Royals › Monarch / Emperor
Liu Zhiyuan
Shatuo founder of the Later Han, who as governor of Hedong proclaimed himself emperor at Taiyuan after the Khitan destroyed the Later Jin in 947
In a side chamber of a palace, a yellow ceremonial robe embroidered with a dragon hangs on a wooden stand, its hem worked with waves and rocks, before a carved folding screen, while a black lacquer chest sits on a low table by a lattice window and no person is in view.
Also known as Liu Gao · Houhan Gaozu · Rui Wen Sheng Wu Zhao Su Xiao Huang Di
Liu Zhiyuan was a Shatuo Turk whose family had long lived at Taiyuan; on becoming emperor he took the name Liu Gao. Serving with Shi Jingtang under the Later Tang emperor Mingzong, he twice saved Shi in moments of danger, and when Shi founded the Later Jin he made Liu commander of the palace cavalry and infantry, then in 941 military governor of Hedong, later raising him to Prince of Beiping. After the Khitan took Daliang and ended the Later Jin in January 947, Liu waited at Taiyuan and in the second month proclaimed himself emperor there, keeping the Jin era name Tianfu. When the Khitan ruler Yelu Deguang withdrew north that year, Liu marched south, entered Daliang in the sixth month, and named his dynasty Han. He died of illness in March 948 with the temple name Gaozu; under his son Liu Chengyou the Later Han lasted less than three more years before Guo Wei replaced it.
Life and times
Dates 895 CE–948 CE