Overview
Liu Zhang was a Royal Family Member.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|
| Posthumous name |
Prince Jing of Chengyang |
城陽景王 |
Chengyang Jing Wang |
Life and dates
Age
Attested activity
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
Career and standing
Marquis of Zhuxu 朱虛侯
Enfeoffed
Works and attributed material
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment feared by Lü clan; ministers relied on him · Mode narrative
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Han, Chapter 47Volume 38: The Five Sons of Emperor Gao · 13 passages
王乃為歌詩四章，令樂人歌之。
In his grief he wrote four songs and had the court musicians perform them.
齊悼惠王子，前後凡九人為王：太子襄為齊哀王，次子章為城陽景王，興居為濟北王，將閭為齊王，志為濟北王，辟光為濟南王，賢為菑川王，卬為膠西王，雄渠為膠東王。
Prince Daohui of Qi left nine sons who in turn received royal titles: the crown prince Xiang became Prince Ai of Qi; Liu Zhang became Prince Jing of Chengyang; Liu Xingju, king of Jibei; Liu Jianglü, king of Qi; Liu Zhi, again king of Jibei; Liu Piguang of Jinan; Liu Xian of Zichuan; Liu Ang of Jiaoxi; and Liu Xiongqu of Jiaodong.
明年，哀王弟章入宿衛於漢，高后封為朱虛侯，以呂祿女妻之。
The next year Liu Zhang, the prince's younger brother, entered guard service at the Han court; Empress Dowager Lü enfeoffed him as Marquis of Zhuxu and married him to Lü Lu's daughter.
後四年，封章弟興居為東牟侯，皆宿衛長安。
Four years later she enfeoffed Liu Xingju, Zhang's younger brother, as Marquis of Dongmou; both brothers served on guard duty in Chang'an.
章年二十，有氣力，忿劉氏不得職。
Liu Zhang was twenty, strong and hot-tempered, and bitter that real power lay not with the house of Liu.
嘗入侍燕飲，高后令章為酒吏。
On one occasion he attended one of Empress Lü's feasts, and she put him in charge of the wine.
章自請曰：「臣，將種也，請得以軍法行酒。」
He volunteered: "I am a soldier's son. Permit me to enforce the drinking rules as if we were under military law."
酒酣，章進歌舞，已而曰：「請為太后言耕田。」
When the wine was warm, Zhang advanced song and dance, and afterward said: "I beg to speak to the empress dowager of plowing fields."
章曰：「臣知之。」
"I know it," said Liu Zhang.
章曰：「深耕穊種，立苗欲疏；
"Plow deep and sow thick," he began; "set the seedlings far apart—
頃之，諸呂有一人醉，亡酒，章追，拔劍斬之，而還報曰：「有亡酒一人，臣謹行軍法斬之。」
Presently one of the Lü guests broke the rules and tried to slip away. Liu Zhang ran him down, cut off his head, and reported back: "One man deserted his cup. I have executed him under military law."
自是後，諸呂憚章，雖大臣皆依朱虛侯。
After that the Lü clan feared Liu Zhang, and even senior ministers looked to the Marquis of Zhuxu for leadership.
章以呂祿女為婦，知其謀，乃使人陰出告其兄齊王，欲令發兵西，朱虛侯、東牟侯欲從中與大臣為內應，以誅諸呂，因立齊王為帝。
Because Zhang was married to Lü Lu's daughter, he learned of the conspiracy and secretly warned his brother, the king of Qi, urging him to march west while he and his cousin, the Marquis of Dongmou, coordinated with loyal ministers inside the capital to extirpate the Lü and set the king of Qi on the throne.