Five Dynasties · Emperor

Liu Sheng 晟

c. AD 920 - AD 958

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Liu Sheng was an emperor.

Life and dates

Death

AD 958 十六年秋
Age Value: 39 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 159

Attested activity

AD 951 to AD 958 乾和九至十六
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passages 139, 159

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Liu Chongxing (崇興)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 145
Parent of Liu Jixing (繼興)
son 子 · paternal line
son 子
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passages 145, 160
Parent of Liu Qingxing (慶興)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 145
Parent of Liu Baoxing (保興)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 145
Parent of Liu Xuanxing (璇興)
son 子 · paternal line
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 145
Sibling of Liu Hongzheng (洪政)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 154
Sibling of Liu Hongmiao (洪邈)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 153

Career and standing

Zhongzong 中宗
Temple name
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 65, passage 159

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 65Volume 65: Hereditary House of Southern Han · 9 passages

晟益得志，遣巨艦指揮使暨彥赟以兵入海，掠商人金帛作離宮遊獵，故時劉氏有南宮、大明、昌華、甘泉、玩華、秀華、玉清、太微諸宮，凡數百，不可悉紀。 Sheng grew still more confident and sent Great Ship Commander Ji Yanyun with troops onto the sea to plunder merchants’ gold and silks for detached palaces and hunting. In those days the Liu clan had the Southern Palace, Daming, Changhua, Ganquan, Wanhua, Xiuhua, Yuqing, Taiwei, and other palaces — several hundred in all, too many to record fully.

十一年，晟病甚，封其子繼興衛王，璇興桂王，慶興荊王，保興祥王，崇興梅王。 In the eleventh year Sheng was gravely ill and enfeoffed his sons: Jixing as Prince of Wei, Xuanxing as Prince of Gui, Qingxing as Prince of Jing, Baoxing as Prince of Xiang, and Chongxing as Prince of Mei.

十二年，晟親耕藉田。 In the twelfth year Sheng personally plowed the sacred field.

權死，子昌岌立，昌岌卒，弟昌濬立，始稱臣於晟。 When Quan died his son Changji succeeded; when Changji died his younger brother Changjun succeeded and first declared himself a subject to Sheng.

晟殺其弟洪邈。 Sheng killed his younger brother Hongmiao.

顯德三年，世宗平江北，晟始惶恐，遣使修貢於京師，為楚人所隔，使者不得行，晟憂形於色。 In the third year of Xiande, Emperor Shizong pacified the north of the Yangzi; Sheng first grew fearful and sent envoys to present tribute at the capital, but Chu forces blocked the way and the envoys could not go; his worry showed on his face.

十六年，卜葬域於城北，運甓為壙，晟親臨視之。 In the sixteenth year he divined a burial site north of the city, transported bricks for the vault, and Sheng personally went to inspect it.

是秋卒，年三十九，謚曰文武光聖明孝皇帝，廟號中宗，陵曰昭陵。 That autumn he died, at the age of thirty-nine. His posthumous title was Martial, Civil, Radiant, Sagely, Illuminated, Filial Emperor; his temple name was Zhongzong; his tomb was called Zhaoling.

晟性剛忌，不能任臣下，而獨任其嬖倖宦官、宮婢延遇、瓊仙等。 Sheng was harsh and jealous by nature, could not employ his ministers, and relied solely on his favorites — the eunuchs and palace women Yanyu, Qiongxian, and the rest.