Liu Du 劉度
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Grand Administrator of Lingling | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Liu Du was Grand Administrator of Lingling Commandery in Jing Province. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears only in a single line of the Biography of the First Sovereign, which says that when Liu Bei marched south against four commanderies after the Battle of Red Cliffs, he surrendered together with Jin Xuan, Grand Administrator of Wuling, Han Xuan, Grand Administrator of Changsha, and Zhao Fan, Grand Administrator of Guiyang. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his origins, what became of him after the surrender, or his death. Records, Shu 2 §23–24
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 52, 1 of its 120 chapters, and his name is in no chapter title. Hearing that Liu Bei's army was coming, he gave his son Liu Xian and his senior general Xing Daorong more than 10,000 troops to resist, but Xing Daorong was speared from his horse by Zhao Yun and Liu Xian was captured by Zhang Fei. At the urging of Liu Xian, who had been released and sent back, he surrendered, and Zhuge Liang kept him on as Grand Administrator. Romance, Ch. 52 §14–15 · 22–24
In the Records
When Cao Cao reached Xiangyang with a lightly equipped army and pursued Liu Bei with 5,000 elite cavalry, overtaking him at Changban in Dangyang, Liu Bei abandoned his wife and children and fled with a few dozen horsemen, including Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. At Hanjin Liu Bei met Guan Yu's boats and crossed the Mian River, and together with the followers of Liu Qi, Grand Administrator of Jiangxia and eldest son of Liu Biao, he reached Xiakou and sent Zhuge Liang to ally with Sun Quan. Together with the naval forces of Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu and others sent by Sun Quan, they crushed Cao Cao at Red Cliffs and pursued him as far as Nan Commandery; an epidemic broke out and many of the northern troops died, so Cao Cao withdrew his army. Records, Shu 2 §22–23
Liu Bei memorialized to make Liu Qi Inspector of Jing Province, and also marched south against four commanderies. Jin Xuan, Grand Administrator of Wuling, Han Xuan, Grand Administrator of Changsha, Zhao Fan, Grand Administrator of Guiyang, and Liu Du, Grand Administrator of Lingling, all surrendered. When Liu Qi died of illness, the officials acclaimed Liu Bei as Governor of Jing Province, and Liu Bei made Gong'an his seat of government. Records, Shu 2 §24
The Biography of Zhuge Liang records that after Cao Cao was defeated at Red Cliffs and returned to Ye, Liu Bei took Jiangnan and made Zhuge Liang Military Adviser General of the Household, having him oversee the three commanderies of Lingling, Guiyang and Changsha and collect their taxes to supply the army. Records, Shu 5 §17
In Chen Shou's main text, this single passage in the Biography of the First Sovereign is the only place Liu Du's name appears. It does not record when he became Grand Administrator of Lingling or what became of him after his surrender. Records, Shu 2 §24
In the Romance
In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Ma Liang advised Liu Bei to make Liu Qi Inspector of Jing Province to settle the people's hearts and then to march south against the four commanderies of Wuling, Changsha, Guiyang and Lingling, saying that west of the Xiang River Lingling was the closest and should be taken first. Liu Bei made Zhang Fei the vanguard and Zhao Yun the rearguard, formed the central army together with Zhuge Liang, and set out for Lingling with 15,000 men and horses. Romance, Ch. 52 §12–14
Hearing that Liu Bei's forces were coming, Liu Du, Grand Administrator of Lingling, consulted his son Liu Xian. Liu Xian said that even if the enemy had brave generals like Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, their own commandery had the senior general Xing Daorong, a match for ten thousand men, and Liu Du had Liu Xian and Xing Daorong lead more than 10,000 troops and pitch camp 30 li from the city, backed by the hills and flanked by water. Romance, Ch. 52 §14–15
Xing Daorong went out to fight and chased the yellow banners under which he supposed Zhuge Liang to be, but he was driven back by Zhang Fei, found his way blocked by Zhao Yun, and surrendered. He was released on his promise to capture Liu Xian and bring him in, but on returning he told Liu Xian truthfully what had happened and urged him to turn the scheme back on the enemy. That night the two lay in ambush outside the camp and chased the troops setting the fires for more than 10 li, but when they returned, Zhang Fei burst out of their main camp. As they turned their troops about again, Zhao Yun speared Xing Daorong from his horse with a single thrust, and Liu Xian, fleeing, was taken alive by Zhang Fei. Liu Xian pleaded that Xing Daorong had put him up to it and that it had not been his own intention. Romance, Ch. 52 §17–22
Zhuge Liang had Liu Xian's bonds removed, gave him clothes and wine, and sent him into the city to urge his father to surrender, warning that if he did not, the city would be stormed and his whole family put to death. When Liu Xian returned, described Zhuge Liang's virtue in full and urged surrender, Liu Du followed his advice: he raised the flag of surrender on the walls, threw open the city gates, came out bearing his seal and ribbon, and went to Liu Bei's main camp to surrender. Zhuge Liang kept Liu Du on as Grand Administrator and had his son Liu Xian go to Jing Province to serve in the army, and the people of the whole commandery of Lingling rejoiced. Romance, Ch. 52 §23–24
Where the Romance differs
Why Lingling came first: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Ma Liang advised taking Lingling first because it was the closest west of the Xiang River, and Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang attacked Lingling with 15,000 men and horses together with Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records says only that when Liu Bei marched south against four commanderies all four Grand Administrators surrendered, without stating which commandery was attacked first or who led the troops. The Biography of Ma Liang likewise says only that when Liu Bei governed Jing Province he summoned Ma Liang as an Attendant Officer. Romance, Ch. 52 §13–14Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 9 §13
The surrender: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Liu Du sent his son Liu Xian and Xing Daorong out to resist and surrendered only after hearing the urging of Liu Xian, who had been captured and released. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records has only the single phrase that the Grand Administrators of the four commanderies "all surrendered." Romance, Ch. 52 §15 · 22–23Records, Shu 2 §24
Liu Xian and Xing Daorong: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Liu Du's son Liu Xian and his senior general Xing Daorong came out to fight, but Xing Daorong does not appear in Chen Shou's main text, and no son of Liu Du is recorded there. Romance, Ch. 52 §14–15Records, Shu 2 §24
Afterward: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Zhuge Liang kept Liu Du on as Grand Administrator and had his son Liu Xian go to Jing Province to serve in the army. Chen Shou's main text does not record what happened to Liu Du after the surrender; the Biography of Zhuge Liang records only that Liu Bei made Zhuge Liang Military Adviser General of the Household and had him oversee the three commanderies of Lingling, Guiyang and Changsha. Romance, Ch. 52 §24Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 5 §17
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
- LEA4038−2
- STR3331−2
- INT3835−3
- POL4548+3
- CHA4042+2
- VIR4040±0
- ADP5052+2
- SCH3533−2
- DIP3838±0
- DIS3535±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NGave his son and Xing Daorong over 10,000 troops to resist, but they were defeatedCh. 52 §15
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NRemained Grand Administrator after surrendering, and the people of the commandery rejoicedCh. 52 §24
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RSurrendered as Grand Administrator of Lingling when the First Sovereign marched south against four commanderiesShu 2 §24
NAt his son's urging, opened the city gates and surrendered bearing his seal and ribbonCh. 52 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Grand Administrator of LinglingCh. 52 §14
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Family
| Children | Liu Xian(劉賢) Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.