Liu Ba 劉巴

Liu Ba, courtesy name Zichu, was a man of Zhengyang County in Lingling Commandery. He was known from his youth, and Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, summoned him several times and also recommended him as Abundant Talent, but he did not take up any of these. Records, Shu 9 §8

When Liu Biao died and Cao Cao attacked Jing Province, Liu Bei fled south of the Yangtze, and the scholars of Jing and Chu followed Liu Bei like clouds, but Liu Ba went north to Cao Cao. Cao Cao summoned him as a clerk and had him win over Changsha, Lingling and Guiyang. Just then Liu Bei attacked and took the three commanderies, so Liu Ba could not complete his mission and return, and went far away to Jiaozhi, which Liu Bei deeply regretted. Records, Shu 9 §8

Liu Ba then came from Jiaozhi to Shu. Soon afterward Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, and Liu Ba apologized for his past offenses, but Liu Bei did not reproach him. When Zhuge Liang praised and recommended him several times, Liu Bei summoned him and made him Clerk of the Western Bureau under the General of the Left. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that Liu Bei placed in high positions men whom Liu Zhang had employed, such as Dong He, Huang Quan and Li Yan, and also Liu Ba, whom he had long resented, and let them make full use of their talents. Records, Shu 9 §9Records, Shu 2 §33–34

In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), when Liu Bei became King of Hanzhong, Liu Ba became a Master of Writing, and later succeeded Fa Zheng as Director of the Imperial Secretariat. He personally practiced integrity and frugality and did not build up property. Also, because he had not been an adherent from the beginning, he feared being suspected and disliked, so he kept to respectful silence and quiet, had no private associations when away from office, and did not speak except on public business. Records, Shu 9 §10

When Liu Bei took the imperial title and solemnly announced it to the Supreme Lord of August Heaven and the spirits of Sovereign Earth, all the documents, proclamations and edicts were composed by Liu Ba. According to Yi Ji's biography, Yi Ji drew up the Shu Code together with Zhuge Liang, Fa Zheng, Liu Ba and Li Yan, and the institutions of the Shu Code came from these five men. Yang Yi's biography records that when Liu Bei took the imperial title and went east to attack Wu, Yang Yi was on bad terms with Liu Ba, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and was demoted. Records, Shu 9 §10Records, Shu 8 §33Records, Shu 10 §68

According to Ma Zhong's biography, after Liu Bei was badly defeated at Xiaoting and returned to Yong'an, he met and talked with Ma Zhong, who had come leading troops, and said to Liu Ba, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, 'Though I have lost Huang Quan, I have gained Hu Du in his place; this shows that the world does not lack worthy men.' Records, Shu 13 §29

Liu Ba died in the 2nd year of Zhangwu (222). After his death, Chen Qun, Deputy Director of the Imperial Secretariat of Wei, wrote to the Chancellor Zhuge Liang asking for news of Liu Ba and referring to him as 'Lord Liu Zichu', and Chen Shou wrote that Chen Qun respected and esteemed him greatly. Records, Shu 9 §11

The Eulogies on the Supporting Ministers of Ji Han, written by Yang Xi in the 4th year of Yanxi (241), praised the Master of Writing Liu Ba as 'pure and lofty, careful in conduct and upright in person, holding his purpose high and keeping to righteousness, savoring and reading the classics and texts'. In his assessment Chen Shou said, 'Liu Ba kept to an integrity that was pure and lofty,' and counted him, together with Dong He, Ma Liang, Chen Zhen and Dong Yun, among the finest ministers of Shu. Records, Shu 15 §33 · 48Records, Shu 9 §45