Overview
Liu Wu was a Western Han prince and ruler of Liang.
PeriodQin and Han
IdentityHistorical · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Posthumous name | King Xiao | 孝王 | Xiàowáng |
Life and dates
Death
- BC 144 六月中，病熱，六日薨Cause fever 病熱Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 58
- BC 144 中六年四月Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 79
- BC 144 中六年夏四月Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 129
- BC 151 六年Textual variant · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 46
- BC 144 六月中died of fever after six days 病熱，六日卒Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 80
- BC 144 會梁孝王薨Expression died 薨Directly stated · Book of Han 66, passage 8
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- died 卒Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 108, passage 60
Attested activity
- BC 184 to BC 144 梁孝王Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 68
- BC 180 to BC 157 Western Han Emperor Wen eraStrongly inferred · History of Liao 109, passage 20
- BC 144 三十五年冬…六月中…卒Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 76, 80
- BC 144 三十五年冬Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 54
- BC 144 中六年四月Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 79-80
- BC 144 中六年夏四月Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 129
Show 18 more source-backed claims
- BC 150 二十九年十月Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 28; Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 50
- BC 157 二十二年，文帝崩Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 9
- BC 151 六年Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 46
- BC 144 六月中，病熱，六日薨Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 58
- BC 154 其春，七國反Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 16
- BC 154 吳楚七國反Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 32, 34
- BC 154 吳楚反時Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 108, passage 4
- BC 178 孝文二年Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 56, passage 3
- BC 168 孝文帝之十二年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 19
- BC 178 孝文帝即位二年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 7
- BC 154 孝景三年Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 57, passage 175
- BC 154 孝景三年七國之亂Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 44, passage 197
- BC 154 to BC 144 書奏梁孝王，孝王使人出之Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
- BC 144 會梁孝王薨Directly stated · Book of Han 66, passage 8
- BC 157 to BC 144 梁孝王…景帝Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 119
- BC 148 梁孝王使人殺故吳相袁盎Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 39
- BC 157 to BC 144 梁孝王來朝Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 66, passage 7
- BC 154 to BC 144 梁孝王時Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passages 153-154
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Ancestor of Yin (音)remote descendant 玄孫之曾孫 · 7 generationsDirectly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 177
- Child of Emperor Wen of Han (漢文帝)begot 生
father 父Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 2; Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 1 - Sibling of Liu Can (劉參)brothers 兄弟 · Full siblings
brothers 兄弟 · Paternal half siblingsSources vary in certainty · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 3-5; Book of Han 56, passage 2 - Sibling of Liu Sheng (劉勝)brothers 兄弟 · Full siblingsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 3-4, 6
- Sibling of Liu Yi (劉揖)brothers 兄弟 · Paternal half siblingsStrongly inferred · Book of Han 56, passages 2, 78
- Sibling of Grand Princess (長公主)elder princess 長公主 · Full siblingsStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 67, 85
- Parent of Liu Mai (劉買)eldest son 長子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 87
- Child of Empress Dowager (太后)empress dowager 太后Strongly inferred · Book of Han 46, passage 125
- Child of Father of King Xiao of Liangfather 父Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 108, passage 14
- Child of Empress Dowager Dou (竇太后)gave birth to 生
mother 母
youngest son 少子 - Parent of Liu Mai (買)son 子
King Gong succeeded 共王即位Sources vary in certainty · Book of Han 56, passage 85; Records of the Grand Historian 108, passage 60 - Sibling of Emperor Jing of Han (漢景帝)King Xiao of Liang 梁孝王 · Paternal half siblingsStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 1, 79
- Child of Empress Dowager (太后)son 子
mother 母Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 47 - Spouse of Queen of Liang (梁王后)queen 王后 · Primary marriageDirectly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 41
- Sibling of Emperor Jing (孝景帝)same mother 同母 · Maternal half siblingsStrongly inferred · Book of Han 56, passage 2
- Sibling of Emperor Jing (孝景帝)same mother 同母 · Full siblingsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 1
- Parent of Liu Ming (劉明)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 85, 88
- Parent of Liu Pengli (劉彭離)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 85, 89
- Parent of Liu Ding (劉定)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 85, 90
- Parent of Liu Bushi (劉不識)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 85, 91
- Parent of Liu Pengli (彭離)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 80; Book of Han 56, passage 85
