生平

才兼文武

劉聰年幼時就已經很聰明和好學，令到博士朱紀都覺得十分驚奇。劉聰非但通曉經史和百家之學，更熟讀《孫吳兵法》，而且善寫文章，又習書法，擅長草書和隸書；另外，劉聰亦學習武藝，擅長射箭，能張開三百斤的弓，勇猛矯捷，冠絕一時。可謂文武皆能。

劉聰二十歲後到洛陽遊歷，得到大量名士結交。後擔任新興太守郭頤的主簿。及後遷任右部都尉，因安撫接納得宜而得到匈奴五部豪族的歸心。河間王司馬顒表劉聰為赤沙中郎將，但當時劉淵在鄴城任官，因害怕駐守鄴城的成都王司馬穎加害父親，於是投奔司馬穎，任右積弩將軍，參前鋒戰事。

助父建國

永安元年（304年），司馬穎任命劉淵為北單于，劉聰於是被立為右賢王，並與父親應命回到匈奴五部為司馬穎帶來匈奴援軍。但劉淵回到五部後就稱大單于，劉聰亦改拜鹿蠡王。劉淵聚眾自立，同年即稱漢王，建立漢國。後來任命劉聰為撫軍將軍。

元熙五年（晉永嘉二年，308年），劉聰被派遣南據太行山。同年年末劉淵稱帝，劉聰升任車騎大將軍。不久封楚王。次年與王彌和石勒等進攻壺關，擊敗司馬越派去抵抗的施融和曹超，攻破屯留和長子，令上黨太守龐淳獻壺關投降。數月後又領兵攻洛陽，擊敗平北將軍曹武，長驅直進至宜陽。但劉聰因連番勝利而輕敵，被詐降的弘農太守垣延率兵乘夜偷襲劉聰，最終劉聰大敗而還。兩月後劉聰再與王彌、劉曜、呼延翼等進攻洛陽。晉室以為漢國剛遭大敗，短時間不會再南侵，於是疏於防備，知道劉聰等來攻十分畏懼，劉聰更一度進兵至洛陽附近的洛水。當時晉將北宮純率兵夜襲漢國軍壁壘，斬殺將領呼延顥；及後呼延翼更被部下所殺，所率部隊因喪失主帥而潰退，劉淵於是下令撤兵。劉聰則上表稱晉朝軍隊又少又弱，不能因呼延翼等人之死而放棄進攻，堅持要留下來。劉淵允許。而面對漢軍，防守洛陽的司馬越唯有嬰城固守。但及後司馬越乘劉聰到嵩山祭祀的機會派兵進攻留守的漢軍，斬殺呼延朗。安陽王劉厲見此，害怕劉聰怪罪自己而跳進洛水自殺。王彌此時以洛陽守備仍堅固和糧食不繼勸劉聰撤軍，但劉聰因為是自己請求留下，不敢自行撤軍。劉淵及後聽從宣于脩之之言，命劉聰領軍撤退，劉聰見此才撤軍。

劉淵回到平陽後，任命劉聰為大司徒。河瑞二年（晉永嘉四年，310年），劉淵患病，任命劉聰為大司馬、大單于，與太宰劉歡樂和太傅劉洋共錄尚書事，並在都城平陽西置單于臺。不久劉淵逝世，由太子劉和即位。

弒兄登位

劉和即位後，受宗正呼延攸、衞尉劉銳及素來厭惡劉聰的侍中劉乘進言唆擺，決意要消除諸王勢力，尤其當時擁兵十萬的劉聰。劉和不久就採取行動，但因劉聰有備而戰，最終劉聰率軍從西明門攻進皇宮，並於光極殿西室殺害劉和，又收捕逃到南宮的呼延攸等人，並將他們斬首示眾。

劉和死後，群臣請劉聰繼位，劉聰以其弟北海王劉乂是單皇后之子而讓位給他，但劉乂仍堅持由劉聰繼位。劉聰最終答應，並說要在劉乂長大後將皇位讓給他，登位後即立劉乂為皇太弟。

