Liu Xi
Encyclopedia
Liu Xi (died 329), courtesy name Yiguang (義光), was the crown prince
and a son of Liu Yao
, the final emperor of the Chinese
/Xiongnu
state Han Zhao
, who was thrust into the leadership role after his father was captured by rival Later Zhao
's forces, but was unable to resist Later Zhao and killed less than a year later.
Liu Xi was Liu Yao's son by his first empress (but not first wife) Yang Xianrong
, formerly the empress of Emperor Hui of Jin
. After he became emperor in 318 following Jin Zhun
's coup against the emperor Liu Can
, he created her empress in 319 and created Liu Xi crown prince. She died in 322.
Following her death, a succession question came about. Liu Xi's older brother Liu Yin
, Liu Yao's prior heir apparent
, whom Liu Yao had assumed to have been killed in Jin Zhun's coup, had in fact escaped but was taken as a slave by the Heiniyuju (黑匿郁鞠) tribe. In 323, Liu Yin revealed his identity to the chief of the tribe, who promptly delivered him back to his father. Liu Yao considered replacing Liu Xi with Liu Yin, since Liu Yin was previously his heir, but Liu Yin's uncle Bu Tai (卜泰) and another official Han Guang (韓廣) spoke against it, and Liu Yin himself personally declined to replace Liu Xi. Liu Yao let Liu Xi remain crown prince, while granting Liu Yin special honors, including requiring Liu Xi to yield to Liu Yin as an older brother in ceremonies, rather than for Liu Yin to yield to Liu Xi as the crown prince. The relationship between the brothers appeared to remain cordial until their deaths.
Around the new year of 329, Liu Yao was captured in battle by Later Zhao forces. Liu Xi became effectively acting emperor, and after consulting with Liu Yin, he decided to withdraw from the capital Chang'an
west to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui
, Gansu
), the capital of the mountainous Qin Province (秦州, modern eastern Gansu
), considered more easily defensible. However, the withdrawal caused a panic, and all Han Zhao generals abandoned their positions and fled to Qin Province as well, easily yielding most of remaining Han Zhao territory to Later Zhao.
In fall 329, Han Zhao forces, under Liu Yin's command, tried to recapture Chang'an. Initially, he had some successes and recaptured much of the territory lost to Later Zhao. However, as he sieged Chang'an, the Later Zhao general Shi Hu
arrived and defeated him. Liu Yin retreated toward Shanggui, and Shi Hu trailed him and defeated him again, capturing Shanggui. He killed Liu Xi, Liu Yin, along with all Han Zhao princes and high level officials and generals. He forcibly relocated all other officials and the large clans of Qin and Yong (雍州, modern central and northern Shaanxi
) Provinces to the Later Zhao capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai
, Hebei
), and massacred, in Luoyang, the members of the Xiongnu nobility. Han Zhao came to an end.
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
and a son of Liu Yao
Liu Yao
Liu Yao , courtesy name Yongming , was the final emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empire was soon divided in half, as the general Shi Le declared...
, the final emperor of the Chinese
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
/Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
state Han Zhao
Han Zhao
The Han Zhao , or Former Zhao, or Northern Han , was a Southern Xiongnu state during Sixteen Kingdoms period coeval with the Chinese Jin Dynasty...
, who was thrust into the leadership role after his father was captured by rival Later Zhao
Later Zhao
The Later Zhao was a state of the Sixteen Kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty in China. It was founded by the Shi family of the Jie ethnicity...
's forces, but was unable to resist Later Zhao and killed less than a year later.
Liu Xi was Liu Yao's son by his first empress (but not first wife) Yang Xianrong
Empress Yang Xianrong
Empress Yang Xianrong , formally Empress Xianwen was an empress -- uniquely in the history of China, for two different empires and two different emperors. Her first husband was Emperor Hui of Jin, and her second husband was Liu Yao of Han Zhao...
