RTook his own life in grief at the fall of the state — first killing his wife and childrenShu 3 §46
NRefused to surrender and took his own life after weeping at the temple of Emperor ZhaolieCh. 118 §9
Liu Chen 劉諶
| Occupation | RNOther · Prince of Beidi | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | R? N? Unverified | Native place | Zhuo Commandery Zhuo County Unverified |
| Died | R263 N(same) Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | RSuicide NSuicide Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Liu Chen was a son of the Later Sovereign of Shu-Han. He has no biography of his own in Chen Shou's main text and appears twice in the Biography of the Later Sovereign. In the 6th month, in summer, of the 2nd year of Jingyao (259), he was made Prince of Beidi. Records, Shu 3 §39
In the winter of the 6th year of Jingyao (263), on the day the Later Sovereign adopted the plan of Qiao Zhou, Grandee of Splendid Happiness, and surrendered to Deng Ai, Liu Chen, grieving at the fall of the state, first killed his wife and children and then took his own life. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his mother or his age, and the assessment in the Biography of the Later Sovereign discusses only the Later Sovereign and does not deal with him. Records, Shu 3 §43 · 46 · 53
In the Romance he appears in Chapter 118 as the Later Sovereign's fifth son, the Prince of Beidi, and this is the only one of its 120 chapters in which he appears. He is the prince in that chapter's title, 'Weeping at the Ancestral Temple, a Prince Dies for Filial Piety', and the Romance depicts how, after he remonstrates against the surrender and is driven out, his wife Lady Cui dies first, and he kills his three sons and then cuts his own throat at the temple of Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei). Romance, Ch. 118 §4 · 6–7 · 10–11
In the Records
Liu Chen was a son of the Later Sovereign. In the 6th month, in summer, of the 2nd year of Jingyao (259), the Later Sovereign made his sons Liu Chen Prince of Beidi, Liu Xun Prince of Xinxing and Liu Qian Prince of Shangdang. The Biography of the Later Sovereign records that before this he had made Liu Xuan Crown Prince and Liu Yao Prince of Anding in the 1st year of Yanxi (238), Liu Cong Prince of Xihe in the 15th year of Yanxi (252), and Liu Zan Prince of Xinping in the 19th year (256), but it does not state the sons' order of birth or their mothers. Records, Shu 3 §39 · 19 · 32 · 36
In the summer of the 6th year of Jingyao (263), Wei had the General Who Conquers the West Deng Ai, the General Who Guards the West Zhong Hui and the Inspector of Yong Province Zhuge Xu attack Shu together along several routes. In winter, when Deng Ai defeated the General of the Guards Zhuge Zhan at Mianzhu, the Later Sovereign adopted the plan of the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou, surrendered to Deng Ai and submitted a letter. He sent the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao (張紹), appointed on his own authority, the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou and the Commandant Escort of Imperial Equipages Deng Liang to carry the seal and ribbon. Records, Shu 3 §43 · 45
On that day Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi, grieving at the fall of the state, first killed his wife and children and then took his own life. Zhang Shao and Deng Liang met Deng Ai at Luo County, and when Deng Ai reached the north of the city, the Later Sovereign, with a coffin carried on a cart and himself bound, went to the gate of the army camp. Records, Shu 3 §46
In Chen Shou's main text Liu Chen appears in only two places: his appointment as Prince of Beidi and his death. He is also absent from the entries on imperial sons in the Consorts and Sons of the Two Rulers, which records the Later Sovereign's consorts and sons. The assessment in the Biography of the Later Sovereign argues only that the Later Sovereign was a ruler who followed reason while he entrusted affairs to a worthy chancellor, but became a benighted sovereign once he was led astray by eunuchs, and does not deal with Liu Chen. Records, Shu 3 §39 · 46 · 53Records, Shu 4 §16–25
In the Romance
In Chapter 118 of the Romance, when news reaches Chengdu that Deng Ai has taken Mianzhu and that Zhuge Zhan and his son are dead, Qiao Zhou, Grandee of Splendid Happiness, urges that they surrender to Wei rather than take refuge with Wu. When the Later Sovereign, following Qiao Zhou's advice, is about to go out and surrender, his fifth son Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi, steps out from behind a screen and rebukes Qiao Zhou, asking how a rotten pedant who clings to life dares to talk recklessly about the great affairs of the state, and where since ancient times there has ever been a Son of Heaven who surrendered. The Romance records that of the Later Sovereign's seven sons only Liu Chen had been intelligent and quick-witted beyond others from childhood, while all the rest were weak and meek. Romance, Ch. 118 §1–5
When the Later Sovereign asks whether he alone, relying on the courage of hot blood, means to fill the whole city with blood, Liu Chen says that in the days of the late emperor Qiao Zhou never had a part in affairs of state, and that there are still tens of thousands of troops in Chengdu and Jiang Wei's entire army is at Jiange, so that by attacking from within and without they could achieve a great success. When the Later Sovereign scolds him, asking how a child could understand the timing of Heaven, Liu Chen knocks his head on the ground and weeps, urging that father and sons, lord and ministers, make a last stand with their backs to the city wall, die together with the altars of the state and go to see the late emperor. When the Later Sovereign does not listen, he wails aloud that he would rather die than suffer disgrace, and the Later Sovereign has his close attendants push him out of the palace gate and then has Qiao Zhou draft the letter of surrender. Romance, Ch. 118 §5–7
