Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official

Liu Zhan 劉湛

Liú Zhàn

Attested AD 424 - AD 449

Passages: 62
Chapters: 5
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Liu Zhan as a courtier, family member, general, and named individual. This record brings together 62 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 Zhan	劉湛	Liú Zhàn
Childhood	Ban	班	Bān
Childhood	Banhu	班虎	Bānhǔ
Title	General of the Forward Armies	領軍將軍	Lǐngjūn jiāngjūn
Courtesy	Hongren	弘仁	Hóngrén
Surname	Liu	劉	Liú
Alternate	Liu Ban	劉班	Liú Bān
Personal	Liu Tan	劉湛
Personal name	Liu Zhan	劉湛	Liú Zhàn
Personal	Liu Zhan	劉湛	Liu Zhan
Given name	Zhan	湛	Zhàn

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · songshu:058:s0167, songshu:070:s0009, songshu:073:s0259
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · songshu:071:s0029

Roles

Courtier
Family Member
General
Named Individual
Official
Scholar
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

於獄伏誅
Explicit · songshu:069:s0090
Manner: executed
Explicit · songshu:071:s0115
Manner: execution
Explicit · songshu:058:s0131

Age

時年四十九
Explicit · songshu:069:s0090

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 劉湛誅 · Reign Id: liu-song-yuanjia · Regnal Year: 17 · Western Year: AD 440
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:073:s0259
Source Date: Text: 劉湛，淑從母兄也 · Reign Id: liu-song-yuanjia · Western Interval: Start: AD 424 · End: AD 449
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:070:s0009, songshu:070:s0015
Source Date: Text: 元嘉三年後 · Western Interval: Start: AD 426 · End: AD 433
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:073:s0041, songshu:073:s0042, songshu:073:s0060
Source Date: Text: 劉湛得罪 · Western Year: AD 440
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:071:s0030
Source Date: Text: 太祖即位 · Western Year: AD 424
Explicit event contextual date · songshu:058:s0167

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Kin of Yuan Shu (袁淑)
Kinship Term: maternal cousin / 從母兄 · Subject Role: maternal-cousin · Object Role: maternal-cousin · Subject Relative Age: elder · Line: maternal · Intermediary Person Ids: Maternal Aunt of Yuan Shu, Mother of Yuan Shu
Kin of Xie Hongwei (謝弘微)
Kinship Term: maternal uncle's son / 舅子 · Line: maternal
Child of Maternal Aunt of Yuan Shu
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son

Career and standing

Title En: Acting Staff Officer to the Grand Commandant · Title Zh: 太尉行參軍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0009
Title En: Assistant Director of the Palace Library · Title Zh: 秘書丞
Explicit · songshu:069:s0012
Title En: Chief Clerk and Grand Administrator of Liang Commandery · Title Zh: 長史、梁郡太守
Explicit · songshu:069:s0015
Title En: Commander over Guang and Jiao provinces, General Who Establishes Authority, Palace Gentleman General Who Pacifies Yue, Governor of Guangzhou · Title Zh: 督廣、交二州諸軍事、建威將軍、平越中郎將、廣州刺史
Explicit · songshu:069:s0027
Title En: Envoy Holding the Tally, Colonel of the Southern Man, Chief Clerk to the General Who Pacifies the Army · Title Zh: 使持節、南蠻校尉、領撫軍長史
Explicit · songshu:069:s0030
Title En: General of the Palace Guard · Title Zh: 領軍將軍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0053
Title En: General of the Right Guard · Title Zh: 右衛將軍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0026
Title En: Grand Administrator of Liyang · Title Zh: 歷陽太守
Explicit · songshu:069:s0018
Title En: Household Mentor to the Heir Apparent; Attendant Within the Gates; Grand Rectifier of his native province · Title Zh: 太子詹事、給事中、本州大中正
Explicit · songshu:069:s0051
Title En: Intendant of Danyang; Grand Master of Splendid Hall with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon; Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry · Title Zh: 丹陽尹、金紫光祿大夫、散騎常侍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0071
Title En: Merit Officer · Title Zh: 功曹
Explicit · songshu:069:s0010
Title En: Palace Attendant · Title Zh: 侍中
Explicit · songshu:069:s0029
Title En: personnel bureau director in the Department of State Affairs · Title Zh: 尚書吏部郎
Explicit · songshu:069:s0026
Title En: Registrar of the Headquarters; Separate-Chariot Master of Records; Attending Clerk · Title Zh: 治中別駕從事史
Explicit · songshu:069:s0010
Title En: Registrar to the heir apparent · Title Zh: 世子主簿
Explicit · songshu:069:s0010
Title En: Staff Officer to the Chancellor of State · Title Zh: 相國參軍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0012
Title En: Staff Officer to the Grand Commandant · Title Zh: 太尉參軍
Explicit · songshu:069:s0010
Title En: fifth-grade male of Anzhong County · Title Zh: 安眾縣五等男
Explicit · songshu:069:s0004

