Liu Jiao
| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 刘交 |
| Courtesy name | Youchang (游长) |
| INFORMATION | |
| Death Reason | Natural causes |
| FAMILY | |
| Father | |
| Mother | |
| Relatives | |
Biography & Historical Record
Liu Jiao (刘交, Lưu Giao; died 178 BC), courtesy name Youchang (游长), posthumously honored as King Yuan of Chu (楚元王), was an imperial prince, philosopher, and statesman of the early Western Han dynasty. He was the younger brother of founding Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang (刘邦).
Unlike his warlike brother, Liu Jiao was deeply enamored with classical literature and Confucian ethics, studying under the famed scholar Fu Sheng. Following the founding of the Han dynasty in 202 BC, he was enfeoffed as King of Chu, governing Jiangsu and Shandong.
His enlightened reign fostered academic excellence, establishing the Chu school of poetry and the Book of Songs. His distinguished lineage produced prominent scholars and Three Kingdoms figures including Liu Ye (刘晔).
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 14: Cao Wei adviser Liu Ye was a direct descendant of Liu Jiao (King Yuan of Chu), carrying the profound erudition and royal pedigree of the early Han imperial house.
Liu Jiao — Historical & Literary Timeline
c. 250 BC
Early Erudition
Born in Pei County; studies the Confucian classics with leading scholars of the era.
202 BC
Enfeoffed as King of Chu
Appointed King of Chu by Liu Bang following the defeat of Xiang Yu.
178 BC
Death and Enduring Legacy
Passes away in Chu, leaving an enduring cultural and literary school across southern China.
Key Relationships
Family
- Brother Liu Bang (刘邦, Lưu Bang): Elder brother; Emperor Gaozu of Han, founder of the Western Han dynasty.
- Descendant Liu Ye (刘晔, Lưu Diệp): Distinguished descendant; Grand Master of Ceremonies and top strategist for Cao Cao in the Three Kingdoms period.
Friends
- Fu Sheng (伏生, Phục Sinh): Venerable scholar-mentor who preserved the Confucian Classic of History (Shangshu) and taught Liu Jiao.
Enemies
- Xiang Yu (项羽, Hạng Vũ): Hegemon-King of Western Chu; fierce rival who battled Liu Bang and Liu Jiao in the Chu-Han Contention until his death at Gaixia.
Other
- Chen Shou (陈寿, Trần Thọ): Historian who highlighted Liu Jiao’s scholarly lineage in the biographical prefaces of Cao Wei advisers.
In Novel
Chapter 1 (Oath of the Peach Garden & Han Imperial Lineage)
- Liu Jiao (刘交, Lưu Giao): Revered as the illustrious Prince Yuan of Chu, younger brother of founding emperor Liu Bang (Han Gaozu), whose scholarly lineage enriched the cultural legitimacy of the imperial House of Liu.
Chapter 21 (Heroes Identified Over Warm Wine)
- Liu Jiao (刘交, Lưu Giao): Cited within the grand ancestral genealogies of the Liu clan, embodying classical erudition, Confucian virtue, and steadfast dynastic loyalty.
In History
Summary
- Liu Jiao (刘交, Lưu Giao) (?–179 BC), courtesy name You (游), posthumously honored as Prince Yuan of Chu (楚元王), was the younger brother of Han Gaozu (Liu Bang). He was one of the foremost classical scholars and patrons of learning in the early Western Han dynasty.
Year: 202 BC
- Following the defeat of Xiang Yu, Liu Bang ennobled Liu Jiao as Prince of Chu, establishing his royal capital at Pengcheng to govern the vast eastern territories.
Year: 180s BC
- Governed Chu with profound benevolence for over two decades; gathered masters of the Classic of Poetry (Mao Shi) and established high academies that laid the foundation for Han classical scholarship.
Historical Record
- Records of the Grand Historian (史记), Volume 50 (House of Chu Yuan Wang): Details his close fraternal bond with Liu Bang and his passion for ancient literature.
- Book of Han (汉书), Volume 36: Commends his descendants (including Liu Xiang and Liu Xin) who became the greatest bibliographers and philosophers of the Han dynasty.
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