简介

自幼「恭谨好学」，「每行坐所在，辄书空地，由是博涉文史。」唐高祖武德初年，补息州（今河南息县）参军，转任陈仓（今陕西宝鸡市东）尉。贞观十四年（640年），因故杖毙折冲都尉鲁宁，为唐太宗所赞赏，后累迁给事中。显庆元年，刘仁轨因处理大理寺丞「毕正义案」得罪李义府，贬青州（山东省青州市）刺史。

显庆五年（660年），唐高宗攻百济，督海运遇风覆船，所部死伤严重，朝廷派监察御史袁异式审讯，李义府暗示袁异式：「君能办事，不忧无官。」李义府对唐高宗说：「不斩仁轨，无以谢百姓。」舍人源直心说：「海风暴起，非人力所及。」仅将之免职，以白衣随军自效。龙朔元年（661年）三月，唐军留郎将刘仁愿率数千唐兵留守百济城，以左卫郎将王文度为熊津都督，不久王文度病死，诏以刘仁轨代之，刘仁轨高兴说：「天将富贵此翁耳！」百济起兵，围攻屯其府城的唐将刘仁愿部。刘仁轨任检校带方州刺史，率军赴救，于熊津江（今韩国锦江）大败百济。唐军因战事不利，又值大雪，遂退出平壤，刘仁轨自请留守。

龙朔三年（663年）日本毛野稚子等率二万馀人攻新罗，八月，刘仁轨水军率行至白江口，「仁轨遇倭兵于白江之口，四战捷，焚其舟四百艘，烟焰涨天，海水皆赤，贼众大溃，余丰脱身而走」。百济王扶平逃奔高句丽，王子忠胜等人投降。日本势力退出朝鲜半岛。上元二年（675年）二月，挥军渡瓠卢河（在庆州西），破新罗北方重镇七重城（金城北）后引兵还，史称「白江口之战」。

麟德二年，封禅泰山，仁轨领新罗及百济、耽罗、日本四国酋长赴会，唐高宗大悦，擢为大司宪。袁异式大惧，内心不安，刘仁轨告诉他忘掉过去的事，乾封元年（666年）六月，刘仁轨迁右相，兼检校太子左中护，累前后战功，封乐城县男，推荐袁异式任中台司元大夫。监察御史杜易简曰：「斯所谓矫枉过正矣！」咸亨元年（670年）正月初三，刘仁轨乞老归养，获准，不久复出，出任陇州刺史，以防吐蕃。咸亨三年（672年），出任太子左庶子。咸亨四年（673年）三月初十，奉命改修国史。

仪凤二年（677年）五月，吐蕃犯扶州（治同昌，今甘肃文县）临河镇，唐军兵败，朝廷以刘仁轨为洮河道（军在鄯州城内）行军镇守大使，建议屡遭李敬玄反对，仁轨因此怀恨在心。一日刘仁轨上奏：「西边镇守，非敬玄不可。」李敬玄推辞不掉。仪凤三年（678年）九月，李敬玄大败，唐军损失过半。韦述曰：「世刘公逞其私忿，陷人之所不能，覆徒贻国之耻，忠恕之道，岂其然乎？」

武则天亲政时，意图诛杀裴炎，派郎将姜嗣宗自洛邑出使长安，问刘仁轨意见。刘仁轨问姜嗣宗洛阳的情况，姜嗣宗说：「我觉得裴炎举止很奇怪，有异于常，很久了。」仁轨曰：「您察觉了吗？」姜曰：「是的。」刘仁轨告诉他：「仁轨有事禀告，请帮我顺便上奏罢。」姜嗣宗答应他。第二天，姜嗣宗带著刘仁轨的奏章返回洛阳，结果刘仁轨在奏章说「嗣宗知裴炎造反，而不上奏。」武则天则处死裴炎，并在都亭驿将姜嗣宗处以绞刑。

垂拱元年（685年）正月二十二，刘仁轨逝世。武则天停朝三日，追赠开府仪同三司、并州大都督，陪葬乾陵，赐其家实封三百户。撰有《行年记》、《永徽留本司格后本》十一卷。