Places and affiliations

Polity Id: liu-song · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · songshu:071:s0029
Polity Id: liu-song · Relation: served
Explicit · songshu:073:s0259
Nieyang in Nanyang / 南陽涅陽
Explicit · songshu:069:s0002

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Xie Hongwei (謝弘微)
Explicit · songshu:058:s0093, songshu:058:s0094

Events and relationships

Type: father · Target Temp Person Key: liu-an · Note: eldest son
Explicit · songshu:069:s0033
Type: father · Target Temp Person Key: liu-yan-s0033 · Note: second son
Explicit · songshu:069:s0033
Type: father · Target Temp Person Key: liu-yan-s0092 · Note: younger son named 儼, distinct from 琰
Explicit · songshu:069:s0092
Type: father · Target Temp Person Key: liu-liang · Note: younger son
Explicit · songshu:069:s0092
Type: grandson · Target Temp Person Key: liu-dan-dan · Note: Unknown
Explicit · songshu:069:s0003
Type: adopted-son-and-nephew · Target Temp Person Key: liu-dan-tan · Note: Unknown
Explicit · songshu:069:s0004
Type: son · Target Temp Person Key: liu-liu · Note: Unknown
Explicit · songshu:069:s0003
Type: older-brother · Target Temp Person Key: liu-su · Note: Unknown
Explicit · songshu:069:s0093
Relation: appealed-to · Person Id: Prince Yikang of Pengcheng (彭城王義康) · Purpose: remove Yan Yanzhi
Explicit · songshu:073:s0045

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: judged Yan Yanzhi's verses insolent and became furious · Other Person Id: Yan Yanzhi (顏延年) · Provenance: Mode: narrative-report · Source Person Id: Liu Zhan (劉湛)
Explicit · songshu:073:s0051

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · songshu:071:s0029

References in the histories

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

Book of Song, Chapter 58Volume 58 Biographies 18: Wang Hui, Xie Hongwei, Wang Qiu · 6 passages

太祖即位，為黃門侍郎，與王華、王曇首、殷景仁、劉湛等號曰五臣。 When the Grand Ancestor took the throne, he became Palace Attendant of the Yellow Gates; with Wang Hua, Wang Tanshou, Yin Jingren, and Liu Zhan he was called one of the Five Ministers.

弘微舅子領軍將軍劉湛性不堪其非，謂弘微曰：「天下事宜有裁衷。 Hongwei's nephew by marriage, Liu Zhan, General of the Forward Armies, could not abide such conduct and told Hongwei, "Affairs under Heaven ought to be judged with balance.

弘微臨終，語左右曰：「有二封書，須劉領軍至，可於前燒之，慎勿開也。」 On his deathbed Hongwei told those beside him, "There are two sealed letters; when General Liu arrives, burn them in his presence—do not open them."

尚書僕射殷景仁、領軍劉湛並執重權，傾動內外，球雖通家姻戚，未嘗往來。 Vice Director Yin Jingren and Forward Armies General Liu Zhan both wielded great power and swayed the court; though Qiu was connected to them by marriage, he never called on them.

兄子履進利為行，深結劉湛，委誠大將軍彭城王義康，與劉斌、孔胤秀等並有異志，球每訓厲，不納。 His nephew Lü was greedy and ambitious; he attached himself to Liu Zhan, pledged loyalty to Prince Yikang of Pengcheng, and with Liu Bin, Kong Yinxiu, and others harbored treasonous designs; Qiu admonished him repeatedly, but he would not listen.

及湛誅之夕，履徒跣告球。 On the night Liu Zhan was executed, Lü came barefoot to warn Qiu.

Book of Song, Chapter 69Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye · 45 passages

列傳第二十九劉湛范曄 Biography 29: Liu Zhan and Fan Ye

劉湛，字弘仁，南陽涅陽人也。 Liu Zhan, courtesy name Hongren, was a native of Nieyang in Nanyang.