劉聰為了穩固地位，又殺死嫡兄劉恭。

永嘉之亂

劉聰即位後三個月，即派劉曜、王彌和其子河內王劉粲領兵進攻洛陽，因與石勒於大陽會師並在澠池擊敗晉將裴邈，因此直入洛川，擄掠梁、陳、汝南、潁川之間大片土地，並攻陷百多個壁壘。次年，又派前軍大將軍呼延晏領二萬七千人進攻洛陽，行軍至河南時就已十二度擊敗抵抗的晉軍，殺三萬多人。後劉曜、王彌和石勒都奉命與呼延晏會合。呼延晏在劉曜等人未到時就先行進攻洛陽城，攻陷平昌門並大肆搶掠，更於洛水焚毀晉懷帝打算出逃用的船隻。劉曜等人到達後就一起攻進洛陽城，並攻進皇宮縱兵搶掠，盡收皇宮中的宮人和珍寶，又大殺官員和宗室。另外更俘擄晉懷帝和羊皇后，將他們移送到平陽。

圖拓疆土

永嘉之亂後，劉聰又因晉牙門趙染叛晉歸降而命劉曜和劉粲攻打關中，最終攻陷長安並殺晉南陽王司馬模，並讓劉曜據守長安。但不久就被晉馮翊太守索綝、安定太守賈疋和雍州刺史麴特等反擊，劉曜等兵敗，劉曜更被圍困於長安。終於嘉平二年（永嘉六年，312年）被逼退出長安，撤回平陽。

嘉平二年（312年）年初，劉聰曾派靳沖和卜翊圍困晉并州治所晉陽，但因拓跋猗盧率兵營救而失敗。不久，令狐泥因其父令狐盛被晉并州刺史劉琨殺害而投奔漢國，並說出晉陽虛實。劉聰十分高興，便派劉粲和劉曜攻晉陽，由令狐泥作嚮導。劉琨知道漢國來攻後就到中山郡和常山郡招兵，並向拓跋猗盧求救；同時由張喬和郝詵領兵擋住漢軍。但張、郝皆敗死，劉粲於是乘劉琨未及救援而攻陷並佔領晉陽。但不久拓跋猗盧則親率大軍與劉琨反攻晉陽，劉曜兵敗，唯有棄守晉陽，撤走時遭拓跋猗盧追及，在藍谷交戰但大敗。晉陽得而復失。

殺害懷帝

晉懷帝被擄至平陽後，就被劉聰任命為特進、左光祿大夫、平阿公。後來改封會稽郡公。劉聰曾與懷帝回憶昔日與王濟造訪他的往事，亦談到西晉八王之亂，宗室相殘之事。劉聰談得十分高興，更賜小劉貴人給懷帝。但於嘉平三年（313年）正月，劉聰在與群臣的宴會中命懷帝以青衣行酒，晉朝舊臣庾氏和王儁見此忍不住心中悲憤而號哭，令劉聰十分厭惡。當時又有人流傳庾氏等會作劉琨的內應以助他攻取平陽，於是殺害懷帝和庾氏等十多名晉朝舊臣。

屢攻長安

晉懷帝被殺的消息於四月傳至長安後，在長安的皇太子司馬鄴便即位為晉愍帝。劉聰則派趙染與劉曜和司隸校尉喬智明等進攻長安，多次擊敗抵抗的麴允。趙染後更乘夜攻進長安外城縱火搶掠，至天亮才因麴鑒救援長安而撤出長安，但麴鑒追擊時又遭劉曜擊敗。後因劉曜輕敵而被麴允偷襲，喬智明被殺，劉曜唯有撤兵回平陽。

次年，再派劉曜與趙染出兵長安，索綝領兵抵抗，但趙染初戰於新豐城西因輕敵而敗北。不久二人與將軍殷凱再攻長安，在馮翊擊敗麴允，但當晚又被麴允夜襲殷凱軍營，殷凱戰死。隨後劉曜到懷縣轉攻晉河內太守郭默，但郭默固守不降。在新鄭的李矩此時還到劉琨所派的鮮卑騎兵，說服帶領他們的張肇進攻劉曜。漢國士兵看見鮮卑騎兵就不戰而走，劉聰見進攻不成，打算先消滅劉琨，故命令劉曜撤軍。

