Liu Yu

Historical Record

Liu Yu, courtesy name Bo'an, was a descendant of the Prince Gong of Donghai and a member of the imperial clan. He was pure, frugal, and restrained, instructing the people in ritual and righteousness, and enjoyed high prestige in his day. His official career began as a Clerk of the Households Section; because he discharged his duties faithfully, he was summoned to be a commandery clerk, then served as a Gentleman through the Filial and Incorrupt recommendation, rising in successive promotions to Inspector of You Province, and then transferring to Chancellor of Ganling. During his tenure in You Province and Ganling, his kindness and trustworthiness spread far, and he was deeply loved by the local people and the non-Han peoples^[1].

While at Ganling, Liu Yu once resigned his office on account of illness and returned home, living a secluded and simple life, sharing the joys and hardships of the villagers and never standing on his rank. When the villagers had lawsuits, they did not go to the authorities but turned instead to Liu Yu, asking him to judge; he decided cases by reason and sentiment, and all respectfully submitted. Once he even yielded to a man a cow of his own that resembled the man's lost one, taking it back only after the owner had recovered his original cow—a token of his generosity and benevolence^[1]. After Ganling fell into disorder again, the officials and people, longing for his governance, once more asked him to take up the post of Chancellor of Ganling, and Ganling came to be well governed. Later he was summoned to be Prefect of the Masters of Writing and Superintendent of the Imperial Household; because he was a member of the imperial clan and observant of ritual, he was reassigned as Director of the Imperial Clan.

In the time of Emperor Ling of Han, when the Southern Palace caught fire and the court levied palace-repair money from officials of the various provinces and commanderies, Liu Yu alone was specially exempted on account of his poverty^[1]. After Dong Zhuo threw the government into disorder, the court deliberated and, holding that Liu Yu was of lofty virtue and high prestige, that he had once been Inspector of You Province with his kindness and trust spread far, and that he could make the Rong and Di peoples submit, appointed him Governor of You Province. On taking office, Liu Yu sent envoys to make the merits and dangers clear to the Hu and demanded they hand over the head of Chun, the leader of the rebellion. When Qiuliju and other Hu heard that Liu Yu had come, they sent envoys one after another to submit. Gongsun Zan, envious of Liu Yu's achievements, secretly sent men to intercept and kill the Hu envoys. When the Hu learned the truth, they secretly made their way to Liu Yu. Liu Yu memorialized the court and disbanded the garrison troops in the various places, leaving only Gongsun Zan's general to lead ten thousand foot and horse to garrison Youbeiping. In the end, Chun was killed by his retainer Wang Zheng, and his head was sent to Liu Yu. For this merit, Liu Yu was appointed Grand Commandant and enfeoffed as Marquis of Xiangben, but he declined the post of Grand Commandant^[1]. After Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Luoyang, Liu Yu was again appointed Grand Marshal.

However, relations between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan grew daily more strained. Gongsun Zan often plundered the goods Liu Yu had bestowed on the Hu. Fearing that Gongsun Zan would cause trouble, Liu Yu finally raised troops to attack him. But Liu Yu's army was untrained, and because he cherished the people's houses and was unwilling to set fires, he was defeated by Gongsun Zan. Liu Yu fled to Juyong; Gongsun Zan stormed Juyong, took Liu Yu alive, and brought him back to Ji^[2]. After Dong Zhuo's death, the court envoy Duan Xun came bearing orders to increase Liu Yu's fief and to oversee six provinces. But Gongsun Zan falsely accused Liu Yu of intending to declare himself emperor and coerced Duan Xun into beheading Liu Yu. Gongsun Zan exposed Liu Yu's corpse in the marketplace and prayed: "If he was meant to be the Son of Heaven, let Heaven send down rain to save him." It was then the height of summer, yet no rain fell all day, and so Liu Yu was killed^[2].

After Liu Yu's death, his former subordinates—Xianyu Fu and Qi Zhou of Yuyang and the Commandant of Cavalry Xianyu Yin, among others—led the provincial troops to avenge Liu Yu, and raised up Yan Rou, who had long had a reputation for kindness and trust, as Wuwan Major. Yan Rou recruited tens of thousands of Wuwan, Xianbei, and others, both Hu and Han, and engaged Zou Dan, the Administrator of Yuyang installed by Gongsun Zan, smashing him and beheading Zou Dan. Yuan Shao also dispatched Qu Yi and Liu Yu's son Liu He to lead troops in a joint attack with Xianyu Fu against Gongsun Zan. Gongsun Zan was repeatedly defeated and finally withdrew to hold Yijing^[2].

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Yu's image is focused mainly on his merit in pacifying the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun in Yuyang, and is connected to Liu Bei's early deeds. In the novel, after the Yellow Turban rebellion, Liu Yu was enfeoffed by edict as Governor of You Province and ordered to go to Yuyang to campaign against Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun^[3].

