Liu Can (柳璨) | 24 Histories

Overview

Liu Can was an official and Statesman.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 905 遣殷弒太后於積善宮
Executed · Agent Person Id Zhu Wen (朱溫)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 151
AD 905 弒何皇后
Execution · Authority Zhu Wen (朱溫)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 121
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 17

Attested activity

AD 904 哀帝初嗣位
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 113, passages 199, 204; Old Book of Tang 117, passage 191
AD 905 哀帝即位，將有事於南郊
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passages 118, 121
AD 904 to AD 907 天祐中
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 221
AD 904 天祐元年
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 14
AD 904 天祐初
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 184, passage 208
AD 888 to AD 904 昭宗時
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 35, passage 141

Show 4 more source-backed claims

AD 906 是歲四月
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 35, passage 5
AD 904 會遷洛陽
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 194, passage 270
AD 904 to AD 907 柳璨屠害朝士
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 9
AD 905 遣殷弒太后於積善宮
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 151

Key source chapters

Career and standing

chief minister 宰相
AD 905 哀帝即位，將有事於南郊 · Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 118
chief minister 宰相
AD 904 to AD 907 天祐中 · Held
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 221
Chancellor 宰相
AD 904 天祐元年 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 14
Chief Minister 宰相
Held
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 35, passages 5, 141
Held
AD 904 哀帝初嗣位 · In power
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 117, passage 191
held power 用事
In power · Held
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 113, passage 199

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Old Book of Tang 117, passage 191
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passages 14, 221; New Book of Tang 194, passage 270

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Zhu Wen (朱溫) · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Can (柳璨)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 118

Events and relationships

Allowed Tu to return after feigned senility
Political · Authority · With Sikong Tu (司空圖)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 194, passage 271
Killed Lu Yan
Killing · Killer · With Lu Yan (盧晏)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 184, passage 208
Purged officials
Political · Perpetrator
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 68, passage 9
Purged worthies
AD 904 天祐元年 · Political · Persecutor · With Pei Shu (裴樞)
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 14
Removed from chief ministry
AD 904 哀帝初嗣位 · Political · Agent · With Pei Shu (裴樞)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 117, passage 196
Slandered to death
AD 905 天祐中 · Legal · Instigator · With Pei Shu (裴樞) · At Baima post, Huazhou 滑州白馬驛
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 221

Show 7 more source-backed claims

Slaughtered empire talent to help destroy royal house
AD 904 會遷洛陽 · Political · Persecutor · At Luoyang 洛陽
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 194, passage 270
Stripped chancellorship
AD 904 哀帝初嗣位 · Political · Actor · With Shu (樞)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 113, passages 199, 204
Urged enfeoffment before abdication
AD 905 哀帝即位，將有事於南郊 · Political · Pleader · With Zhu Wen (朱溫)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passage 118
Relation Patron of · Person Zhao Guangfeng (趙光逢)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 35, passage 141
Relation Official under · Person Emperor Zhaozong (昭宗)
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 194, passage 270
Relation Client of · Person Founder (太祖)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 221
Relation Acted to please · Person Quanzhong (全忠)
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 113, passage 204

Assessments and attributes

Assessment hoped-to-please-wicked-ministers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 194, passage 270
Assessment usurped power, ran wild, and crushed the worthy · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 14

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 221; New Book of Tang 194, passage 270; New History of the Five Dynasties 43, passages 118, 151

References in the histories

Search passages

History

19 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 113Volume 109 Biographies 59: Feng Gang, Ashinashe'er, Qibi Heli, Heichi Changzhi, Li Duozuo, Li Siye, Bai Xiaode · 2 passages

Open chapter

哀帝初嗣位，柳璨用事，全忠嘗奏用牙將張廷範為太常卿，諸相議，樞曰：「廷範勛臣，幸有方鎮節鉞之命，何藉樂卿？ When Emperor Aidi first succeeded to the throne, Liu Can held power; Quanzhong once memorialized that his guard general Zhang Tingfan be made minister of ceremonies—the chancellors deliberated, and Shu said: "Tingfan is a meritorious minister; it would be fitting to grant him a frontier command with military insignia—why need he the post of master of music?

柳璨聞全忠言，尋希旨罷樞相位，和陵祔享，拜尚書左僕射。 Liu Can heard Quanzhong's words and soon, to please him, stripped Shu of the chancellorship; at the joint offering at He-ling, Shu was made left vice director of the Department of State Affairs.

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 117Volume 113 Biographies 63: Miao Jingqing, Pei Mian, Pei Zunqing · 2 passages

Open chapter

哀帝初嗣位，柳璨用事，全忠嘗奏用牙將張廷範為太常卿，諸相議，樞曰：「廷範勛臣，幸有方鎮節鉞之命，何藉樂卿？ When Emperor Aidi first took the throne, Liu Can was in power. Quanzhong once recommended his military officer Zhang Tingfan as director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The chief ministers deliberated, and Shu said, 'Tingfan is a meritorious officer who may yet receive a regional command—why does he need the directorship of the Court of Sacrifices?

