Emperor Ming of Liu Song - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Song Mingdi ((劉)宋明帝)
Family name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Liu Liu 劉 is a common Chinese family name. The transliteration Liu can represent several different surnames written in different Chinese characters:*劉 / 刘, pinyin: Liú... (劉; liú)
Given name Chinese name Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"... :	Yu (彧, yù)
Temple name Temple name Temple names are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Korean , and Vietnamese royalty. They should not be confused with era names. Compared to posthumous names, the use of temple names is more exclusive... :	Taizong (太宗, tài zōng)
Posthumous name Posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life... :	Ming (明, míng), literary meaning: "understanding"

Emperor Ming of Liu Song ((劉)宋明帝) (439–472), personal name Liu Yu (劉彧), courtesy name Xiubing (休炳), nickname Rongqi (榮期), was an emperor

Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

of the Chinese

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

dynasty Liu Song. He became emperor after his violent and impulsive nephew Emperor Qianfei

Emperor Qianfei of Liu Song

Emperor Qianfei of Liu Song , personal name Liu Ziye , nickname Fashi , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. His brief reign as a teenager was known for his violent and impulsive acts, including the slaughter of many high level officials and his sexually immoral behavior...

was assassinated in 465, as he was regarded as more lenient and open-minded, but he soon turned cruel and suspicious as well after becoming emperor, and during his reign, his nephews and brothers were nearly all slaughtered on his orders, greatly weakening the Liu Song state and contributing to its fall in 479, just seven years after his death.

Background

Liu Yu was born in 439, as Emperor Wen

Emperor Wen of Liu Song

Emperor Wen of Liu Song , personal name Liu Yilong , nickname Che'er , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. He was the third son of the dynastic founder Emperor Wu . After his father's death in 422, Liu Yilong's eldest brother Liu Yifu took the throne as Emperor Shao...

's 11th son. His mother Consort Shen Rongji (沈容姬) was a low-ranked imperial consort with the title Meiren (美人). For reasons unknown, Emperor Wen once wanted to put her to death, but she convinced him that killing her would offend the spirit of his deceased wife, Empress Yuan Qigui

Empress Yuan Qigui

Empress Yuan Qigui , formally Empress Yuan was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

, and she was spared. In 448, Liu Yu was created the Prince of Huaiyang. In 452, his title was changed to Prince of Xiangdong. Consort Shen died in 453, the same year that Emperor Wen was assassinated by his crown prince

Crown Prince

A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

Liu Shao

Liu Shao (Liu Song)

Liu Shao , courtesy name Xiuyuan , posthumously known as Yuanxiong , was briefly an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

, who took over as emperor and subsequently put a number of his brothers, including Liu Yu, under house arrest, but Liu Yu and the other brothers were released when another older brother, Liu Jun

Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song

Emperor Xiaowu of Liu Song , personal name Liu Jun , courtesy name Xiulong , nickname Daomin , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. He was a son of Emperor Wen. After his older brother Liu Shao assassinated their father in 453 and took the throne, he rose in rebellion and overthrew Liu...

the Prince of Wuling, defeated and killed Liu Shao and took the throne himself (as Emperor Xiaowu). Emperor Xiaowu posthumously honored Liu Yu's mother Consort Shen as Princess Dowager of Xiangdong, and Emperor Xiaowu's mother Empress Dowager Lu Huinan

Empress Dowager Lu Huinan

Empress Dowager Lu Huinan , formally Empress Dowager Zhao , semi-formally Empress Dowager Chongxian , was an empress dowager of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

took over the duties of raising Liu Yu to adulthood. As he grew, as was customary for Liu Song imperial princes, he was rotated through governorships of commanderies and provinces. Liu Yu was regarded as a kind and open-minded man, with substantial literary abilities. He was also said to be grossly overweight.