子孙

• 子：刘滔

• 子：工部员外郎刘浚（唐朝）

　• 长孙：刘晃（《旧唐书》作刘冕），太常卿，袭乐城公。生刘子藩。

　　• 曾孙：刘子藩，河东节度掌书记、虞部员外郎。生刘煟。

　　　• 刘煟，雅州刺史。刘煟有二子刘瑑、刘顼。

　　　　• 刘瑑，字子全，唐宣宗年间拜相。

　　　　• 刘顼，字昭愿。

　• 次孙：刘昂，京兆少尹，生刘子之。

　　• 曾孙：刘子之，刘子之有二子刘元鼎、刘公舆。

　　　• 刘元鼎，慈州刺史。刘元鼎娶郑王李亮后裔，有二子刘思、刘略。

　　　　• 刘思，字秀挺。

　　　　• 刘略，朝请大夫、守卫尉卿、柱国、分司东都、赐紫金鱼袋。

　　　• 刘公舆，祠部员外郎。

• 刘仁轨第十一世孙：刘熙古，（903年－976年），字义淳，北宋宋州宁陵（今河南宁陵东）人。原作刘稽古。后唐长兴年间进士。

• 刘仁轨第十二世孙：刘蒙叟，（ ？ － ？ ），字道民，北宋宋州宁陵（今河南宁陵东）人，宋太祖乾德五年丁卯科状元，历知庐、滁、濠、汝四州。

注释

Background

Liu Rengui was born in 602, during the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui. He was from what would later be Bian Prefecture (汴州, roughly modern Kaifeng, Henan). It was said that he was respectful and studious in his youth, but in the disturbances that resulted in Sui Dynasty's downfall in 619, he was unable to spend much time in studying and was forced to flee the wars from time to time, and he would practice his calligraphy by writing on dirt. Early during the reign of the founder of the succeeding Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu, one of Emperor Gaozu's generals, Ren Gui (任瓌), who was in charge of the modern Henan region, had drafted a report to Emperor Gaozu, when, for reasons unstated in historical records, Liu Rengui had an opportunity to read it. Liu was able to improve on the report by making several simple character changes, and this surprised Ren, who then recommended him as the military advisor to the prefect of Xi Prefecture (息州, roughly modern Xinyang, Henan), and later as the sheriff of Chencang County (陈仓, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi).

During Emperor Taizongs reign

Sometime prior to 640 but during the reign of Emperor Gaozu's successor Emperor Taizong, there was an occasion when a military officer, Lu Ning (鲁宁) -- who, by virtue of his office, was higher ranked than Liu Rengui (fourth or fifth rank, compared to Liu's ninth rank) -- was accused of crimes and held in custody at the county jail in Chencang. He, proud of his rank, repeatedly insulted and cursed at Liu. Liu, in anger, battered Lu to death with a cane. When this was reported to Emperor Taizong, Emperor Taizong, in anger, ordered that Liu be executed, but as he was pondering how a lowly ranked sheriff would dare to kill a highly ranked military officer, and so had Liu, prior to execution, delivered to the capital Chang'an for him to personally examine him. When he asked Liu the reason he killed Lu, Liu calmly, without appearance of fear, stated, "Lu insulted me and shamed me in front of the people I govern, and I got so angry that I battered him to death." The chancellor Wei Zheng, who happened to be present, spoke on Liu's behalf, arguing that a reason for Sui's downfall was that the people had no respect for local officials and did not hesitate from resisting them. Emperor Taizong withdrew his order to execute Liu and further promoted him to be the secretary general of Yueyang County (栎阳, in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), close to the capital.

In 640, when Emperor Taizong was about to go on a hunt in Tong Prefecture (同州, roughly modern Weinan, Shaanxi), Liu submitted a petition pointing out that it was harvest time and that the farmers would be greatly interfered with by a hunt, particularly since a good number of them would have to be conscripted to fix the roads. He asked that Emperor Taizong delay his hunt by 10 days. Emperor Taizong agreed, and praised Liu for his petition. He soon promoted Liu to be the magistrate of Xin'an County. Eventually, he was promoted to the post of imperial attendant.

