Dynasties of ChinaNorthern and Southern DynastiesLiu Song
Yongchu · Reign 420—422
A famous general of Beifu who came from a humble background, he pacified Xuan, destroyed Southern Yan and Later Qin, replaced Jin and established Song Dynasty, and started the Southern Dynasty.
Liu Yu, also known as Deyu, also known as Jinu, was born in Pengcheng and grew up in Jingkou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province). He came from a poor family and once made a living by selling straw sandals. He joined the Beifu army and made many military exploits in suppressing the Sun En uprising in 399. In 403, Huan Xuan usurped the Jin Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor. The following year, Liu Yu, Liu Yi, He Wuji and others raised troops in Jingkou, attacked Jiankang, defeated Huan Xuan, ushered in the restoration of Jin Emperor An, and took control of the Eastern Jin Dynasty from then on.
After that, he made a northern expedition to destroy Southern Yan, returned to defeat Lu Xun, and successively eliminated Liu Yi and other dissidents, sent troops to pacify Western Shu, promoted Yixi's territorial destruction, and suppressed the powerful. Beginning in 416, he personally led his army to the northern expedition to the Later Qin Dynasty and regained Luoyang and Chang'an. However, after returning south, Guanzhong was immediately captured by Hu Xia. In 418, he ordered people to hang Emperor An of Jin and renamed him Emperor Gong. In 420, he proclaimed himself emperor by accession following abdication. The country was named Song and the capital was Jiankang.
After proclaiming himself emperor, he continued to relax taxes and rectify the administration of officials. He lived a simple life and did not like the ornaments of pearls, jade, horses and horses. He also deposed the Emperor Gong of Jin Dynasty as King Lingling, and sent people to kill him the following year. He reigned for only two years and died of illness in 422 at the age of sixty. He ordered Xu Xianzhi, Fu Liang, Xie Hui, and Tan Daoji to assist Crown Prince Liu Yifu.
Liu Yu rose from humble beginnings in the military, put down the rebellions of Huan Xuan, Sun En, and Lu Xun, destroyed Nan Yan and Later Qin in the north, and recovered the two capitals. He was the most accomplished military commander in the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties. He promoted local rule and suppressed powerful forces, which reversed the dictatorship of the Eastern Jin clan and laid the foundation for the rule of Yuanjia. However, he was eager to usurp the throne, which resulted in gains and losses in Guanzhong. He also set a bad example of killing the previous monarchs after the Zen dynasty. His reign was too short, and the conflicts among his disciples after his death soon affected Liu and Song Dynasty.
MilitaryCongjunpingSun En
Sun En raised troops in the Kuaiji area to rebel against the Jin Dynasty. At that time, Liu Yu joined the army under Liu Laozhi, the general of Beifu. He fought bravely and often used a small number to attack the masses. He defeated Sun En many times and gradually rose to prominence.
MilitaryJingkou raises troops
In February, he, Liu Yi, He Wuji and others raised troops in Jingkou and Guangling to attack Huan Xuan, who had usurped the throne, and invaded Jiankang. Huan Xuan took Emperor An of Jin and fled westward, but was killed near Jiangling in May.
PoliticsEmperor An reset
Emperor An of the Jin Dynasty returned to the throne to recover, and Liu Yu was appointed as a minister, general of chariots and cavalry. After that, he stayed in Jingkou to control the imperial court for a long time. The power of the Eastern Jin Dynasty returned to Liu Yu from then on.
MilitaryNorthern Expedition to Destroy Southern Yan
The Southern Yan invaded and plundered Huaibei many times. Liu Yu led his army in the Northern Expedition and crossed the natural dangers of Daxian Mountain. He defeated the Yan army in Linqu and besieged Guanggu for eight months. In 410, the city was broken and the leader of Southern Yan, Murong Chao, was captured and sent to Jiankang to be beheaded.
MilitaryDefeat Lu Xun
Lu Xun and Xu Daofu took advantage of Liu Yu's northern expedition from Ling N & S, and came to Jiankang. Liu Yu quickly returned to the army to hold on, and sent troops to attack Lu Xun's base Panyu from the sea. In 411, Lu Xun was defeated and fled to Jiaozhou, where he drowned and died.
PoliticsRemove Liu Yi
In the name of crusade, he attacked Liu Yi, the governor of Jingzhou, from the west. Liu Yi was defeated and hanged himself. The following year, he also executed Zhuge Changmin, and all his companions who had raised troops in Jingkou were eliminated.
EconomyYixi Tuduan
It promoted land separation and incorporated the refugees living abroad into the household registration of commanders and counties where they lived, and borne taxes and servitude; at the same time, it prohibited powerful people from seizing mountains, lakes and rivers, and the people were able to freely collect firewood, fish and hunt, which greatly increased the sources of national taxes and servitude.
MilitaryPacification of Western Shu
Zhu Lingshi was sent to lead his army up the Yangtze River to attack Shu, avoiding the heavily defended Fujian River all the way to Chengdu. Qiao Zong, who had ruled Bashu for nine years, was defeated and committed suicide, and Bashu returned to Eastern Jin.
