View source for Liu Shan

{{Short description|Chinese emperor of Shu Han from 223 to 263}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|article|date=September 2017}}  
{{original research|date=September 2017}}
}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Liu Shan<br/>{{normal|{{lang|zh|劉禪}}}}
| image        = File:Liu Shan.jpg
| image_size   = 180px
| caption      = A [[Qing dynasty]] illustration of Liu Shan
| succession   = [[Emperor of China|Emperor]] of [[Shu Han]]
| reign        = June 223 – December 263
| predecessor  = [[Liu Bei]]
| regent       = {{unbulleted list|[[Zhuge Liang]]|[[Jiang Wan]]|[[Fei Yi]]|[[Jiang Wei]]}}
| succession1  = Crown Prince of Shu Han
| reign1       = 19 June 221 – June 223
| reign-type1  = Tenure
| succession2  = Duke of Anle ({{lang|zh|安樂公}})
| reign2       = 264–271
| reign-type2  = Tenure
| successor1   = [[Liu Xuan (Three Kingdoms)|Liu Xuan]]
| birth_date   = 207
| birth_place  = [[Xinye County]], [[Henan]]
| death_date   = 271 (aged 64)
| death_place  = [[Luoyang]], Henan
| spouse       = {{unbulleted list|[[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's first wife)|Empress Jing'ai]]|[[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second wife)|Empress Zhang]]|[[Li Zhaoyi (Shu Han)|Lady Li]]|Consort Wang}}
| issue        = {{unbulleted list|[[Liu Xuan (Three Kingdoms)|Crown Prince Liu Xuan]]|Liu Yao|Liu Cong|Liu Zan|[[Liu Chen (Shu Han)|Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi]]|Liu Xun|Liu Qian}}
| issue-link   = Shu_Han_family_trees#Liu_Shan
| full name    = {{ubl|'''Family name:''' Liu (劉) | '''Given name:''' Shan (禪) | '''[[Courtesy name]]''': Gongsi (公嗣)}}
| era dates    = {{unbulleted list|Jianxing (建興; 223–237)|Yanxi (延熙; 238–257)|Jingyao (景耀; 258–263)|Yanxing (炎興; 263)}}
| posthumous name = {{unbulleted list|Duke Si of Anle (安樂思公)|Emperor Xiaohuai (孝懷皇帝)}}
| dynasty      = [[Shu Han]]
| house        = [[House of Liu]]
| father       = [[Liu Bei]]
| mother       = [[Lady Gan|Empress Zhaolie]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = 
| piccap = 
| picsize = 
| t = 劉禪
| s = 刘禅
| p = Líu Shàn
| w = Liu Shan
| mi = 
| gr = 
| suz = 
| j = 
| y = 
| poj = 
}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Liu]]|lang=Chinese}}
'''Liu Shan''' ({{audio|Liu Shan.ogg|pronunciation}}, 207–271),{{sfnp|de Crespigny|2007|p=541}}{{efn|Liu Shan's name is commonly mispronounced as "Liu Chan". See {{cite periodical| url = http://www.zisi.net/htm/xzwj/lyrwj/2005-11-17-34471.htm | script-title=zh:阿斗的大名怎样读 | trans-title=How to pronounce Adou's name | author= Lü Youren (吕友仁) | magazine = Zhonghua Shuju Wenshi Zhishi | script-magazine=zh:中华书局《文史知识》| issue=11 | date= 1988 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129235113/http://www.zisi.net/htm/xzwj/lyrwj/2005-11-17-34471.htm |archive-date=November 29, 2006}} In addition, when combined with his adopted brother [[Liu Feng]]'s name, the two men's names formed the term "[[Feng Shan]]".}} [[courtesy name]] '''Gongsi''', was the second and last emperor of the state of [[Shu Han]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period. As he ascended the throne at the age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the [[Chancellor (China)|Chancellor]] [[Zhuge Liang]] and Imperial Secretariat [[Li Yan (Three Kingdoms)|Li Yan]]. His reign of 40 years was the longest of all emperors in the Three Kingdoms era.{{efn|[[Sun Quan]] ruled his state for 52 years (200–252). However, he only declared himself emperor in 229, and was emperor for 23 years.}} During Liu Shan's reign, many campaigns were led against the rival state of [[Cao Wei]], primarily by Zhuge Liang and his successor [[Jiang Wei]], but to little avail, due to their drastic mismatch in terms of population and geographic extent. Liu Shan eventually surrendered to Wei in 263 after [[Deng Ai]] led a surprise attack on the Shu capital [[Chengdu]]. He was quickly relocated to the Wei capital at [[Luoyang]], and [[enfeoffed]] as "Duke Anle". There he enjoyed his last years peacefully before dying in 271, most probably of natural causes.

