Chapter 256 Chapter 255 Gaozu Liu Yan

Liu Yan was first named Yan and then Zhi.His ancestor, Liu Anren, was born in Shangcai (now Shangcai, Henan), and later moved to Quanzhou.His father, Liu Qian, was a general of Yajiang in Guangzhou. He had three sons, and Liu Yan was a concubine.Duan's mother was killed by his wife Webster, and Liu Yan was adopted by Webster as an adopted son.Born in the first year of Tang Longji (889 A.D.) and died in the seventh year of Tianfu in the Later Jin Dynasty (942 A.D.). Liu Yan started his career by relying on his elder brother Liu Yin.In the second year of Tianyou (905 A.D.), Liu Yin was appointed by the Tang Dynasty as the deputy envoy of the Qing Navy (Lingnan Dongdao). Two years later, he was named the king of Dapeng County by Liang, and gradually occupied the entire Lingnan.Liu Yin appointed his younger brother Liu Zhi as the deputy envoy of the Qing Navy Jiedu in the east of Lingnan. Liu Zhi played an important role in Liu Yin's activities in occupying Lingnan.In March of the first year of Qianhua (911 A.D.), Liu Yin died of illness, and Zhi succeeded him as Jiedu envoy.During Liu Yin's time, he had always been a vassal of the Liang Dynasty in the Central Plains. After Liu Zhi succeeded him, his power gradually became stronger. Seeing that the Liang Dynasty itself was also in turmoil, he cut off contact with Liang.In August of the second year of Zhenming (AD 916), he took the throne in Panyu (now Guangzhou, Guangdong) by himself, with the country name Dayue and the reign name Qianxiang.The following year, the name of the country was changed to Han.

After ascending the throne, Liu Zhi changed his name to Liu Yan, and in the first year of Bailong (925 AD), he changed his name to Liu Yan.Liu Yan once said to his ministers: "It is difficult for a widow to become Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang in this life, but he will still be a romantic emperor." Local officials must spend a lot of money and compete to advance.The Zhaoyang Hall was built in the seventh year of Dayou (934 A.D.), with a gold-decorated roof and a silver-paved floor. Aqueducts were set up in the hall, and the bottom of the canals was covered with pearls. The crystal amber was carved into the shape of the sun and the moon and inlaid on the east and west jade pillars. top.The Nanxun Hall built in his later years is even more beautiful.

However, the romantic emperor resorted to torture in governing the country.He set up punishments such as stuffing the nose, cutting off the tongue, dismembering, chopping, roasting, and steaming.There is also a special water prison, where poisonous snakes are put in the water, and then the prisoners are thrown into it.The only good thing about Liu Yan is that his relationship with neighboring countries is still relatively harmonious.He often sent envoys to Wuyue, Shu and other countries to make good friends, and married his daughter to the country of Fujian, and the daughter of the clan to the country of Changhe (Nanzhao).He himself married the daughter of Ma Yin, king of Chu, as his wife.Therefore, the Southern Han Dynasty had fewer wars with neighboring countries.Liu Yan established a school again, restored the tribute examination system, admitted more than 10 Jinshi and Mingjing candidates every year, and set up an election department to preside over the imperial examinations, which was very rare under the historical conditions at that time.

Liu Yan's "龑" character is a new character created by himself. It is pronounced as yan, which means "flying dragon in the sky" in "Book of Changes".But changing his name doesn't make him "flying dragon in the sky".In March of the second year of Bailong, Liu Yan died of illness in Panyu at the age of 54.The posthumous title is "Emperor the Great", the temple name is "Gaozu", and the mausoleum is Kangling, which is located in Manshan in the east of Panyu City.The tomb passage is cast with molten iron.