When Deng Ai's reply arrives and it is settled that lord and ministers will go out to surrender on the 1st day of the 12th month, Liu Chen hears of it and enters the palace wearing a sword. When his wife Lady Cui asks why his countenance is not as usual, he says that when lord and ministers go out to surrender tomorrow the altars of the state will be cut off, and that he would rather die first and see the late emperor beneath the earth than bend the knee to others. Lady Cui says that the prince dies for his father and she dies for her husband, so their righteousness is the same, and she dashes her head against a pillar and dies. Romance, Ch. 118 §8–10
Liu Chen kills his three sons with his own hand, cuts off his wife's head and carries it to the temple of Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei), where he weeps and reports that, ashamed to see the patrimony thrown away into the hands of others, he has first killed his wife and children to cut off all attachments and means to repay his grandfather with his own life. After weeping so bitterly that blood flows from his eyes, he cuts his own throat, and there is no one in Shu who does not grieve on hearing of it. The Romance includes a poem by a later writer, 'How heroic, the Prince of Beidi!', and the Later Sovereign has someone bury him; the next day he leads the crown prince, the princes and more than sixty ministers out to surrender. Romance, Ch. 118 §10–13
Where the Romance differs
Order among the brothers: In Chapter 118 of the Romance, Liu Chen is the fifth of the Later Sovereign's seven sons. The Biography of the Later Sovereign in Chen Shou's main text records only the years in which the sons were made Crown Prince or princes and does not state their order of birth; Liu Chen was made a prince in the 2nd year of Jingyao (259) together with Liu Xun and Liu Qian. Romance, Ch. 118 §4Records, Shu 3 §39
Prince of Beidi: In the Records, Liu Chen was made Prince of Beidi in the 6th month, in summer, of the 2nd year of Jingyao (259). The Romance simply calls him Prince of Beidi from the start and does not record his being made a prince. Records, Shu 3 §39Romance, Ch. 118 §4
Character: Chapter 118 of the Romance says that of the seven sons only Liu Chen was intelligent and quick-witted. Chen Shou's main text does not record his character. Romance, Ch. 118 §5Records, Shu 3 §39 · 46
Remonstrance against the surrender: In Chapter 118 of the Romance, Liu Chen rebukes Qiao Zhou, tearfully urges a last stand with their backs to the city wall, and is pushed out of the palace gate. Chen Shou's main text says only that he grieved at the fall of the state, and does not record his remonstrance or his being driven out. Romance, Ch. 118 §4–7Records, Shu 3 §46
The day of his death: In the Romance, Liu Chen dies after Deng Ai's reply has arrived and it has been settled that they will go out to surrender on the 1st day of the 12th month, when he hears the news. Chen Shou's main text says that he died on 'that day' on which the Later Sovereign, following Qiao Zhou's plan, sent his letter of surrender to Deng Ai. Romance, Ch. 118 §8–9Records, Shu 3 §43 · 45–46
The deaths of his wife and children: In Chapter 118 of the Romance, his wife Lady Cui dashes her own head against a pillar and dies, and Liu Chen kills his three sons. Chen Shou's main text says that Liu Chen first killed his wife and children and then took his own life, and does not give his wife's surname or the number of his children. Romance, Ch. 118 §10Records, Shu 3 §46
Where he died and what followed: In the Romance, Liu Chen carries his wife's head to the temple of Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei), weeps there and cuts his own throat, and the Later Sovereign has someone bury him. Chen Shou's main text records neither where he died nor his burial. Romance, Ch. 118 §10–12Records, Shu 3 §46
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.
Records total377 / 1000Rank 747 of 996 · Top 75%Romance total476 / 1000Rank 156 of 1,113 · Top 15%
Romance adaptation index+99Romance total − Records total
- LEA3338+5
- STR3335+2
- INT3858+20
- POL3535±0
- CHA4050+10
- VIR6688+22
- ADP3545+10
- SCH3540+5
- DIP3152+21
- DIS3135+4
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NRebuked Qiao Zhou and urged the Later Sovereign to fight a decisive battle, but was not heededCh. 118 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NProposed attacking from within and without with the tens of thousands in Chengdu and Jiang Wei at JiangeCh. 118 §5
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §39Shu 3 §46
NWhen he died, all the people of Shu grieved and mournedCh. 118 §11
ROn the day of the surrender killed his wife and children and took his own lifeShu 3 §46
NHeld firm to his resolve to die with the altars of the state rather than surrenderCh. 118 §6Ch. 118 §9
5 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NNo direct record — estimated, as his only recorded deeds as Prince of Beidi are his opposition to the surrenderCh. 118 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NNo direct record — estimated, as his only recorded deeds as Prince of Beidi are his opposition to the surrenderCh. 118 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NNo direct record — estimated, as his only recorded deeds as Prince of Beidi are his opposition to the surrenderCh. 118 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NNo direct record — estimated from his being intelligent and quick-witted from childhoodCh. 118 §5
RNo direct record — estimated from his status as an imperial son made Prince of BeidiShu 3 §46
NNo direct record — estimated, as his only recorded deeds as Prince of Beidi are his opposition to the surrenderCh. 118 §4
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 →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Romance · Romance ch. 118 「”后主视之，乃第五子北地王刘谌也」 · Q124714688
Family
| Parents | Liu Shan Romance |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Lady Cui Romance |
| Siblings | Liu Xuan Romance, Liu Xun(劉恂) Romance, Liu Yao(劉瑤) Romance, Liu Qu Romance, Liu Zan(劉瓚) Romance |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
Related events (1)
- A Prince Dies Weeping at the Ancestral Temple 263 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).