Widely known to later generations by his infant name "'''Adou'''" ({{lang|zh|阿斗}}), Liu Shan was commonly perceived as an incapable ruler. He was also accused of indulging in pleasures while neglecting state affairs, allowing corrupt officials to take power. Some modern scholars have taken a more positive view towards Liu Shan's capability, as Liu Shan's long reign in Shu Han was free of bloody court coups unlike its rivals. Nevertheless, the name "Adou" is today still commonly used in Chinese as an epithet for someone so incompetent at a task that no amount of assistance will help them succeed.<ref>{{ cite book | title= Power of Freedom: Hu Shih's Political Writings
| editor1-first=Chih-p’ing |editor1-last=Chou
| editor2-first=Carlos Yu-Kai |editor2-last=Lin
|series=China Understandings Today|date= 2022
|publisher= University of Michigan Press
|doi=10.3998/mpub.12258711 | doi-access= free
| chapter= Do We Need Or Want Dictatorship?
| author= Hu Shih | author-link= Hu Shih
| pages=55–61 | orig-date=1934
| jstor= 10.3998/mpub.12258711.5| isbn=978-0-472-07526-3 }}</ref>{{rp|59 n. 2}}

The main source of historical information about Liu Shan and his contemporaries is ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]''. Its author [[Chen Shou]] noted in his postface that Zhuge Liang did not employ scribes at Liu Shan's court, contrary to tradition.{{sfnp|Chen and Pei|429|p=i}} This custom would never be established in Shu Han, so details of Liu Shan's rule are hazy in comparison to the richness of information available for Shu's rival states of Wei and Wu. Much of his reign is recorded in spare, terse synopsis.{{sfnp|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|33}}.896–899}}

==Early life==
Liu Shan was the eldest son of the warlord [[Liu Bei]] and was born to Liu Bei's concubine [[Lady Gan]].{{sfnp|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|34}}.905}} In 208, Liu Bei's rival [[Cao Cao]], who had by then occupied most of northern China, launched a campaign on [[Jingzhou (ancient China)|Jing Province]]. During his retreat south, Liu Bei was caught up by an elite cavalry force led by Cao Cao at the [[Battle of Changban]], and forced to leave behind Lady Gan and Liu Shan to resume his escape.<ref>{{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|32}}.878 }}: "曹公以江陵有軍實，恐先主據之，乃釋輜重，輕軍到襄陽。聞先主已過，曹公將精騎五千急追之，一日一夜行三百餘里，及於當陽之長坂。先主棄妻子，與諸葛亮、張飛、趙雲等數十騎走，曹公大獲其人衆輜重。"</ref> Liu Bei's general [[Zhao Yun]] stayed behind to protect the family members of Liu Bei. Holding the infant Liu Shan in his arms, Zhao Yun led the mother and child to safety.{{efn|It appears likely that Lady Gan had died sometime before 209, because when Liu Bei's wife [[Lady Sun]] effectively divorced Liu Bei in 211, Liu Shan was in her custody.<ref>{{harvnb|Xi, ''Han–Jin Chunqiu''}}: "先主入益州，吳遣迎孫夫人。夫人欲將太子歸吳，諸葛亮使趙雲勒兵斷江留太子，乃得止。" Cited in {{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|34}}.906 n. 1}}.</ref>}}

An alternative story of Liu Shan's early life was given in [[Yu Huan]]'s ''[[Weilüe]]''. It was said that Liu Shan, then already several years old, was separated from Liu Bei when the latter was attacked by Cao Cao in [[Xiaopei]] in 200. He somehow landed in [[Hanzhong]] and was sold by slave traders. Only when Liu Bei declared himself emperor in 221 was Liu Shan reunited with his father. [[Pei Songzhi]] included this account in his ''[[Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms|Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'' but refused to give it any credence.<ref>{{harvnb|Yu, ''Weilüe''}}, cited in {{harvnb| Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|33}}.893–894 n. 2}}.</ref>

After Liu Bei declared himself emperor of [[Shu Han]] in 221, Liu Shan was formally made the crown prince.{{sfnp|de Crespigny|2007|p=541}} In the following year, Liu Bei left the capital [[Chengdu]] on a campaign against [[Sun Quan]], who had sent his general [[Lü Meng]] to [[Lü Meng's invasion of Jing Province|invade and seize Jing Province]] from Liu Bei in 219. Liu Bei was defeated at the [[Battle of Xiaoting]] and, having retreated to the city of [[Baidicheng]], eventually died in 223. Before his death, Liu Bei entrusted the young Liu Shan to the care of his [[Chancellor (China)|chancellor]] [[Zhuge Liang]].{{sfnp|de Crespigny|2007|p=541}} Liu Bei made an ambiguous deathbed statement to Zhuge Liang about the possibility of Liu Shan's fitness to rule. The statement meant at minimum that Zhuge Liang was empowered to replace Liu Shan if the crown prince proved incapable, and may have indicated permission for Zhuge Liang to take the throne himself.<ref>{{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|35}}.918 }}: "謂亮曰：「君才十倍曹丕，必能安國，終定大事。若嗣子可輔，輔之；如其不才，君可自取。」"</ref>

==Reign==

===Zhuge Liang's regency===
While Zhuge Liang was alive, Liu Shan treated him as a father figure, allowing Zhuge to handle all state affairs. Zhuge Liang recommended many trusted officials, including [[Fei Yi]], [[Dong Yun]], [[Guo Youzhi]] and [[Xiang Chong (Three Kingdoms)|Xiang Chong]] into key positions. Under Zhuge Liang's advice, Liu Shan entered into an alliance with the state of [[Eastern Wu]], helping both states to survive against the much larger state of [[Cao Wei]]. During Zhuge Liang's regency, the government was largely efficient and not corrupt, allowing the relatively small state of Shu to prepare itself for military campaigns.

In 223, Liu Shan married [[Zhang Fei]]'s daughter, [[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's first wife)|Empress Zhang]].