柳璨聞全忠言，尋希旨罷樞相位，和陵祔享，拜尚書左僕射。 Liu Can, hearing Quanzhong's anger, soon had Shu removed from the chief ministry in accord with his wishes. At the joint offering at He Mausoleum Shu was made left vice director of the Secretariat.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 18Volume 18 Book of Later Liang 18: Biographies 8: Zhang Wenyu, Xue Yiju, Zhang Ce, Du Xiao, Jing Xiang, Li Zhen · 3 passages

Open chapter

時柳璨在相位，擅權縱暴，傾陷賢俊，宰相裴樞等五家及三省而下三十餘人，鹹抱冤就死； Liu Can then dominated the court, abused power, and destroyed the worthy: Chancellor Pei Shu and four other families, with more than thirty men from the Three Departments, all died unjustly.

璨敗死，文蔚兼度支鹽鐵使。 After Can's fall and death, Wenyu was also made Commissioner of Finance and Salt.

天祐中，唐宰相柳璨希太祖旨，譖殺大臣裴樞、陸扆等七人於滑州白馬驛。 In Tianyou the Tang chancellor Liu Can, courting the Founder, slandered to death seven ministers including Pei Shu and Lu Yi at Baima post in Huazhou.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 68Volume 68 Book of Later Tang 44: Biographies 20: Xue Tinggui, Cui Yi, Liu Yue, Liu Ye, Feng Shunqing, Dou Mengzheng, Li Baoyin, Gui Ai, Kong, Miao, Zhang Wenbao, Chen Yi, Liu Zan · 1 passage

Open chapter

時柳璨屠害朝士，衣冠畢罹其毒，廷珪以居常退讓獲全。 When Liu Can was butchering court officials, the entire official class fell victim to him; Tinggui alone escaped harm through his habitual modesty and restraint.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 184Volume 184 Biographies 109: Ma, Yang, Lu, Lu · 1 passage

Open chapter

子晏，天祐初為河南尉，柳璨殺之。 His son Yan, at the start of Tianyou served as magistrate of Henan; Liu Can killed him.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 194Volume 194 Biographies 119: Outstanding Conduct · 2 passages

Open chapter

會遷洛陽，柳璨希賊臣意，誅天下才望，助喪王室，詔圖入朝，圖陽墮笏，趣意野耄。 When the court moved to Luoyang, Liu Can, hoping to please the wicked ministers, slaughtered the empire's talent to help destroy the royal house; an edict summoned Tu to court; Tu pretended to drop his tablet and affected the manner of a rustic old man.

璨知無意於世，乃聽還。 Can knew he had no intent toward the world and let him return.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 35Volume 35 Biographies 15: Zhan Wenyu, Yang She, Zhang Ce, Zhao Guangfeng, Xue Yiju, Su Xun · 4 passages

Open chapter

是歲四月，彗出西北，掃文昌、軒轅、天市，宰相柳璨希梁王旨，歸其譴於大臣，於是左僕射裴樞、獨孤損、右僕射崔遠、守太保致仕趙崇、兵部侍郎王贊、工部尚書王溥、吏部尚書陸扆皆以無罪貶，同日賜死於白馬驛。 That fourth month a comet swept the northwest heavens; Liu Can pleased Liang by blaming the ministers; Pei Shu, Dugu Sun, Cui Yuan, Zhao Chong, Wang Zan, Wang Pu, and Lu Yi were demoted without crime and executed the same day at White Horse Station.

柳璨殺裴樞等七人，蔓引朝士，輒加誅殺，縉紳相視以目，皆不自保，文蔚力講解之，朝士多賴以全活。 When Liu Can killed Pei Shu and six others and hunted courtiers, gentry exchanged fearful glances; Wenwei argued for mercy, and many owed him their lives.

柳璨為相，與光逢有舊恩，起光逢為吏部侍郎、太常卿。 When Liu Can became chief minister, he recalled Guangfeng, with whom he had old ties, as Vice Minister of Personnel and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness.

及昭宗遇弒，唐政出於梁，楷為起居郎，與柳璨、張廷範等相結，因謂廷範曰：「夫謚者，所以易名而貴信也。 When Zhaozong was murdered and Liang held Tang’s government, Kai was Diarist and joined Liu Can and Zhang Tingfan; he told Tingfan, “A posthumous title should honor truth.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 43Volume 43 Miscellaneous Biographies 23: Shi Shucong, Li Yanwei, Li Zhen, Pei Di, Wei Zhen, Kong Xun, Sun Dezhao, Wang Jingrao, Jiang Yin · 4 passages

Open chapter

玄暉與宰相柳璨相次馳至梁自解，璨曰：「自古王者之興，必有封國，而唐所以不即遜位者，當先建國備九錫，然後禪也。」 Xuanhui and Chancellor Liu Can rode in turn to Liang to plead their case. Can said: “Every true king in history was enfeoffed first. Tang will not abdicate until you have a state of your own and the Nine Bestowals—only then comes the transfer.”

璨懼，馳去。 Can fled in terror.

太祖遣循與王殷弒何皇后，因殺璨及玄暉、廷範等，以循為樞密副使。 Taizu sent Xun and Wang Yin to kill Empress Dowager He, then executed Can, Xuanhui, Tingfan, and the others, and made Xun deputy commissioner of the Palace Secretariat.

殷乃誣玄暉嘗私侍太后，太祖斬玄暉及張廷範、柳璨等，遣殷弒太后於積善宮。 Yin then claimed Xuanhui had bedded the empress dowager. Taizu killed Xuanhui, Zhang Tingfan, Liu Can, and the rest, and sent Yin to murder the empress dowager at Jishan Palace.