Liu Xian

Historical Record

There is no clear mention of Liu Xian in the official histories. In works such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms, even the record of Liu Du, Grand Administrator of Lingling, is very scant, and no deeds whatsoever are recorded for his son Liu Xian. The figure of Liu Xian is therefore almost a blank in the true scroll of history; all of his image and story derive from literary creation ^c:8425.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Xian, as the son of Liu Du, Grand Administrator of Lingling, is given a concrete image and storyline. He first appears in Chapter 52, when Liu Bei's army arrives before the walls of Lingling and Liu Du and Liu Xian confer on how to respond ^c:8425. Liu Xian strongly recommends to his father the province's mighty general Xing Daorong, holding that Xing Daorong was "a match for ten thousand men" and able to withstand the valor of Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. This recommendation directly leads to Xing Daorong's clash with Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun, and others.

Liu Xian and Xing Daorong together led more than ten thousand troops and encamped thirty li outside the city, nestled against hills and water, hoping to resist Liu Bei's army. However, faced with Zhuge Kongming's stratagems, Xing Daorong was soon defeated and captured alive by Zhao Yun. Under Kongming's scheme, Xing Daorong feigned surrender and offered Liu Xian a plan, claiming he could "turn the enemy's own scheme against them" and set an ambush to capture Zhuge Liang ^c:8426. Liu Xian believed Xing Daorong's advice and indeed fell into the trap that very night. Liu Bei's army pretended to raid the camp, luring Liu Xian and Xing Daorong into pursuit; then Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun burst out from the camp and from the flank respectively. Xing Daorong was speared from his horse and killed by Zhao Yun, while Liu Xian was taken alive by Zhang Fei during his flight ^c:8427.

After his capture, Liu Xian shifted the blame onto Xing Daorong, claiming that Xing Daorong had instigated him to act as he did and that it was not his own intent. Zhuge Liang did not make things difficult for him; instead he loosed his bonds, bestowed clothing, wine, and food upon him, and sent him back into the city to persuade his father Liu Du to surrender. Returning to Lingling, Liu Xian recounted to his father Liu Du in detail the benevolence of Zhuge Liang, and in the end successfully persuaded Liu Du to open the gates and surrender. The commandery of Lingling thus came over to Liu Bei peacefully. Zhuge Liang then arranged for Liu Du to continue as Grand Administrator, while Liu Xian was sent to Jing Province to serve with the army ^c:4760. At this point Liu Xian's part in Romance of the Three Kingdoms comes to an end, his image transformed from a blindly self-confident, easily deceived young lord into a subordinate who, won over by Kongming, submitted to Liu Bei.

Key Relationships

* Liu Du (father-son relationship): Liu Xian is the son of Liu Du, Grand Administrator of Lingling, and when Liu Bei's army pressed in, father and son conferred together on how to respond. Liu Xian had some influence over his father's decisions—for example, he recommended Xing Daorong to take the field ^c:8425. In the end, after Zhuge Liang released him, Liu Xian successfully persuaded his father Liu Du to surrender, bringing about Lingling's submission ^c:4760. (Unique to the novel)
* Xing Daorong (master-subordinate / colleague relationship): Xing Daorong was the Lingling general whom Liu Xian recommended, and the two together resisted Liu Bei's army. Xing Daorong once offered Liu Xian a plan, attempting to counter Zhuge Liang, but it ultimately led to the defeat of them both ^c:8426. Xing Daorong's death also occurred right before Liu Xian's eyes. (Unique to the novel)
* Zhuge Liang (adversarial / surrender-inducement relationship): As a defending general of Lingling, Liu Xian was at first Zhuge Liang's enemy. However, by his stratagems Zhuge Liang not only defeated Liu Xian and Xing Daorong but, by releasing Liu Xian and making clear the stakes, successfully won over both Liu Du and his son ^c:4760. Zhuge Liang's handling of Liu Xian embodies his strategy of "conquering the heart above all." (Unique to the novel)
* Liu Bei's faction (induced surrender / subordinate relationship): After the battle of Lingling, Liu Xian was assigned by Zhuge Liang to serve with the army in Jing Province, formally becoming a member of Liu Bei's faction ^c:4760. This marks his transformation from Liu Bei's enemy into his subordinate. (Unique to the novel)

Signature Scenes

* First appearance and offering of counsel: Liu Xian's first appearance in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is precisely when he confers with his father Liu Du on how to deal with Liu Bei's army. He strongly recommends Xing Daorong and is full of confidence in his valor, believing he can withstand Liu Bei's mighty generals. This scene shows Liu Xian's early underestimation of the enemy and his blind confidence in his own side's military strength ^c:8425. (Unique to the novel)
* Falling into the trap and being captured: Liu Xian believed Xing Daorong's plan to "turn the enemy's scheme against them" and set an ambush to capture Zhuge Liang, only to fall into Zhuge Liang's own scheme instead. While pursuing the "camp-raiding" Liu Bei army, Xing Daorong was speared to death by Zhao Yun, and Liu Xian was taken alive by Zhang Fei. This was a great setback in his military career and directly led to his capture ^c:8427. (Unique to the novel)
* Persuading his father to surrender: After Zhuge Liang released him, Liu Xian returned to Lingling and recounted to his father Liu Du in detail Zhuge Liang's benevolence and Liu Bei's strength, successfully persuading Liu Du to open the gates and surrender. This scene not only embodies the success of Zhuge Liang's "conquering the heart" strategy but also marks Liu Xian's transformation from resister to one who submits, earning him merit in Lingling commandery's peaceful submission to Liu Bei ^c:4760. (Unique to the novel)