During Emperor Gaozongs reign

Campaign against Baekje

It appeared that Liu Rengui remained at the post of imperial attendant for at least a decade, after Emperor Taizong's death in 649 and succession by his son Emperor Gaozong. In 656, he was involved in the inquiry into one of Emperor Gaozong's most trusted officials, the chancellor Li Yifu, as Li was accused of being enamored with a beautiful prisoner, a Lady Chunyu, and getting the secretary general of the supreme court, Bi Zhengyi (毕正义) to improperly release her so that he could take her as a concubine. When the chief judge of the supreme court, Duan Baoxuan (段宝玄) realized this, he reported this to Emperor Gaozong, and Emperor Gaozong put Liu in charge of the investigation. During the investigation, Li, wanting to avoid further scrutiny, forced Bi to commit suicide, and the interrogation was aborted. Still, Liu's investigation drew hatred from Li.

In 659, Liu was made the prefect of Qing Prefecture (青州, roughly modern Weifang, Shandong), at Li's instigation. In 660, as Emperor Gaozong was launching a major campaign against Goguryeo, Liu was in charge of supplying the army through sea shipping, but the ships that he was in charge of met a major storm, and a large number of the ships were lost. Li, hearing this, sent the imperial investigator Yuan Yishi (袁异式) to Qing Prefecture, hoping to intimidate Liu into committing suicide, but Liu refused. Yuan put Liu in chains and returned to Chang'an to submit his report. Li insisted to Emperor Gaozong that Liu be put to death, but Emperor Gaozong pointed out that Liu could not be held responsible for the storm, instead reducing him to commoner rank and having him join the army in that status.

Meanwhile, the general Su Dingfang had destroyed Goguryeo's ally Baekje in 660, left his assistant Liu Renyuan in charge of the former Baekje capital Sabi, and then withdrew. Su's mistreatment of the Baekje people, however, caused much resentment toward Tang forces, and after Su's departure, the Buddhist monk Dochim/Daochen (道琛) and the Baekje general Buyeo Boksin/Fuyu Fuxin rose in resistance to Tang forces, with Juryu/Zhouliu (주류/周留, in modern Seocheon County, South Chungcheong) as their headquarters. They also welcomed back the Baekje prince Buyeo Pung/Fuyu Feng back from Japan, where he had served as a hostage-to-be-king, and their forces were strengthened. They put Sabi, defended by Liu Renyuan, under siege. Emperor Gaozong put Liu Rengui in command of an army that another general, Wang Wendu (王文度), who had recently died, would have commanded, and had him aid Liu Renyuan. Liu Rengui was pleased at the news, and was said to have immediately leapt up and stated, "Heaven is giving glory and wealth to this old man!" He then, after confidently requesting the imperial calendar and the names of the imperial ancestors (in order to promulgate to the Baekje people for naming taboo purposes), departed for Baekje. Fighting the Baekje resistance forces in conjunction with forces from Tang's ally Silla, he was able to force them to lift the siege on Sabi. However, he and Liu Renyuan still had too few forces, particularly after Silla forces withdrew after suffering defeats, so for a time Liu Renyuan and Liu Rengui held defensive position.

Meanwhile, Su, who had been attacking Gogureyo and putting its capital Pyongyang under siege, was forced to withdraw in spring 662 after the general Pang Xiaotai (庞孝泰) was defeated and killed by Goguryeo forces. Emperor Gaozong issued an edict, ordering Liu Renyuan and Liu Rengui to abandon Sabi and march to Silla—and then, at the option of Silla's King Munmu (Kim Beopmin/Jin Famin), remain to help defend Silla or return to Tang. The soldiers largely wanted to accept these orders, but Liu Rengui pointed out if they abandoned Sabi, Baekje would be reestablished and would not be able to be defeated. However, believing that LIu Renyuan and Liu Rengui would surely abandon Sabi, Buyeo Pung and Buyeo Boksin (who had by now assassinated Dochim and taken over the rest of the army) were becoming overly confident and not taking precautions. Liu Rengui caught them by surprise and captured a number of cities they held, including a strip of territory that allowed Silla forces to supply Sabi with food. Liu Renyuan reported this to Emperor Gaozong and requested reinforcements, and Emperor Gaozong sent 7,000 men, as well as Buyeo Pung's brother Buyeo Yung/Fuyu Long, who was familiar with the territory.

