Liu You
| Liu You | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Huaiyang (淮陽王) | |||||
| Reign | 196 BC – c. January 194 BC | ||||
| Prince of Zhao (趙王) | |||||
| Reign | c. January 194 BC – 21 February 181 BC | ||||
| Predecessor | Liu Ruyi | ||||
| Successor | Liu Hui | ||||
| Died | 21 February 181 BC Chang'an | ||||
| Spouse | Lady Lü | ||||
| |||||
| House | Han dynasty | ||||
| Father | Emperor Gaozu of Han | ||||
Liu You (simplified Chinese: 刘友; traditional Chinese: 劉友; pinyin: Liú Yǒu; died 21 February 181 BC[1]) was the sixth son of Emperor Gaozu of Han. He was made Prince of Huaiyang in 196 BC, and recreated as Prince of Zhao two years later.[2][3]
Liu You married Empress Dowager Lü's niece, who found that he was having affairs with secret mistresses. Lady Lü, angered, went to Empress Dowager Lü and claimed that Liu You was speaking of rebelling against the Lü clan after the Empress Dowager's death. The Lü clan, led by the Empress Dowager, had been controlling the imperial court.
The Empress Dowager subsequently summoned Liu You to Chang'an, the capital, and put him under house arrest there without food. While in prison, Liu You made a song cursing the deeds which Empress Dowager Lü had done to the Liu family. He was afraid to commit suicide, ended up starving to death, was buried with commoner rites, and given the posthumous name You (幽).[4][5]
References
[edit]- ↑ dingchou day of the zheng month of the 7th year of Empress Lü's regency (after Emperor Hui's death), per vol.13 of Zizhi Tongjian
- ↑ Ban Biao; Ban Gu; Ban Zhao. "諸侯王表" [Table of nobles related to the imperial clan]. Book of Han (in Chinese). Vol. 14. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- ↑ Sima Guang. "漢紀" [Han Annals]. Zizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). Vol. 12. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- ↑ Ban Biao; Ban Gu; Ban Zhao. "高五王傳" [Biographies of the five sons of Emperor Gao]. Book of Han (in Chinese). Vol. 38. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- ↑ Sima Guang. "漢紀" [Han Annals]. Zizhi Tongjian (in Chinese). Vol. 13. Retrieved 5 July 2011.