Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler of Northern Han

Liu Chengjun 承鈞

Chéngjūn

AD 926 - AD 968

Passages: 52
Chapters: 5
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Liu Chengjun as a calligrapher, official, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 52 passages from 5 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Liu Chengjun	承鈞	Chéngjūn
Personal name	Cheng Jun	承鈞	Chéng Jūn
Given	Chengjun	承鈞
Given	Chengjun	承鈞	Chéngjūn
Personal	Chengjun	承鈞	Chengjun
Title	Han ruler	漢主
Personal name	Liu Chengjun	承鈞	Chéngjūn
Personal	Liu Chengjun	劉承鈞	Liú Chéngjūn
Personal name	Liu Chengjun	劉承鈞
Descriptive kinship	Min's son Cheng Jun	子承鈞
Title	ruler of Han	漢主

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · liaoshi:006:s0093, liaoshi:078:s0010
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · liaoshi:007:s0110, xinwudaishi:071:s0032
Value: male
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0065

Roles

Calligrapher
Official
Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Birth

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 丙戌 · Western Year: AD 926 · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report · Source Person Id: Wang Baoheng (王保衡) · Source Work: Jinyang Jianwen Yaolu / 晉陽見聞要錄
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0071, xinwudaishi:071:s0074

Death

Cause: death · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十八年秋七月辛丑 · Western Year: AD 968
Explicit · liaoshi:007:s0110
Cause: illness · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 立十三年 · Western Interval: Start: AD 955 · End: AD 968
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0115

Age

Age: 29 · Reckoning: sui · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 顯德元年甲寅 · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0067, xinwudaishi:071:s0071, xinwudaishi:071:s0074, xinwudaishi:071:s0077

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 天會元年 · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 957
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Source Date: Text: 顯德四年 · Regnal Year: 4 · Western Year: AD 957
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Source Date: Text: 應曆5年 · Reign Id: liao-yingli · Regnal Year: 5 · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:006:s0093
Source Date: Text: 乾祐九年 · Regnal Year: 9 · Western Year: AD 956
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Source Date: Text: 應歷 · Reign Id: liao-yingli · Western Interval: Start: AD 951 · End: AD 969
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:078:s0010, liaoshi:078:s0006
Source Date: Text: 十八年七月辛丑 · Western Year: AD 968
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:007:s0110
Source Date: Text: 十六年十月庚辰 · Western Year: AD 966
Explicit event contextual date · liaoshi:007:s0067
Source Date: Text: 周廣順元年 · Western Year: AD 951
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0156
Source Date: Text: 承鈞立 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit event contextual date · xinwudaishi:071:s0032, xinwudaishi:071:s0067, xinwudaishi:071:s0077
Source Date: Text: 承鈞立十三年 · Western Interval: Start: AD 955 · End: AD 968
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0115

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Parent of Liu Jiyuan (劉繼元)
Kinship Term: adopted son / 養子 · Parentage: adoptive · Subject Role: adopted-son · Object Role: adoptive-father
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Parent of Liu Jien (繼恩)
Kinship Term: adopted son / 養子 · Parentage: adoptive · Subject Role: adopted-son · Object Role: adoptive-father
Child of Liu Chong (劉崇)
Kinship Term: second son / 次子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father · Subject Birth Order: 2
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Child of Mother of Liu Chengjun (漢主母)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: mother · Line: maternal
Spouse of Lady Guo (郭氏)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻 · Union Category: marriage

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 0 · Negated: true
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0121

Career and standing

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 顯德元年 · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 954
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0067, xinwudaishi:071:s0077
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 子承鈞立 · Western Year: AD 955
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0064

Places and affiliations

Label: Eastern Han (Northern Han) / 東漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0032, xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Label: Northern Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · liaoshi:006:s0093, liaoshi:006:s0094
Polity: Northern Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · liaoshi:078:s0010
Place: Northern Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · liaoshi:007:s0067, liaoshi:007:s0110

Learning and skills

Skill: calligraphy / 書 · Level: skilled
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0066