建元元年（晉建興三年，315年），劉曜在襄垣擊敗劉琨所派軍隊，並打算進攻陽曲。但此時劉聰又認為要先攻取長安，於是命劉曜撤軍回蒲阪。

攻滅西晉

劉聰命劉曜撤回蒲阪後數月即派劉曜進攻北地，劉曜先攻破馮翊，後攻上郡，麴允雖然領兵在靈武抵抗但因兵少而不敢進攻。建元二年（316年），劉曜攻取北地，後即進逼長安。雖然有多批援兵救援長安，但都因畏懼漢國軍隊而不敢進擊。而司馬保所派將領胡崧雖然在靈臺擊敗劉曜，但卻因不願見擊退劉曜後麴允和索綝勢力變得強大，竟然勒兵退還槐里。劉曜因而得以攻佔長安外城並圍困愍帝所在小城。在爆發飢荒的小城內死守兩個月後，愍帝決定出降，被送至平陽。西晉正式滅亡。次年出獵時命愍帝穿戎服執戟作前導，被認出後有老人哭泣。劉粲勸劉聰殺愍帝但劉聰想再作觀望。及後又命愍帝行酒、洗爵和執蓋等僕役工作，令晉朝舊臣流淚哭泣，辛賓更抱著愍帝大哭。劉聰終也殺害愍帝。

後期昏庸

劉聰自嘉平三年（晉建興二年，314年）十一月立劉粲為相國、大單于，總管各事務後，就將國事委託給他。自己則開始貪圖享樂，次年更設上皇后、左皇后和右皇后以封妃嬪，造成「三后並立」。後來更立中皇后。在委託政務給劉粲的同時，劉聰亦寵信中常侍王沈、宣懷、俞容等人，劉聰因於後宮享樂而長時間不去朝會，群臣有事都會向王沈等人報告而不是上表送呈劉聰。而王沈亦大多不報告劉聰，只以自己喜惡去議決事項。王沈等人又貶抑朝中賢良，任命奸佞小人任官。劉聰又聽信王沈等人的讒言，於建元二年（316年）二月殺特進綦毋達、太中大夫公師彧、尚書王琰等七名宦官厭惡的官員，侍中卜幹哭著勸諫但就遭劉聰免為庶人。

太宰劉易、御史大夫陳元達、金紫光祿大夫劉延和劉聰子大將軍劉敷都曾上表勸諫劉聰不要寵信宦官。但劉聰完全相信王沈等，都不聽從。劉粲與王沈等人勾結，因此向劉聰大讚王沈等人，劉聰聽後即將王沈等人封列侯。劉易見此又上表進諫，終令劉聰發怒，更親手毀壞劉易的諫書，劉易於是怨憤而死；陳元達見劉易之死，亦對劉聰失望，憤而自殺。朝廷在王沈和劉粲等人把持之下綱紀全無，而且貪污盛行，臣下只會奉承上級；對後宮妃嬪宮人的賞賜豐盛，反而在外軍隊卻資源不足。劉敷見此就曾多次勸諫，劉聰卻責罵劉敷常常在他面前哭諫，令劉敷憂憤得病，不久逝世。

因為劉聰的完全信任，王沈和劉粲等人又與靳準聯手誣稱皇太弟劉乂叛變，不但廢掉並殺害劉乂，更趁機誅除一些自己討厭的官員，又坑殺平陽城中一萬五千多名士兵。劉粲在劉乂死後被立為皇太子。

麟嘉三年（318年），劉聰患病，以太宰劉景、大司馬劉驥、太師劉顗、太傅朱紀和太保呼延晏並錄尚書事，又命范隆為守尚書令、儀同三司，靳準為大司空，二人皆決尚書奏事，以作輔政。七月癸亥日（8月31日）逝世，在位九年。諡為昭武皇帝，廟號烈宗。

