Liu Honggao (劉弘杲) (923–943), formally the Prince of Xun (循王), was an imperial prince and

chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state

Southern Han Southern Han ( zh , t = 南漢 , p = Nán Hàn , j=Naam4 Hon3; 917–971), officially Han ( zh , t = 漢 , links=no), originally Yue ( zh , c = 越 , links=no), was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms that existed during the ...

. He was falsely accused of treason and killed during the reign of his brother Liu Sheng (né Liu Hongxi, Emperor Zhongzong).

Background

Liu Honggao was born in 923, his mother was Consort Xie Yiqing who was favored by his father Liu Yan, and he was Liu Yan's 10th son.''

Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms The ''Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese title ''Shiguo Chunqiu'' (), is a history of the Ten Kingdoms that existed in southern China after the fall of the Tang dynasty and before the reunification of China ...

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vol. 61
In 932, Liu Yan created 19 of his sons, including Liu Honggao, imperial princes, with Liu Honggao receiving the title of Prince of Xun.''

Zizhi Tongjian The ''Zizhi Tongjian'' (1084) is a chronicle published during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) that provides a record of Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynasties and spanning almost 1400 years. The main text is ...

'', vol. 278.

During Liu Bin's and Liu Sheng's reigns

By 942, when Liu Honggao's older brother Liu Bin (né Liu Hongdu, Emperor Shang) was emperor, a group of agrarians, believed that a god had foreordained that Zhang Yuxian, a lowly county administrator at Bolo County (博羅, in modern

Huizhou Huizhou ( zh, c= ) is a city in east-central Guangdong Province, China, forty-three miles north of Hong Kong. Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shenzhen and Dongguan to the southwest, Shaoguan to the north, Hey ...

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

), was to be their ruler, rose against Southern Han rule. Liu Bin sent Liu Honggao's older brother Liu Hongchang the Prince of Yue to command the army against Zhang, with Liu Honggao serving as his deputy. However, Liu Hongchang and Liu Honggao were defeated and surrounded by Zhang's agrarian army. They escaped capture only due to the efforts of the officer Chen Daoxiang (陳道庠). Much of the eastern part of the Southern Han realm was captured by Zhang's army.''Zizhi Tongjian'', vol. 283. Liu Bin was arrogant and licentious, and he ignored advice from Liu Hongchang and the eunuch Wu Huai'en (吳懷恩), both of whom tried to change his behavior. Another brother, Liu Hongxi the Prince of Qin, was plotting to take over the state, and therefore encouraged Liu Bin's behavior. As Liu Bin favored arm wrestling, Liu Hongdu had Chen train five arm wrestlers to wrestle with Liu Bin. In 943, one night, when Liu Bin was drunk, Chen and the arm wrestlers, at Liu Hongxi's order, killed Liu Bin and his attendants. The next morning, the princes and the officials, realizing that Liu Bin had been killed, were initially not daring to enter the palace. Liu Hongchang led his younger brothers in welcoming Liu Hongxi to the palace and offering the throne to him. Liu Hongxi then took the throne (as Emperor Zhongzong) (and changed his name to Liu Sheng). Liu Sheng made Liu Hongchang a

, giving him the titles of ''Taiwei'' (太尉), ''Zhongshu Ling'' (中書令), and generalissimo of the armies of all circuits. Liu Honggao was also made a chancellor and deputy generalissimo. After Liu Sheng took the throne, however, there were continuous rumors throughout the realm about how Liu Bin died. Liu Honggao suggested to Liu Sheng that he kill the arm wrestlers involved in the assassinations to quell the discontent. Liu Sheng did not agree, and the arm wrestlers, who were well-rewarded by Liu Sheng for assassinating Liu Bin, heard of Liu Honggao's suggestion, and in turn falsely accused him of treason. Liu Sheng sent two of the arm wrestlers, Liu Sichao (劉思潮) and Tan Lingyin (譚令禋), to lead soldiers against Liu Honggao. Liu Sichao and Tan headed to Liu Honggao's mansion and killed him as he was holding a feast. It was said that after this incident, Liu Sheng considered killing all of his brothers, which he eventually did. (Another account of Liu Honggao's death indicated that Liu Sheng sent a messenger to his mansion to summon him, and that he, knowing that death was coming, bathed and prayed before reporting to Liu Sheng's palace, where he was ordered to commit suicide.)

Notes and references

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'', vols.

278 __NOTOC__ Year 278 ( CCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probus and Lupus (or, less frequently, year 1031 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 27 ...

283 Year 283 ( CCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Carus and Carinus (or, less frequently, year 1036 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 283 for this y ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Honggao 923 births 943 deaths Politicians from Guangzhou Southern Han imperial princes Southern Han chancellors Southern Han generals Generals from Guangdong Executed people from Guangdong People executed by Southern Han People executed by a Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms state by decapitation