Qin and Han · Son of Consort Qi; King of Zhao

Liu Ruyi 劉如意

Born c. BC 211; died BC 195 to BC 191

Passages: 26
Chapters: 7
Histories: 2

Overview

Liu Ruyi was a Son of Consort Qi; King of Zhao.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	King Yin	趙隱

Life and dates

Death

BC 191 四年
Poisoning · Cause Poisoned wine · Authority Empress Lü (呂后) · At Chang'an 長安
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 6
BC 195 元年冬十二月
Directly stated · Book of Han 3, passage 23
Poisoned · At Chang'an 長安
Directly stated · Book of Han 51, passage 77

Age

10
BC 202 to BC 195 高祖時
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 47

Attested activity

BC 198 九年
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 5
BC 195 元年冬十二月
Directly stated · Book of Han 3, passage 23
BC 195 漢十二年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 161
BC 200 to BC 196 留侯杜門不出歲餘之後，上欲廢太子
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passages 200-201
BC 202 to BC 195 高祖時
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 40, 47

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Crown Prince (太子)
brothers 骨肉 · Paternal half siblings · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passages 201, 207
Child of Emperor Gao (高皇帝)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 1
Child of Gaozu (高祖)
father 父
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 40, 47
Child of Emperor Gao (高帝)
father 父
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 161
Kin of Emperor Xiaohui (孝惠帝)
kin 親親
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 3, passage 64
Child of Consort Qi (戚姬)
mother 母
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 40, 47
Child of Lady Qi (戚夫人)
mother 母
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 1
Child of Lady Qi (戚夫人)
son 子 · maternal line
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 201
Child of Emperor Gao (高帝)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 201
Child of Liu Bang (劉邦)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 51, passage 44
Child of Lady Qi (戚姬)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 51, passages 44, 49

Kinship Role sons · Count 0 · Negated true
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 7

Key source chapters

Career and standing

King of Zhao 趙王
BC 198 九年 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 5
King of Zhao 趙王
BC 202 to BC 195 高祖時 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 47
立子如意為代王
Directly stated · Book of Han 2, passage 158
King of Zhao 趙王
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 201; Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 47
King Yin of Zhao 趙隱王
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 3, passage 23

Places and affiliations

Polity Han 漢 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 201; Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 40
Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Enfeoffed under
Directly stated · Book of Han 47, passage 5
Polity Zhao 趙 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 3, passage 23; Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 47

Events and relationships

Type son-of · Person Local Id Liu Bang (劉邦)
Directly stated · Book of Han 2, passage 158

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 201

References in the histories

Search passages

History

26 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 2 passages

辛卯，立子如意為代王。 On the day xinmao, he established son Ruyi as King of Dai.

徙代王如意為趙王，王趙國。 He moved King Dai Ruyi to become King of Zhao, ruling the Zhao kingdom.

Book of Han, Chapter 3Volume 2: Annals of Emperor Hui · 2 passages

元年冬十二月，趙隱王如意薨。 In the first year, winter, twelfth month, King Yin of Zhao Ruyi passed away.

贊曰：孝惠內修親親，外禮宰相，優寵齊悼、趙隱，恩敬篤矣。 The appraisal says: Emperor Hui cultivated affection for his kin at home and showed ritual respect to the chancellor abroad. His favor toward King Dao of Qi and King Yin of Zhao was generous, and his kindness and respect were deeply sincere.

Book of Han, Chapter 47Volume 38: The Five Sons of Emperor Gao · 4 passages

高皇帝八男：呂后生孝惠帝，曹夫人生齊悼惠王肥，薄姬生孝文帝，戚夫人生趙隱王如意，趙姬生淮南厲王長，諸姬生趙幽王友、趙共王恢、燕靈王建。 Emperor Gao fathered eight sons: Empress Lü gave him Emperor Xiaohui; Lady Cao gave him Prince Daohui of Qi, Liu Fei; Consort Bo bore the future Emperor Wen; Lady Qi bore Liu Ruyi, later titled the Hidden Prince of Zhao; Lady Zhao bore Liu Chang, the Fierce Prince of Huainan; and lesser consorts bore Liu You, Liu Hui, and Liu Jian, the Obscure Prince of Zhao, the Joint Prince of Zhao, and the Numinous Prince of Yan respectively.

趙隱王如意，九年立。 Liu Ruyi, posthumously known as the Hidden Prince of Zhao, was invested as king in the ninth year of Gaozu's reign.

四年，高祖崩，呂太后徵王到長安，鴆殺之。 In the fourth year of Emperor Hui's reign, after Gaozu had died, Empress Dowager Lü summoned Prince Ruyi to Chang'an and murdered him with poisoned wine.

趙隱王如意死，孝惠元年，徙友王趙，凡立十四年。 After Liu Ruyi, the Hidden Prince of Zhao, was killed, Liu You was transferred to Zhao in the first year of Emperor Hui's reign and ruled there for fourteen years in all.