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: actor · Action: changed-era-to-Tianhui · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 天會元年 · Regnal Year: 1 · Western Year: AD 957
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Kind: ritual · Role: actor · Action: observed-mourning · Duration: Years: 3 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 乾祐七年至九年 · Western Interval: Start: AD 954 · End: AD 956
Explicit · xinwudaishi:071:s0079
Kind: diplomatic · Role: sender · Action: sent-tribute-envoys-and-gifts-to-Haili
Explicit · liaoshi:078:s0010
Relation: patron-of · Person Id: Guo Youwei (郭無為)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:070:s0090, xinwudaishi:070:s0125

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

History of Liao, Chapter 6Volume 6 Annals 6: Muzong 1 · 2 passages

十一月乙未朔，漢主崇殂，子承鈞遣使來告，且求嗣立。 On the yiwei new moon of the eleventh month Han's ruler Liu Chong died; his son Liu Chengjun sent envoys announcing the death and asking that his succession be recognized.

遣使吊祭，遂封冊之。 The Emperor sent envoys to mourn and invest the new ruler, and Liu Chengjun was thereupon enfeoffed and confirmed in succession.

History of Liao, Chapter 7Volume 7 Annals 7: Muzong 2 · 2 passages

冬十月庚辰，漢主有母喪，遣使賻吊。 That winter, in the tenth month on gengchen day, the ruler of Han was in mourning for his mother, and the Emperor sent envoys with condolence gifts.

秋七月辛丑，漢主承鈞殂，子繼元立，來告，遣使吊祭。 On xinchou day in the seventh autumn month Han's ruler Liu Chengjun died and his son Liu Jiyuan succeeded; when Han reported the death, the court sent envoys to offer condolences and perform the mourning rites.

History of Liao, Chapter 78Volume 78 Biographies 8: Yelu Yilage, Xiao Haili, Xiao Husi, Xiao Siwen, Xiao Jixian · 1 passage

漢主劉承鈞每遣使入貢，必別致幣物，詔許受之。 Whenever the Northern Han ruler Liu Chengjun sent tribute envoys, he would also send separate gifts, and an edict permitted Haili to accept them.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 70Volume 70: Hereditary House of Eastern Han · 39 passages

乃以周廣順元年正月戊寅即皇帝位于太原，以子承鈞為太原尹，判官鄭珙、趙華為宰相，都押衙陳光裕為宣徽使，遣通事舍人李𧦬間行使于契丹。 On the wuyin day of the first month of Guangshun 1, Min took the throne at Taiyuan, made Chengjun prefect of Taiyuan, appointed staff officers Zheng Qing and Zhao Hua as chancellors, named Chen Guangyu, chief military escort, Commissioner of the Palace Service, and sent Palace Communications Officer Li Gongyan as liaison envoy to the Khitan.

旻自敗於高平，已而被圍，以憂得疾，明年十一月卒，年六十，子承鈞立。 Broken at Gaoping, then besieged, he sickened with care and died at sixty in the eleventh month of the following year; Chengjun succeeded.

承鈞，旻次子也。 Chengjun was Min's second son.

旻卒，承鈞遣人奉表契丹，自稱男。 On Min's death he sent Khitan a petition calling himself the emperor's "boy."

述律答之以詔，呼承鈞為兒，許其嗣位。 Shulü replied by edict, hailed him as "son," and confirmed his throne.

承鈞既立，始赦境內，改乾祐十年曰天會元年，立七廟於顯聖宮。 Chengjun then declared amnesty, renamed Qianyou 10 as Tianhui 1, and raised seven shrines at Xiansheng Palace.

契丹遣高勛助承鈞，承鈞遣李存瑰與勛攻上黨，無所得而還。 Khitan sent Gao Xun; Chengjun paired Li Cungui with him against Shangdang but gained nothing.

明年，世宗北伐契丹，下三關，契丹使來告急，承鈞將發兵，而世宗班師，乃已。 Next year Shizong marched on Khitan and seized three passes; urgent Khitan pleas moved Chengjun to mobilize—until Shizong retired and he stood down.

