Liu Taozhi (劉桃枝) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Liu Taozhi as an aristocrat, assassin, attendant, and general. This record brings together 10 passages from 5 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Liu Taozhi	劉桃枝	Liu Taozhi
Personal	Liu Taozhi	劉桃枝
Personal name	Liu Taozhi	劉桃枝
Personal name	Liu Taozhi	劉桃枝	Liu Taozhi
Personal name	Liu Taozhi	劉桃枝	Liú Táozhī
Given name	Taozhi	桃枝

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · beiqishu:014:s0124
Sex: male
Explicit · beiqishu:030:s0002, beiqishu:034:s0152

Roles

Aristocrat
Assassin
Attendant
General
Military Officer
Servant

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 世宗時 · Western Interval: Start: c. AD 547 · End: c. AD 549
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:049:s0129
Source Date: Text: 乾明元年 · Western Year: AD 560
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:034:s0152
Source Date: Text: 天保末 · Western Year: AD 559
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:030:s0166
Source Date: Text: 武平五年 · Western Year: AD 574
Explicit · beiqishu:014:s0124
Source Date: Text: 高祖時 · Western Interval: Start: AD 534 · End: AD 547
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:050:s0228

Career and standing

Label: Garrison General / 領軍 · Action: held
Explicit · beiqishu:034:s0152
Status: bound to another person · Action: predicted
Explicit · beiqishu:049:s0129
Status: executed-another · Action: dragged Guiyan in at the emperor’s order and held a blade over him during his execution · Other Person Id: Guiyan (歸彥)
Explicit · beiqishu:014:s0200, beiqishu:014:s0202

Events and relationships

Kind: violence · Role: executioner · Action: cut off Dezheng's toes · Other Person Id: Gao Dezheng (高德正)
Explicit · beiqishu:030:s0169
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: sent by the emperor racing to Jinyang to suppress Sihao’s rebellion · Other Person Id: Sihao (思好)
Explicit · beiqishu:014:s0124
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: surrounded Sihao’s two thousand followers, killing all who would not surrender
Explicit · beiqishu:014:s0126

References in the histories

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

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 14Volume 14 Biographies 6: Guangping Gongcheng; Yangzhou Gong Yongle; Di Zhangbi; Prince of Xiangle, Xiang Guo; Prince of Shangluo, Si Zong; Zi Yuanhai; Di Sihao; Prince of Pingqin, Guiyan; Prince Pu of Wuxing; Changle, Governor of Lingshan; Sizi Fuhu · 4 passages

Open chapter

帝聞變，使唐邕、莫多婁敬顯、劉桃枝、中領軍厙狄士文馳之晉陽，帝勒兵續進。 Learning of the revolt, the emperor sent Tang Yong, Moduolou Jingxian, Liu Taozhi, and central army commander Kudi Shiwen racing to Jinyang, while he himself led troops in pursuit.

其麾下二千人，桃枝圍之，且殺且招，終不降以至盡。 Taozhi surrounded his two thousand followers, killing and calling them to surrender in turn. None yielded, and all were killed to the last man.

上令都督劉桃枝牽入，歸彥猶作前語望活。 The emperor ordered commander Liu Taozhi to drag him in. Guiyan still spoke as before, hoping to live.

乃載以露車，銜枚面縛，劉桃枝臨之以刃，擊鼓隨之，並子孫十五人皆棄市。 He was loaded onto an open cart, gagged and bound. Liu Taozhi held a blade over him while drums beat along the route — he and fifteen descendants were all executed in the market.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 30Volume 30 Biographies 22: Cui Xian; Gao Dezheng; Cui Ang · 3 passages

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劉桃枝捉刀不敢下。 Liu Taozhi took up the blade but dared not bring it down.

帝起臨階砌，切責桃枝曰：「爾頭卽墮地！」 Gao Yang rose to the stair treads and rebuked Taozhi sharply: "Your head will be next on the ground!"

桃枝乃斬足之三指。 Taozhi then cut off three of his toes.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 34Volume 34 Biographies 26: Yang Yin; Yan Zixian; Song Qindao; Zheng Yi · 1 passage

Open chapter