Liu Jun

Biography & Historical Record

Liu Jun (刘晙, Lưu Quân) is a fictional Yi Province officer under Liu Zhang (刘璋, Lưu Chương), courtesy name Jiyu (季玉, Quý Ngọc). He has no Sanguozhi biography. Chapter 65 names him once, in a pair with Ma Han (马汉, Mã Hán): “Shu generals Liu Jun and Ma Han have brought a force.” The city is Mianzhu (绵竹, Miên Trúc), just taken by Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) and Huang Zhong (黄忠, Hoàng Trung) as Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) turns from the passes toward Chengdu. Liu Bei is on the wall entertaining the newly surrendered Ma Chao (马超, Mã Siêu). Zhao Yun asks leave to take the two comers, mounts, and rides out. Before the banquet can even be seated he is back with both heads and lays them before the wine. Ma Chao, startled, redoubles his respect and offers to call Liu Zhang out to surrender.

汉字 and homonyms. This post is 刘晙 — the graph used in the Chapter 65 text (Wikisource 第065回). English catalogs sometimes write 刘俊. That is a different person if the 汉字 is 俊 (an Eastern Wu name-drop in some lists) or 隽 (an Eastern Han official). Do not link this Mianzhu general to those men, and do not treat him as Liu Jun of any later dynasty. Ma Han is the companion of this one scene only.

History of Liu Bei’s taking of Yi names Fa Zheng, Pang Tong, the fall of Luo, and Liu Zhang’s surrender in 214. It does not name a pair of relief generals beheaded at Mianzhu while Ma Chao drank. Liu Jun is a novel blade used to show Zhao Yun’s speed and to impress Ma Chao before the walk up to Chengdu’s walls.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 65 (Ma Chao Fights a Great Battle at Jiameng Pass; Liu Bei Takes the Governorship of Yizhou): Sun Qian has returned. Liu Bei leaves Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn) and Meng Da (孟达, Mạnh Đạt) on the pass and marches on Chengdu. Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong receive him at Mianzhu. A report comes: Liu Jun (刘晙, Lưu Quân) and Ma Han (马汉, Mã Hán) are bringing Shu troops. Zhao Yun says he will take them himself and rides out. On the wall Liu Bei is seating Ma Chao for wine. The places are not yet set when Zhao Yun returns with the two heads and offers them at the mat. Ma Chao is amazed. He tells Liu Bei there is no need for the lord to fight: Ma Chao will summon Liu Zhang to surrender, and if Liu Zhang refuses, Ma Chao and Ma Dai (马岱, Mã Đại) will take Chengdu and place it in Liu Bei’s hands. That day they drink in full. The defeated remnant flees to Chengdu; Liu Zhang shuts the gates, then opens them after Ma Chao’s speech under the wall and Qiao Zhou is not yet in this scene — Dong He (董和, Đổng Hòa) still argues for holding out; Liu Zhang chooses the people over another year of blood. Liu Jun is already dead at Mianzhu; he never sees the surrender.

Liu Jun (刘晙) — Historical & Literary Timeline

Chapter text: Wikisource Romance Chapter 65. 汉字 刘晙, not 刘俊 / 刘隽.

Key Relationships

Family

• No father, mother, spouse, or children recorded. A Liu Zhang officer named Liu is not automatically a close clansman of Liu Zhang; the novel does not say they are kin.

Friends

• Liu Zhang (刘璋, Lưu Chương): Lord he rides to relieve. The remnant of his column is what first tells Chengdu that Mianzhu has fallen.
• Ma Han (马汉, Mã Hán): Fellow Shu general of the same ride; beheaded with him by Zhao Yun (plain text until the /ma-han/ post is confirmed as this 马汉).

Enemies

• Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân): Rides out of Mianzhu and returns with Liu Jun’s head before Ma Chao’s banquet is seated.

Other

• Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị): Receives the heads on the wall while hosting Ma Chao.
• Ma Chao (马超, Mã Siêu): Guest at the wine; the double beheading is staged to impress him into offering Chengdu.
• Huang Zhong (黄忠, Hoàng Trung): Co-receiver of Liu Bei at Mianzhu; does not fight Liu Jun.
• Not Liu Jun 刘俊 of Wu or Liu Jun 刘隽 of the Eastern Han — different 汉字, different careers.