性格特徵

• 據說劉聰出生時形體非常，左耳有一白毛，長逾二尺，有光澤。

• 劉聰雖然因眾意而登位，但仍認為自己是不依長幼次序而被擁立，於是忌憚兄長劉恭，並乘他睡覺時將他刺殺。

• 劉聰因單太后的絕美姿貌而與她亂倫，單太后子皇太弟劉乂曾多次規勸母親，單太后因而慚愧憤恨而死。雖然及後知道劉乂曾作規勸間接令單太后逝世，但因懷念單太后而沒有廢去其皇太弟身份。

• 劉聰曾濫殺大臣，如左都水使者襄陵王劉攄就曾因魚蟹供應不足而被劉聰殺害；將作大匠靳陵就因未能如期建成「溫明」、「徽光」二殿而被殺。王彰曾勸諫劉聰不要游獵過度，要劉聰念及劉淵建國艱難，應專心朝政。但劉聰聽後大怒，又要殺王彰，只因太后張夫人絕食以及劉乂和劉粲死諫才赦免王彰。後來設立中皇后時，尚書令王鑒和中書監崔懿之等又諫止劉聰濫封皇后，亦被劉聰所殺。

家庭

后妃

皇后

• 呼延皇后

• 張徽光，輔漢將軍張寔女，初封貴人。諡武孝皇后

• 劉娥，劉殷女，賢明，劉聰所行不當會規勸糾正。諡武宣皇后

• 左貴嬪劉英，劉殷女，左貴嬪，劉聰意圖立為皇后但遭太后反對，不久逝世。後獲追謚為武德皇后

• 劉皇后，貴妃，後被立為左皇后

• 靳月光，靳準女，上皇后。因被陳元達揭發有穢行而被廢

• 靳月華，靳準女，右皇后

• 樊皇后，張徽光侍婢，被立為上皇后

• 宣皇后，宣懷養女，中皇后

• 王皇后，中常侍王沈養女，左皇后

兒子

• 劉粲，漢隱帝。初封河內王，後被立為太子，即位不久便被靳準所殺。

• 劉易，封河間王。316年卒。

• 劉翼，封彭城王。

• 劉悝，封高平王。

• 劉敷，封勃海王。316年卒。

• 劉驥，封濟南王。318年被殺。

• 劉鸞，封燕王。

• 劉鴻，封楚王。

• 劉勱，封齊王。318年被殺。

• 劉權，封秦王。

• 劉操，封魏王。

• 劉持，封趙王。

• 劉恆，封代王。

• 劉逞，封吳王。318年被殺。

• 劉朗，封潁川王。

• 劉皋，封零陵王。

• 劉旭，封丹陽王。

• 劉京，封蜀王。

• 劉坦，封九江王。

• 劉晃，封臨川王。

• 劉衷，封會稽王。318年蠡斯則百堂大火時被燒死。

• 劉約，封東平王。疑于318年卒。

註釋

Early Life and career

Liu Cong was Liu Yuan's fourth son, by his concubine Consort Zhang. When he was young, he was considered both intelligent and strong, and when he studied in the Jin capital Luoyang, his knowledge was said to have impressed the Jin officials Le Guang (樂廣) and Zhang Hua. Eventually, he was invited by the ambitious Sima Yong the Prince of Hejian to be on his staff, but he was concerned that since his father was on the staff of Sima Ying the Crown Prince, he would be considered to have divided loyalties. He therefore fled to Sima Ying and served as a junior officer.

After Liu Yuan declared himself the Prince of Han, thus establishing Han Zhao, in 304, he made Liu Cong one of his key generals and created him the Prince of Chu. In 309, in conjunction with Shi Le, he had a major victory over the Jin general Wang Kuang (王曠) at Changping (長平, in modern Jincheng, Shanxi). Upon the victory, however, he prematurely tried to advance on Luoyang and was defeated by the Jin general Huan Yan (桓延), who tricked him by pretending to surrender. However, several months later, he tried again to capture Luoyang in conjunction with Wang Mi (王彌), but as he besieged the city, the Jin regent Sima Yue the Prince of Donghai was able to make surprise attacks from inside the city, and Liu Cong suffered several repeated attacks. Liu Yuan then recalled him back to the capital Pingyang (平陽, in modern Linfen, Shanxi).