During Emperor Qianfei's reign

In 464, Emperor Xiaowu died, and was succeeded by his son Emperor Qianfei

Emperor Qianfei of Liu Song

. Emperor Qianfei was impulsive and violent, and he, after discovering and brutally suppressing a plot to depose him in favor of his granduncle Liu Yigong (劉義恭) the Prince of Jiangxia, suspected his uncles as well, and had them returned to the capital and confined. Of his uncles, he particularly suspected Liu Yu, Liu Xiuren (劉休仁) the Prince of Jian'an, and Liu Xiuyou (劉休祐) the Prince of Shanyang, since they were the oldest. (Another even older uncle, Liu Hui (劉褘) the Prince of Donghai, was considered so unintelligent that Emperor Qianfei did not view him as much of a threat.) Because these three princes were all overweight, he had them put in cages and weighed as pigs would, and because Liu Yu was the heaviest, he called Liu Yu the Prince of Pigs, Liu Xiuren the Prince of Murderers, and Liu Xiuyou the Prince of Thieves. He often humiliated Liu Yu by putting him in stables and feeding him the way that pigs would be fed. He often wanted to kill Liu Yu, Liu Xiuren, and Liu Xiuyiu, but each time Liu Xiuren flattered him and caused him to change his mind. In one particular incident, he tied Liu Yu up like how a pig would be tied up, and had him delivered to the kitchen, stating, "Today is pig-killing day." Liu Xiuren, however, stated, "This is not the pig-killing day." He angrily asked Liu Xiuren why that was the case, and Liu Xiuren stated, "After your son is born, then kill the pig and take out his entrails!" Emperor Qianfei liked Liu Xiuren's joke and did not kill Liu Yu.

In winter 465, around the time that Emperor Qianfei created his second wife, Lady Lu

Empress Lu (Qianfei)

Empress Lu was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. Her husband was Emperor Qianfei.Her father Lu Daoqing was the younger brother of Emperor Qianfei's grandmother Empress Dowager Lu Huinan, making her generationally her husband's aunt. She was his second wife...

, empress, the palace eunuchs were of insufficient number to prepare for the ceremony, so Emperor Qianfei had the eunuchs from the princes' mansions conscripted to help, and Liu Yu had his own eunuch, Qian Lansheng (錢藍生), observe Emperor Qianfei's actions and report to him. Meanwhile, some attendants of Emperor Qianfei were plotting to kill him, and when he was carrying out a ghost-shooting ceremony (after dreaming of the spirit of a lady in waiting that he had killed), the attendant Shou Jizhi (壽寂之) killed him. (Traditional historians generally hint that Liu Yu was involved in the plot, but not having conclusive evidence, they did not state so conclusively.) With support from the officials and particularly with his brother Liu Xiuren as a major advocate, Liu Yu was declared emperor (as Emperor Ming).

Early reign: victory over Liu Zixun and loss of northern provinces

Emperor Ming posthumously honored his mother Consort Shen as Empress Dowager Xuan but, because he was raised by Emperor Xiaowu's mother Grand Empress Dowager Lu, he continued to honor her as empress dowager

Empress Dowager

Empress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...

. He also tried to pacify the empire by promoting the various officials, his brothers, and some of his nephews. (However, he forced Emperor Qianfei's oldest younger brother Liu Zishang (劉子尚) the Prince of Yuzhang, and his sister Liu Chuyu

Liu Chuyu

Liu Chuyu , often known by her title Princess Shanyin , was a princess of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song, as the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu....

the Princess Kuaiji, both born also of Empress Wang Xianyuan

Empress Wang Xianyuan

Empress Wang Xianyuan , formally Empress Wenmu , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. Her husband was Emperor Xiaowu .- Background :...

and both of whom participated in his ill-fated governance, to commit suicide.) He created his wife Princess Wang Zhenfeng

Empress Wang Zhenfeng

Empress Wang Zhenfeng , formally Empress Gong , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. Her husband was Emperor Ming .-Background:...

empress.

One of the nephews that he tried to promote, Liu Zixun

Liu Zixun

Liu Zixun , courtesy name Xiaode , was an imperial prince and pretender to the throne of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song, who received claims of allegiance from most provinces of the state during the year 466 after his staff made a claim to the throne on his behalf, rivalling that of his uncle...

the Prince of Jin'an, whose chief of staff Deng Wan (鄧琬) had just prior to Emperor Qianfei's death declared a rebellion against Emperor Qianfei, refused, and instead declared a rebellion against Emperor Ming, in association with Yuan Yi (袁顗) the governor of Yong Province (雍州, modern northwestern Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

and southwestern Henan

Henan

Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...

