Liu Yi 劉廙

Liu Yi, courtesy name Gongsi, was a native of Anzhong County in Nanyang Commandery. When he was ten and playing in a lecture hall, Sima Decao (Sima Hui) of Yingchuan patted his head and said, 'Do you yourself not know that the yellow is within you and you penetrate to the principle of things?' His elder brother Liu Wangzhi was renowned in his day, and Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, summoned him as an Attendant Officer. But two of his friends were both slandered and put to death by Liu Biao, and when Liu Wangzhi's upright remonstrance was not accepted, he threw down his tally, took his leave and returned home. Records, Wei 21 §50

Liu Yi told Liu Wangzhi that when Zhao killed Ming Du, Zhongni turned his carriage back; if he could not, like Liuxia Hui, dim his light and mingle with the dust within, he ought, like Fan Li, to depart and vanish from sight without; he must not sit still and cut himself off from the times. Liu Wangzhi did not listen and before long was also killed. Liu Yi fled in fear to Yang Province and at length submitted to Cao Cao. Records, Wei 21 §51

Cao Cao summoned him as a Clerk on the Chancellor's staff, and he was transferred to Literary Scholar to the General of the Household for All Purposes. Cao Pi valued his capacity and ordered him to correspond in cursive script. Liu Yi replied that, regarding it as the constant rule of propriety not to overstep the distinction between high and low, he had not dared to write in cursive; but if he must follow the strict command, it would mean giving up a commoner's scruple to bring about a lofty excellence, so how could he decline? When the state of Wei was first established, he became Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. Records, Wei 21 §51–52

When Cao Cao was at Chang'an and intended to lead a campaign against Shu in person, Liu Yi submitted a memorial. He wrote that in former times Yue Yi was able to defeat great Qi with weak Yan, yet could not pacify Jimo with light troops, for one who plans to preserve himself is sure to be firm even if weak, while one bent on his own collapse is sure to fail even if strong. In the more than thirty years since His Highness raised his army there had been no enemy he had not defeated, yet Sun Quan held out in Wu relying on its natural defenses and Liu Bei refused to submit in Shu. The domains of Sun Quan and Liu Bei could not compare with Yuan Shao's estate, yet Yuan Shao had perished while the two bandits were still unconquered, because the situation of those who seek to preserve themselves differs from that of those bent on their own collapse. Records, Wei 21 §53–55

He cited how King Wen, having attacked Chong three times without taking it, returned home to cultivate his virtue and only then brought it to submission, and how Qin, after uniting the realm, collapsed at the shout of a single commoner. As a plan for the present, he proposed assessing the natural strongholds on all four sides and choosing the key points to defend, selecting the troops of the realm and rotating them yearly for each region, and expanding farming and sericulture while conducting all affairs with economy; if this were cultivated for ten years, the state would be rich and the people at peace. Cao Cao advanced his army regardless and replied, 'It is not only the ruler who must know his subjects; the subjects must also know their ruler. Now you wish me to sit still and practice the virtue of the Lord of the West, but I fear I am not the man for it.' Records, Wei 21 §55–58

When Wei Feng rebelled in the 9th month of the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Liu Yi's younger brother Liu Wei had been drawn in by Wei Feng, so Liu Yi too was liable to be put to death by collective punishment. Cao Cao issued an order saying, 'That Shuxiang was not held guilty for his younger brother Hu is the ancient rule,' specially pardoned him, and transferred him to the post of Clerk of the Granary Bureau on the Chancellor's staff. The Biography of Chen Qun records that when Chen Qun spoke to Cao Cao about the matter, Cao Cao said, 'Liu Yi is a famous minister; I too meant to pardon him,' and that when Liu Yi thanked him deeply, Chen Qun replied that his discussion of the punishment had been for the sake of the state, not a private matter. Records, Wei 1 §165 · 169Records, Wei 21 §59Records, Wei 22 §36

Liu Yi submitted a memorial of thanks, saying that his crime deserved the overthrow of his lineage and the destruction of his clan, yet he had been kept from being scorched to ruin, as when boiling water is ladled up to stop the boiling, and smoke had been raised from cold ashes and flowers made to bloom on a tree already withered. He added that a son does not thank his parents for giving him life; he could repay with his death, but it was hard to set it out with the brush. Records, Wei 21 §59–60

Liu Yi wrote several dozen pieces, and these, together with the writings in which he and Ding Yi discussed punishment and ritual, have all been handed down. When Cao Pi became king, Liu Yi became Palace Attendant and was granted the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, and he died in the 2nd year of Huangchu (221). As he had no son, the emperor made his younger brother's son Liu Fu his heir. Records, Wei 21 §60–61

The Biography of Lu Xun of Wu records that when Xie Jing of Nanyang praised Liu Yi's argument for 'putting punishment first and ritual second,' Lu Xun rebuked Xie Jing, saying, 'That ritual surpasses punishment has long been so. Liu Yi distorted the teachings of the former sages with petty argument; it is all wrong.' Records, Wu 13 §33

In his assessment, Chen Shou treated him together with Wang Can, Wei Ji, Liu Shao, Fu Gu and others, and said that Liu Yi was known for his clear discernment. Records, Wei 21 §99