- Parent of Liu Bushi (不識)son 子Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 85; Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 80
- Parent of Liu Ding (定)son 子Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 85
- Parent of Liu Ming (明)son 子Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 85; Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 80
- Parent of Liu Ding (定)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 80
- Spouse of Empress Dowager Li (李太后)wife 妻Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 97
- Sibling of Emperor Jing (景帝)younger brother by the same mother 母弟 · Full siblings · maternal lineDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 108, passage 7
- Kinship Role daughters · Count 5Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 63; Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 85
- Kinship Role sons · Count 5
Key source chapters
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 58 House of Prince Xiao of Liang 51 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 56 Volume 47: The Three Sons of Emperor Wen 29 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 108 Biography of Han Changru 16 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 83 Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang 7 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 11 Annals of the Xiaojing Emperor 3 passages
Career and standing
- King of Dai 代王BC 178 孝文帝即位二年 · EnfeoffedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 7
- King of Dai 代王Enfeoffed · From Source Date: Text: 孝文二年 · Western Year: BC 178Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passages 3-4
- King of Huaiyang 淮陽王BC 176 二歲，徙代王為淮陽王 · TransferredDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 8
- King of Liang 梁王BC 168 孝文帝之十二年 · TransferredDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 18-19
- King of Liang 梁王Transferred · From Source Date: Text: 十二年 · Western Year: BC 167Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passages 4, 83
- King of Huaiyang 淮陽王Transferred · From Source Date: Text: 四年 · Western Year: BC 175Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 4
Show 4 more source-backed claims
- Title En King of Dai · Title Zh 代王Directly stated · Book of Han 5, passage 107
- King of Liang 梁王HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 46
- King Xiao of Liang 梁孝王HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
- OrderedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 154
Places and affiliations
- Liang 梁Relation RuledDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
- Western Han 漢Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 66, passage 7
- Polity Western Han 漢 · Relation Enfeoffed underDirectly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 3
- At Suiyang 睢陽 · Relation Resided at
Events and relationships
- Defended Liang against Wu and Chu and repeatedly requested Zhou Yafu’s aidDirectly stated · Book of Han 44, passages 197-199
- Defended Suiyang against Wu and ChuBC 154 吳楚七國反 · Military · Defender · At Suiyang 睢陽Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 34, 36
- DefendedBC 154 七國反 · Military · Defender · At Suiyang 睢陽Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 17
- Had killedDirectly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 119
- Ordered assassination of Yuan Ang and other ministersDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 60
- Ordered releaseBC 154 to BC 144 孝王使人出之，卒為上客 · Legal · Authority · With Zou Yang (鄒陽) · Outcome Made Zou Yang an honored guestDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
Show 4 more source-backed claims
- Sent assassins to kill Yuan AngDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 39
- Relation Patron of · Person Zou Yang (鄒陽)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
- Relation Patron of · Person Yang Sheng (羊勝)Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 25
- Relation Patron of · Person Gongsun Gui (公孫詭)Directly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 26
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment filial and devoted to the empress dowager · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passage 81
- Assessment presumptuous in adopting imperial pomp · Mode historian-judgment Speaker Sima Qian (司馬遷)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 138-139
- Assessment relied on kinship without satiety · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 181
- Item bin-vessel worth a thousand gold 膑尊 · Relation PossessedDirectly stated · Book of Han 56, passage 190
- Item lei zun vessel 罍樽 · Relation Possessed · worth a thousand catties of gold; ordered descendants not to give it awayDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 58, passages 101-102
Source notes
- death recorded in year 6 and again as King Xiao of Liang in middle year 6Field death-dateDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 46, 79
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 235
- historical figure of the Han dynasty invoked as a rhetorical precedentDirectly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 68
- cited by Yuanhai as a precedent for a prince who, fearing execution, entered the passes to submit to the throneDirectly stated · Book of Northern Qi 14, passage 68
References in the histories
119 passages
No matching passages.