Ministers › Chief Ministers

Liu Xu

Later Jin chief minister of the Five Dynasties who, as director of the history office, presented the Old Book of Tang.

Also known as Zi Yaoyuan

Liu Xu, courtesy name Yaoyuan, from Guiyi in Zhuozhou, served the Later Tang, Later Jin and Later Han, becoming chief minister under the Later Tang and again under the Later Jin, when he also directed the history office. In 945 the 200-chapter Book of Tang, later called the Old Book of Tang, was presented to the throne under his name and is now among the Twenty-Four Histories. Phrases such as 'adapting to circumstances' appear in it.

Life and times

  1. 888 CEBornTangFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
  2. 947 CEDied

Works

  1. Literature · Prose235
    1. Old Book of TangFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsLater Jin official history of the Tang in 200 juan, presented under Liu Xu's name in 945
    2. Old Book of Tang: Basic AnnalsFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
    3. Old Book of Tang: TreatisesFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
    4. Old Book of Tang: BiographiesFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
    5. Old Book of Tang: Annals of GaozuFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
    6. +25 more
      1. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Taizong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      2. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Taizong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      3. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Gaozong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      4. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Gaozong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      5. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Empress ZetianFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      6. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Zhongzong; Annals of RuizongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      7. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Xuanzong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      8. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Xuanzong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      9. Old Book of Tang: Annals of SuzongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      10. Old Book of Tang: Annals of DaizongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      11. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Dezong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      12. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Dezong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      13. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Shunzong; Annals of Xianzong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      14. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Xianzong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      15. Old Book of Tang: Annals of MuzongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      16. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Jingzong; Annals of Wenzong, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      17. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Wenzong, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      18. Old Book of Tang: Annals of WuzongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      19. Old Book of Tang: Annals of XuanzongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      20. Old Book of Tang: Annals of YizongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      21. Old Book of Tang: Annals of XizongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      22. Old Book of Tang: Annals of ZhaozongFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      23. Old Book of Tang: Annals of Emperor AiFive Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      24. Old Book of Tang: Treatise on Rites and Ceremonies, Part 1Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
      25. Old Book of Tang: Treatise on Rites and Ceremonies, Part 2Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
    7. Open all works→
  2. Literature · Sayings25
    1. Adapting to CircumstancesFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: adapting flexibly as circumstances change
    2. Opportunity Must Not Be MissedFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: an opportunity not to be missed
    3. Room for a Single MatFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Tang History on Consort Yang: a small place one rightfully holds
    4. Facing Danger Without Shrinking BackFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Tang History on Yuchi Jingde: facing peril head-on
    5. A Rabble Flocking Together Like CrowsFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Tang History on Li Guangbi: holding Taiyuan with a mere rabble
    6. +20 more
      1. Annex the Weak and Strike the BenightedFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: Xiao Yu urges Taizong to strike the Turks
      2. Seize the Disordered, Crush the DoomedFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: Taizong weighs striking the troubled Turks
      3. Too Troubled to Sit at Ease: Taizong and the TurksFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: so troubled one cannot sit still
      4. Righteousness Above Kinship: From Shi Que to the Xuanwu GateFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Zuo Commentary's Shi Que, cited at the Xuanwu Gate in the Old Book of Tang
      5. Chaos Born of Hunger: Li Ji and the Liyang GranaryFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: the whole realm thrown into chaos
      6. Furthering the Ruler's Good: Young Li Zhi on the Classic of Filial PietyFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: helping along what is good in one's ruler
      7. Forgetting Danger in Times of Ease: Emperor Dezong Blames HimselfFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsFamous line from the Old Book of Tang: an emperor confesses he forgot danger in ease
      8. Falling at the Twang of the BowstringFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang's annals of Gaozu: every foe falls as the string sings
      9. Failing to Decide When Decision Is DueFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Book of Tang on Prince Jiancheng: dithering when one must decide
      10. An Opportunity That Must Not Be Let SlipFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang's life of Li Jing: seize the moment while it lasts
      11. A Pearl Overlooked by the Divers of the Vast SeaFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from Yan Liben's praise of the young Di Renjie: talent nearly overlooked
      12. Saving the Age and Bringing Peace to the PeopleFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang's annals of Taizong: the origin of the name Shimin
      13. Heartsick and Head-Aching: Taizong's Shame AvengedFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Book of Tang: Taizong's long anguish over submission to the Turks
      14. Di Renjie and the White Cloud over His Parents' HomeFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: Di Renjie gazes at a lone cloud above his parents
      15. Holding Nothing Back: Wei Zheng's Counsel to TaizongFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Book of Tang: Wei Zheng tells his ruler everything he knows
      16. Gluing the Bridges and Playing the Zither: Zhao Kuo's Book LearningFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Records of the Grand Historian: Zhao Kuo, all book learning and no flexibility
      17. Knowing a Man's Goodness by His Faults: Yan Liben Recommends Di RenjieFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: Yan Liben sees Di Renjie's worth in the charges against him
      18. Turning Disaster into Good FortuneFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom from the Old Book of Tang: Yuchi Jingde urges a prince to turn danger into fortune
      19. Withdrawing to Reflect and Make AmendsFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Book of Tang: the boy Li Zhi quotes the Classic of Filial Piety to his father
      20. United in Heart and Joining All Our StrengthFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsIdiom in the Old Book of Tang: Yao Chong rallies officials to fight a plague of locusts