Liu Ju

In this Chinese name, the family name is Liu.
Liu Ju
Crown prince of the Han dynasty
Tenure1 June 122 BC[1] – 30 September 91 BC[2]
PredecessorCrown Prince Liu Che
SuccessorCrown Prince Liu Shi
Bornearly 128 BC
Died30 September 91 BC (aged 37)
Hu, Han
SpouseConsort Shi
IssueLiu Jin
two other sons
a daughter
Posthumous name
Crown Prince Li 戾太子
(Unrepentant Crown Prince)
FatherEmperor Wu of Han
MotherEmpress Wei Zifu

Liu Ju (Chinese: 劉據; early 128[3] – 30 September 91 BC), formally known as Crown Prince Wei (衛太子) and posthumously as Crown Prince Li (戾太子, literally "the Unrepentant Crown Prince", "Li" being an unflattering name) was a Western Han dynasty crown prince. He was the eldest son and the heir apparent to his father, Emperor Wu of Han, until his death at age 38 (by East Asian reckoning) during the political turmoil that occurred during 91 BC.

Liu Ju led an uprising against his father's army and died as a consequence of the rebellion. Emperor Wu sent soldiers to hunt Liu Ju down, so Liu Ju committed suicide by hanging himself. Liu Ju's two sons and the family hosting them all died when government soldiers broke into their house and killed everyone.

  1. ^ dingmao day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Yuan'shou era, per Emperor Wu's biography in Book of Han
  2. ^ xinhai day of the 8th month of the 2nd year of the Zheng'he era, per Emperor Wu's biography in Book of Han. This was about three weeks after his mother Wei Zifu committed suicide.
  3. ^ Liu Ju's mother was made empress on 30 April 128 BCE on account of his birth. Thus, Liu Ju should be born in early 128 BC.