Meanwhile, Buyeo Pung and Buyeo Boksin were beginning to suspect each other as well, and Buyeo Pung killed Buyeo Boksin in an ambush and then sought aid from Goguryeo and Japan. At Liu Rengui's insistence, in 663, the Tang/Silla forces headed directly for the Baekje headquarters at Juryu, defeating joint Baekje/Japanese forces. Buyeo Pung fled to Goguryeo, and the rest of the Baekje resistance forces surrendered, ending the Baekje resistance movement. Emperor Gaozong recalled Liu Renyuan and left Liu Rengui in charge of Baekje's former territory. It was said that Liu Rengui was effective in comforting the Baekje people and restoring social order after years of warfare had rendered the region in waste. He was also credited with treating two Baekje generals, Heukchi Sangji/Heichi Changzhi and Sataek Sangyeo/Shazha Xiangru (沙吒相如) with kindness, after they had participated in Baekje's resistance movement, pointing out that they were compelled to do so after Su mistreated the Baekje people—and he was able to receive their allegiance, allowing him to, with their serving as his forward commanders, defeat the last Baekje general holding out, Ji Susin/Chi Shouxin (迟受信). After Liu Renyuan returned to Chang'an, he endorsed Liu Rengui's abilities, and Emperor Gaozong gave Liu Rengui honors, including a house at the capital.

After the campaign against Baekje

In 664, Liu Rengui, by now carrying the higher rank of commandant, submitted a petition pointing out that the soldiers stationed at Baekje was facing much difficulties, after having been away from home for five years, and should be greatly rewarded. Emperor Gaozong partially agreed with Liu Rengui's pleas and sent Liu Renyuan to relieve him with new reinforcements, but Liu Rengui did not believe this to be the right course of action further, believing that the army should remain to prepare for the next campaign against Goguryeo, and Emperor Gaozong permitted Liu Rengui to remain at Baekje. However, the following year (665), as Emperor Gaozong was preparing for a grand ceremony to make sacrifices to Heaven and Earth at Mount Tai, Liu Rengui returned to Tang along with emissaries from Silla, Tamna, Japan, and the former Baekje, to attend to Emperor Gaozong during the ceremony. Emperor Gaozong was pleased by these emissaries' presence, and promoted Liu Rengui to the post of imperial censor, keeping him in the imperial administration. He also gave Liu Rengui the designation Zhi Zhengshi (知政事), making him a de facto chancellor.

In 666, Liu was promoted to You Xiang (右相) — the head of Xi Tai (西台), the legislative bureau of the government and a post considered one for a chancellor. He was also made a member of the staff of Emperor Gaozong's son and crown prince, Li Hong. Further, for his battlefield contribution, Emperor Gaozong created him the Baron of Lecheng. However, it was at this time that Liu carried out some actions with regard to an old nemesis, Yuan Yishi—who had earlier tried to force him to commit suicide at Li Yifu's direction—that would bring both praises and comments of his being insincere. Initially, after Liu was first promoted to imperial censor, Yuan, who was thereafter a subordinate, was fearful that Liu would carry out retributions, but at a meeting, Liu poured a cup of wine on the ground and stated, "If I still think of what happened in the past, let me be like this wine." When Liu was promoted to chancellor, he also had Yuan promoted to the post of secretary general of Li Hong's head of household. This brought whispers from many officials, and when Liu heard that people were commenting about it, he further promoted Yuan to the post of chief treasurer at the ministry of finance. One of Liu's subordinates, Du Jianyi (杜简易), was thereafter recorded to have told others, "This is an intentional overcorrection!" The Song Dynasty historian Ouyang Xiu, while generally praising Liu when writing Liu's biography in the New Book of Tang, commented, "As Liu's career advanced from being a local official to being chancellor, he knew how to gain a good reputation and how to please his subordinates." The modern Chinese historian Bo Yang was even more critical.

In 667, Emperor Gaozong launched another campaign aiming to conquer Goguryeo, commanded by the chancellor Li Ji, and in spring 668, during the middle of the campaign, Liu was made Li's deputy. After Goguryeo fell in 669, Liu returned to his post as You Xiang, but sought retirement in 670 on account of illness and old age. Emperor Gaozong agreed to let him retire. However, in 672, Liu was again made chancellor de facto, and in 673 was put in charge of revising the imperial historical records, as prior records, as written by Xu Jingzong, were considered inaccurate.

