Liu Lue (留略, pinyin: Liú Lüè) was a general of Eastern Wu and the son of Liu Zan (留赞). He and his brother Liu Ping (留平) served in the Eastern Wu military during the reigns of Sun Quan and his successors.
Biography
Family background
Liu Lue was the son of Liu Zan (留赞), a general of Eastern Wu who was from Kuaiji Commandery (modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang). Liu Zan rose through the ranks of the Wu military and was known for his bravery and military skill. He served under Sun Quan and participated in several campaigns. Liu Zan’s courtesy name was Zhengming (正明).
The Liu family of Kuaiji Commandery produced several military officers who served the Sun family. Liu Lue and his brother Liu Ping followed their father into military service, as was common for the sons of Wu generals.
Military service
Liu Lue and his brother Liu Ping both served as officers in the Eastern Wu military. The sources indicate that they were active during the reign of Sun Liang (252–258 CE), Sun Quan’s youngest son, who became emperor at the age of nine after his father’s death in 252 CE.
During Sun Liang’s reign, the actual power was held by regents, first Zhuge Ke (诸葛恪) and then Sun Jun (孙峻), a member of the imperial clan. Both regents pursued aggressive military policies, and the Wu army was engaged in frequent campaigns against Wei.
The Sanguozhi notes that Liu Lue and Liu Ping served under Sun Jun, suggesting that they were part of the military establishment that supported the Sun clan’s internal power struggles as well as its external campaigns.
Liu Ping
Liu Lue’s brother Liu Ping (留平) had a more prominently recorded career. Liu Ping rose to the rank of General of the Left (左将军) and was involved in the political intrigues of the later Wu period. He was one of the officers who participated in the plot to remove the tyrannical emperor Sun Hao from power, alongside Ding Feng (丁奉) and others. When the plot was discovered, Liu Ping was put under house arrest and died shortly thereafter, possibly from distress or illness.
The contrast between the two brothers’ historical visibility is typical of the Sanguozhi: one brother’s career was significant enough to be recorded in detail, while the other is mentioned only in passing as the sibling of the more notable figure.
Historical sources
Liu Lue is mentioned in the Sanguozhi (Records of the Three Kingdoms), in the biography of his father Liu Zan (Book 55, ‘Wu Shu 10’). The reference to Liu Lue is brief, noting only that he and his brother Liu Ping served as officers under Sun Liang and Sun Jun.
The more detailed account of the Liu family’s military service is found in the biography of Liu Zan himself, which describes Liu Zan’s career from his early days as a local militia leader to his appointment as a general under Sun Quan.
See also
External links
References
- Chen Shou. Sanguozhi (三国志). 3rd century.
- Pei Songzhi. Sanguozhi annotations. 5th century.