) and Liu Zisui's chief of staff Xun Bianzhi (荀卞之). They accused Emperor Ming of being an usurper and having unduly killed Liu Zishang. Jing Province (荊州, modern central and western Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

) and Kuaiji Commandery (會稽, roughly modern Shaoxing

Shaoxing

Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...

, Zhejiang

Zhejiang

Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...

), governed by Liu Zixun's brothers Liu Zixu (劉子頊) the Prince of Linhai and Liu Zifang (劉子房) the Prince of Xunyang, also quickly rose in support. In spring 466, Deng Wan, claiming to have received a secret edict from Liu Zixun's grandmother Empress Dowager Lu Huinan

Empress Dowager Lu Huinan

Empress Dowager Lu Huinan , formally Empress Dowager Zhao , semi-formally Empress Dowager Chongxian , was an empress dowager of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

, declared Liu Zixun emperor. Upon the declaration, nearly the entire empire declared for Liu Zixun, with Emperor Ming only in control of the region immediately around the capital Jiankang

Jiankang

Jiankang was the capital city of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern Dynasties. Its walls are extant ruins in the modern municipal region of Nanjing.-History:...

.

However, Liu Zixun's generals proceeded slowly, believing that Jiankang would collapse on its own due to the lack of food supply. Emperor Ming's general Wu Xi (吳喜) was quickly able to advance east and capture Liu Zifang, taking the commanderies around Kuaiji that had declared for Liu Zixun and securing a food supply. The troops of Liu Zixun and Emperor Ming stalemated for months in the Chaohu region, until Emperor Ming's general Zhang Xingshi (張興世) built a defense post at Qianxi (錢溪, in modern Chizhou

Chizhou

Chizhou is a prefecture-level city in Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Anqing to the northwest, Tongling and Wuhu to the northeast, Xuancheng to the east, Huangshan to the southeast, and the province of Jiangxi to the southwest....

, Anhui

Anhui

Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...

), upstream from Liu Zixun's main troops commanded by Yuan Yi and Liu Hu (劉胡), cutting off their food supplies. As Liu Hu then tried to capture Qianxi to reopen food routes, he was defeated by Zhang and Shen Youzhi

Shen Youzhi

Shen Youzhi , courtesy name Zhongda , was a general during the Chinese dynasty Liu Song, who, in the final moments of the dynasty, made a final failed attempt to prevent Xiao Daocheng from seizing the throne....

, and Liu Hu and Yuan then fled, with their troops collapsing. Liu Hu fled back to Xunyang, but then left under guise that he was going to set up perimeter defenses while instead fleeing. Xunyang was left without a defense, and Deng Wan contemplated killing Liu Zixun to save himself, but instead was killed by another staff member Zhang Yue (張悅). Shen then arrived and executed Liu Zixun, ending his rival claim.

However, Emperor Ming then grew arrogant in light of his victory. Instead of his initial policy of pardoning those who had declared for Liu Zixun, he began to deal with those who had not surrendered by this point harshly. In particular, at Liu Xiuren's suggestion, he put to death all of the still living sons of Emperor Xiaowu, accusing them (the oldest of whom was 10) of treason, along with several other officials whom he suspected of covertly supporting Liu Zixun, including Empress Dowager Lu's nephews. (Empress Dowager Lu herself had died during the war under suspicious circumstances. A rumor that the Nan Shi found reliable but indicated was not conclusively proven indicated that she had been secretly pleased about Liu Zixun's rebellion, and had tried to poison Emperor Ming so that Liu Zixun could be successful, but Emperor Ming, realizing her intend, poisoned her instead.) Late in 466, Emperor Ming created his oldest son, Liu Yu

Emperor Houfei of Liu Song

Emperor Houfei of Liu Song , also known by posthumous demoted title of Prince of Cangwu , personal name Liu Yu , courtesy name Derong , nickname Huizhen , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

(different character than his own name), crown prince

Crown Prince

A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....

