Liu Xuan (Three Kingdoms)

Liu Xuan
劉璿
Crown Prince of Shu Han
TenureFebruary 238 – December 263
PredecessorLiu Shan
Born224[1]
DiedMarch 264 (aged 40)[1]
Chengdu, Sichuan
Names
Family name: Liu (劉)
Given name: Xuan (璿)
Courtesy name: Wenheng (文衡)
FatherLiu Shan
MotherConsort Wang
In this Chinese name, the family name is Liu.

Liu Xuan (224–March 264[2]),[1] courtesy name Wenheng, was a prince of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He was the eldest son of Liu Shan, the second and last ruler of Shu. His mother was Consort Wang (王貴人), a former servant of Liu Shan's first wife Empress Jing'ai; Lady Wang later became one of Liu Shan's concubines.[3] Liu Xuan became crown prince in c.February 238.[4] After the fall of Shu to the rival state of Wei, Liu Xuan and his surviving brothers returned to the capital, Chengdu. In March 264, Liu Xuan was killed in Chengdu by rebelling soldiers during Zhong Hui's rebellion.[5]

  1. ^ a b c Liu Xuan's biography in Records of the Three Kingdoms mentioned that he was 15 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) in the 1st year of the Yanxi era (238-257) in Liu Shan's reign. He died in the 1st year of the Xianxi era (264-265) in Cao Huan's reign. ([延熈元年] ... 時年十五。 ... 咸熈元年正月，鍾會作亂於成都，璿為亂兵所害。) By calculation, Liu Xuan's birth year should be around 224.
  2. ^ Zhong Hui's rebellion took place between 1 and 3 March 264. Thus, Liu Xuan's death date should be in early March 264.
  3. ^ (後主太子璿，字文衡。母王貴人，本敬哀張皇后侍人也。) Sanguozhi vol. 34.
  4. ^ Records of the Three Kingdoms, chapter 33, p. 897.
  5. ^ Records of the Three Kingdoms, chapter 34, p. 908.