| Occupation | RNRuler · Inspector of Qing Province | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | Native place | Shanyang Commandery Gaoping County Unverified | |
| Cause of death | NKilled Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R13 |
Liu Cong was the youngest son of Liu Biao, who governed Jing Province. Liu Biao and his wife loved him and wanted to make him heir, and with Cai Mao and Zhang Yun forming his faction, the eldest son Liu Qi was sent out as Administrator of Jiangxia and Liu Cong was upheld as heir. Records, Wei 6 §91
In the 13th year of Jian'an (208), when Liu Biao died while Cao Cao was campaigning south, Liu Cong succeeded him, but accepting the persuasion of Fu Xun and others he surrendered the whole province. Cao Cao made him Inspector of Qing Province and enfeoffed him as a full marquis. Records, Wei 1 §104Records, Wei 6 §91–94
In the Records he is included at the end of his father Liu Biao's biography, and in his assessment Chen Shou wrote that Liu Biao set aside the legitimate heir to set up a younger son, abandoning propriety and exalting favour, so that his heirs were overthrown and his state toppled. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 34 and appears in 5 of its 120 chapters; his name is not in any chapter title. In Chapter 40 he is set up as lord of Jing Province at fourteen and then surrenders to Cao Cao, and in Chapter 41 he is killed together with his mother Lady Cai on the road to Qing Province. Records, Wei 6 §96Romance, Ch. 34 §34Romance, Ch. 40 §16Romance, Ch. 41 §28
Liu Cong was Liu Biao's youngest son. At first Liu Biao and his wife loved their youngest son Liu Cong and wanted to make him heir, and Cai Mao and Zhang Yun formed his faction. So the eldest son Liu Qi was sent out as Administrator of Jiangxia, and the faction at last upheld Liu Cong as heir. Because of this, Liu Qi and Liu Cong became enemies. Records, Wei 6 §90–91
Zhuge Liang's biography records that Liu Biao, heeding the words of his second wife, loved his youngest son Liu Cong and was not fond of Liu Qi. Liu Qi repeatedly asked Zhuge Liang how to keep himself safe, and when Zhuge Liang answered by citing Shensheng, who was in danger while he stayed inside, and Chong'er, who was safe outside, Liu Qi took the opportunity of Huang Zu's death to go out as Administrator of Jiangxia. Records, Shu 5 §9–10
In the seventh month, autumn, of the 13th year of Jian'an (208), Cao Cao set out south to attack Liu Biao, but before he arrived, in the eighth month, Liu Biao died of illness. Liu Cong succeeded him and was stationed at Xiangyang, while Liu Bei was stationed at Fan. Records, Wei 1 §104Records, Wei 6 §89
When Kuai Yue, Han Song, the Officer of the Eastern Bureau Fu Xun and others urged him to submit to Cao Cao, Liu Cong said, 'Why should I not now hold the whole land of Chu with you all, preserve the late lord's enterprise and watch how the realm goes?' Fu Xun said that for a subject to resist his sovereign was rebellion, and that it was beyond their strength to hold off the state with a newly founded Chu or to oppose Lord Cao with Liu Bei. He then asked Liu Cong how he judged himself against Liu Bei, and Liu Cong answered, 'I am not his equal.' Fu Xun said that if Liu Bei was not enough to stop Lord Cao, then even holding the land of Chu Liu Cong could not survive on his own, and if he was enough, Liu Bei would not be willing to stay beneath the general. Wang Can also urged Liu Cong to submit to Cao Cao. Records, Wei 6 §91–93Records, Wei 21 §4
The Biography of the First Sovereign records that when Lord Cao came south, Liu Cong sent an envoy to ask to surrender. Liu Bei, at Fan, did not know that Lord Cao had suddenly arrived, and only heard the news when Lord Cao reached Wan, whereupon he left with his followers. As they passed Xiangyang, Zhuge Liang said that if he attacked Liu Cong he could take Jing Province, but Liu Bei said he could not bear to, stopped his horse and called out to Liu Cong. Liu Cong was too afraid to get up, and many of Liu Cong's attendants and of the people of Jing Province went over to Liu Bei. Records, Shu 2 §20–21
The Annals of Emperor Wu records that in the ninth month, when Cao Cao reached Xinye, Liu Cong at last surrendered, and Liu Biao's biography records that when Cao Cao's army reached Xiangyang, Liu Cong surrendered the whole province. Liu Bei fled to Xiakou. When he surrendered, Liu Cong called Liu Biao's senior general Wen Pin to go with him, but Wen Pin did not follow, saying that since he had not been able to keep the province whole, he could only await punishment. Records, Wei 1 §104Records, Wei 6 §93Records, Wei 18 §34