承鈞欲謀於契丹，繼沖道筠意，請無用契丹兵。 Chengjun meant to call on Khitan; Jichong conveyed Yun's plea to keep Khitan out.

承鈞即率其國兵自將出團柏谷，群臣餞之汾水。 He led his own army through Tuanbai Gorge while ministers toasted him on the Fen.

承鈞至太平驛，封筠隴西郡王。 At Taiping Post he created Yun Duke of Longxi.

筠見承鈞儀衛不備，非如王者，悔臣之，筠因自陳受周氏恩，不忍背德。 Yun found Chengjun's train unkingly, repented his oath, and admitted Zhou's kindness left him unable to rebel.

而承鈞與周世仇也，聞筠言亦不悅。 Chengjun, Zhou's hereditary foe, took equal offense.

遣宣徽使盧贊監其軍，筠心益不平，與贊多不葉，承鈞遣宰相衛融和解之。 He posted Lu Zan as supervisor; friction grew; Wei Rong was sent to patch peace.

已而筠敗死，衛融被執至京師，太祖皇帝問融承鈞所以助筠反狀，融言不遜，太祖命以鐵楇擊其首，流血被面，融呼曰：「臣得死所矣！」 Yun fell; Wei Rong was captured; Song's Taizu asked how Chengjun helped the revolt; Rong answered rudely; an iron maul split his brow; he shouted, "A worthy death!"

遣融致書於承鈞，求周光遜等，約亦歸融太原。 Rong carried a letter seeking Zhou Guangxun and company, offering to send Rong back too.

承鈞不報，融遂留京師。 Chengjun did not answer; Rong remained.

承鈞謂趙華曰：「不聽公言，幾至於敗。 He told Zhao Hua, "Not heeding your words, I nearly came to ruin.

承鈞由此益重儒者，以抱腹山人郭無為參議國政。 Thereafter he prized scholars and installed the mountain man Guo Wuwei in counsel.

承鈞內樞密使段常識之，薦其材，承鈞以諫議大夫召之，遂以為相。 Duan Chang of the privy council praised him; Chengjun made him Remonstrance Officer, then chancellor.

自旻世凡舉事必稟契丹，而承鈞之立多略。 Under Min every move was cleared with Khitan; Chengjun often acted without telling them.

契丹遣使者責承鈞改元、援李筠、殺段常不以告，承鈞惶恐謝罪。 Khitan envoys rebuked his new era, aid to Yun, and Chang's death unreported; he prostrated himself in apology.

使者至契丹輒見留，承鈞奉之愈謹，而契丹待承鈞益薄。 Envoys to Khitan were routinely held hostage; Chengjun grew more obsequious, Khitan more dismissive.

承鈞自李筠敗而失契丹之援，無復南侵之意。 After Yun's defeat Chengjun lost Khitan backing and abandoned any plan to strike south.

太祖皇帝嘗因界上諜者謂承鈞曰：「君家與周氏為世仇，宜其不屈，今我與爾無所間，何為困此一方之人也？ Song's Taizu once told a border agent to ask Chengjun, "Your house and Zhou are ancient enemies—no wonder you resist; but I bear you no grudge—why make this pocket of land suffer?

承鈞遣諜者復命曰：「河東土地兵甲，不足以當中國之十一； Chengjun sent back word: "Hedong's land and arms are less than a tenth of yours—

然承鈞家世非叛者，區區守此，蓋懼漢氏之不血食也。」 yet my line was never rebel-born; I hold this corner lest the Han house lose its sacrifices forever."

太祖哀其言，笑謂諜者曰：「為我語承鈞，開爾一路以為生。」 Taizu was moved, smiled, and said, "Tell him I will leave him a road to live by."

故終其世不加兵。 So for Chengjun's lifetime Song never marched against him.

承鈞立十三年病卒，其養子繼恩立。 After thirteen years Chengjun died; his adopted heir Jien took the throne.

旻以其子承鈞無子，乃以二子命承鈞養為子。 As Chengjun had no heir, Min had both boys adopted as his sons.