In the aftermath of Liu Bei's death, the southern [[Nanman]] tribes had peeled away from Shu dominion. In 225, Zhuge Liang [[Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign|headed south]] and was able to, by both military victories and persuasion, reintegrate the southern region into the empire. For the rest of Zhuge Liang's regency, the southern Nanman people would be key contributors to Shu's campaigns against Wei.

Starting in 227, Zhuge Liang launched his five [[Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions|Northern Expeditions]] against Wei. All but one were modest military failures, with the Shu forces exhausting their provisions before they were able to inflict significant damage on Wei. On one expedition in 231, Zhuge Liang faced a political crisis. Unable to supply the troops sufficiently, Zhuge Liang's co-regent [[Li Yan (Three Kingdoms)|Li Yan]] forged an edict by Liu Shan, ordering Zhuge Liang to retreat. When Zhuge Liang discovered this, he recommended that Li Yan be removed from his office and put under house arrest, and Liu Shan accepted the recommendation.

In 234, while Zhuge Liang was on his final campaign against Wei, he grew seriously ill. Hearing about Zhuge's illness, Liu Shan sent his secretary Li Fu ({{lang|zh|[[:zh:李福 (三國)|李福]]}}) to the front line to visit Zhuge Liang and request instructions on important state matters. Among other things, Zhuge Liang recommended that [[Jiang Wan]] succeed him, and that Fei Yi succeed Jiang Wan. Zhuge Liang refused to answer Li Fu's next question — who should succeed Fei Yi. Zhuge Liang died soon thereafter. Liu Shan followed these recommendations, installing Jiang Wan as the new regent.

===Jiang Wan's regency===
{{cns|1=Jiang Wan was a capable administrator, and he continued Zhuge Liang's domestic policies, leaving the government largely efficient. He was also known for his tolerance of dissension and his humility. Not having much military aptitude, however, he soon abandoned Zhuge Liang's aggressive foreign policy towards Wei, and indeed in 241 withdrew most of the troops from the important border city of [[Hanzhong]] to Fu County ({{lang|zh|涪縣}}; in present-day [[Mianyang]], [[Sichuan]]).|date=February 2022}} From that point on, Shu was generally in a defensive posture and no longer posed a threat to Wei. According to histories of the Wu court, Shu's defensive posture was interpreted by many Wu officials as a sign that Shu was abandoning the alliance and had entered into a treaty with Wei; but Wu's emperor Sun Quan correctly identified it as merely a sign of weakness, not an abandonment of the alliance.

In 237, Empress Zhang died. That year, Liu Shan took her younger sister as a consort, and in 238 created her empress. Her title remained the same as her sister, [[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second wife)|Empress Zhang]].

In 243, Jiang Wan grew ill and transferred most of his authority to Fei Yi and Fei's assistant [[Dong Yun]]. In 244, when Wei's regent [[Cao Shuang]] attacked Hanzhong, it was Fei Yi who led the troops against Cao Shuang and dealt Wei a major defeat in the [[Battle of Xingshi]]. Jiang Wan, however, remained influential until his death in 245. Soon after Jiang Wan's death, Dong Yun also died — allowing the eunuch [[Huang Hao]], a favourite of Liu Shan's, whose power Dong Yun had curbed, to start aggrandising his power. Huang Hao was viewed as corrupt and highly manipulative in domestic matters, and the governmental efficiency that was achieved during Zhuge Liang's and Jiang Wan's regencies began to deteriorate.

===Fei Yi's regency===
After Jiang Wan and Dong Yun's deaths, Liu Shan named [[Jiang Wei]] as Fei Yi's assistant, but both were largely involved only in military matters, as Liu Shan gradually became more self-assertive in non-military matters. It was also around this time that he became more interested in touring the countryside and increasing the use of luxury items, both of which added stress on the treasury, albeit not cripplingly so. Jiang Wei was interested in resuming Zhuge Liang's policies of attacking Wei aggressively, a strategy that Fei Yi partially agreed with — as he allowed Jiang Wei to make raids on Wei's borders, but never gave him a large number of troops, reasoning that Shu was in no position for a major military confrontation with Wei.

In 253, Fei Yi was assassinated by the general Guo Xun ({{lang|zh|郭循}}), a former Wei general who had been forced to surrender but who secretly maintained his loyalty to Wei. Fei Yi's death left Jiang Wei as the ''de facto'' regent, but with a power vacuum in domestic affairs, as Jiang Wei continued to be on the borders, conducting campaigns against Wei. Huang Hao's influence increased greatly as a result.

===Jiang Wei's semi-regency===
After Fei Yi's death, Jiang Wei assumed command of Shu's troops and began a number of [[Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions|campaigns against Wei]]—but while they were troubling to the Wei regents [[Sima Shi]] and [[Sima Zhao]], the attacks largely inflicted no real damage against Wei, as Jiang Wei's campaigns were plagued by one problem that had plagued Zhuge Liang's—the lack of adequate food supply—and largely had to be terminated after a short duration. These campaigns instead had a detrimental effect on Shu, whose government no longer had the efficiency that it had during Zhuge Liang's and Jiang Wan's regencies, and therefore was unable to cope with the drain of resources that Jiang Wei's campaigns were having.

In 253, Jiang Wei made a coordinated attack on Wei, along with Wu's regent [[Zhuge Ke]], but was eventually forced to withdraw after his troops ran out of food supplies — allowing Sima Shi to concentrate against Zhuge Ke, dealing Wu forces a devastating defeat that eventually caused so much resentment that Zhuge Ke was assassinated. This was the last of the coordinated attacks by Shu and Wu on Wei in the duration of the Shu-Wu alliance.

