Biography
Early life
Liu Yan was from Jingling, Jiangxia Commandery (present-day Tianmen, Hubei).
He was a descendant of Liu Yu, Prince Gong of Lu, who was a son of Emperor Jing of Han.
During the Yuanhe era (84-87 CE) of Emperor Zhang, Liu Yu’s branch was moved to Jingling.
Early service
When Liu Yan was young, he served in the commanderies and provinces.
Because of his imperial clan status, he was appointed Gentleman of the Palace.
In 160 CE, the third year of Yanxi, because his teacher Zhu Tian (Minister over the Masses during Emperor Huan’s reign) died, Liu Yan left office and lectured and taught at Yangcheng Mountain.
Later, he was recommended as a man of outstanding ability and incorruptibility and was summoned by the Minister over the Masses’ office.
He successively served as Magistrate of Luoyang, Inspector of Ji Province, Administrator of Nanyang, Director of the Imperial Clan, and Minister over the Masses.
Proposing “abolish inspectors and establish governors”
In 188 CE, the fifth year of Zhongping, Liu Yan witnessed the chaos of the court and the decline of the royal house under Emperor Ling.
He therefore suggested to the court: “Inspectors and Administrators bribe to buy office and exploit the people, causing widespread rebellion. We should select those among the important court officials who are honest and upright to serve as regional governors and commandery administrators to pacify and stabilize the realm.”
He himself requested to serve as Governor of Jiao Province, wanting to use this to escape the chaos of the world.
Becoming Governor of Yi Province
At that time, Xi Jian, Inspector of Yi Province, was greatly enriching himself in Yi Province, and corruption was widespread.
Liu Yan, who had originally wanted to take Jiao Province to escape disaster, heard from Dong Fu, Palace Attendant, that Yi Province had the qi of the Son of Heaven.
He changed his request to the court to become Governor of Yi Province.
Therefore, Liu Yan was appointed Supervisor of the Army and Governor of Yi Province, enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangcheng, and ordered to go to Yi Province to arrest Xi Jian and rectify the administration.
Dong Fu requested to serve as Commandant of the Western Dependent State of Shu Commandery.
Zhao Wei, Director of the Grand Granary, also abandoned office and followed Liu Yan.
Entering Yi Province
Because the roads were blocked, Liu Yan temporarily stayed at the eastern border of Qianwei.
At that time, the rebel Ma Xiang and Zhao Zhi called themselves Yellow Turbans.
They first killed Li Sheng, Magistrate of Mianzhu, then attacked Luoxian and killed Xi Jian.
Ma Xiang called himself the Son of Heaven and killed Zhao Bu, Administrator of Ba Commandery.
Soon after, he was defeated by Jia Long, an official of Yi Province, who organized troops.
Jia Long therefore welcomed Liu Yan into Yi Province.
The seat of government was established at Mianzhu County.
Governing Yi Province
After Liu Yan took office, he appointed Jia Long as Commandant and moved him to live in Mianzhu.
Liu Yan pacified and accepted those who had fled and rebelled and implemented a policy of great tolerance and favour.
However, he had other plans in his heart.
Relationship with Zhang Lu
Zhang Lu, leader of the “Way of the Five Pecks of Rice,” had a mother who was beautiful and understood demonic teachings.
She had dealings with Liu Yan’s family.
Liu Yan therefore appointed Zhang Lu as Major Who Supervises Righteousness and had him attack Hanzhong Commandery together with Zhang Xiu, Major of Separate Command.
They killed Su Gu, Administrator of Hanzhong.
After Zhang Lu gained power in Hanzhong, he killed Zhang Xiu, cut off communications, and killed Han envoys.
The Liu and Zhang families therefore became enemies.
Liu Yan used the excuse that the “rice bandits” were causing chaos and blocking communications to cut off contact with the central court.
Suppressing local magnates
He further attacked local magnates internally and found reasons to kill more than ten people, including Wang Xian and Li Quan, to consolidate his own power.
Yi Province was therefore in a semi-independent state.
When the various lords of the realm campaigned against the powerful minister Dong Zhuo, Liu Yan also refused to send troops and guarded his province.
The rebellion of Ren Qi and Jia Long
In 191 CE, the second year of Chuping, Ren Qi, Administrator of Qianwei, was dissatisfied with Liu Yan’s killing of magnates in the province.
