Liu Chang

Liu Chang (; 942–980), originally Liu Jixing (劉繼興), was the fourth, last and youngest emperor of China's Southern Han dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, reigning from 958 until the Southern Han was annexed by the Northern Song dynasty in 971. Life He succeeded his father Liu Sheng because he was the eldest son. He only left eunuchs in power in his court and mandated castration for anyone who wanted to work for his court because he believed people with children could not be completely loyal. When Liu Chang became Emperor he was only a "mere youth". Reign Liu became Emperor when he was sixteen years old. Historical records report that Liu Chang spent so much time with his harem that he abandoned government affairs. His most favorite concubine was one young Persian girl he called Mèi Zhū (媚豬). The "History of Five dynasties and Ten Kingdoms" described the Persian woman as having copper colored skin and large eyes. It was told that she loved pearls so Liu Chang ordered fishermen to dive to find thousands of pearls for his Persian lover Mei Zhu. Many of the fishermen died. He gave her a pearl dudou, pearl crowns, pearl blouses, and pearl skirts. He also used pearls and silver to renovate his palaces. The historical text Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms recorded that Liu Chang indulged in sex games. He had alchemists create aphrodisiacs to induce sexual desire as pregame warmup. One of his games was called "Naked in Twos" (大體雙) in which he paired young men with palace women, made them strip naked and have sex together while he and his Persian lover were carried around to watch them. Liu and Mei Zhu then decided whether the man or woman "won". If the man "defeated" the woman, both were rewarded, but if the woman won and defeated the man, Liu had the man castrated.