In 255, on one of Jiang Wei's campaigns, he dealt Wei forces a major defeat in the [[Battle of Didao]], nearly capturing the important Wei border city [[Lintao|Didao]], but in 256, as he tried to again confront the Wei forces, he was instead dealt a defeat by [[Deng Ai]], and this was a fairly devastating loss that left Jiang Wei with a weakened standing with the people. Many officials now openly questioned Jiang Wei's strategy, but Liu Shan took no actions to stop Jiang. Further, in 259, under Jiang Wei's suggestion, Liu Shan approved a plan where the main troops were withdrawn from major border cities to try to induce a Wei attack, with troops positioned in such a way as to trap the Wei troops should they do so — a strategy that would be used several years later, in 263, when Wei did attack, but which would prove to be a failure.

By 261, Huang Hao's power appeared paramount. Among the key domestic officials, only [[Dong Jue]] and Zhuge Liang's son [[Zhuge Zhan]] were able to maintain their posts without flattering Huang Hao. In 262, Huang Hao would in fact try to remove Jiang Wei and replace him with his friend [[Yan Yu (Shu Han)|Yan Yu]] ({{lang|zh|[[:zh:閻宇|閻宇]]}}). Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei advised Liu Shan to execute Huang Hao, but the emperor denied the request, saying that the eunuch was but a servant who ran errands. Fearing retaliation, Jiang Wei left Chengdu to garrison troops at Tazhong ({{lang|zh|沓中}}; northwest of present-day [[Zhugqu County]], [[Gansu]]).

According to the Wu ambassador [[Xue Xu]], who visited Shu in 261 on the order of the Wu emperor [[Sun Xiu (emperor)|Sun Xiu]], the status that Shu was in at this point was:

:The ruler is incompetent and does not know his errors; his subordinates do the bare minimum to avoid punishment. When I entered their court, I heard no proper speech; when I toured their countryside, the people looked sallow from hunger. Your servant has heard that swallows and sparrows may nests atop a great hall, mother and child both content, believing themselves safe. Yet should the rafters suddenly ignite, the birds remain happy, unaware of the disaster about to befall them. The situation is analogous.<ref>{{harvnb|Xi, ''Han–Jin Chunqiu''}}: "主闇而不知其過，臣下容身以求免罪，入其朝不聞正言，經其野民皆菜色。臣聞燕雀處堂，子母相樂，自以為安也，突決棟焚，而燕雀怡然不知禍之將及，其是之謂乎！" Cited in {{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|53}}.1255 n. 1, biography of [[Xue Zong]]}}.</ref>

===Fall of Shu===
{{main|Conquest of Shu by Wei}}

In 262, aggravated by [[Jiang Wei]]'s constant attacks, Wei's regent Sima Zhao planned to carry out a major campaign to terminate the Shu threat once and for all. Upon hearing rumours of this plan, Jiang Wei submitted a request to Liu Shan, warning him about the mustering of Wei troops under the generals [[Deng Ai]], [[Zhuge Xu]], and [[Zhong Hui]] near the border. However, [[Huang Hao]] persuaded Liu Shan with fortunetelling to take no action on Jiang Wei's requests for war preparations.

In 263, Sima Zhao launched his attacks, led by Deng Ai, Zhuge Xu, and Zhong Hui. Liu Shan followed Jiang Wei's previous plans and ordered the border troops to withdraw and prepare to trap Wei forces, rather than to confront them directly. The plan, however, had a fatal flaw — it assumed that Wei forces would siege the border cities, which, instead, Deng Ai and Zhong Hui ignored, and they advanced instead on Yang'an Pass (陽安關; in present-day [[Hanzhong]], [[Shaanxi]]), capturing it. Jiang Wei was able to meet their troops and initially repel them, but Deng Ai led his army through a treacherous mountain pass and deep into Shu territory. There he launched a surprise attack on Jiangyou (江油; in present-day [[Mianyang]], [[Sichuan]]). After defeating [[Zhuge Zhan]] there, Deng Ai had virtually no Shu troops left between his army and the Shu capital [[Chengdu]]. Faced with the prospect of defending Chengdu against Deng Ai's troops with no defences, Liu Shan took the advice of Secretary [[Qiao Zhou]] and promptly surrendered. This surrender was criticised by many: Chen Shou alone had sympathetic words, in a laconic coda to the biography of Qiao Zhou, his own former mentor.{{sfnp|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|42}}.1031}} It would be until the [[Qing dynasty]] that other nuanced or positive assessments were made.<ref>{{cite journal
| last = Farmer | first = J. Michael
| title= Rotten Pedant! The Literary and Historical Afterlife of Qiao Zhou
| journal= Asia Major | series= Third Series | volume= 21 | number=2 | date= 2008 | pages= 59–99 | publisher= Academica Sinica | jstor = 41649956 | url= http://www2.ihp.sinica.edu.tw/file/1423DvRPsRD.pdf
}}</ref>{{rp|93–94}}

In March 264, Zhong Hui would carry out an [[Zhong Hui's Rebellion|attempt to seize power]] — which Jiang Wei, who had surrendered to Zhong Hui, tried to take advantage of to revive Shu. He advised Zhong Hui to falsely accuse Deng Ai of treason and arrest him, and, with their combined troops, rebel against Sima Zhao. Zhong Hui did so, and Jiang Wei planned to next kill Zhong Hui and his followers, and then redeclare Shu's independence under emperor Liu Shan, and had in fact written to Liu Shan to inform him of those plans. However, Zhong Hui's troops rebelled against him, and both Jiang Wei and Zhong Hui were killed in battle. Liu Shan himself was not harmed in the disturbance, although his crown prince [[Liu Xuan (Three Kingdoms)|Liu Xuan]] was killed in the confusion.