湛出繼伯父淡，襲封安眾縣五等男。 Zhan was adopted out to his uncle Liu Dan, written 淡, and succeeded to the fifth-grade marquisate of Anzhong County.

高祖領鎮西將軍、荊州刺史，以湛為功曹，仍補治中別駕從事史，復為太尉參軍，世子征虜西中郎主簿。 When Gaozu served as General Who Pacifies the West and Governor of Jing Province, he appointed Zhan Merit Officer, then also made him Registrar of the Headquarters, Separate-Chariot Master of Records, and Attending Clerk; Zhan later served again as Staff Officer to the Grand Commandant and as Registrar to the heir apparent, General Who Conquers the Barbarians, Western Center-Rank Commandant.

以湛為長史、梁郡太守。 He appointed Zhan Chief Clerk and Grand Administrator of Liang Commandery.

義康弱年未親政，府州軍事悉委湛。 Yikang was still young and did not administer affairs himself; Zhan was entrusted with all military affairs of the prefecture and province.

府進號右將軍，仍隨府轉。 When the headquarters was promoted to General of the Right, Zhan transferred with it as before.

義康以本號徙為南豫州，湛改領歷陽太守。 When Yikang was transferred to Southern Yu Province under his existing title, Zhan was reassigned to serve concurrently as Grand Administrator of Liyang.

廬陵王義真出為車騎將軍、南豫州刺史，湛又為長史，太守如故。 When Prince of Luling Yizhen was sent out as General of Chariots and Cavalry and Governor of Southern Yu Province, Zhan again became his Chief Clerk while retaining his post as Grand Administrator.

義真時居高祖憂，使帳下備膳，湛禁之，義真乃使左右索魚肉珍羞，於齋內別立廚帳。 Yizhen was then observing mourning for Gaozu and had his attendants prepare meals, but Zhan forbade it; Yizhen then had his men procure fish, meat, and delicacies and set up a separate kitchen tent within the mourning compound.

會湛入，因命臑酒炙車螯，湛正色曰：「公當今不宜有此設。」 When Zhan came in, Yizhen ordered cured meats, wine, roast crab, and other delicacies. Zhan said sternly, "Your Highness ought not have such provisions at a time like this."

酒既至，湛因起曰：「既不能以禮自處，又不能以禮處人。」 When the wine was served, Zhan rose and said, "You cannot keep ritual discipline yourself, and you cannot treat others with ritual propriety either."

撫軍將軍江夏王義恭鎮江陵，以湛為使持節、南蠻校尉、領撫軍長史，行府州事。 When Yigong, Prince of Jiangxia and general who pacifies the army, garrisoned Jiangling, he made Zhan envoy holding the tally, colonel of the Southern Man, concurrently chief clerk to the general who pacifies the army, with acting authority over headquarters and provincial affairs.

時王弘輔政，而王華、王曇首任事居中，湛自謂才能不後之，不願外出； At that time Wang Hong assisted in government, while Wang Hua and Wang Tanshou held office at court. Zhan considered his talents no less than theirs and did not wish to be sent out;

湛負其志氣，常慕汲黯、崔琰為人，故名長子曰黯字長孺，第二子曰琰字季珪。 Proud of his own spirit, Zhan often admired the examples of Ji An and Cui Yan; he therefore named his eldest son An, courtesy name Changru, and his second son Yan, courtesy name Jigui.

琰於江陵病卒，湛求自送喪還都，義恭亦為之陳請。 When Yan died of illness at Jiangling, Zhan asked permission to escort the coffin back to the capital himself, and Yigong also petitioned on his behalf.

太祖答義恭曰：「吾亦得湛啟事，為之酸懷，乃不欲苟違所請。 Emperor Taizu replied to Yigong, "I too have received Zhan's memorial, and it pains me; I do not wish lightly to refuse his request.

今答湛啟，權停彼葬。 In my reply to Zhan's memorial I have provisionally deferred the burial there.

頃朝臣零落相係，寄懷轉寡，湛實國器，吾乃欲引其令還，直以西夏任重，要且停此事耳。 Court ministers have been dying off one after another, and I have fewer men in whom I can place my hopes. Zhan is truly a pillar of the state, and I had intended to recall him—but the western command is too weighty a responsibility, so for now I must put off this matter.

