Mavericks › Uprising Leaders
Liu Futong
Red Turban leader who rose at Yingzhou in 1351, enthroned Han Lin'er in 1355 and was killed in 1363
Mural of the event “Red Turban Rebellions”, which this person took part in.
In late Yuan, the brutal four-class ethnic privilege rank system was enforced, and because court politics were extremely corrupt the indiscriminate issuance of paper money caused commodity prices to skyrocket. Successive massive Yellow River bursts pushed refugees directly toward death.
Also known as General Liu Futong
Liu Futong, from Yingzhou, near present Jieshou in Anhui, was born about 1321, a late Yuan Red Turban leader. In 1351 he and Han Shantong organised White Lotus followers and Yellow River labourers; when Han was seized, Liu rose at Yingzhou. In 1355 he enthroned Han's son Han Lin'er as Little Bright King of Song at Bozhou. In 1357 he sent three armies north, and in 1358 took Bianliang and moved the court there, but lost it to Chaghan Temür in 1359 and fell back on Anfeng. He was killed when Zhang Shicheng's general Lü Zhen took Anfeng in 1363.
Life and times
Dates c. 1321 CE–1363 CE
- 1351Red Turban RebellionsTook part
- 1351Late Yuan Red Turban Uprising