==Life after the fall of Shu==
In early 264, Liu Shan with [[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second wife)|Empress Zhang]] and his entire family was relocated to the Wei capital [[Luoyang]]. On 11 April 264,{{efn|Cao Huan's biography in the ''Sanguozhi'' recorded that Liu Shan was made the Duke of Anle on the ''dinghai'' day of the 3rd month of the 1st year of the ''Xianxi'' era of Cao Huan's reign.<ref>{{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|4}}.150 }}: "[咸熈元年三月]丁亥，封劉禪為安樂公。"</ref> This date corresponds to 11 April 264 in the Julian calendar.}} he was enfeoffed as Duke of Anle ({{lang|zh|安樂公}}) while his sons and grandsons became marquises. This practice was referred to as {{ill|Erwang-sanke|simple|Er Wang San Ke|zh|二王三恪|lt=èrwáng-sānkè|italics=y}} ({{lang|zh|二王三恪}}). 

The {{ill|Chronicle of Han and Jin|zh|漢晉春秋|italics=y}} by [[Xi Zuochi]] records an incident which has become the most famous tale to be associated with Liu Shan: One day, the Wei regent [[Sima Zhao]] invited Liu Shan and his followers to a feast, during which Sima Zhao arranged to have entertainers perform traditional Shu music and dance. The former Shu officials present were all saddened, but Liu Shan was visibly unmoved. When asked by Sima Zhao if he missed his former state, Liu Shan replied:
{{Quote|I am too happy here to think about Shu.<br />({{lang|zh|此間樂不思蜀}})<ref>{{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|33}}.902 n 1}}.</ref>}}

This phrase has become a [[Chinese idiom]]— ''[[:wikt:樂不思蜀|lèbùsīshǔ]]'' ({{lang|zh|樂不思蜀}}), figuratively meaning "joyful and does not think of home / the past". The phrase has a negative connotation with regards to the person's character.

Former Shu official [[Xi Zheng]] then advised Liu Shan that the appropriate response was to lament how far he had been removed from his family tombs. Liu Shan followed the advice when he was asked the same question later, however Sima Zhao quickly guessed that he had been coached in his answer, and Liu Shan admitted as much. This was noted by Sima Zhao as a sign that Liu Shan was an incompetent fool; some later historians believed that it showed Liu Shan's wisdom in intentionally displaying a lack of ambition so that Sima Zhao would not view him as a threat.

Liu Shan died in 271 in Luoyang, and was given the posthumous name "Duke Si of Anle" ({{lang|zh|安樂思公}}; "the deep-thinking duke of peace and happiness"). This landless sinecure lasted a few generations during Wei's successor state, the [[Jin dynasty (266–420)|Jin dynasty]], before being extinguished in the [[Disaster of Yongjia]].{{efn|Liu Bei's line did not completely die out. In his ''Shu Shi Pu'', [[Sun Sheng (Jin dynasty)|Sun Sheng]] indicated that he met Liu Shan's younger half-brother [[Liu Yong (Three Kingdoms)|Liu Yong]]'s grandson Liu Xuan ({{lang|zh|[[:zh:劉玄 (十六國)|劉玄]]}}). They met in Chengdu during [[Huan Wen]]'s expedition against [[Li Shi (emperor)|Li Shi]], the last ruler of the [[Cheng-Han]] regime, in 347 (3rd year of the ''Yonghe'' era). Sun claimed that [[Li Xiong]], founder of the Cheng Han regime, created Liu Xuan as his Duke of Anle, after Liu fled to Shu during the chaos of the ''Yongjia'' era. <ref>{{harvnb|Sun, ''Shu shi pu''}}: "唯永孫玄奔蜀，李雄偽署安樂公以嗣禪後。永和三年討李勢，盛參戎行，見玄於成都也。" Cited in {{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|34}}.908 n. 1}}.</ref>}} [[Liu Yuan (Han Zhao)|Liu Yuan]], the founder of [[Han-Zhao]], one of the states in the [[Sixteen Kingdoms]], claimed to be a legitimate successor of the Han dynasty. In that capacity, he bestowed Liu Shan the posthumous name "Emperor Xiaohuai" ({{lang|zh|孝懷皇帝}}; "the filial and kind emperor").

==Assessment==
===Contemporary===
[[File:Zhuge Liang right 2016 Temple of Marquis Wu (Wuzhang Plains) Northern Expeditions Display.jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Zhuge Liang]], whose employment is responsible for most of the contemporary praises toward Liu Shan.]]

Liu Shan had a very negative reputation among his contemporaries. He was seen as an incompetent ruler, more interested in satisfying his desires than looking after his country and was held responsible for appointing corrupt officials to position of power.

