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Liu Xiang
Western Han imperial clansman who collated the palace library, wrote the Bielu catalogue, and edited the Zhanguo ce and the Chuci
Mural of the cultural record “Sung Shijing and Chu Verse”, which this person is tied to.
Also known as Zi Zizheng · Liu Zi Zheng
Liu Xiang, born Liu Gengsheng with the courtesy name Zizheng, came from Pei and descended from Liu Jiao, Prince Yuan of Chu and younger brother of the Han founder. Under Emperor Xuan he served as a remonstrating counsellor, and early in Emperor Yuan's reign, as Director of the Imperial Clan, he joined Xiao Wangzhi in opposing the eunuchs Hong Gong and Shi Xian, was jailed and spent more than ten years as a commoner. Emperor Cheng restored him, he took the name Xiang, and in 26 BC he was ordered to collate the palace library, writing a summary for each work that together formed the Bielu. He edited the Intrigues of the Warring States (Zhanguo ce) and the Songs of Chu (Chuci), compiled the Xinxu, Shuoyuan and Lienu zhuan, and used portents in memorials against the Wang consort clan. He ended his career as Colonel of the Central Fortifications. His son Liu Xin built on the Bielu to produce the classified catalogue Qilue.
Life and times
Dates c. 77 BCE–6 BCE