MilitaryNorthern Expedition to Retake Luoyang
In August, taking advantage of the death of Yao Xingxin and the internal strife among the princes of the later Qin Dynasty, the troops were divided into separate groups for the northern expedition. Wang Zhene and Tan Daoji were the vanguard, and they attacked Luoyang in October, and the old capital of Western Jin returned to the Jin Dynasty.
MilitaryQueyue Formation
Liu Yu led his navy to march westward up the Yellow River, and the Northern Wei cavalry attacked along the north bank. He sent Ding Yi to lead 700 men and 100 chariots to form an arc-shaped Queyue Formation on the north bank. Zhu Chaoshi used a large crossbow and a truncated long spear to defeat the Wei cavalry.
MilitaryConquer Chang'an
Wang Zhene led his navy along the Wei River to the city of Chang'an. He abandoned his boat and landed in a desperate battle to break the city. After eight months, the leader of Qin, Yao Hong, surrendered. Later Qin was destroyed, and Chang'an, which had been occupied for a hundred years, returned to the Jin Dynasty.
MilitaryGained and lost again in Guanzhong
Liu Yu was eager to return south to plan the Zen Dynasty, leaving his twelve-year-old second son Liu Yizhen to guard Chang'an. The generals were suspicious of each other. Shen Tianzi killed Wang Zhene, and Helian Bobo took advantage of the chaos and went south. In November, he captured Chang'an and lost all Guanzhong.
PoliticsHanging Emperor Jin An
In December, he ordered Wang Shao, the minister of Zhongshu, to hang Emperor An of Jin, and established his younger brother Langya King Sima Dewen as emperor, namely Emperor Gong of Jin.
Politicsaccession following abdicationJian Song
In June, the Emperor Gongabdication of the Jin Dynasty, Liu Yu ascended the throne as emperor in the southern suburbs of Jiankang, and the country was named Song Dynasty. It was changed to Yongchu of Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Gong was deposed as King Lingling, the Eastern Jin Dynasty was destroyed, and the Southern Dynasty began.
Economyeasing taxes and levies
After he came to the throne, he issued an amnesty edict, exempting the people from accumulated taxes and old debts, and stipulated that the materials needed by the government must be purchased from the people at a price and cannot be distributed at will.
PoliticsKill Jin Emperor Gong
In September, troops were sent into King Lingling's residence and suffocated Emperor Gong of Jin to death with quilts. After abdication, killing the previous monarch became the practice of changing dynasties in the Southern Dynasties.
PoliticsPassed away entrusting the heir
He died of illness in Jiankang in May at the age of sixty and was buried in Chuningling. The posthumous edict named Xu Xianzhi, Fu Liang, Xie Hui, and Tan Daoji as ministers of Gu Ming, and stipulated that the important towns in Jingzhou must be left by clan members.
Lasting legacyA pair of stone beasts exist in Qilinpu, Nanjing. They are generally considered to be the stone carvings in front of the Chuning Tomb. They are one of the earliest stone carvings of Southern Dynasties imperial mausoleums in the date range.
Liu Yu's most trusted advisor stayed in the government of Prime Minister Jiankang for a long time. He was quick in dealing with matters and made fluent decisions. During Liu Yu's Northern Expedition to the Later Qin Dynasty, he was in charge of the rear. He died of illness in 417, so Liu Yu was eager to return south.
The grandson of Wang Meng, the famous Prime Minister of the former Qin Dynasty, during the Northern Expedition of the Later Qin Dynasty, he led the navy along the Wei River to Chang'an and destroyed the city to destroy the Qin Dynasty. In 418, he was suspected and killed by his colleague Shen Tianzi.
Following Liu Yu, he launched an army to attack Huan Xuan. During the Northern Expedition to Later Qin, he was a vanguard and attacked Luoyang. He was good at using troops. Liu Yu was appointed Minister of Gu Ming before his death.
Together with Liu Yu, he launched an army against Huan Xuan, and achieved equal fame. Later, he went out to control Jingzhou and fought for power with Liu Yu. He was defeated and committed suicide in 412.
The son of Huan Wen, a powerful official in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he usurped the Jin Dynasty and proclaimed himself emperor in 403, and his country was named Chu. The following year, he was defeated by Liu Yu and others, and was killed on his way to the west.
Sun En's brother-in-law, after Sun En's death, he led the remaining people and separatized Panyu. In 410, he took advantage of Liu Yu's Northern Expedition to attack Jiankang. After the failure, he withdrew southward. In 411, he was defeated and drowned.
Born into a humble family, he started his career with Liu Yu and was known for his calmness and ability. Liu Muzhi was the last ruler to rule the government until his death. Liu Yu was ordered to assist the government after his death. In 424, he masterminded the deposed and killed Young Emperor. In 426, he was accused and committed suicide by Song Emperor Wen.