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Liu Xu
Later Jin chief minister of the Five Dynasties who, as director of the history office, presented the Old Book of Tang.
In a council hall, a long table holds an unrolled map scroll, a brass-cornered chest and a brush pot, with tall-backed chairs around it and a bronze lamp at the left; a figure stands with their back turned on the balcony at the right, with palace roofs beyond.
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
Dates 888 CE–947 CE