[1]Name, names and datesLiu Zheng, courtesy name Zhongzhi and posthumous name Zhongxuan, was a Southern Song official who reached the post of left chancellor; he lived from 1129 to 1206.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his name as Liu Zheng, a man of the Song dynasty, born 1129 and died 1206, and lists him as a left chancellor among the chief councillors.
Souyun留正 (30502)The biographical notices give his courtesy name as Zhongzhi and his posthumous name as Zhongxuan, and describe him as a Southern Song man who rose to left chancellor.
WikidataLiu Zheng (Q16906305)Wikidata gives his English label as Liu Zheng, his courtesy name as Zhongzhi, his posthumous name as Zhongxuan, and his birth and death years as 1129 and 1206.
[2]Place of originHis place of origin is given as Yongchun in Quanzhou (present-day Yongchun, Fujian), with Jinjiang also recorded as a place of origin.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB gives Yongchun as his place of origin and records Jinjiang as another place of origin.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全宋文 notice calls him a man of Yongchun in Quanzhou (present-day Yongchun, Fujian), the 中國歷代人名大辭典 notice likewise calls him a man of Yongchun in Quanzhou, and the 全粵詩 notice gives Quanzhou Yongchun as his ancestral home.
[3]Parents and marriageHis father was Liu Zhu, whose first wife was of the Zheng family and whose later wife, Liu Zheng's mother, was of the Liu family; Liu Zhu settled at Guishan in Huizhou, where Liu Zheng was born, and Liu Zheng later married a daughter of the local man Xu Dunshi.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his father as Liu Zhu, his first (preceding) mother as a woman of the Zheng family, his birth mother as a woman of the Liu family, and his wife as a woman of the Xu family.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice states that his father lodged at Xiaguo in Guishan (present-day Huizhou) and that Liu Zheng was born there; it adds that he studied at the Huizhou school, kept to poverty and hard study, and was given a wife by the local man Xu Dunshi, settling the family there. The 全宋詩 notice likewise says he lived in Huizhou.
[4]AncestryHis sixth-generation ancestor Liu Congxiao served Emperor Taizu of Song as military commissioner of Qingyuan and was enfeoffed as Duke of E; his great-grandfather was Liu Yaoqing and his grandfather Liu Shi.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his sixth-generation ancestor as Liu Congxiao, his great-grandfather as Liu Yaoqing, and his grandfather as Liu Shi.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice states that his sixth-generation ancestor Liu Congxiao served Emperor Taizu of Song as military commissioner of Qingyuan and was enfeoffed as Duke of E.
[5]Examination and first postsIn 1160, the thirtieth year of the Shaoxing era of Emperor Gaozong, he passed the jinshi examination and was appointed county defender of Yangjiang in Nan'en prefecture and judge of the Qinghai military commission.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his entry by examination as a jinshi and his tenure as county defender of Yangjiang.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice says he passed the jinshi examination in the thirtieth year of Shaoxing under Emperor Gaozong and was appointed defender of Yangjiang in Nan'en prefecture and judge of the Qinghai military commission; the 全宋詩 and 全宋文 notices likewise give the 1160 jinshi and the Yangjiang post.
[6]Service under XiaozongSummoned to an imperial audience on a recommendation, he won the admiration of Emperor Xiaozong and advanced through the posts of qiju sheren, zhongshu sheren with concurrent duty as expository lecturer, acting zhongshu sheren, and acting minister of personnel.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that he held the posts of acting zhongshu sheren and acting minister of personnel.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice says he was summoned to audience on a recommendation and won Emperor Xiaozong's admiration; the 中國歷代人名大辭典 and 全宋文 notices record his successive posts as qiju sheren, zhongshu sheren with concurrent expository lecturing, acting zhongshu sheren, and concurrent acting minister of personnel.
[7]Provincial postsBecause he argued that the chancellors were not supporting the great plan of recovery, he was sent out in 1175 as prefect of Shaoxing fu with the title of direct academician of the Xianmo Pavilion; he later governed Ganzhou and Longxing fu, while the 全粵詩 notice has Xunzhou instead of Ganzhou.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that in 1175 he held the post of prefect of Shaoxing fu with the title of direct academician of the Xianmo Pavilion, and that he also governed Qianzhou and Hongzhou.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 中國歷代人名大辭典, 全宋詩 and 全宋文 notices say that, after arguing that the chancellors failed to support the recovery, he was sent out as prefect of Shaoxing fu and then of Ganzhou and Longxing fu; the 全粵詩 notice instead gives Xunzhou.
[8]SichuanHe was promoted to academician of the Longtu Pavilion and to Sichuan military commissioner concurrently prefect of Chengdu fu, and while in Sichuan he recruited Chen Qi as a confidential aide.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his prefecture of Chengdu fu and his recruitment of Chen Qi as a confidential aide while he commanded Sichuan.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩, 全宋文 and 全宋詩 notices record his promotion to academician of the Longtu Pavilion and to Sichuan military commissioner concurrently prefect of Chengdu fu.
[9]Qiang campaign and honoursFor his success in pacifying the Qiang he was advanced to academician of the Fuwen Pavilion and then to academician of the Duanming Hall.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice says that for the merit of pacifying the Qiang he was advanced to academician of the Fuwen Pavilion and moved to academician of the Duanming Hall; the 全宋詩 notice also mentions the Qiang campaign.
[10]Other officesHis other posts included kaogong langzhong, sinong sicheng, qiju lang, vice minister of war, minister of rites, shumi fushi and jishizhong.
