Historical Record
Biographical material for Liu Xiong is lacking; the official histories contain no clear record of his life or family origins. It is therefore impossible to give an objective account of him on the basis of historical sources.
In the Novel
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Xiong is portrayed as one of Liu Bei's ancestors, his identity and standing mentioned chiefly when Liu Bei recounts his lineage. According to the description in Chapter 1, Liu Bei claims to be "a descendant of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan, a great-great-grandson under Emperor Jing of Han," and traces his family genealogy in detail, mentioning that "Xuande's grandfather was Liu Xiong, his father Liu Hong". This indicates that Liu Xiong is Liu Bei's grandfather, placed above Liu Hong. In Chapter 20, Liu Bei again sets out his ancestry to Cao Cao, providing a more detailed chain of descent and placing Liu Xiong in the position of "[Liu] Hui begot Liu Xiong, Prefect of Fan in Dong Commandery". This further clarifies Liu Xiong's identity—namely, that he once held the office of Prefect of Fan in Dong Commandery—and that he is a key link bridging the generations in the lineage of Liu Bei's family. Although the novel does not directly describe Liu Xiong's life, character, or specific contributions, his role as Liu Bei's grandfather, endowed with an office in the genealogy, undoubtedly provides literary support for Liu Bei's imperial bloodline and legitimacy. Liu Xiong's appearance serves to emphasize Liu Bei's identity as a member of the Han imperial clan, laying a blood-line foundation for Liu Bei's later establishment of the Shu Han regime—a vital element in the novel, though this history has no clear record in the official sources.
Key Relationships
* Liu Hong (parent_of): Liu Xiong is the father of Liu Hong, who in turn is the father of Liu Bei. This relationship is clearly stated in Chapter 1 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms—"Xuande's grandfather was Liu Xiong, his father Liu Hong"—and confirmed again in the genealogical recital of Chapter 20. This grandfather-grandson relation forms an important link in the genealogy of Liu Bei's family, emphasizing Liu Bei's Han imperial bloodline. (Unique to the novel)
Signature Scenes
* Liu Bei recounts his lineage: Liu Xiong does not directly appear in any concrete scene, but his presence is felt in the scenes where Liu Bei repeatedly states his Han imperial-clan identity to others (such as Liu Yan and Cao Cao). For example, in Chapter 1 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, on Liu Bei's first appearance, the novel introduces Liu Xiong as Liu Bei's grandfather through his account of his origins. In Chapter 20, after the hunt at Xutian, Cao Cao asks about Liu Bei's ancestry, and Liu Bei enumerates in detail the descent from Emperor Jing of Han down to himself, including Liu Xiong, and mentions that he once held the office of "Prefect of Fan in Dong Commandery". Although these scenes are not actions of Liu Xiong himself, through Liu Bei's narration Liu Xiong, as a member of the family genealogy, has his identity and office clearly presented to the reader, becoming an important component of the narrative of Liu Bei's legitimacy. (Unique to the novel)
Relationships
2 relationships
Family2
Chapters3 回 ▸
- 史ch.32
- 演ch.1ch.20
Inner monologues · AI-generated1 段 ▸
- I am Liu Xiong; my courtesy name is unknown. The highest point I reached in life may not have been rank or office, but t