Liu Congjian

Liu Congjian (劉從諫) (803–843), formally the Duke of Pei (沛公), was a general of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty who is most known for his term as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), during which he was viewed as a warlord who maintained a tight hold on the circuit but also as someone who served as a counterbalance to the eunuchs who controlled the imperial government.

Liu Congjian was born in 803, during the reign of Emperor Dezong. His father Liu Wu was then serving as an officer under Li Shigu the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), who ruled the circuit in de facto independence from the imperial government.

As of 819, Li Shigu's brother and successor Li Shidao was in a war against the imperial government, then under the rule of Emperor Dezong's grandson Emperor Xianzong, and the imperial forces were converging on Pinglu. He commissioned Liu Wu to command troops to resist the forces commanded by Tian Hongzheng, the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, in modern Handan, Hebei). To endear himself to Liu Wu, he had Liu Congjian made a junior officer at his headquarters. However, Liu Wu was repeatedly losing battles to Tian, and Li became suspicious of Liu Wu's intentions. At one point, Li decided to have Liu Wu executed, so he recalled Liu Wu from Yanggu (陽穀, in modern Liaocheng, Shandong), where his troops were stationed, under the guise of consultation, intending to execute Liu Wu when he got to the circuit capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州). Once Liu Wu arrived, however, Li, being counseled by some that executing Liu Wu without evidence of treachery so would destroy morale, changed his mind, and he sent Liu Wu back to Yanggu and gave Liu Wu much treasure. Meanwhile, Liu Congjian, who spent much time with Li's servants, was able to learn what had happened, and informed all of it to his father.

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