In summer 310, Liu Yuan grew ill. He created Liu Cong's older brother Liu He (by Empress Huyan) crown prince, and commissioned his other sons Liu Yu (劉裕) the Prince of Qi, Liu Long (劉隆) the Prince of Lu, and Liu Ai (劉乂) the Prince of Beihai with substantial troops at the capital, in addition to the large army that Liu Cong already had, with intent that they assist Liu He with governance and military matters. A group of officials, both Xiongnu and Han, were given various responsibilities in assisting Liu He. However, three officials were left out—Liu He's uncle Huyan You (呼延攸), Liu Cheng (劉乘) -- who had prior grudges with Liu Cong—and Liu Rui (劉銳) the Prince of Xichang. They were disgruntled, and they persuaded the already suspicious Liu He that he could not be safe if his brothers maintained large forces in or near the capital. Three days after Liu Yuan's death, under Liu He's orders, these officials commenced surprise attacks on Liu He's four brothers—Liu Rui against Liu Chong, Huyan You against Liu Yu, Liu Cheng against Liu Long, and Tian Mi (田密) and Liu Gui (劉璿) against Liu Ai. Once Tian and Liu Gui got on the way, however, they did not attack Liu Ai but instead escorted him to alert Liu Cong, who then prepared for the confrontation. Liu Rui withdrew his troops. Over the next two days, Liu Yu and Liu Long were defeated and killed. Two days later, Liu Cong besieged the palace and killed Liu He, Liu Cheng, Liu Rui, and Huyan. After initially offering the throne to Liu Ai, Liu Cong then assumed the throne himself.

Early reign

After Liu Cong took the throne, he created his brother Liu Ai crown prince, promising to eventually give Liu Ai the throne that he offered to Liu Cong instead. He created his wife Princess Huyan empress, and created her son Liu Can the Prince of Jin, putting him in charge of much of his troops, along with his cousin Liu Yao the Prince of Shi'an. Both Liu Yuan's empress Empress Dan and Liu Cong's own mother Consort Zhang were honored as empresses dowager.

Later in 310, Crown Prince Ai's mother, Empress Dan died—said to be of shame after her affair with Liu Cong was discovered by her son Liu Ai. After she died, Liu Cong's favor for his brother quickly waned, although he was said to be keeping him as crown prince still because of his love for her. Empress Huyan, however, began to try to persuade him to create Liu Can crown prince instead, and he began to consider the matter.

Liu Cong continued to put up pressure against Jin and its capital Luoyang. His generals Liu Yao, Liu Can, Shi Le, and Wang Mi continued to defeat Jin forces that they encountered easily, capturing cities and killing Jin officials, but continued to have difficulty holding cities permanently. However, they rendered the Jin heartland stripped and barren. In spring 311, Shi Le crushed the remaining major Jin force in the central China region, previously commanded by Sima Yue, which was trying to head east after his death. Shi had the Jin officials and generals he captured all executed and burned Sima Yue's body. Luoyang was left defenseless, and at Liu Cong's orders, summer that year, Wang, Shi, Liu Yao, and Huyan Yan converged on Luoyang and captured it and the Emperor Huai of Jin, taking him to the Han Zhao capital Pingyang. This capture of Jin capital is known as the Disaster of Yongjia. Wang suggested that the capital be moved to Luoyang, but Liu Yao opposed and burned much of Luoyang, and Liu Cong did not seriously consider Wang's suggestion afterwards. In winter 311, Shi ambushed Wang at a feast and seized Wang's troops, and afterwards, while continuing to show outward loyalty to Han Zhao, became effectively independent. Indeed, his intent from that point on appeared to be enlarging his own personal dominion.

In spring 312, Empress Huyan died. In less than a month, Liu Cong began to take a large number of his high-level officials' daughters and granddaughters as concubines, including a number of them with the family name Liu—daughters and granddaughters of his official Liu Yin (劉殷) -- which Crown Prince Ai opposed due to the general prohibition against endogamy. However, Liu Cong rationalized that these Liu women were ethnically Han, and he himself was ethnically Xiongnu, and therefore could not have come from the same ancestry. From this point on, Liu Cong was said to have been spending all his time with these women and rarely spent time to handle government matters.