The novel describes how Liu Yu was greatly pleased with Liu Bei's ability and appointed him Commandant, leading troops straight to the rebels' lair, fighting the rebel army for several days and blunting its edge. Because Zhang Chun was violent, his soldiers grew disaffected; his subordinates assassinated Zhang Chun and offered up his head in surrender. Seeing the situation lost, Zhang Ju also hanged himself, and so the disorder in Yuyang was pacified^[3]. Liu Yu then memorialized the court reporting Liu Bei's great merit, so that Liu Bei's offense of having flogged the Inspecting Official was pardoned; he was appointed Assistant of Xiami and later promoted to Commandant of Gaotang. Gongsun Zan also submitted a memorial recommending Liu Bei, making him a Major of a Detached Division and stationing him as Magistrate of Pingyuan County. For his merit in pacifying the rebellion, Liu Yu was enfeoffed as Grand Commandant^[3].

Compared with the histories, the novel's portrayal of Liu Yu is relatively simplified, emphasizing chiefly his imperial-clan status, his lofty virtue and high prestige, and his patronage of Liu Bei. The novel does not detail the complex conflict between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan, nor the tragic ending of his being killed by Gongsun Zan, but uses Liu Yu's achievements as a backdrop for Liu Bei's early rise. In history Liu Yu declined the post of Grand Commandant, whereas the novel simply writes that he was enfeoffed Grand Commandant, and makes no mention of his dealings with Dong Zhuo. Liu Yu's role in the novel is relatively minor, appearing mainly as an instrument to advance Liu Bei's story, and the depiction of his personality and political ambitions is far less full than in the histories.

Key Relationships

* Gongsun Zan's faction: The relationship between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan was the turning point of his life. In history, Gongsun Zan, envious of Liu Yu's achievements, repeatedly intercepted the goods Liu Yu bestowed on the Hu, finally leading the two to take up arms against each other. Liu Yu was defeated and killed by Gongsun Zan^[2].
* Liu Bei: In the novel, Liu Yu was an important early patron of Liu Bei. He appreciated Liu Bei's ability, appointed him Commandant, and memorialized the court so that Liu Bei was pardoned and obtained office^[3]. (Unique to the novel)
* Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun: The leaders of the rebellion that Liu Yu was ordered to campaign against. In both the histories and the novel, Liu Yu successfully pacified their rebellion, displaying his ability to garrison and pacify the frontier^[3].
* Cao Wei (serves): In the late Han, Liu Yu held important court offices such as Governor of You Province and Grand Marshal, serving the Han house rather than the Cao Wei faction. The "serves" here may refer to his efforts, as a kinsman of the Han house, to uphold the rule of the Han dynasty in the chaos of the late Han, with no direct subordinate relationship to the Cao Wei faction.
* Tian Chou: Tian Chou was Liu Yu's Attendant Official, utterly loyal to Liu Yu. After Liu Yu was killed, Tian Chou, defying Gongsun Zan's threats, paid his respects at Liu Yu's tomb and denounced Gongsun Zan, displaying his loyal and righteous integrity^[4].

Iconic Scenes

* Pacifying the rebellion in Yuyang: As Governor of You Province, Liu Yu successfully pacified the rebellion of Zhang Ju and Zhang Chun in Yuyang. Combining kindness and trust to win over and military action to subdue, he made the Hu submit and finally beheaded the rebel leaders, quelling the frontier disturbance. This event is recorded in both the histories and the novel and is an important achievement of Liu Yu as a great regional official^[3].
* The conflict with Gongsun Zan and his downfall: The conflict between Liu Yu and Gongsun Zan was the tragic ending of his political career. Fearing that Gongsun Zan would rebel, Liu Yu raised troops to campaign against him, but because his army lacked combat experience and he cherished the people's strength, he was finally defeated and killed by Gongsun Zan. This event profoundly reflects the cruelty of the warlord melee at the end of the Han and the helplessness of a refined official like Liu Yu in an age of chaos^[2].
* Tian Chou paying respects at Liu Yu's tomb: After Liu Yu was killed by Gongsun Zan, his former subordinate Tian Chou, undaunted by power, openly paid respects at Liu Yu's tomb and reproached Gongsun Zan to his face for his atrocities. This scene not only manifests Liu Yu's virtue and inspiring influence but also reflects the steadfastness of loyal and righteous men in an age of chaos^[4].
* Poor and incorrupt, specially exempted from palace-repair money: In the time of Emperor Ling of Han, when the Southern Palace caught fire and the court levied heavy palace-repair money on officials, Liu Yu, on account of his poverty and integrity, was specially exempted by Emperor Ling and did not have to pay. Though this detail seems minor, it vividly displays Liu Yu's noble character and his good repute at court^[1].
* Revered by the villagers, never standing on rank: During his retirement at home, Liu Yu shared the joys and hardships of the villagers and never stood on his rank. When the villagers had lawsuits, they did not go to the authorities but turned to Liu Yu, asking him to judge. This scene reflects Liu Yu's enormous influence among the common people and his character of loving and being close to the people^[1].