義恭性甚狷隘，年又漸長，欲專政事，每為湛所裁，主佐之間，嫌隙遂構。 Yigong was narrow-minded by nature, and as he grew older he wished to monopolize administrative affairs, but Zhan repeatedly checked him; resentment thus grew between prince and chief clerk.

太祖聞之，密遣使詰讓義恭，并使深加諧緝。 When Taizu heard of this, he secretly sent an envoy to rebuke Yigong and ordered him to restore harmony with Zhan.

義恭具陳湛無居下之禮，又自以年長，未得行意，雖奉詔旨，頗有怨言。 Yigong detailed how Zhan failed to observe the deference owed by a subordinate, and complained that, though he was the elder, he could not have his way; despite obeying the imperial order, he harbored considerable resentment.

先是，王華既亡，曇首又卒，領軍將軍殷景仁以時賢零落，白太祖徴湛。 Earlier, after Wang Hua died and Wang Tanshou passed away as well, General of the Palace Guard Yin Jingren, seeing that talented men were dying off, reported to Taizu recommending that Zhan be summoned to court.

八年，召為太子詹事，加給事中、本州大中正，與景仁竝被任遇。 In the eighth year Zhan was summoned to serve as Household Mentor to the Heir Apparent, with additional appointments as Attendant Within the Gates and Grand Rectifier of his native province; Zhan and Jingren were both favored at court.

湛常云：「今世宰相何難，此政可當我南陽郡漢世功曹耳。」 Zhan often said, "What difficulty is there in being chancellor today? The post is no more demanding than the Merit Officer of Nanyang Commandery in Han times."

明年，景仁轉尚書僕射、領選、護軍將軍，湛代為領軍將軍。 The following year Jingren was transferred to Vice Director of the Masters of Writing, with charge of personnel selection, and appointed General Who Protects the Army; Zhan replaced him as General of the Palace Guard.

湛與景仁素款，又以其建議徴之，甚相感說。 Zhan and Jingren had long been on friendly terms, and Zhan was deeply grateful because Jingren had recommended his summons to court.

及俱被時遇，猜隙漸生，以景仁專管內任，謂為間己。 Once both were favored at court, suspicion gradually arose between them; Zhan resented that Jingren monopolized inner-court affairs and saw this as an attempt to shut him out.

時彭城王義康專秉朝權，而湛昔為上佐，遂以舊情委心自結，欲因宰相之力以回主心，傾黜景仁，獨當時務。 At that time Prince of Pengcheng Yikang monopolized court power. Zhan, who had once served as his chief aide, entrusted himself to Yikang out of old affection, hoping to use the prince's power to sway the emperor, bring down Jingren, and handle state affairs alone.

義康僚屬及湛諸附隸潛相約勒，無敢歷殷氏門者。 Yikang's staff and all of Zhan's followers secretly agreed among themselves that none would dare visit the Yin household.

湛黨劉敬文父成未悟其機，詣景仁求郡，敬文遽往謝湛曰：「老父悖耄，遂就殷鐵干祿。 Liu Cheng, father of Zhan's follower Liu Jingwen, failed to grasp the situation and went to Jingren to request a commandery appointment. Jingwen hurried to apologize to Zhan, saying, "My old father is senile and has gone to Yin Tie, that is, Yin Jingren, to seek an office for profit.

義康擅勢專朝，威傾內外，湛愈推崇之，無復人臣之禮，上稍不能平。 Yikang usurped power and dominated the court, his authority overwhelming both court and realm. Zhan flattered him ever more extravagantly and no longer observed the deference owed by a subject, and the emperor grew increasingly displeased.

湛初入朝，委任甚重，日夕引接，恩禮綢繆。 When Zhan first came to court, he was entrusted with weighty responsibilities; the emperor received him morning and evening with thick favor and courtesy.

每入雲龍門，御者便解駕，左右及羽儀隨意分散，不夕不出，以此為常。 Whenever Zhan entered the Cloud-Dragon Gate, the imperial driver would unhitch the carriage; attendants and ceremonial guards would disperse at will, and Zhan would not leave until evening—this became his routine.

及至晚節，驅煽義康，凌轢朝廷，上意雖內離，而接遇不改。 In his later years he incited Yikang and rode roughshod over the court. Though the emperor inwardly turned against him, his outward treatment of Zhan did not change.