, formerly the empress of Emperor Hui of Jin
Emperor Hui of Jin
Emperor Hui of Jin, sim. ch. 晋惠帝, trad. ch. 晉惠帝, py. jìn huì dì, wg. Chin Hui-ti , personal name Sima Zhong , courtesy name Zhengdu , was the second emperor of the Jin Dynasty...
. After he became emperor in 318 following Jin Zhun
Jin Zhun
Jin Zhun was an official of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao, who in 318 staged a coup against the Han Zhao emperor and his son-in-law Liu Can and then massacred the imperial Liu family. His forces were subsequently squeezed in by the succeeding emperor Liu Yao and the general Shi Le, and,...
's coup against the emperor Liu Can
Liu Can
Liu Can , courtesy name Shiguang , Posthumous name Emperor Yin of Han , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao, who reigned briefly in 318 before being killed by his trusted father-in-law Jin Zhun.-As Prince of He'nei and then Prince of Jin:Liu Can was Liu Cong's son by his first...
, he created her empress in 319 and created Liu Xi crown prince. She died in 322.
Following her death, a succession question came about. Liu Xi's older brother Liu Yin
Liu Yin (Han Zhao)
Liu Yin , courtesy name Yisun , was an imperial prince of the Chinese/Xiongnu state Han Zhao, who, following his father Liu Yao's capture by rival Later Zhao, tried to maintain the state with his brother, the crown prince Liu Xi, but was unsuccessful and killed by Later Zhao.Liu Yin was Liu Yao's...
, Liu Yao's prior heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, whom Liu Yao had assumed to have been killed in Jin Zhun's coup, had in fact escaped but was taken as a slave by the Heiniyuju (黑匿郁鞠) tribe. In 323, Liu Yin revealed his identity to the chief of the tribe, who promptly delivered him back to his father. Liu Yao considered replacing Liu Xi with Liu Yin, since Liu Yin was previously his heir, but Liu Yin's uncle Bu Tai (卜泰) and another official Han Guang (韓廣) spoke against it, and Liu Yin himself personally declined to replace Liu Xi. Liu Yao let Liu Xi remain crown prince, while granting Liu Yin special honors, including requiring Liu Xi to yield to Liu Yin as an older brother in ceremonies, rather than for Liu Yin to yield to Liu Xi as the crown prince. The relationship between the brothers appeared to remain cordial until their deaths.
Around the new year of 329, Liu Yao was captured in battle by Later Zhao forces. Liu Xi became effectively acting emperor, and after consulting with Liu Yin, he decided to withdraw from the capital Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
west to Shanggui (上邽, in modern Tianshui
Tianshui
Tianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
), the capital of the mountainous Qin Province (秦州, modern eastern Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
), considered more easily defensible. However, the withdrawal caused a panic, and all Han Zhao generals abandoned their positions and fled to Qin Province as well, easily yielding most of remaining Han Zhao territory to Later Zhao.
In fall 329, Han Zhao forces, under Liu Yin's command, tried to recapture Chang'an. Initially, he had some successes and recaptured much of the territory lost to Later Zhao. However, as he sieged Chang'an, the Later Zhao general Shi Hu
Shi Hu
Shi Hu , courtesy name Jilong , formally Emperor Wu of Zhao , was an emperor of the Chinese/Jie state Later Zhao...
arrived and defeated him. Liu Yin retreated toward Shanggui, and Shi Hu trailed him and defeated him again, capturing Shanggui. He killed Liu Xi, Liu Yin, along with all Han Zhao princes and high level officials and generals. He forcibly relocated all other officials and the large clans of Qin and Yong (雍州, modern central and northern Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) Provinces to the Later Zhao capital Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xintai
Xintai
Xintai is a county-level city administered under Tai'an prefecture-level city, in the Shandong province of eastern China. It is located about 50km to the southeast of the city of Tai'an.-Climate:...
, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
), and massacred, in Luoyang, the members of the Xiongnu nobility. Han Zhao came to an end.