Liu Shan (劉禪) | 24 Histories

Overview

Liu Shan was a ruler.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Duke Si	思公

Life and dates

Death

AD 271 泰始七年
At Luoyang 洛陽
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 265

Attested activity

AD 263 to AD 271 炎興元年至泰始七年
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passages 164, 265

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Liu Bei (劉備)
father 先帝
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 164
Parent of Liu Chen (劉諶)
son 北地王
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passages 163-164
Parent of Liu Xun (劉恂)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 266

Kinship Role descendants-enfeoffed-as-commandants · Count 50
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 253

Career and standing

Duke Si 思公
Posthumous
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 266
Duke of Anle county 安樂縣公
AD 264 景元五年三月丁亥 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 190

Places and affiliations

Polity Cao Wei 魏 · Relation Enfeoffed under
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 190
Polity Shu Han 蜀漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 164
At Luoyang 洛陽 · Relation Relocated to
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 189

Works and attributed material

此間樂，不思蜀
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 260

Events and relationships

Sent seals; surrendered with coffin
Political · Capitulator · With Deng Ai (鄧艾)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passages 165, 180

References in the histories

Search passages

History

19 passages

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 33Volume 33: Book of Shu 3: Biography of the Later Lord · 19 passages

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〈《漢晉春秋》曰：後主將從譙周之策，北地王諶怒曰：「若理窮力屈，禍敗必及，便當父子君臣背城一戰，同死社稷，以見先帝可也。」〈The Han–Jin Annals of Spring and Autumn say that as the Later Lord prepared to adopt Qiao Zhou's counsel, Prince Liu Chen of Beidi burst out: "If argument and force are both spent and ruin is upon us, then let father and son, ruler and minister, make one last stand with our backs to the city wall and perish with the altars—that would be fit company for my father in the other world."

後主不納，遂送璽緩。 The Later Lord would not hear him and sent off the seals of abdication instead.

禪又遣太常張峻、益州別駕汝超受節度，遣太僕蔣顯有命敕姜維。 Meanwhile Liu Shan sent Minister Zhang Jun and aide Ru Chao to take orders from Deng Ai, and Grand Coachman Jiang Xian with an edict for Jiang Wei to stand down.

艾至城北，後主興櫬自縛，詣軍壘門。 When Deng Ai reached the north wall of Chengdu, the Later Lord came out with a coffin on a cart, his hands bound behind him, and presented himself at the camp gate.

〈《晉諸公贊》曰：劉禪乘騾車詣艾，不具亡國之禮。〉〈The Jin Eulogies of the Dukes say Liu Shan drove a mule cart to Deng Ai and omitted the full ritual of a conquered sovereign.〉

因承製拜後主為驃騎將軍。 Acting on interim authority he named the Later Lord general who gallops like the piebald horse.

諸圍守悉被後主敕，然後降下。 Every ring of Shu garrisons received the Later Lord's order before laying down arms.

艾使後主止其故宮，身往造焉。 Deng Ai let him remain in his old palace and went in person to call on him.

後主舉家東遷，既至洛陽，策命之曰： The Later Lord took his household east to Luoyang, where he received this patent of appointment:

惟景元五年三月丁亥，皇帝臨軒，使太常嘉命劉禪為安樂縣公。 On the dinghai day of the third month, 264, the Wei emperor held court and charged the minister of ceremonies to invest Liu Shan as duke of Anle county.

公恢崇德度，深秉大正，不憚屈身委質，以愛民全國為貴，降心回慮，應機豹變，覆信思順，以享左右無疆之休，豈不遠歟！ You, Duke, have shown high principle and true rectitude; you did not scorn to humble yourself and yield the realm to spare your people. You read the moment, changed like the leopard in the Changes, chose good faith and submission, and so win unbounded blessing on every side—could any reward be more fitting?

朕嘉與君公長饗顯祿，用考咨前訓，開國胙土，率遵舊典，錫茲玄牡，苴以白茅，永為魏藩輔，往欽哉！ We delight to let you, Duke, feast on rank and stipend for years to come, take counsel from the ancient models, found your fief with clods of sacred earth, and follow every precedent of investiture: here is the black sacrificial bull, bundled in white rushes—be forever a bulwark of Wei. Go, and receive it with reverence!

《漢晉春秋》曰：司馬文王與禪宴，為之作故蜀技，旁人皆為之感愴，而禪喜笑自若。 The Han–Jin Annals of Spring and Autumn record that Sima Zhao feasted with Shan and had former Shu entertainments performed; bystanders were moved to tears, yet Shan laughed and smiled as if perfectly at ease.

他日，王問禪曰：「頗思蜀否？」 Another day the king asked Shan, "Do you miss Shu at all?"

禪曰：「此間樂，不思蜀。」 Shan answered, "Life here is pleasant—I never think of Shu."

郤正聞之，求見禪曰：「若王後問，宜泣而答曰『先人墳墓遠在隴、蜀，乃心西悲，無日不思』，因閉其目。」 Xi Zheng heard this and sought audience, advising Shan: "If the king asks again, weep and answer, 'My forebears' graves lie far off in Long and Shu; my heart grieves westward; not a day passes without longing,' and close your eyes as you speak."

會王復問，對如前，王曰：「何乃似郤正語邪！」 When the king asked again, Shan answered as before. The king said, "Why does this sound like Xi Zheng's coaching!"

禪驚視曰：「誠如尊命。」 Shan looked up in alarm and said, "It is exactly as you say."

《蜀記》云：諡曰思公，子恂嗣。 The Records of Shu give his posthumous title as Duke Si; his son Xun succeeded him.