Liu Yan (Southern Han)
Encyclopedia
Liu Yan was King of Nanhan, China
(911–917) and later declared himself the emperor of the Southern Han
Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
in China
.
, which had controlled all of China
, for about three centuries, fell in 907. Liu Yan’s brother, Liu Yin
, had been named regional governor by the Tang
court in 905, two years before its fall. He assumed the title Prince of Nanping
in 909. After his brother’s death in 911, he succeeded him as king of Nanhai. Six years later, he declared himself emperor of Great Yuè (大越). He renamed the kingdom Southern Han two years later in 919.
kingdom until his death in 943. Due to the geographic location of the kingdom, not only did Liu have to deal with Chinese kingdoms such as Southern Tang
, Min
, and Chu
, but non-Chinese peoples, most notably the Vietnamese, who only recently threw off the Chinese yoke. In 939, Liu Yan decided that it was time to bring the Vietnamese back into the Chinese orbit. However, despite the fact that the Vietnamese had yet to truly organize into a strong polity, the Southern Han
forces were unsuccessful in subduing the Vietnamese.
While he reigned ably on the domestic front during his two and a half decades in power, his rule was unremarkable. He was not able to turn Guangzhou
into one of the centers of Southern learning and culture that Hangzhou
, Nanjing
, and Chengdu
had emerged into.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(911–917) and later declared himself the emperor of the Southern Han
Southern Han
Southern Han was a kingdom that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period along China’s southern coast from 917 to 971. The Kingdom greatly expanded her capital city Hing Wong Fu , namely present-day Guangzhou...
Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms was between 907–960/979 AD and an era of political upheaval in China, between the fall of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty. During this period, five dynasties quickly succeeded one another in the north, and more than 12 independent states were...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Rise to power
The Tang DynastyTang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, which had controlled all of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, for about three centuries, fell in 907. Liu Yan’s brother, Liu Yin
Liu Yin (Southern Han)
Liu Yin , formally Prince Xiang of Nanhai , later further posthumously honored Emperor Xiang with the temple name of Liezong by his younger brother Liu Yan, was a warlord late in the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Tang's succeeding dynasty Later Liang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties and Ten...
, had been named regional governor by the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
court in 905, two years before its fall. He assumed the title Prince of Nanping
Nanping
Nanping is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It borders Ningde City to the east, Sanming City to the south, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangxi to the north and west respectively...
in 909. After his brother’s death in 911, he succeeded him as king of Nanhai. Six years later, he declared himself emperor of Great Yuè (大越). He renamed the kingdom Southern Han two years later in 919.
Reign
Liu Yan reigned over the Southern HanSouthern Han
Southern Han was a kingdom that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period along China’s southern coast from 917 to 971. The Kingdom greatly expanded her capital city Hing Wong Fu , namely present-day Guangzhou...
kingdom until his death in 943. Due to the geographic location of the kingdom, not only did Liu have to deal with Chinese kingdoms such as Southern Tang
Southern Tang
Southern Tang was one of the Ten Kingdoms in south-central China created following the Tang Dynasty from 937-975. Southern Tang replaced the Wu Kingdom when Li Bian deposed the emperor Yang Pu....
, Min
Min (Ten Kingdoms)
Min was one of the Ten Kingdoms which was in existence between the years of 909 and 945. It existed in a mountainous region of modern day Fujian province of China and had a history of quasi-independent rule. Its capital was Fuzhou 福州. It was founded by Wang Shenzhi .-Founding:Wang Shenzhi’s older...
, and Chu
Chu (Ten Kingdoms)
Chǔ was a kingdom in southern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period . It existed from 907 to 951.-Founding:Ma Yin was named regional governor by the Tang court in 896 after fighting against a rebel named Yang Xingmi. He declared himself as the Prince of Chu with the fall of the...
, but non-Chinese peoples, most notably the Vietnamese, who only recently threw off the Chinese yoke. In 939, Liu Yan decided that it was time to bring the Vietnamese back into the Chinese orbit. However, despite the fact that the Vietnamese had yet to truly organize into a strong polity, the Southern Han
Southern Han
Southern Han was a kingdom that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period along China’s southern coast from 917 to 971. The Kingdom greatly expanded her capital city Hing Wong Fu , namely present-day Guangzhou...
forces were unsuccessful in subduing the Vietnamese.
While he reigned ably on the domestic front during his two and a half decades in power, his rule was unremarkable. He was not able to turn Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
into one of the centers of Southern learning and culture that Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, and Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
had emerged into.