Also in spring 312, Liu Cong created the former Jin emperor the Duke of Kuaiji. Once, after inviting the duke to a feast, Liu Cong commented on a meeting they had while the former emperor was still the Prince of Yuzhang, leading to a notable colloquy in which the duke skillfully flattered the Han Zhao emperor. The next day, Liu Cong gave one of his favorite concubines, one of Liu Yin's granddaughters, to the duke as a gift, creating her as the Duchess of Kuaiji.

In summer 312, the first real signs of trouble of Liu Cong's reign came, as he executed a prince in charge of river matters and a duke in charge of construction on trivial matters—the prince for failing to supply his court with sufficient fish and crabs, and the duke for failing to complete two palaces on time. When the general Wang Zhang (王彰) tried to persuade him to control his behavior, he became enraged and wanted Wang killed, but imprisoned Wang after Wang's daughter, a concubine of his, interceded. Later, he regretted his actions and released and promoted Wang, but this incident started a pattern of impulsive actions, often with cruelty, that would plague the rest of Liu Cong's reign.

Later in summer 312, Liu Cong wanted to create Liu Yin's daughter Liu Ying (劉英) empress to replace Empress Huyan, but at his mother Empress Dowager Zhang's insistence, he created another concubine, Empress Zhang Huiguang—a daughter of his cousin Zhang Shi (張寔—not to be confused with the contemporaneous Jin official of the same name, whose domain later evolved into Former Liang) -- empress.

In fall 312, Han Zhao forces, under Liu Can and Liu Yao, dealt a serious blow to the Jin general Liu Kun (劉琨) the governor of Bing Province (并州, modern northern and central Shanxi), who had been a constant threat to Han Zhao, capturing Liu Kun's headquarters at Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) and killing Liu Kun's parents. While Liu Kun was able to recapture Jinyang with the assistance of the Xianbei chief Tuoba Yilu the Duke of Dai, he would not pose a serious threat to Han Zhao from that point on.

In spring 313, an incident would lead to Liu Cong's execution of the former Jin emperor, the Duke of Kuaiji. At the imperial new year celebration, Liu Cong ordered him to serve the high-level officials wine, and former Jin officials Yu Min (庾珉) and Wang Juan (王雋) could not control their emotions at seeing his humiliation, and cried out loud. This made Liu Cong angry, and he falsely accused Yu and Wang, along with a number of former Jin officials, of being ready to betray Pingyang and offer it to Liu Kun. He then executed those former Jin officials and poisoned the former emperor. He took the Duchess of Kuaiji, formerly awarded to the duke, back as a concubine.

Later in spring 313, Liu Cong's mother Empress Dowager Zhang died. Her grandniece, Empress Zhang, was so depressed and mournful after the empress dowager's death that she died as well. Liu Cong created Liu Yin's daughter Liu E to replace her, and ordered that a palace be built for her. His minister Chen Yuanda tried to persuade that it was overly wasteful, and Liu Cong, in anger, ordered Chen's execution. However, the new empress interceded, and Chen was spared and further promoted. For the next year, under Empress Liu's and Chen's advice, Liu Cong was said to have corrected his behavior to some extent.

In summer 313, the nephew of the deceased Emperor Huai of Jin, Sima Ye, declared himself emperor (as Emperor Min of Jin) in Chang'an, but due to the weakness in his forces did not pose a serious threat to Han Zhao. Still, this move drew Liu Cong's attention, and for the next several years, Chang'an would become a major target for Han Zhao forces.

In spring 314, Empress Liu died, and it was said that from that point on, Liu Cong's palace would be thoroughly in a confused state, and Liu Cong's own personal behavior appeared to degenerate after this, without her counsel.

Late reign

In 314, Liu Cong made his son Liu Can the prime minister, with paramount powers. This brought fear in the heart of his brother, the crown prince Liu Ai, whose associates subsequently suggested in 315 that he start a coup and overthrow Liu Cong. Liu Ai did not agree to the plot, but news leaked anyway. Liu Cong put Liu Ai under house arrest.

