Liu Bin (Southern Han)
| Líu Hóngdù (劉弘度) / Líu Bīn (劉玢) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of Southern Han | |||||||||||||
| Emperor of Southern Han | |||||||||||||
| Reign | June 10, 942-April 15, 943 | ||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Liu Yan (Emperor Gaozu) | ||||||||||||
| Successor | Liu Sheng (Emperor Zhongzong) | ||||||||||||
| Born | 920 Probably Guangzhou |
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| Died | April 15, 943 Guangzhou |
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| Father | Liu Yan | ||||||||||||
| Mother | Consort Zhao | ||||||||||||
| Full name | |
|---|---|
| Líu Hóngdù (劉弘度) / Líu Bīn (劉玢) | |
| Era name and dates | |
| Guāngtiān (光天): June 10, 942-April 16, 943 | |
| Posthumous name | |
| Emperor Shāng (殤皇帝, "short-lived") |
Liu Bin (劉玢) (920 – April 15, 943), né Liu Hongdu (劉弘度), may be nicknamed Shou (壽), formally Emperor Shang of (Southern) Han ((南)漢殤帝), was the second emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Southern Han. He reigned only briefly, from 942 to 943, from the time of the death of his father Liu Yan (Emperor Gaozu) to the time he was assassinated in a coup headed by his brother Liu Hongxi (later known as Liu Sheng, Emperor Zhongzong).
Liu Hongdu was born in 920, as the third son of Liu Yan, who was then already the emperor of Southern Han (as Emperor Gaozu)— and therefore, was likely born at Southern Han's capital Xingwang (興王, in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong). His mother was Liu Yan's concubine Consort Zhao, who would later receive the title of Zhaoyi (昭儀). (The biographies for her and for Liu Hongdu in the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms conflictingly state that she was favored by Liu Yan and that she was not favored by Liu Yan.)
The first historical reference to Liu Hongdu was in 932, when Liu Yan created his sons imperial princes—with Liu Hongdu receiving the title of Prince of Bin, which was shortly later changed to Prince of Qin. As his older brothers Liu Yaoshu (劉耀樞) and Liu Guitu (劉龜圖)—both of whom also received princely titles in 932 and therefore were likely still alive then—died early, Liu Hongdu became the expectant heir as the oldest surviving son of Liu Yan. By 934, Liu Hongdu was the commander of the imperial guard corps, when Liu Yan had him recruiting 1,000 guard soldiers to be loyal to him. Liu Hongdu ended up recruiting many young hoodlums and became close to them. The chancellor Yang Dongqian found this inappropriate and tried to persuade Liu Yan to stop this, but Liu Yan paid no heed to Yang's words, leading to Yang's requesting retirement. (As Yang, in his words to Liu Yan, referred to Liu Hongdu as the heir to the state, it was likely that by this point Liu Yaoshu and Liu Guitu were deceased.)
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