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 9 passages

及高帝欲廢太子，而立威姬子如意為太子，大臣固爭莫能得，上以留侯策止。 When the High Ancestor wanted to set aside the heir apparent in favor of Lady Qi's son Ruyi, his senior ministers argued themselves hoarse to no avail, until he dropped the idea on the advice of the Marquis of Liu.

是歲，戚姬子如意為趙王，年十歲，高祖憂萬歲之後不全也。 That same year Lady Qi's son Ruyi, only ten, was invested as king of Zhao, and the High Ancestor brooded over how to keep the boy safe after his own death.

堯進請問曰：「陛下所為不樂，非以趙王年少，而戚夫人與呂後有隙，備萬歲之後而趙王不能自全乎？」 Zhao Yao stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty's sorrow—is it not because the king of Zhao is still a child, because Lady Qi and the empress are at odds, and because you fear for his life once you are gone?"

堯曰：「陛下獨為趙王置貴強相，及呂後、太子、群臣素所敬憚者乃可。」 Zhao Yao said, "Then invest Zhao with a chancellor who is both weighty and formidable—someone the empress, the heir, and the whole court already fear and respect."

高祖崩，太后使使召趙王，其相昌令王稱疾不行。 After the High Ancestor's death, the empress dowager sent for the king of Zhao. Chancellor Zhou Chang had the young king plead illness and refuse to travel.

使者三反，昌曰：「高帝屬臣趙王，王年少，竊聞太后怨戚夫人，欲召趙王並誅之。 The envoys came back three times. Zhou Chang replied, "The late emperor left the king of Zhao in my care. The boy is young, and word has reached me that the empress dowager bears a grudge against Lady Qi and means to summon the king of Zhao so she can destroy them together.

而不遣趙王！」 Yet you still would not send me the king of Zhao!"

昌既被征，高後使使召趙王。 Once Zhou Chang had been called away, Empress Gao sent again for the king of Zhao.

高後元年，怨堯前定趙王如意之畫，乃抵堯罪，以廣阿侯任敖為御史大夫。 In the first year of Empress Gao's reign she remembered how Zhao Yao had engineered the plan to protect Prince Ruyi as king of Zhao, found a charge against him, and replaced him with Ren Ao, marquis of Guang'a, as imperial counsellor.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 55House of Marquis of Liu · 1 passage

上欲廢太子，立戚夫人子趙王如意。 The emperor wished to depose the crown prince and enthrone Ruyi, the King of Zhao and son of Lady Qi, in his place.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 96Biography of Chancellor Zhang · 7 passages

及帝欲廢太子，而立戚姬子如意為太子，大臣固爭之，莫能得； When the emperor wished to depose the crown prince and establish Consort Qi's son Ruyi as crown prince, the great ministers remonstrated firmly, but none could prevail.

是後戚姬子如意為趙王，年十歲，高祖憂即萬歲之後不全也。 After this, Consort Qi's son Ruyi was made King of Zhao at the age of ten. Gaozu worried that after his own death, the boy would not be able to preserve himself.

趙堯進請問曰：「陛下所為不樂，非為趙王年少而戚夫人與呂后有卻邪？ Zhao Yao stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty is unhappy—is it not because the King of Zhao is still young, and because Consort Qi and Empress Lü are estranged?

備萬歲之後而趙王不能自全乎？」 Are you worried that after Your Majesty passes away the King of Zhao will not be able to preserve himself?"

堯曰：「陛下獨宜為趙王置貴彊相，及呂后、太子、群臣素所敬憚乃可。」 Yao said, "Your Majesty should establish for the King of Zhao a noble and powerful chancellor, one whom Empress Lu, the crown prince, and the ministers have always revered and feared. Only then will it be possible."

於是乃召周昌，謂曰：「吾欲固煩公，公彊為我相趙王。」 He then summoned Zhou Chang and told him, "I truly must trouble you: force yourself to go on my behalf and serve as chancellor to the King of Zhao."

高祖曰：「吾極知其左遷，然吾私憂趙王，念非公無可者。 Gaozu said, "I know perfectly well that this is a demotion for you, but I am privately worried about the King of Zhao, and I can think of no one suitable except you.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 99Biographies of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong · 1 passage

漢十二年，高祖欲以趙王如意易太子，叔孫通諫上曰：「昔者晉獻公以驪姬之故廢太子，立奚齊，晉國亂者數十年，為天下笑。 In the twelfth year of Han, Gaozu wished to replace the Crown Prince with King Ruyi of Zhao. Shusun Tong admonished the High Emperor, saying, 'Formerly, Duke Xian of Jin deposed the crown prince because of Li Ji and established Xi Qi, plunging Jin into disorder for several decades and making it the laughingstock of the empire.