Later in 315, Liu Cong took two of his general Jin Zhun's daughters, Jin Yueguang (靳月光) and Jin Yuehua (靳月華) into his palace, and created three empresses—Jin Yueguang as Upper Empress, Jin Yuehua as Right Empress, and Consort Liu (might have been Liu Yin's granddaughter) Left Empress—against the custom that an emperor should only be one empress for the emperor at one time. Later that year, Chen Yuanda revealed to him that the Upper Empress had been committing adultery, and Liu Cong felt compelled to depose her; she committed suicide in shame, and Liu Cong, missing her beauty, greatly resented Chen for revealing her adultery.

In fall 315, Liu Cong, to appease the ever growing power of Shi Le, commissioned Shi with imperial powers in the eastern empire (which Shi controlled in any case).

Around this time, he also became extremely trusting of the eunuchs Wang Chen (王沈), Xuan Huai (宣懷), and the servant Guo Yi (郭猗), entrusting all government matters to them and cancelling regular meetings with officials, letting Wang, Xuan, and Guo serve as communicators between him and the officials. This led to Wang, Xuan, and Guo becoming free to act at their whim, and they became greatly corrupt, in cooperation with Jin Zhun. A number of officials who dared to speak out against these men were executed. Both Guo and Jin had prior grudges against Crown Prince Ai, and they persuaded Liu Can into believing that Crown Prince Ai would try to depose Liu Cong and kill him, presenting Liu Can with false evidence of such a plot. Liu Can therefore began to plot how to remove his uncle.

In fall 316, Liu Cong sent Liu Yao to attack Chang'an, and Liu Yao captured it and the Jin emperor, sending him to Pingyang, thus ending the so-called Western Jin Dynasty (although Jin would not actually end, as its Prince of Langye, Sima Rui, then safely south of the Yangtze River at Jiankang would claim the title "Prince of Jin" in 317 and declare himself emperor in 318, thus continuing Jin as the so-called Eastern Jin Dynasty). Liu Cong created the former Jin emperor the Marquess of Huai'an, and he created Liu Yao the Prince of Qin and put him in charge of the western empire.

Around the new year of 317, Shi Le defeated Liu Kun and took over his domain of Jin's Bing Province. While this finally ended a former threat against Han Zhao, Shi's power became even stronger and independent of Liu Cong's.

In spring 317, Liu Can finally readied his plan to eliminate his uncle Crown Prince Ai. He falsely informed Crown Prince Ai that Pingyang was under attack and that his subordinates should arm themselves to prepare for the attack. Then, Liu Can informed his father that Crown Prince Ai was ready to attack—and when Liu Cong's messengers then saw Crown Prince's associates armed, they believed Liu Can's accusations and reported back to Liu Cong. Liu Can then further interrogated Crown Prince Ai's subordinate Di and Qiang chiefs (whom Crown Prince Ai commanded, based on his secondary title of Grand Chanyu) under torture, and the Di and Qiang chiefs were forced to falsely confess to a plot. Crown Prince Ai's associates and troops were all massacred—estimated at the cost of 15,000 men—and Crown Prince Ai was deposed and subsequently assassinated by Jin. When Di and Qiang tribes subsequently revolted due to the treatment of their chiefs, Liu Cong sent Jin to suppress them, and Jin was successful. In fall 317, Liu Cong created Liu Can crown prince.

In early 318, at a feast, Liu Cong had the former Jin emperor, the Marquess of Huai'an serve as butler, and a number of former Jin officials could not control themselves and cried out loud at their former emperor's humiliation. Further, around this time, there were a number of uprisings against Han Zhao, each claiming to want to capture Liu Can to exchange him for the former Jin emperor. Liu Can therefore recommended that Sima Ye be executed, and Liu Cong agreed, executing him after receiving Liu Can's report.