.

Emperor Ming's reprisals brought an immediate heavy toll for Liu Song. When Xue Andu (薛安都) the governor of Xu Province (徐州, modern northern Jiangsu

Jiangsu

' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...

and northern Anhui

Anhui

), who had earlier declared for Liu Zixun, tried to surrender to him, Emperor Ming, instead of just pardoning Xue, sent a force toward Xue's defense post at Pengcheng, Xue became fearful that Emperor Ming had no intent of pardoning him. (Indeed, Emperor Ming did not, and was intending to lead Xue into resisting, and then wiping him out.) Instead of simply resisting, however, Xue surrendered Xu Province to rival Northern Wei

Northern Wei

The Northern Wei Dynasty , also known as the Tuoba Wei , Later Wei , or Yuan Wei , was a dynasty which ruled northern China from 386 to 534 . It has been described as "part of an era of political turbulence and intense social and cultural change"...

. He was joined in this action by Bi Zhongjing (畢眾敬) the governor of Yan Province (兗州, modern western Shandong

Shandong

' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

), Shen Wenxiu (沈文秀) the governor of Qing Province (青州, modern central and eastern Shandong), and Cui Daogu (崔道固) the governor of Ji Province (冀州, modern northwestern Shandong), although Shen and Cui soon changed their allegiance back to Emperor Ming. Northern Wei forces quickly joined Xue's, and they took up defense position against the attacking forces sent by Emperor Ming, commanded by the generals Zhang Yong (張永) and Shen Youzhi. With Liu Song forces unable to siege Pengcheng effectively, Zhang and Shen Youzhi were forced to withdraw in spring 467, and on their retreat, Northern Wei forces commanded by Yuchi Yuan (尉遲元) sandwiched them with Xue, leading to a major rout. Against Shen Youzhi's protestations, Emperor Ming ordered him to attack Pengcheng again in fall 467, and Yuchi again defeated Shen Youzhi, ending Emperor Ming's efforts at recapturing Xu and Yan Provinces. With Ji and Qing Provinces now completely isolated from the rest of Liu Song, they could not be supplied with fresh troops, and the Northern Wei general Murong Baiyao (慕容白曜) forced Cui's surrender in spring 468 and captured Shen Wenxiu's defense post at Dongyang (東陽, in modern Weifang

Weifang

Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...

, Shandong

Shandong

), annexing those provinces for Northern Wei. (While Pengcheng would temporarily be taken by Emperor Wu of Liang

Emperor Wu of Liang

Emperor Wu of Liang , personal name Xiao Yan , courtesy name Shuda , nickname Lian'er , was the founding emperor of the Chinese Liang Dynasty...

, the rest of the territory was lost to Southern Dynasties

Southern dynasties

The Southern dynasties comprise the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang Dynasty and Chen Dynasty, whose capital were at Jiankang , and Emperor Yuan of Liang, as well as the later Western Liang emperors , also set their...

forever.)

Emperor Ming also began to be suspicious of his brothers, and in 469, when a plot to make Liu Hui emperor was discovered, Emperor Ming had his brother demoted and then forced him to commit suicide. He also became displeased at the increasing authorities of Liu Xiuren, and Liu Xiuren, realizing that he was being suspected, surrendered part of his authorities but could not regain Emperor Ming's trust.

Late reign

Meanwhile, Emperor Ming's own conduct also began to decay. For example, in 470, he ordered officials and governors to offer him gifts, and when Sun Fengbo (孫奉伯) the governor of Shixing Commandery (始興, roughly modern Shaoguan

Shaoguan

Shaoguan , historically known as Shaokwan and Shao-chow, is a prefecture-level city in the north of Southern China's Guangdong province...

, Guangdong

Guangdong

Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...