Both [[Xue Xu]] and [[Lu Kai]], officials from the allied State of [[Eastern Wu]] described him as a mediocre ruler with Xue Xu further remarking that when he travelled to Shu for his mission as emissary in 261, he saw corruption among the officials and hunger among the people.<ref>(「主闇而不知其過，臣下容身以求免罪，入其朝不聞正言，經其野民皆菜色。臣聞燕雀處堂，子母相樂，自以為安也，突決棟焚，而燕雀怡然不知禍之將及，其是之謂乎！」) ''Han Jin Chunqiu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 53.</ref> Lu Kai noted that the natural defences of [[Sichuan]] along with a strong army were enough to protect his state, yet Liu Shan allowed disorder and corruption in his court, failed to recognize honest officials from dishonest, and was more interested in luxury.<ref>(近者漢之衰末，三家鼎立，曹失綱紀，晉有其政。又益州危險。兵多精強，閉門固守，可保萬世，而劉氏以奪乖錯，賞罰失所，君恣意於奢侈，民力竭於不急，是以為晉所伐，君臣見虜，此目前之明驗也。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 61.</ref>

This statement about the impressive natural defenses of the region is repeated by [[Li Te]], when he led his clan back to [[Yi Province]]. While passing through Jian'ge Pass (劍閣關, in modern [[Guangyuan]], [[Sichuan]]), he exclaimed that with such an impressive barrier, only a lesser man like Liu Shan could have been submitted by someone else.<ref>(元康中，氐齊萬年反，關西擾亂，頻歲大饑，百姓乃流移就穀，相與入漢川者數萬家。特隨流人將入於蜀，至劍閣，箕踞太息，顧眄險阻曰：「劉禪有如此之地而面縛於人，豈非庸才邪！」) ''Jin Shu'' vol. 120.</ref>

As previously stated, [[Sima Zhao]] thought of Liu Shan's attitude as pleasure seeker, saying that even someone as talented as [[Zhuge Liang]] couldn't assist and safeguard him forever so even less [[Jiang Wei]]. [[Jia Chong]] answered to Sima Zhao that this was the same behaviour that allowed them to conquer [[Shu Han]].<ref>(司馬文王與禪宴，為之作故蜀技，旁人皆為之感愴，而禪喜笑自若。王謂賈充曰：「人之無情，乃可至於是乎！雖使諸葛亮在，不能輔之久全，而況姜維邪？」充曰：「不如是，殿下何由並之。」) ''Han Jin Chunqiu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 33.</ref> A resounding anecdote when comparing with the events preceding the Wei invasion. When he was Emperor, Liu Shan repeatedly wanted to expand his harem however [[Dong Yun]] prevented him from doing so. Liu Shan was too afraid to act against him and for this disliked him.<ref>(後主常欲採擇以充后宮，允以為古者天子后妃之數不過十二，今嬪嬙已具，不宜增益，終執不聽。後主益嚴憚之。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 39.</ref> After Dong Yun's death, with the flattery of [[Chen Zhi (Three Kingdoms)|Chen Zhi]] and influence of [[Huang Hao]], Liu Shan's hatred for Dong Yun grew each day.<ref>(自祗之有寵，後主追怨允日深，謂為自輕，由祗媚茲一人，皓構間浸潤故耳。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 39.</ref> After Chen Zhi's death in 258, Huang Hao was controlling the politics of the State and none among the people of Shu did not miss Dong Yun.<ref>(祗死後，皓從黃門令為中常侍、奉車都尉，操弄威柄，終至覆國。蜀人無不追思允。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 39.</ref>

[[Li Mi (Shu Han)|Li Mi]], a former official of Shu gave a mixed appraisal praising him for the employment of Zhuge Liang which allowed him to stabilize his power but also criticizing him for the employment of Huang Hao which allowed the later corruption of his court.<ref>(司空張華問之曰：「安樂公何如？」密曰：「可次齊桓。」華問其故，對曰：「齊桓得管仲而霸，用豎刁而蟲流。安樂公得諸葛亮而抗魏，任黃皓而喪國，是知成敗一也。」) ''Jin Shu'' vol. 88.</ref> [[Sun Sheng (Jin dynasty)|Sun Sheng]] evaluated Liu Shan as a mediocre and ignorant ruler and denounced him for surrendering so quickly during the [[Conquest of Shu by Wei]] in 263 rather than use the local rugged terrain along with other armies in his government to resist the invaders.<ref>(孫盛曰：...禪雖庸主，實無桀、紂之酷，戰雖屢北，未有土崩之亂，縱不能君臣固守，背城借一，自可退次東鄙以思後圖。是時羅憲以重兵據白帝，霍弋以強卒鎮夜郎。蜀土險狹，山水峻隔，絕巘激湍，非步卒所涉。若悉取舟楫，保據江州，徵兵南中，乞師東國，如此則姜、廖五將自然雲從，吳之三師承命電赴，何投寄之無所而慮於必亡邪？...禪既闇主，周實駑臣，方之申包、田單、范蠡、大夫種，不亦遠乎！) Sun Sheng's annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 42.</ref> [[Pei Songzhi]] qualified him (along with [[Fei Yi]]) as an average individual who had no weight on the existence of his State.<ref>(且劉禪凡下之主，費禕中才之相，二人存亡，固無關於興喪。) Pei Songzhi's annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 4.</ref>