He therefore called himself a general and raised troops together with Chen Chao, an official, to attack Liu Yan.
Dong Zhuo ordered Zhao Qian to lead troops toward Yi Province and persuade Jia Long to raise troops and attack Liu Yan.
Ren Qi and Jia Long set fire to Chengdu.
Liu Yan sent Qingqiang troops to meet them and killed Ren Qi and Jia Long.
Making imperial carriages
After this, Liu Yan became increasingly arrogant.
He made more than a thousand imperial carriages (the carriages used by the Son of Heaven), arrogating the position of the supreme ruler.
Later, Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, submitted a memorial to the court saying that Liu Yan “was like Zixia at Xihe doubting the words of the sage” (meaning he was plotting rebellion).
The Eastern Province troops
Under the chaos of the Central Plain, tens of thousands of households of refugees from Nanyang and Sanfu entered Yi Province.
Liu Yan accepted them all and called them the “Eastern Province troops.”
This military force, after Liu Zhang succeeded, although it invaded and harmed the people and caused many problems, and even some participated in rebellion, also became the decisive force in pacifying Zhao Wei’s internal rebellion.
Death
Liu Yan had four sons.
His eldest son Liu Fan, Gentleman of the Palace; his second son Liu Dan, Palace Writer; and his youngest son Liu Zhang, Cavalry Commandant, all remained in the capital following Emperor Xian.
Only his third son Liu Mao, Major of Separate Command, followed Liu Yan.
The plot with Ma Teng
Liu Yan learned that the younger sister of Wu Yi of Chenliu had the appearance of great nobility.
He therefore had Liu Mao marry Lady Wu.
Liu Yan was in Yi Province and did not follow the orders of Dong Zhuo, the powerful minister.
Dong Zhuo therefore arrested Liu Fan and his two brothers and privately set up a prison in Meiwu to imprison them.
Later, Liu Yan claimed to be ill and requested to summon Liu Zhang.
Liu Zhang also submitted a memorial requesting to visit Liu Yan.
Emperor Xian therefore sent Liu Zhang to take an edict into Shu to instruct Liu Yan.
As a result, Liu Yan kept him and did not let him return to the court.
The failed attack on Chang’an
In 194 CE, the first year of Xingping, Ma Teng, General Who Conquers the West, had a private matter to ask of Li Jue, the powerful minister, but it was not approved.
He therefore plotted with Liu Yan and Liu Fan to attack Chang’an.
Liu Fan and others secretly plotted to be Ma Teng’s internal allies, but the matter was exposed.
Liu Fan fled to Ma Teng’s camp and requested Liu Yan to send troops.
Liu Yan sent Sun Zhao, Commandant, to lead five thousand troops to assist.
As a result, they were defeated.
Liu Fan died at Changpingguan (some sources say Liu Fan fled to Huaili and was killed after the city fell).
Liu Dan was also implicated and killed.
Final days
Pang Xi, a Gentleman of the Palace, was related to Liu Yan’s family.
He therefore took the initiative to send several of Liu Yan’s grandsons into Shu.
At this time, a great fire broke out in Mianzhu.
Liu Yan’s city residence was burned, and all the carriages he had made were burned.
The surrounding people’s houses were also damaged.
Liu Yan had no choice but to move the provincial seat to Chengdu.
Because he was sad about his two dead sons and worried about disaster, he soon died of a back abscess.
Personality
Liu Yan was known for being ambitious and opportunistic.
He took advantage of the chaos of the realm to establish an independent regime in Yi Province.
He was also known for being ruthless in suppressing local magnates and for his ambition to become emperor.
Military achievements
Suppressing rebellions
Liu Yan suppressed the rebellions of Ren Qi and Jia Long and killed them.
Establishing independent regime
Liu Yan established an independent regime in Yi Province that lasted until his son Liu Zhang surrendered to Liu Bei in 214 CE.
Relationships
With Dong Fu
Dong Fu told Liu Yan that Yi Province had the qi of the Son of Heaven, which influenced Liu Yan’s decision to request to become Governor of Yi Province.
With Zhang Lu
Liu Yan initially had a good relationship with Zhang Lu and appointed him as Major Who Supervises Righteousness.
However, after Zhang Lu gained power in Hanzhong, he cut off communications and killed Han envoys, causing the two families to become enemies.