) only offered Guqin

Guqin

The guqin is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family...

and books, and not the treasures that Emperor Ming was hoping for, he sent poison to Sun to order him to commit suicide, although he soon retracted that order. Also on one occasion, he held an imperial feast inside the palace, and ordered his ladies in waiting to strip for the guests. Empress Wang, embarrassed, covered her eyes with a fan. In anger, Emperor Ming said, "Your household is so naïve and unaware of the world. Today everyone is trying to have fun, so why are you covering your eyes?" She responded, "There are many ways to have fun. What kind of a scene is it for aunts and sisters to gather to watch naked ladies in waiting and laugh about it? The fun that our household has is different." He became angrier and chased her away.

Historical accounts, written during the succeeding Southern Qi

Southern Qi

The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...

Dynasty, indicate that Emperor Ming was impotent

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....

, and that although he had 12 sons, those were the results of his having seized his brothers' pregnant concubines and kept the children if they bore males, or his having had his concubines have sexual relations with others. (However, the fact that Empress Wang had two daughters, although no sons, may argue against such allegations, because it appeared rather unlikely that Emperor Ming would do this over female children—indeed, the allegations stated that he would only do this if his brothers' concubines bore males—or that the morally upright Empress Wang would engage in sexual relations with others, thus suggesting that the allegations were made to delegitimize Emperor Ming's sons Emperor Houfei

Emperor Houfei of Liu Song

and Emperor Shun

Emperor Shun of Liu Song

Emperor Shun of Liu Song , personal name Liu Zhun , courtesy name Zhongmou , nickname Zhiguan , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...

vis-à-vis Southern Qi.) In addition, Emperor Ming was said to be suspicious, jealous, cruel, and violent. In addition, he was also superstitious, and his officials and attendants were forced to observe a number of taboos in both language and acts. Whoever violated these taboos would be executed, often in cruel manners, including having their hearts cut open or their entrails pulled out.

In 471, Emperor Ming grew ill, and as Crown Prince Yu was only eight, he was fearful that his brothers would seize the throne, and therefore turned against them. His first target was Liu Xiuyou the Prince of Jinping, who was considered arrogant and violent and often offended Emperor Ming. Emperor Ming therefore, when he was out on a hunt with Liu Xiuyou, found an opportunity to have his guards push Liu Xiuyou off his horse and then pounded to death. When this news reached his youngest brother, Liu Xiuruo (劉休若) the Prince of Baling, the governor of Jing Province, Liu Xiuruo's staff members suggest that he start a rebellion, particularly in light of orders for him to return to Jiankang and then take up Liu Xiuyou's old post at governor of South Xu Province (南徐州, modern western central Jiangsu

Jiangsu

), but the cautious Liu Xiuruo did not rebel, but instead reported to South Xu. Meanwhile, because the public believed that Liu Xiuren would become regent

Regent

A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

if Emperor Ming died, the mid-level officials were all trying to ingratiate themselves with Liu Xiuren and his staff, drawing Emperor Ming's anger and suspicion, and he forced Liu Xiuren to commit suicide. He then summoned Liu Xiuruo back to Jiankang and forced him to commit suicide as well. The only brother who was spared with Liu Xiufan (劉休範) the Prince of Guiyang, who was considered to be unvirtuous and incompetent, and therefore not viewed as a threat.

Emperor Ming's suspicions soon turned to other officials as well. In order to test the attitude of Xiao Daocheng

Emperor Gao of Southern Qi

Emperor Gao of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Daocheng , courtesy name Shaobo , nickname Doujiang , was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...

the governor of South Yan Province (南兗州, modern eastern central Jiangsu

Jiangsu

), he had his strategist Wu Xi deliver a pot of wine to Xiao. Xiao, believing that wine was poisoned, was about to flee to Northern Wei, when Wu revealed that the wine was not poisonous and that Emperor Ming was merely trying to test him, and Wu drank some of the wine first to show Xiao. Xiao then drank the wine, and Wu returned to the capital and vouched for Xiao's loyalty, but his leaking of the non-poisonous nature of the wine was soon revealed. Emperor Ming, who was already suspicious of Wu's abilities, forced him to commit suicide. In fear, Empress Wang's brother Wang Jingwen (王景文), the commander of the armed forces, tried to resign. Emperor Ming would not let him do so, and then, suspecting that Wang would take power after Emperor Ming's death, forced Wang to commit suicide in spring 472. Emperor Ming himself died in summer 472, and was succeeded by Crown Prince Yu (as Emperor Houfei).