Souyun留正 (30502)The record lists among his offices kaogong langzhong, sinong sicheng, qiju lang, vice minister of war, minister of rites, shumi fushi and jishizhong; the 全粵詩 notice also notes his promotion to jishizhong.
[11]Council and chancellorshipIn 1186 he became signatory of the Bureau of Military Affairs and was soon appointed assistant councillor concurrently associate commissioner of military affairs; in 1189 he became right chancellor.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that he held the office of chancellor.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 中國歷代人名大辭典 notice says that in the thirteenth year of Chunxi he became signatory of the Bureau of Military Affairs and was soon appointed assistant councillor concurrently associate commissioner of military affairs, and that in the sixteenth year he became right chancellor; the 全宋詩 and 全粵詩 notices likewise give the right chancellorship in the sixteenth year.
[12]Left chancellorIn 1190, the first year of the Shaoxi era under Emperor Guangzong, he advanced to left chancellor.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his tenure as left chancellor and lists him among the chief councillors.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 中國歷代人名大辭典, 全宋詩, 全粵詩 and 全宋文 notices all record that he advanced to left chancellor in the first year of Shaoxi.
[13]Conduct as chancellorIn office he was careful in law and sparing of honours, brought forward Zhao Ruyu, Huang Shang and others, and was praised by his contemporaries as one who had got the right men; when Emperor Xiaozong fell gravely ill he repeatedly asked the emperor to visit the retired emperor's palace, and as Emperor Guangzong long held no court he worked in concert with Hu Jinchen, associate commissioner of military affairs, and impeached Jiang Teli.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB notes that he prized honours and would not allow private interference, brought Zhao Ruyu into the government, repeatedly asked the emperor to visit the retired emperor's palace during Xiaozong's final illness, worked in concert with Hu Jinchen, and impeached Jiang Teli.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 中國歷代人名大辭典 notice says that in office he was strict in law and sparing of honours, and that he brought forward Zhao Ruyu, Huang Shang and others, so that the world called him one who got the right men; the person record also lists 得人 as his sobriquet.
[14]CorrespondenceZhu Xi, Wang Yan and Zeng Sanpin all wrote letters to him.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that Zhu Xi, Zeng Sanpin and Wang Yan wrote to him, and that he received a reply from Zhu Xi.
[15]Crisis of 1194In 1194, when Emperor Xiaozong died and Emperor Guangzong, being ill, could not carry out the mourning rites, Liu Zheng repeatedly asked that the position of the crown prince be settled early and, disagreeing with Zhao Ruyu, then director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, fled the capital by sedan chair.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records Zhao Ruyu as his colleague in office.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全宋詩 and 全粵詩 notices record that after Xiaozong's death in 1194, when Guangzong could not perform the mourning rites, Liu Zheng repeatedly asked for the early designation of the crown prince, disagreed with Zhao Ruyu, the director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and fled the capital by sedan chair.
[16]RetirementOn the accession of Emperor Ningzong he retired with the honorary rank of guanglu dafu; one account has him going out at that time to govern Jiankang fu before being dismissed.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that he governed Jiangning fu as its presiding official.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全宋詩 and 全粵詩 notices say that on Ningzong's accession he retired with the rank of guanglu dafu, while the 全宋文 notice has him going out to govern Jiankang fu and being dismissed soon afterwards.
[17]Dismissal and restorationLater, at odds with Han Tuozhou and having several times offended the emperor, he was stripped of office, and his former rank was afterwards restored.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 中國歷代人名大辭典 notice says that, being at odds with Han Tuozhou and having offended the emperor in several matters, he was stripped of office; the 全粵詩 notice adds that his former rank was later restored.
[18]Enfeoffment and honoursIn 1201 he was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei and restored to the offices of junior preceptor and academician of the Guanwen Hall; his noble titles also included Duke of E and Duke of Wei.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records that his noble titles included the fiefs of Wei and Wei (衛).
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice says that in 1201 he was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei and restored to the offices of junior preceptor and academician of the Guanwen Hall; the 中國歷代人名大辭典 and 全宋文 notices also record the enfeoffment as Duke of Wei, and the person record lists both Duke of Wei and Duke of E among his titles.
[19]Death and posthumous honoursIn the seventh month of 1206 he died at the age of seventy-eight; he was posthumously appointed grand preceptor and given the posthumous name Zhongxuan.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全粵詩 notice says that he died in the seventh month of 1206 at the age of seventy-eight, was posthumously appointed grand preceptor, and received the posthumous name Zhongxuan; the 全宋詩, 全宋文 and 中國歷代人名大辭典 notices also give his age at death and his posthumous name.
[20]SonsHis sons included Liu Gong, Liu Yun, Liu Shuo, Liu Duan and Liu Bing; the second son is given both as Liu Yun and as Liu Bing, and the third son as Liu Duan.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB records his eldest son Liu Gong, second son Liu Yun and fourth son Liu Shuo, and, on the authority of the Song shi, a second son Liu Bing and a third son Liu Duan.
[21]Compilation and collected worksHe compiled the Shouhuang shengzheng, and his poetry, memorials and drafts of edicts ran to twenty juan, now lost.
CBDBLiu Zheng (10927)CBDB lists under his name the collection 詩文奏議外制.
Souyun留正 (30502)The 全宋文 notice says he compiled the Shouhuang shengzheng and wrote twenty juan of poetry, memorials and drafts of edicts; the 全粵詩 notice says his collected works in twenty juan circulated but are now lost; the 中國歷代人名大辭典 notice also lists his poetry, memorials and drafts of edicts.
CBDB