承鈞立，以繼恩為太原尹。 On his accession Chengjun made Jien prefect of Taiyuan.

承鈞嘗謂郭無為曰：「繼恩純孝，然非濟世之才，恐不能了我家事。」 Chengjun once told Guo Youwei, "Jien is dutiful but no statesman—I doubt he can settle our house's affairs."

承鈞病臥勤政閣，召無為，執手以後事付之。 Dying in the Diligence Pavilion, he summoned Youwei, clasped his hand, and entrusted the aftermath.

承鈞卒，繼恩告哀於契丹而後立。 After Chengjun's death Jien notified Khitan of mourning, then enthroned himself.

繼恩服缞裳視事，寢處皆居勤政閣，而承鈞故執事百司宿衛者皆在太原府廨。 Jien governed in hemp mourning and lived only in the Diligence Pavilion; Chengjun's old officials and guards stayed in the prefectural offices.

初，承鈞之語郭無為也，繼恩怨無為不助己，及立，欲逐之而未果，故霸榮之亂，人皆以謂無為之謀，霸榮死，口滅而無知者。 Jien had resented Youwei since Chengjun's remark that he lacked talent; on taking power he tried to oust him and failed—so when Barong struck, rumor blamed Youwei; Barong's death left no witness.

承鈞妻郭氏，繼元兄弟自少母之。 Chengjun's consort was a Guo; Jiyuan and his brothers had called her mother since childhood.

及立，遣嬖者範超圖殺郭氏，郭氏方缞服哭承鈞於柩前，超執而縊殺之，於是劉氏之子孫無遺類矣。 On his accession he sent his favorite Fan Chao to kill Lady Guo as she mourned before Chengjun's bier—strangling her—and with that the Liu line was extinguished.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 71Volume 71: Timeline for the Hereditary Houses of the Ten Kingdoms · 8 passages

終旻之世，猶稱乾祐，至承鈞立，然後改元，則旻之志豈不可哀也哉！ Throughout Min's life he still used the Qianyou reign era; only when Cheng Jun succeeded did the state change its era name—how lamentable was Min's resolve!

劉旻，《九國志》云，乾祐七年十一月旻卒，享年六十，子承鈞立，時年二十九。 For Liu Min, the Jiuguo Zhi says that in the eleventh month of the seventh year of Qianyou Min died at the age of sixty and his son Cheng Jun succeeded at the age of twenty-nine.

又有旻偽中書舍人王保衡《晉陽見聞要錄》雲，旻乙卯生，卒年六十一，子承鈞立。 There is also the Jinyang Jianwen Yaolu by Wang Baoheng, a Secretariat drafter in Min's court, which says Min was born in the yimao year, died at the age of sixty-one, and was succeeded by his son Cheng Jun.

承鈞丙戌生，立時年二十九。 Cheng Jun was born in the bingxu year and was twenty-nine when he succeeded.

又書承鈞丙戌生，立時年二十九，則當是顯德元年甲寅歲也。 It also records that Cheng Jun was born in the bingxu year and was twenty-nine at succession—which would place his accession in the jiayin year, the first year of Xiande.

豈有旻卒於二年，承鈞以元年嗣位？ How could Min have died in the second year while Cheng Jun succeeded in the first?

以《九國志》參較，旻享年六十，顯德元年卒，承鈞以是歲嗣位，時年二十九，為得其實，但《見聞要錄》衍「一」字爾。 Compared with the Jiuguo Zhi, Min died at sixty in the first year of Xiande and Cheng Jun succeeded that same year at twenty-nine—this is the correct account; the Jianwen Yaolu merely added a spurious character for "one."

《九國志》又云，承鈞立，服喪三年，至乾祐九年服除，改十年為天會元年，當是顯德四年。 The Jiuguo Zhi also records that when Cheng Jun succeeded he observed three years of mourning; in the ninth year of Qianyou the mourning period ended and the tenth year was renamed the first year of Tianhui—which corresponds to the fourth year of Xiande.