Personal information

Father
- Emperor Wen of Liu Song
  Emperor Wen of Liu Song
  Emperor Wen of Liu Song , personal name Liu Yilong , nickname Che'er , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. He was the third son of the dynastic founder Emperor Wu . After his father's death in 422, Liu Yilong's eldest brother Liu Yifu took the throne as Emperor Shao...
Mother
- Consort Shen Rongji (沈容姬) (414-453), posthumously honored as Empress Dowager Xuan
Wife
- Empress Wang Zhenfeng
  Empress Wang Zhenfeng
  Empress Wang Zhenfeng , formally Empress Gong , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. Her husband was Emperor Ming .-Background:...
  
  (created 465), mother of Princesses Bosi and Boyuan
Major Concubines
- Consort Chen Miaodeng
  Consort Chen Miaodeng
  Consort Chen Miaodeng was an imperial consort during the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. She was a concubine of Emperor Ming , and during his reign, she carried the rank of Guifei , which was not a regular rank for Liu Song imperial consorts but a title that Emperor Ming created to honor her.Chen...
  
  , mother of Crown Prince Yu
- Consort Xie, mother of Princes Faliang and Xie
- Consort Chen Farong
  Consort Chen Farong
  Consort Chen Farong was an imperial consort during the Chinese dynasty Liu Song. She was a concubine of Emperor Ming, and during his reign, she carried the rank of Zhaohua , the sixth highest rank for Liu Song imperial consorts....
  
  , mother of Prince Zhun
- Consort Xu, mother of the unnamed prince and Prince Ji
- Consort Zheng, mother of Prince Zhijing
- Consort Quan, mother of Prince You
- Consort Xu, mother of Princes Zan and Song
- Consort Du, mother of Prince Hui
- Consort Quan, mother of Prince Xi
Children
- Liu Yu (劉昱) (note different character than his father), the Crown Prince (created 466), later Emperor Houfei of Liu Song
  Emperor Houfei of Liu Song
  Emperor Houfei of Liu Song , also known by posthumous demoted title of Prince of Cangwu , personal name Liu Yu , courtesy name Derong , nickname Huizhen , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...
- Liu Faliang (劉法良), died early
- Liu Zhun (劉準), the Prince of Ancheng (created 471), later Emperor Shun of Liu Song
  Emperor Shun of Liu Song
  Emperor Shun of Liu Song , personal name Liu Zhun , courtesy name Zhongmou , nickname Zhiguan , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Liu Song...
- Unnamed prince, died early
- Liu Zhijing (劉智井), the Prince of Dongping (created and d. 470)
- Liu Xie (劉燮), the Prince of Jingxi (created 470), later the Marquess of Yin'an of Southern Qi
  Southern Qi
  The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
  
  (created and executed 479)
- Liu You (劉友) (b. 470), Prince Shang of Shaoling (created 474, d. 479)
- Liu Ji (劉躋), initially the Prince of Lingqing (created 470), later the Prince of Jiangxia (created 474), later Duke of Shayang of Southern Qi
  Southern Qi
  The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
  
  (created and executed 479)
- Liu Zan (劉贊), initially named Liu Zhisui (劉智隨), the Prince of Wuling (b. and created 470, d. 478)
- Liu Hui (劉翽) (b. 471), initially the Prince of Nanyang (created 476), later the Prince of Suiyang (created 478), later Duke of Wuyin of Southern Qi
  Southern Qi
  The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
  
  (created and executed 479)
- Liu Song (劉嵩) (b. 471), the Prince of Xinxing (created 476), later the Duke of Dingxiang of Southern Qi
  Southern Qi
  The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
  
  (created and executed 479)
- Liu Xi (劉禧) (b. 471), the Prince of Shijian (created 476), later the Duke of Lipu of Southern Qi
  Southern Qi
  The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
  
  (created and executed 479)
- Liu Bosi (劉伯姒), the Princess Jinling
- Liu Boyuan (劉伯媛), the Princess Jian'an
- Princess Yangxian

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