[[Chang Qu]], who wrote extensively about the history of the [[Sichuan]] region in the ''[[Chronicles of Huayang]]'' (''Huayang Guo Zhi''), greatly praised Zhuge Liang but lamented that his lord, Liu Shan wasn't the kind of man that could unite a country.<ref>(諸葛亮雖資英霸之能，而主非中興之器，) ''Huayang Guo Zhi'' vol. 7.</ref> In the volume 7 of the ''Huayang Guo Zhi'', he ends Liu Shan's biography with [[Wang Chong (Shu Han)|Wang Chong]]'s eulogy toward his former State of [[Shu Han]] where Wang Chong comments that Liu Shan was a mediocre ruler without ambition toward the world and was in part responsible for the decline of his State.<ref>(蜀郡太守王崇論後主曰：「昔世祖內資神武之大才，外拔四「屯」〔七〕之奇將，猶勤而獲濟。然乃登天衢，車不輟駕，坐不安席。非淵明弘鑒，則中興之業何容易哉。後主庸常之君，雖有一亮之經緯，內無附之謀，外無爪牙之將，焉可包括天下也。」) ''Huayang Guo Zhi'' vol. 7.</ref>

[[Chen Shou]], who wrote Liu Shan's biography in the ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]'' (''Sanguozhi''), in his appraisal commends Liu Shan when he appointed Zhuge Liang for following reason but condemns him for the employment of Huang Hao as being ignorant. He noted that when something is without substance, it reflects what's around. And this expression fits Liu Shan perfectly.<ref>(後主任賢相則為循理之君，惑閹堅則為昏暗之後，傳曰‘素絲無常，唯所染之’，信矣哉！) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 33.</ref>

===Modern===
However, modern historians have taken a [[Historical revisionism|revisionist view]], challenging the common portrayal of Liu Shan seeing him in a far more positive light.

Among them, [[Yi Zhongtian]] argued that even competent emperors like Emperor Wu of Han had evil courtiers beside him; Liu Shan is not the only case. Moreover, surrounding Liu Shan were not only evil courtiers, but also many competent and talented officers like Jiang Wan, Fei Yi and Dong Yun. Secondly, Liu Shan surrendering without much fighting is blameworthy, but the fall of Shu Han was actually due to many reasons. Thirdly, for the case of Zhao Yun, Zhao's official position during his life was actually lower than Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao and Huang Zhong. Hence, Liu Shan's awarding of posthumous Marquis titles to the latter four but not timely to Zhao Yun was understandable. Finally, Liu Shan's behavior in front of Sima Zhao was purposeful: he pretended to be stupid and despicable so that Sima Zhao would ignore him and spare his family, and Liu Shan was successful. Being able to fool the distrustful Sima Zhao meant Liu Shan was actually not a fool.<ref name="Yi 2010">{{cite book|author=Yi Zhongtian|script-title=zh:品三國 |title=Analysis of the Three Kingdoms|year=2010|author-link=Yi Zhongtian | edition= Vietnamese| volume=2 |publisher= Publisher of People's Public Security }}</ref>

Moreover, there were notable signs of Liu Shan's competence during his reign. He cleverly retook direct control of state affairs after the death of Zhuge Liang and appointed Jiang Wan and Fei Yi so that the two could keep each other in check. In 238, Cao Wei made war with [[Gongsun Yuan]] and many people in Shu Han believed it was a good chance for northern expansion. However, Liu Shan carefully instructed Fei Yi to attack only in combination with Eastern Wu, and only when Cao Wei was unprepared. Several historical commentators thus compare Liu Shan's caution favorably with that of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang's costly and ineffective campaigns. Finally, Liu Shan's surrender in 262-263 has been viewed with sympathy as an inevitable choice by commentators in both historical records and contemporary times, due to the vast difference in population and military capability between the two states, as well as the tendency of victors to massacre the citizens of enemy states that had refused to surrender. In particular, Liu Shan's surrender is often compared favorably with that of [[Gongsun Yuan]], a regional warlord who attempted to retake power by allying with Eastern Wu, which eventually resulted in the extermination of his clan, and a bloody massacre of his population base at Liaodong. In contrast, Liu Shan's surrender led to a peaceful transfer of power to the Wei kingdom, with most of the population unharmed, except during the week of unrest caused by [[Jiang Wei]]'s plotting.<ref name="Yi 2010" />

==Family==
{{main|Shu Han family trees}}
===Consorts and issue===
*[[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's first wife)|Empress Jing'ai]], of the Zhang clan (敬哀皇后 張氏; d. 237){{sfnp|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|33}}.897}}
*[[Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second wife)|Empress Zhang]], of the Zhang clan (張皇后 張氏; {{fl}} 237–264)
*Noble Lady Wang, of the Wang clan (王貴人 王氏)
**[[Liu Xuan (Three Kingdoms)|Liu Xuan, ''Crown Prince'']] (皇太子 劉璿; 224–March 264), first son
*[[Li Zhaoyi (Shu Han)|Li Zhaoyi]], of the Li clan (李昭儀 李氏)
*Unknown:
**Liu Yao, Prince of Anding (安定王劉瑤), second son
**Liu Cong, Prince of Xihe (西河王劉琮; d. 262), third son
**Liu Zan (劉瓚), fourth son
**[[Liu Chen (Shu Han)|Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi]] (北地王劉諶; d. 263),<ref>{{harvnb|Xi, ''Han–Jin Chunqiu''}}, cited in {{harvnb|Chen and Pei|429|loc={{strong|33}}.900–901 n. 1}}.</ref> fifth son
**Liu Xun, Prince of Xinxing (新興王劉恂), sixth son; later succeeded the peerage of Duke of Anle
**Liu Qian (劉虔), seventh son

==In popular culture==
===''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''===
Liu Shan appears as a character in the historical novel ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' by [[Luo Guanzhong]], which romanticises the historical events before and during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period. In the novel, Liu Shan is generally portrayed as an incapable ruler who was easily swayed by words, especially those from the eunuch [[Huang Hao]], whom he favoured.

