Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official

Liu Tan 劉惔

Attested AD 326 - AD 371

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Liu Tan was an official.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 326 to AD 371 簡文帝之為會稽王也
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 93, passage 205

Places and affiliations

At Pei 沛國
Directly stated · Book of Jin 93, passage 194

References in the histories

Book of Jin, Chapter 93Volume 93 Biographies 63: Imperial Affines · 6 passages

與沛國劉惔齊名友善，惔常稱濛性至通，而自然有節，濛每云：「劉君知我，勝我自知。」 He and Liu Tan of Pei were close and equally celebrated. Liu Tan said Wang Meng combined perfect ease with natural restraint; Wang Meng said, ‘Liu understands me better than I do myself.’

時人以惔方荀奉倩，濛比袁曜卿，凡稱風流者，舉濛、惔為宗焉。 Critics likened Liu Tan to Xun Can and Wang Meng to Yuan Yao; anyone discussing ‘refined spirit’ took the pair as the standard.

簡文帝之為會稽王也，嘗與孫綽商略諸風流人，綽言曰：「劉惔清蔚簡令，王濛溫潤恬和，桓溫高爽邁出。 While still Prince of Kuaiji, Emperor Jianwen once asked Sun Chuo to rank the leading gentlemen. Sun Chuo said, ‘Liu Tan is spare and luminous; Wang Meng is gentle and serene; Huan Wen is bold and towering.’

及簡文帝輔政，益貴幸之，與劉惔號為入室之賓。 When the prince became regent, Wang Meng grew ever closer to him; he and Liu Tan were called intimates who might enter the inner rooms.

臨殯，劉惔以犀杷麈尾置棺中，因慟絕久之。 At the funeral Liu Tan laid a rhinoceros-handled fly-whisk in the coffin and sobbed until he collapsed.

濛以示劉惔曰：「敬仁此論，便足以參微言。」 Wang Meng showed it to Liu Tan and said, ‘Jingren’s essay already touches the subtlest teachings.’