Liu Xu (劉昫) | 24 Histories

Overview

Liu Xu was an official and Statesman.

Life and dates

Death

AD 947 是歲卒
Age Value: 60 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 23

Age

Value: 60 · Reckoning: Sui
AD 947 是歲卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 23

Attested activity

AD 923 唐莊宗即位
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e
AD 947 契丹犯京師 / 是歲卒
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 23
AD 921 定州王處直觀察推官 / 避之滄州
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000c; xinwudaishi:055:s0000d
AD 934 廢帝入立
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 1, 3, 9; xinwudaishi:055:s0000i
AD 933 明宗崩
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 12, 14
AD 926 明宗時
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e; xinwudaishi:055:s0000f

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 937 晉高祖時
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 21
AD 932 長興三年
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000g
AD 944 開運中
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 22

Family

Sibling of Liu Xuan (劉暄)
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000b
Sibling of Liu Hao (劉暤)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000b

Career and standing

erudite of the Court of Ceremonies 太常博士
AD 923 唐莊宗即位 · Appointed
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e
Hanlin Academician 翰林學士
AD 923 唐莊宗即位 · Appointed
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e
Grand Guardian 太保
AD 947 契丹犯京師 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 23
acting commissioner of the Three Departments 兼判三司
AD 934 廢帝 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 3
Right Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat 右僕射
AD 934 廢帝並罷之 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 9
Eastern Capital Regent with charge of salt and iron 東都留守，判鹽鐵
AD 937 晉高祖時 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 21

Show 8 more source-backed claims

Secretariat Vice Director concurrently Minister of Justice and Manager of Affairs 中書侍郎兼刑部尚書、同中書門下平章事
AD 932 長興三年 · Appointed
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000g
Minister of Works and Manager of Affairs 司空、同中書門下平章事
AD 944 開運中 · Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 22
supervisor of the compilation of the dynastic history 監修國史
AD 934 廢帝入立 · Held
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000i
Vice Minister of War 兵部侍郎
AD 926 明宗時 · Held
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e
Minister of Personnel and Chancellery Vice Director 吏部尚書、門下侍郎
AD 934 廢帝入立 · Promoted to
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000i
Academician of the Duanming Hall 端明殿學士
AD 926 明宗時 · Promoted to
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000f
commissioner of the Three Departments 判三司
AD 944 開運中 · Resumed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 22
investigation judge 觀察推官
Served · Under Person Id Wang Chuzhi (王處直) · At Ding Prefecture 定州
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000c

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Jin 晉 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 21
Polity Later Tang 後唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000e
At Guiyi in Zhuo Prefecture 涿州歸義
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000a
At Cang Prefecture 滄州 · Relation Took refuge in
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000d
At Yan and Ji region 燕、薊 · Relation Known in
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000b

Learning and skills

Skill love of learning 好學 · Level renowned
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000b

Events and relationships

Appointed during rebellion
AD 937 晉高祖時 · Political · Regent · With Zhang Congbin (張從賓)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 21
Dismissed with
AD 934 廢帝並罷之 · Political · Dismissed chancellor · With Li Yu (李愚)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 9
Gave thanks at Duanming Hall
AD 932 長興三年 · Political · Subject
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000g
Rain court ranking dispute
AD 934 及為僕射 · Ritual · Questioner of precedent
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 17
Remitted arrears
AD 934 廢帝 · Administrative · Reformer
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passages 4-5
Relation Married affinal kin of · Person Feng Dao (馮道) · Kinship Term related by marriage 姻家
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 6

Assessments and attributes

Assessment sharp by nature; detested Three Departments corruption · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 4
Assessment unfamiliar with court precedent · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 11
fine bearing and deportment
Bearing
Directly stated · xinwudaishi:055:s0000b
eye disease / eye trouble
Illness
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 55, passage 23

References in the histories

Search passages

History

22 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 55Volume 55 Miscellaneous Biographies 35: Liu Xu, Lu Wenji, Ma Yinxun, Yao Yi, Liu Yue, Ma Gao, Cui Jujian, Cui Zhuo, Li Yi · 22 passages

Open chapter

劉昫，涿州歸義人也。 Liu Xu was from Guiyi in Zhuo Prefecture.

昫為人美風儀，與其兄暄、弟暤，皆以好學知名燕、薊之間。 Xu had fine bearing and deportment, and together with his elder brother Xuan and younger brother Hao, he was known in the Yan and Ji region for love of learning.

處直為子都所囚，昫兄暄亦為怨家所殺，昫乃避之滄州。 When Chuzhi was imprisoned by his son Du, and Xu's elder brother Xuan was also killed by an enemy family, Xu took refuge in Cang Prefecture.

唐莊宗即位，拜昫太常博士，以為翰林學士，明宗時，累遷兵部侍郎居職。 When Zhuangzong of Tang ascended the throne, Xu was appointed erudite of the Court of Ceremonies and made Hanlin Academician. In Mingzong's reign, he was repeatedly promoted until he held office as Vice Minister of War.

明宗素重昫而愛其風韻，遷端明殿學士。 Mingzong had always valued Xu and admired his bearing and refinement, and promoted him to Academician of the Duanming Hall.

長興三年，拜中書侍郎兼刑部尚書、同中書門下平章事，昫詣中興殿門謝，是日大祠不坐，昫入謝端明殿。 In the third year of Changxing, he was appointed Secretariat Vice Director, concurrently Minister of Justice and Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. Xu went to the gate of Zhongxing Hall to give thanks, but that day there was a great sacrifice and no audience was held, so he entered and gave thanks at Duanming Hall.

昫自端明殿學士拜相，當時以此為榮。 Xu was appointed chief minister from the post of Academician of Duanming Hall, and people at the time regarded this as an honor.

廢帝入立，遷吏部尚書、門下侍郎，監修國史。 When the Deposed Emperor entered and was enthroned, Xu was promoted to Minister of Personnel and Chancellery Vice Director, and supervised the compilation of the dynastic history.

及責以賞軍而無十一，廢帝大怒，罷玫，命昫兼判三司。 When funds were needed to reward the troops and scarcely a tenth of the sum was available, Emperor Fei flew into a rage, removed Wang from office, and ordered Liu Xu to serve concurrently as acting commissioner of the Three Departments.

昫性察，而嫉三司蠹敝尤甚，乃昫計文簿，核其虛實，殘租積負悉蠲除之。 Liu Xu was sharp by nature and detested the rot in the Three Departments above all else. He personally went through the ledgers, checked fact against fiction, and remitted every outstanding rent and accumulated debt.

往時吏幸積年之負蓋而不發，因以把持州縣求賄賂，及昫一切蠲除，民間歡然以為德，而三司吏皆沮怨。 For years officials had welcomed buried arrears because they could use them to squeeze prefectures and counties for bribes. When Liu Xu wiped the slate clean in one stroke, the common people hailed it as a blessing, but every clerk in the Three Departments seethed with resentment.