In summer 318, an imperial meeting hall in Pingyang was destroyed by a great fire, and it killed 21 people, including Liu Cong's son Liu Kang (劉康) the Prince of Kuaiji. Liu Cong was said to have greatly mourned his son, and this appeared to have a terrible effect on his health. He summoned Liu Yao and Shi Le to the capital to serve as regents, but both Liu Yao and Shi declined. He died soon after, and Liu Can became emperor. Later that year, however, Liu Can would be murdered by Jin, who would then massacre the imperial clan. Liu Yao and Shi defeated Jin and Liu Yao became emperor, but Liu Yao and Shi subsequently had a falling out, leading to Shi declaring independent and creating Later Zhao. The empire that Liu Cong built was torn into halves.

Era Name

Guāngxīng (光興) 310–311Jiāpíng (嘉平) 311–315Jiànyuán (建元) 315–316Línjiā (麟嘉) 316–318

Personal information

• Father

　• Liu Yuan (Emperor Guangwen) (fourth son of)

• Mother

　• Consort Zhang

• Wives

　• Empress Huyan (created 310, d. 312), mother of Crown Prince Can

　• Empress Zhang Huiguang (created and d. 313)

　• Empress Liu E (created 313, d. 314)

　• Multiple empresses after Liu E's death—see Liu Cong's later empresses

　　• Upper Empress Jin Yueguang (靳月光), daughter of Jin Zhun (created and committed suicide 315)

　　• Left Empress Liu, likely Liu E's sister or cousin (created 315)

　　• Right Empress Jin Yuehua (靳月華), daughter of Jin Zhun (created 315)

　　• Upper Empress Fan (created 316)

　　• Left Empress Wang (created 318), adopted daughter of Wang Chen (王沈)

　　• Middle Empress Xuan (created 318), adopted daughter of Xuan Huai (宣懷)

• Major Concubines

　• Consort Liu Ying (劉英), Liu E's sister (d. 312), daughter of Liu Yin (劉殷) the Duke of Dachang, posthumously honored as Empress Wude

　• Four nieces of Liu E, may include Left Empress Liu, granddaughters of Liu Yin

　• Consort Zhang, Empress Zhang Huiguang's sister

　• Consort Wang, daughter of Wang Yu (王育)

　• Consort Ren, daughter of Ren Yi (任顗)

　• Consort Wang, daughter of Wang Zhang (王彰) the Duke of Dingxiang

　• Consort Fan, daughter of Fan Long (范隆)

　• Consort Ma, daughter of Ma Jing (馬景)

• Children

　• Liu Can (劉粲), initially the Prince of He'nei (created 310), later the Prince of Jin (created 314), later Crown Prince (created 317), later emperor

　• Liu Yi (劉易, note different character than his brother), the Prince of Hejian (created 310, d. 316)

　• Liu Yi (劉翼, note different character than his brother), the Prince of Pengcheng (created 310)

　• Liu Li (劉悝), the Prince of Gaoping (created 310)

　• Liu Fu (劉敷), the Prince of Bohai (created 312, d. 316)

　• Liu Ji (劉驥), the Prince of Ji'nan (created 312, executed 318)

　• Liu Luan (劉鸞), the Prince of Yan (created 312)

　• LIu Hong (劉鴻), the Prince of Chu (created 312)

　• Liu Mai (劉勱), the Prince of Qi (created 312, executed 318)

　• Liu Quan (劉權), the Prince of Qin (created 312)

　• Liu Cao (劉操), the Prince of Wei (created 312)

　• LIu Chi (劉持), the Prince of Zhao (created 312)

　• Liu Heng (劉恆), the Prince of Dai (created 312)

　• Liu Cheng (劉逞), the Prince of Wu (created 312, executed 318)

　• Liu Lang (劉朗), the Prince of Yingchuan (created 312)

　• Liu Gao (劉皋), the Prince of Lingling (created 312)

　• Liu Xu (劉旭), the Prince of Danyang (created 312)

　• Liu Jing (劉京), the Prince of Shu (created 312)

　• Liu Tan (劉坦), the Prince of Jiujiang (created 312)

　• Liu Huang (劉晃), the Prince of Linchuan (created 312)

　• Liu Kang (劉康), the Prince of Kuaiji (d. 318)

　• Liu Yue (劉約) (d. 318?)