Cao Cao made Liu Cong Inspector of Qing Province and enfeoffed him as a full marquis. Fifteen men of Jing Province, including Kuai Yue, were enfeoffed as marquises, and most rose to high office, Kuai Yue becoming Superintendent of the Imperial Household and Han Song Grand Herald. Sun Quan later recalled that Cao Cao, riding the momentum of having won over Liu Cong, boasted that he was coming down by water and land at the head of several hundred thousand men. The Records records nothing further about Liu Cong. Records, Wei 6 §94Records, Wei 1 §104Records, Wu 9 §90
In his assessment Chen Shou said that Yuan Shao and Liu Biao were both outwardly generous but inwardly jealous, and that since they set aside the legitimate heir to set up a younger son, abandoning propriety and exalting favour, it was no misfortune that their heirs were overthrown and their states toppled and destroyed. Records, Wei 6 §96
In Chapter 34 of the Romance, Liu Biao, drinking with Liu Bei, sheds tears and confides that his eldest son Qi, born of his first wife Lady Chen, is worthy but weak and not fit to accomplish things, while his young son Cong, born of his second wife Lady Cai, is rather clever. In the same chapter Liu Cong, together with Liu Qi, leads the civil and military officials to welcome Liu Bei when he comes to Xiangyang. Romance, Ch. 34 §17 · 34
In Chapter 40, when Liu Biao dies, Lady Cai consults with Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, forges a will and makes the second son Liu Cong lord of Jing Province. The Romance says that Liu Cong was then only fourteen but rather clever, and he worries how they will explain themselves if his elder brother and his uncle raise troops to call them to account. Li Gui, who urges setting up the eldest son, is beheaded by Cai Mao, and Lady Cai, stationed at Xiangyang with Liu Cong, never sends word of the death to Liu Qi and Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 40 §16–18
When news comes that Cao Cao's great army is approaching and Fu Xun proposes offering the nine commanderies of Jingxiang to Cao Cao, Liu Cong rebukes him, asking how he could hand over to another the foundation he inherited from the late lord when he is not yet even secure in his seat. But Kuai Yue urges it again, and when Wang Can asks, 'General, how do you judge yourself against Lord Cao?' he answers, 'I am not his equal.' When Liu Cong says he must ask his mother, Lady Cai comes out from behind a screen and says that since the three men are of the same view there is no need to tell her, and Liu Cong writes a letter of surrender and has Song Zhong deliver it to Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 40 §19–21 · 24–25
In Chapter 41 Liu Bei calls out before the east gate of Xiangyang, 'My worthy nephew Liu Cong, open the gate quickly,' but Liu Cong is too afraid to come out, and Cai Mao and Zhang Yun have the soldiers shoot arrows. When Cao Cao summons him, Liu Cong is too afraid to go, and Cai Mao and Zhang Yun go in his place. Wang Wei's proposal to capture Cao Cao with a surprise attack is blocked by Cai Mao. Overjoyed to hear that Cao Cao has promised to let him govern Jingxiang forever, Liu Cong crosses the river the next day with his mother Lady Cai, bearing his seals and military tallies, to welcome Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 41 §10 · 20–21 · 25
Cao Cao makes Liu Cong Inspector of Qing Province and has him leave at once. Liu Cong repeatedly declines, saying that he does not want office and wishes to keep to his parents' homeland, but he is refused, and he sets out for Qing Province with his mother, accompanied only by his old general Wang Wei. Yu Jin, on Cao Cao's orders, pursues them with light cavalry, and Lady Cai clasps Liu Cong and weeps. Wang Wei dies fighting, and Yu Jin's soldiers kill Liu Cong and Lady Cai. In Chapter 43 Zhuge Liang tells Zhang Zhao that 'that child Liu Cong believed flattering words and secretly surrendered, letting Cao Cao run rampant.' Romance, Ch. 41 §26–28Romance, Ch. 43 §10
How he became heir: In Chapter 40 of the Romance, after Liu Biao's death Lady Cai, with Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, forges a will to set up Liu Cong and beheads Li Gui, who urged setting up the eldest son. In Liu Biao's biography in the Records, Liu Biao and his wife, while he was still alive, wanted to make their youngest son Liu Cong heir, and after the eldest son Liu Qi was sent out as Administrator of Jiangxia, the faction upheld Liu Cong. The forged will and Li Gui do not appear. Romance, Ch. 40 §16–18Records, Wei 6 §91 · 81–94