上嘗謂所親曰：「劉班初自西還，吾與語，常看日早晚，慮其當去。 The emperor once said to his intimates, "When Liu Zhan, whom I called Ban, first returned from the west, whenever I talked with him I kept watching the sun, afraid he would leave.

湛小字班虎，故云班也。 Zhan's childhood name was Banhu, hence the emperor called him Ban.

十七年，所生母亡。 In the seventeenth year Zhan's birth mother died.

時上與義康形跡既乖，釁難將結，湛亦知無復全地。 By then the emperor and Yikang had already grown estranged, and disaster was imminent; Zhan too knew he could no longer survive unscathed.

及至丁艱，謂所親曰：「今年必敗。 When Zhan entered mourning, he told his intimates, "This year I am sure to be ruined.

十月，詔曰：「劉湛階藉門廕，少叨榮位，往佐歷陽，姧詖夙著。 In the tenth month an edict declared, "Liu Zhan, relying on his family's rank and privilege, early gained honored office; when he formerly served at Liyang, his treachery and perversity were already well known.

湛弟素，黃門侍郎，徙廣州。 Zhan's younger brother Su, a Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gate, was banished to Guang Province.

湛初被收，歎曰：「便是亂邪。」 When Zhan was first arrested, he sighed and said, "So there will be disorder after all."

湛生女輒殺之，為士流所怪。 Zhan killed every daughter born to him, which the gentry found shocking.

劉湛識用才能，實苞經國之略，豈不知移弟為臣，則君臣之道用； Liu Zhan's insight and talent truly encompassed the strategy to govern a state—how could he not know that when a younger brother becomes a subject, the way of ruler and minister applies;

Book of Song, Chapter 70Volume 70 Biographies 30: Yuan Shu · 1 passage

劉湛，淑從母兄也，欲其附己，而淑不以為意，由是大相乖失，以久疾免官。 Liu Zhan, a maternal cousin, wanted Shu at his side, but Shu would not oblige; they fell out sharply, and Shu was dismissed after a long illness.

Book of Song, Chapter 71Volume 71 Biographies 31: Xu Zhan, Jiang Zhan, Wang Sengchao · 3 passages

湛之為大將軍彭城王義康所愛，與劉湛等頗相附協。 Zhanzhi won the favor of Grand General Yikang, Prince of Pengcheng, and aligned himself closely with Liu Tan and his circle.

及劉湛得罪，事連湛之，太祖大怒，將致大辟。 When Liu Tan fell, the case implicated Zhanzhi; Emperor Wen was furious and was about to sentence him to death.

初，劉湛伏誅，殷景仁卒，太祖委任沈演之、庾炳之、范曄等，後又有江湛、何瑀之。 After Liu Tan was executed and Yin Jingren died, Emperor Wen entrusted Shen Yanzhi, Yu Bingzhi, Fan Ye, and others; later Jiang Zhan and He Yuzhi joined them.

Book of Song, Chapter 73Volume 73 Biographies 33: Yan Yanzhi · 7 passages

延之好酒疎誕，不能斟酌當世，見劉湛、殷景仁專當要任，意有不平，常云：「天下之務，當與天下共之，豈一人之智所能獨了！」 Yanzhi drank heavily and was blunt and eccentric, ill suited to court the times. Seeing Liu Zhan and Yin Jingren monopolize power, he grew resentful and would say, "The empire's business should be the empire's business—can one man's wit settle it all?"

謂湛曰：「吾名器不升，當由作卿家吏。」 He told Liu Zhan, "My rank never rises—no doubt because I once served as a clerk in your household."

湛深恨焉，言於彭城王義康，出為永嘉太守。 Zhan hated this deeply and spoke to Prince Yikang of Pengcheng; Yanzhi was sent out as Administrator of Yongjia.

湛及義康以其辭旨不遜，大怒。 Zhan and Yikang, taking his verses as insolent, were furious.

殷、劉意咸無異也。」 Yin and Liu were of the same mind."

晉恭思皇后葬，應須百官，湛之取義熙元年除身，以延之兼侍中。 For the burial of Empress Gongsi of Jin, all officials were required to attend. Zhan dug up Yanzhi's appointment record from the first year of Yixi (405) and made him concurrent Attendant-in-Ordinary.

劉湛誅，起延之為始興王濬後軍諮議參軍，御史中丞。 After Liu Zhan was executed, Yanzhi was appointed Consultant of the Rear Army to Prince Shixing Liu Jun and Censor-in-Chief.