Liu Yao

Liu Yao (died 329), courtesy name Yongming, was the final emperor of the Xiongnu-led Han-Zhao dynasty of China. He became emperor in 318 after most other members of the imperial Liu clan were massacred by Jin Zhun in a coup. However, the empire was soon divided in half, as the general Shi Le declared independence and established Later Zhao. In a decisive battle in early 329, Shi captured and executed him, and while his sons Liu Xi the Crown Prince and Liu Yin the Prince of Nanyang continued to hold out for nearly a year, the Han-Zhao state fell later that year. Early life Liu Yao's father Liu Lü (劉綠) died early, and he was raised by Liu Lü's cousin Liu Yuan. When he was young, Liu Yuan became impressed with his intelligence and strength. As he grew, he became known for his archery skills and his studiousness—although his studies were described to be surveys rather than careful readings, except for books on military strategy, which he spent much of his time on. He often deprecated Wu Han and Deng Yu, instead comparing himself to the great Warring States general Le Yi, the great Han Dynasty prime minister Xiao He, and the Han general and official Cao Can (曹參). When people heard these remarks, they often criticized him for being overly arrogant, but Liu Yuan's son Liu Cong respected him and remarked, "Yongming should be compared to Shizu (the temple name of Emperor Guangwu of Han) and Emperor Wu of Wei (Cao Cao); Le, Xiao, and Cao Can cannot be compared to him." When Liu Yao was young, he, along with his cousin Liu Cong, were studying in the Jin capital Luoyang, when on one occasion he committed an unspecified crime punishable by death. He therefore fled to Chaoxian (朝鮮, near modern Pyeongyang, North Korea—not, in this case, a generic geographic term for Korea). Later, after a general pardon, he returned, but decided to live in the mountains away from trouble. During Liu Yuan's reign After Liu Yuan declared himself the Prince of Han in 304, creating Han-Zhao (previously named Han) state and effectively declaring independence and war on (Western) Jin, he made Liu Yao a major general. During Liu Yuan's reign, Liu Yao engaged in many campaigns against Jin forces and often was victorious, although he, like other Han-Zhao generals, had difficulty permanently holding cities that he captured. In 307, along with his cousin Liu Cong and Wang Mi, he attacked Luoyang, but was repelled. They were again foiled in 309.