Age: Chapter 40 of the Romance says that Liu Cong was fourteen when he became lord of Jing Province. Liu Biao's biography in the Records does not record Liu Cong's age. Romance, Ch. 40 §16Records, Wei 6 §90–94
The words urging surrender: In Chapter 40 of the Romance, Wang Can asks, 'How do you judge yourself against Lord Cao?', and at the end Lady Cai comes out from behind a screen to help settle the decision. In the Records, Fu Xun asked how he judged himself against Liu Bei and Liu Cong answered that he was not his equal, and Wang Can's biography says only that Wang Can urged him to submit. There is no word of Lady Cai helping bring about the surrender. Romance, Ch. 40 §24–25Records, Wei 6 §92Records, Wei 21 §4
Liu Bei before Xiangyang: In Chapter 41 of the Romance, when Liu Bei calls for the city gate to be opened, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun have arrows shot at him. In the Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records, Zhuge Liang proposed attacking Liu Cong, but Liu Bei could not bear to, stopped his horse and called out to Liu Cong; Liu Cong was too afraid to get up, and many of his attendants and of the people of Jing Province went over to Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 41 §10Records, Shu 2 §20–21
After the surrender: In Chapter 41 of the Romance, Cao Cao makes Liu Cong Inspector of Qing Province and sends him off, then has Yu Jin kill him together with his mother Lady Cai. Liu Biao's biography in the Records says only that Cao Cao made Liu Cong Inspector of Qing Province and enfeoffed him as a full marquis, and nowhere in Chen Shou's text is there any record of Liu Cong being killed. Romance, Ch. 41 §26–28Records, Wei 6 §94
How Liu Bei learned of it: In Chapter 40 of the Romance, Song Zhong, returning after delivering the letter of surrender, is caught by Guan Yu, and so Liu Bei learns of the surrender. In the Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records, Liu Bei, at Fan, only heard the news when Lord Cao reached Wan and left with his followers; Song Zhong does not appear. Romance, Ch. 40 §27Records, Shu 2 §20
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.
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.
RAccepted the persuasion of Fu Xun and others, surrendered the whole province and became a full marquisWei 6 §92
NSurrendered leaning on his mother's will, was too afraid to meet Cao Cao, and could not prevent being sent to Qing ProvinceCh. 40 §25Ch. 41 §20Ch. 41 §26
RCai Mao and Zhang Yun formed his faction and upheld him as heirWei 6 §91
NWhen he left for Qing Province only his old general Wang Wei followed him, and the rest merely saw him offCh. 41 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his surrendering without a fightWei 6 §93
NNo direct record — estimated from his surrendering without a fightCh. 41 §10
RNo direct record — estimated in the absence of any record of martial prowessWei 6 §93
NNo direct record — estimated in the absence of any record of martial prowessCh. 41 §10
RProposed holding Chu and watching events, but admitted he was not Liu Bei's equalWei 6 §91
NRather clever at fourteen, he worried first about his brother and uncle calling him to accountCh. 40 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his becoming Inspector of Qing Province after surrenderingWei 6 §94
NNo direct record — estimated from the record of the Cai clan dividing control of the troopsCh. 40 §18
RPushed aside his elder brother Liu Qi to become heir, and the brothers became enemiesWei 6 §91
NWas ashamed to hand over the late lord's foundation to another in a single morningCh. 40 §20
RNo direct record — estimated from his family as Liu Biao's sonWei 6 §91
NNo direct record — estimated from his family as Liu Biao's sonCh. 40 §16
RNo direct record — estimated, as there is only the record of his sending an envoy to ask to surrenderShu 5 §10
NNo direct record — estimated, as there is only the record of his sending Song Zhong to present a letter of surrenderCh. 40 §25
RAccepted the counsel of Kuai Yue and Fu XunWei 6 §92
NTold Cai Mao of Wang Wei's surprise-attack plan, letting it be dismissedCh. 41 §20
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.
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
| Parents | Liu Biao Records |
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Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.