{{See also|Battle of Changban#In fiction}}
===In modern works===
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT INTRODUCE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS PERSON'S ROLE IN THE GAMES ALREADY MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION. -->

Liu Shan is a playable character in [[Koei]]'s ''[[Dynasty Warriors]]'' video game series, first available in the [[Dynasty Warriors 7|seventh instalment]], as well as in ''[[Warriors Orochi 3]]'', also by Koei.

==See also==
* [[List of Chinese monarchs]]
* [[Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms]]

== References ==
=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* [[Chen Shou]] (280s or 290s). ''[[Records of the Three Kingdoms]]''. [[Pei Songzhi]], [[Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms|annotation]], 429. Hong Kong: Zhonghua Publishing, 1971. 5 vols.
* {{cite book|last=de Crespigny|first=Rafe| title=A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23–220 AD| year=2007 |publisher=Brill| location =Leiden| author-link=Rafe de Crespigny|isbn=9789004156050 | chapter = Liu Shan 劉禪 | pages=541–542 | series= Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 4: China, Volume 19 | doi = 10.1163/ej.9789004156050.i-1311.7 }}
* {{cite book|author=Luo Guanzhong|author-link=Luo Guanzhong|script-title=zh:三國演義| trans-title=Romance of the Three Kingdoms|origyear=1300s|location=Yonghe, Taiwan|publisher=Zhiyang Publishing House|year=1998 |lang=zh | ref={{sfnref|Sanguo Yanyi}} }}
* {{ cite book
| title = Annotated Records of the Three Kingdoms 
| title-link= Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms
| script-title= zh:三國志注
| author= Chen Shou | author-link= Chen Shou
| editor=Pei Songzhi | editor-link=Pei Songzhi
| year = 1977 | orig-year=429
| publisher= Dingwen Printing
| place=Taipei
| ref={{sfnref|Chen and Pei|429}}
}} 
** {{ cite book
| author = Sun Sheng | author-link= Sun Sheng (Jin dynasty)
| script-title=zh:蜀世譜
| title = Shu shi pu | trans-title= Pedigree of the House of Shu
| date= 300s
| type= annotated genealogy 
| ref = {{sfnref|Sun, ''Shu shi pu''}}
}}
** {{ cite book
| author= Wang Yin (王隱)
| script-title=zh:蜀記
| title= Shu Ji | trans-title= Records of Shu
| date= 340
| ref = {{sfnref|Wang, ''Shu ji''}}
}}
** {{ cite book
| author = Xi Zuochi| author-link= Xi Zuochi
| title= Han–Jin Chunqiu 
| script-title= zh:漢晉春秋 
| trans-title= Chronicle of Han and Jin
| type = private history 
| ref = {{sfnref|Xi, ''Han–Jin Chunqiu''}}
}}
** {{ cite book 
| author= Yu Huan | author-link= Yu Huan
| title= Weilüe | title-link= Weilüe
| script-title=zh:魏略
| date= 265
| ref={{sfnref|Yu, ''Weilüe''}}
| type= private history 
| trans-title= A Brief History of the Wei Dynasty 
}}
* {{cite book | editor=Sima Guang | editor-link=Sima Guang | orig-year=1084 | year=1956 | location=Beijing | publisher=Zhonghua Publishing | script-title=zh:資治通鑑 |title=Zizhi Tongjian | title-link= Zizhi Tongjian | ref= {{sfnref|''Zizhi Tongjian''|1084}} }}

==External links==
* {{ cite web| url= https://archive.today/20070616093715/http://www.empiredividedtk.net/rtk/sgz/liushan.htm | title=Sanguo Zhi Biography - Liu Shan (Gongsi) | type= partial English translation (non-expert) | translator= Sun Bofu | date= 2007 | work= Empire Divided }}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Han dynasty|House of Liu]]||207||271||name=Emperor Xiaohuai of Shu Han}}
{{s-reg}}
{{S-bef
| before = [[Liu Bei]]
}}
{{S-ttl
| title = [[Shu Han|Emperor of Shu Han]]
| years = 223–263
| regent1 = [[Zhuge Liang]]
| years1 = 223–234
| regent2 = [[Jiang Wan]]
| years2 = 234–245
| regent3 = [[Dong Yun]]
| years3 = 245–246
| regent4 = [[Fei Yi]]
| years4 = 245–253
| regent5 = [[Jiang Wei]]
| years5 = 253–263
}}
{{s-non
| reason = Abolished
}}
{{s-roy}}
{{s-new|creation
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Duke of Anle
| years = 264–271
}}
{{s-vac|unknown}}
{{s-pre}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Liu Bei]]
}}
{{s-tul|title = [[Emperor of China]]
|line=[[Royal descent|Royal descent claimant]]
|years = 223–263
|reason=[[Conquest of Shu by Wei]]}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Cao Huan]]
}}
{{end}}

{{Three Kingdoms emperors}}
{{People of Shu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Shan}}
[[Category:207 births]]
[[Category:271 deaths]]
[[Category:3rd-century Chinese monarchs]]
[[Category:Shu Han emperors]]
[[Category:Family of Liu Bei]]
[[Category:People from Xiangyang]]
[[Category:Monarchs taken prisoner in wartime]]
[[Category:Heads of government who were later imprisoned]]