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Overview Names Identity Roles Life and dates Events and relationships References in the histories
Overview The translated histories identify Liu Bei as a general, ruler, and warlord. This record brings together 12 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Liu Bei
劉備
Liu Bei
Personal name
Liu Bei
劉備
Title
Liu of Yu Province
劉豫州
Title
the Former Lord
先主
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Male Life and dates Attested activity Source Date: Text: 十九年Western Year: AD 214
Source Date: Text: 建安十六年Western Year: AD 211
Source Date: Text: 赤壁Western Year: AD 208
Events and relationships Kind: military ·
Role: commander ·
Action: besieged ·
Place: Chengdu / 成都 ·
Other Person Id: Liu Zhang (劉璋) ·
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十九年Western Year: AD 214References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 31 Volume 31: Book of Shu 1: Biographies of the Two Governor Lius · 12 passages
璋復遣別駕張松詣曹公，曹公時已定荊州，走先主，不復存錄松，松以此怨。
He then sent chief clerk Zhang Song. By then Cao Cao had overrun Jingzhou and routed Liu Bei; he treated Zhang Song with cold neglect, and Song nursed a grudge.
因說璋曰：「劉豫州，使君之肺腑，可與交通。」
He went on to tell Liu Zhang: “Liu Bei of Yu Province is your own flesh and blood politically—you should open relations with him.”
璋皆然之，遣法正連好先主，尋又令正及孟達送兵數千助先主守禦，正遂還。
Liu Zhang agreed, sent Fa Zheng to treat with Liu Bei, and shortly had Fa Zheng and Meng Da deliver several thousand soldiers to stiffen Liu Bei’s line. Fa Zheng then came home.
後松復說璋曰：「今州中諸將龐羲、李異等皆恃功驕豪，欲有外意，不得豫州，則敵攻其外，民攻其內，必敗之道也。」
Later Zhang Song warned him again: “Pang Xi, Li Yi, and the other generals swagger on old laurels and eye independence. Without Liu Bei to stiffen your front, enemies will strike from without and your own people from within—that is the road to ruin.”
璋又從之，遣法正請先主。
Liu Zhang consented again and sent Fa Zheng to invite Liu Bei in.
璋主簿黃權陳其利害，從事廣漢王累自倒縣於州門以諫，璋一無所納，敕在所供奉先主，先主入境如歸。
Registrar Huang Quan laid out the risks; Wang Lei of Guanghan hanged himself upside down at the gate of the yamen in protest. Liu Zhang brushed every warning aside, ordered the route provisioned, and Liu Bei crossed the border as though coming home.
先主至江州北，由墊江水
North of Jiangzhou, Liu Bei turned up the Dian River
先主所將將士，更相之適，歡飲百馀日。
and for more than a hundred days Liu Bei’s officers and Liu Zhang’s hosts feasted together in easy camaraderie.
璋資給先主，使討張魯，然後分別。
Liu Zhang provisioned Liu Bei and sent him to campaign against Zhang Lu, expecting afterward to go their separate ways.
〈《吳書》曰：璋以米二十萬斛，騎千匹，車千乘，繒絮錦帛，以資送劉備。〉
〈The Book of Wu records that Liu Zhang sent Liu Bei two hundred thousand hu of grain, a thousand mounts, a thousand wagons, and bales of silk and brocade.〉
明年，先主至葭萌，還兵南向，所在皆克。
The next year Liu Bei reached Jiameng, then wheeled his army south; every place he struck fell to him.
先主遷璋於南郡公安，盡歸其財物及故佩振威將軍印綬。
Liu Bei resettled Liu Zhang at Gong’an in Nan commandery and returned all his goods, together with the old seal and ribbon of the general who shakes might.