Xiao Liu (蕭柳) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xiao Liu was a general, Official, and Poet.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Tumen	徒門	Tumen

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passages 76-77

Attested activity

AD 999 十七年
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 85, passages 58-59
AD 983 to AD 1012 統和中
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 85, passage 57

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Aguzhi (阿骨只)
fifth-generation descendant 五世孫 · paternal line · 5 generations
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 55
Child of Father of Xiao Liu
father 父
Strongly inferred · History of Liao 85, passage 56
Kin of Paiya (排押)
paternal uncle 伯父 · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 56
Kin of Xiao Hengde (蕭恒德)
paternal uncle 叔父 · paternal line
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 57

Career and standing

Commander of the Four Armies 四軍兵馬都指揮使
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 65
Commander of the Northern Jurchen 北女直詳穩
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 66
Eastern Route Commander-in-Chief 東路統軍使
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 67
Retired
Retirement
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 72

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 55

Works and attributed material

Winters Cold 歲寒集
Relation Author
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 78
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passages 59, 61, 70, 74-76

Events and relationships

Charged
AD 999 十七年 · Military · Vanguard · With Yelü Longqing (耶律隆慶)
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passages 59, 62-64

Assessments and attributes

Assessment liked jesting; contemporaries likened him to a court entertainer · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Liao 85, passage 73

References in the histories

Search passages

History

10 passages

History of Liao, Chapter 85Volume 85 Biographies 15: Xiao Talin, Xiao Guanyinnu, Yelu Tizi, Yelu Xieli, Yelu Nugua, Xiao Liu, Gao Xun, Xi Heshuonu, Xiao Taliege, Yelu Sahe · 10 passages

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蕭撻凜蕭觀音奴耶律題子耶律諧理耶律奴瓜蕭柳高勛奚和朔奴蕭塔列葛耶律撒合 Xiao Talin, Xiao Guanyinnu, Yelu Tizi, Yelu Xieli, Yelu Nugua, Xiao Liu, Gao Xun, Xi Heshuonu, Xiao Taliege, and Yelu Sahe.

蕭柳，字徒門，淳欽皇后弟阿古只五世孫。 Xiao Liu, whose style name was Tumen, was a fifth-generation descendant of Aguzhi, younger brother of Empress Chunqin.

時皇弟隆慶為先鋒，問諸將佐誰敢當者，柳曰：「若得駿馬，則願為之先。」 The emperor's younger brother Longqing commanded the vanguard and asked which officers would face the enemy formation. Liu said, "Give me a fine warhorse and I will lead the charge."

柳攬轡，謂諸將曰：「陣若動，諸君急攻。」 Liu took the reins and told the other commanders, "When their line stirs, press the attack at once."

柳中流矢，裹創而戰，眾皆披靡。 Liu was struck by a stray arrow, bound the wound, and kept fighting until the enemy ranks collapsed.

時排押留守東京，奏柳為四軍兵馬都指揮使。 Paiya was then regent at the Eastern Capital and memorialized to appoint Liu Commander of the Four Armies.

柳曰：「壯士安懼此！」 Liu said, "What sort of brave man shrinks from this!"

柳好滑稽，雖君臣燕飲，詼諧無所忌，時人比之俳優。 Liu loved jesting; even at formal banquets between emperor and ministers his wit knew no bounds, and contemporaries likened him to a court entertainer.

耶律觀音奴集柳所著詩千篇，目曰《歲寒集》。 Yelu Guanyinnu collected a thousand of Liu's poems into a collection titled 《Winters Cold》.

論曰：遼在統和間，數舉兵伐宋，諸將如耶律諧理、奴瓜、蕭柳等俱有降城擒將之功。 Commentary: During the Tonghe era Liao repeatedly campaigned against Song, and commanders such as Yelu Xieli, Yelu Nugua, and Xiao Liu all won renown for compelling cities to submit and capturing enemy generals.