With Liu Zhang
Liu Yan had Liu Zhang stay in Yi Province and did not let him return to the court.
After Liu Yan died, Liu Zhang succeeded as Governor of Yi Province.
Anecdotes
The proposal to abolish inspectors and establish governors
Liu Yan’s proposal to “abolish inspectors and establish governors” had a major impact on Chinese history.
The court adopted this suggestion, but the result was the formation of regional warlords.
Including Liu Yan, the governors who took office basically no longer came under the court’s control.
Hearing about the qi of the Son of Heaven
When Dong Fu told Liu Yan that Yi Province had the qi of the Son of Heaven, Liu Yan changed his request from Jiao Province to Yi Province.
This shows his ambition and his belief in omens.
Making imperial carriages
Liu Yan made more than a thousand imperial carriages, showing his ambition to become emperor.
This caused Liu Biao to submit a memorial to the court accusing him of plotting rebellion.
The great fire at Mianzhu
When a great fire broke out in Mianzhu, Liu Yan’s city residence and all the carriages he had made were burned.
This was seen as a sign of Heaven’s disapproval of his ambition.
Achievements
- Proposed “abolish inspectors and establish governors”
- Established independent regime in Yi Province
- Suppressed local magnates
- Accepted refugees and formed Eastern Province troops
- Governed Yi Province for six years
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Liu Yan’s biography appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, where he is grouped with Liu Zhang.
The biography records his proposal to establish governors and his establishment of an independent regime.
Impact on history
Liu Yan’s proposal to “abolish inspectors and establish governors” had a major impact on Chinese history.
It led to the formation of regional warlords and contributed to the fall of the Han dynasty.
The independent regime
Liu Yan’s independent regime in Yi Province was one of the earliest and longest-lasting warlord regimes of the Three Kingdoms period.
It lasted from 188 CE until 214 CE, when Liu Zhang surrendered to Liu Bei.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary
Cai Yong said: “Liu Yan pacified and governed with proper methods. His achievements in pacifying distant regions were outstanding.”
Later historians
Chen Shou wrote: “Previously, when Wei Bao heard Xu Fu’s words, he took Bo Ji into his household. When Liu Xin saw the texts of charts and prophecies, he changed his name. In the end, they could not avoid their own deaths, but their fortune was passed to two rulers. This shows that divine intelligence cannot be falsely sought, and the mandate of Heaven cannot be recklessly hoped for. This is inevitable proof. However, Liu Yan heard Dong Fu’s words and set his heart on Yi Province. He heard a physiognomist’s words and sought to marry Lady Wu. He quickly made carriages and clothing and plotted to steal the divine vessels. His delusion was very great.”
Fan Ye wrote: “Liu Yan saw that the times were difficult and first sought a place to escape disaster, hoping to see the signs and act. When the land is vast, the heart of arrogance is born. When wealth is abundant, the feelings of arrogance and extravagance are used. This is certainly the inevitable result for ordinary people.”
Legacy
Liu Yan is remembered as the founder of the independent regime in Yi Province and as the proposer of “abolish inspectors and establish governors.”
His proposal had a major impact on Chinese history, leading to the formation of regional warlords and contributing to the fall of the Han dynasty.
His story represents both ambition and failure—a governor who established an independent regime but whose ambition led to his downfall.
Timeline
- c. 160 CE: Left office after teacher’s death; lectured at Yangcheng Mountain
- c. 165-188 CE: Served as Magistrate of Luoyang, Inspector of Ji Province, Administrator of Nanyang, Director of the Imperial Clan, Minister over the Masses
- 188 CE: Proposed “abolish inspectors and establish governors”; requested to become Governor of Yi Province; appointed Governor of Yi Province; enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangcheng; entered Yi Province; established seat at Mianzhu
- c. 188-191 CE: Appointed Zhang Lu as Major Who Supervises Righteousness; Zhang Lu gained power in Hanzhong and cut off communications
- 191 CE: Suppressed rebellion of Ren Qi and Jia Long; made imperial carriages
- 194 CE: Plotted with Ma Teng to attack Chang’an; Liu Fan and Liu Dan killed; great fire at Mianzhu; moved seat to Chengdu; died of back abscess
See also
References
- Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 31, Biography of the Two Governors of Yi Province.
- Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, various chapters.