Grand Commandant of the Han, renowned for integrity, called the "Administrator who took but a single coin" ^c:636.
* Liu Dai (sibling_of): Liu Yao's elder brother, courtesy name Gongshan, who served as Inspector of Yanzhou and was reckoned a man of talent alongside Liu Yao ^c:636.
* Liu Wei (kin_of): Liu Yao's uncle, once abducted by bandits; Liu Yao gained his fame through this affair ^c:638.
* Tao Qiuhong (friend_of): A man of Pingyuan who strongly recommended Liu Yao to the Inspector, praising his talent ^c:638.
* Sun Ce (rival_of): Contended fiercely with Liu Yao in Yangzhou, finally defeating him and seizing the foundation of Jiangdong ^c:638.
* Taishi Ci (subordinate_of): In the novel a subordinate general of Liu Yao, but Liu Yao failed to fully trust and employ his talent, leading Taishi Ci eventually to defect to Sun Ce (unique to the novel) ^c:8373.
* Ze Rong (rival_of): Occupied Yuzhang before Liu Yao and killed the Administrator Zhu Hao, later defeated by Liu Yao and dying in the mountains ^c:638.
* Fan Neng and Zhang Ying (subordinate_of): Subordinate generals whom Liu Yao dispatched to garrison the riverbank to resist Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, later defeated by Sun Ce ^c:638.

Iconic Scenes

* Rescuing his uncle in youth: When Liu Yao was nineteen, his uncle Liu Wei was abducted by bandits; Liu Yao stepped forth and recovered him, and his fame spread far ^c:638. This event displays Liu Yao's early daring and chivalry.
* Impeaching the Chancellor of Jinan: While serving at Jinan, Liu Yao dared to impeach and dismiss the corrupt Chancellor of Jinan, reflecting his upright and uncompromising character ^c:638.
* Tao Qiuhong's recommendation of talent: Tao Qiuhong of Pingyuan recommended Liu Yao to the Inspector, using the allusion of "driving two dragons on a long road, galloping fine steeds a thousand li" to praise the outstanding talent of Liu Yao and his brother Liu Dai ^c:638.
* Contending with Sun Ce in Jiangdong: As Inspector of Yangzhou, Liu Yao waged a fierce struggle for territory with Sun Ce, who had crossed the river, and was finally defeated and forced to withdraw from Qu'e ^c:638.
* Taishi Ci's pursuit of Sun Ce: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Sun Ce scouted the camp alone and Liu Yao would not pursue out of suspicion, Taishi Ci, defying Liu Yao's orders, spurred his horse to chase Sun Ce, displaying Taishi Ci's valor and setting off Liu Yao's caution (unique to the novel) ^c:8374.
* Pacifying Ze Rong in Yuzhang: Liu Yao defeated, in Yuzhang, the Ze Rong who had killed the Administrator Zhu Hao and occupied the commandery seat, maintaining local order, but died of illness soon afterward ^c:638.