By 674, Tang and its former ally, Silla, were in constant battle, as Silla's King Munmu had taken over much of former Baekje and Goguryeo territory and fostered resistance against Tang. Emperor Gaozong, in anger, declared King Munmu's brother Kim Immun/Jin Renwen (金仁问) the king of Silla and commissioned Liu with an army to attack Silla. Liu scored some quick victories over Silla, but Emperor Gaozong, not wanting to prolong the confrontation with Silla, ordered Liu to withdraw after King Munmu formally apologized and offered tribute in 675. For Liu's contributions in this campaign, his title was upgraded to Duke of Lecheng, and he and three sons and/or nephews were given the honorific title of Shang Zhuguo.

Later that year, Liu and another high-level official, Dai Zhide, were made Puye (仆射), co-heads of the important executive bureau of government (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng). It was said that they rotated listening to the people's petitions on every other day, and that Liu, who often would give the petitioners encouraging words, quickly gained a good reputation among them, while Dai was more careful with his words with them but often advocated for them before the emperor. Nevertheless, because of Liu's words, the common people came to believe that he was capable and Dai was not, and on one occasion, it was recorded that an old lady submitted a petition to Dai, believe that he was Liu, and once she realized her mistake, she yelled at Dai, "I thought I am giving my petition to the Puye who can do things, but instead I am giving it to the useless Puye. Give me back my petition!" Dai laughed and gave her petition back to her.

In 677, facing the increasing threat from Tufan, Emperor Gaozong had Liu command the army stationed at Taohe Base (洮河军, in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai). However, he soon ran into conflict with another chancellor who remained at the capital -- Li Jingxuan, as his suggestions to Emperor Gaozong were often blocked by Li. To retaliate, Liu, while knowing that Li had no military talent, nevertheless submitted a proposal to Emperor Gaozong that stated that Li would make the best possible general for the coming military action against Tufan, and when Li declined, Emperor Gaozong responded, "If Liu Rengui told me to go, I would go; how can you not go?" Emperor Gaozong had Li take over Liu's post at Taohe, and in fall 678, Li's army suffered a total defeat by Tufan forces, and even Li's deputy Liu Shenli was captured by Tufan and later died in captivity. Li would eventually be removed from his post by Emperor Gaozong.

In 681, Liu, in addition to his other posts, was made an advisor to Li Zhe, the new crown prince (who had become crown prince after Li Hong's death in 675 and the removal of the next crown prince, Li Xian, in 680). Later that year, Liu resigned his post as head of the executive bureau, but Emperor Gaozong had him remain as chancellor de facto.

In 682, as the Chang'an region was suffering from a famine, Emperor Gaozong, in order to reduce the pressure on the imperial food supply, took up residence at the eastern capital Luoyang. He left Li Zhe in charge of Chang'an, assisted by Liu and fellow chancellors Pei Yan and Xue Yuanchao. In 683, Emperor Gaozong summoned Li Zhe to Luoyang in anticipation that he would soon hold a grand ceremony to sacrifice to Heaven and Earth at Mount Song, leaving Li Zhe's son Li Chongzhao, the deputy crown prince, nominally in charge of Chang'an, again assisted by Liu, Pei, and Xue. After Li Zhe arrived in Luoyang, Emperor Gaozong, who had long been ill, died around the new year 684. Li Zhe became emperor (as Emperor Zhongzong), although the Still government was actually completely controlled by Emperor Gaozong's wife and Emperor Zhongzong's mother, Empress Dowager Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), and even this time all the rights and powers of the empire were in her strong hands alone.

During Empress Dowager Wus regency

After Emperor Zhongzong's ascension, Liu Rengui was again made Pushe, and he continued to be in charge at Chang'an, formally assisting Li Chongzhao. Just two months after Emperor Zhongzong took the throne, he had a dispute with Pei Yan over his desire to make his father-in-law Wei Xuanzhen (韦玄贞), the father of his wife Empress Wei, a chancellor, and Empress Dowager Wu, viewing this as a sign of his refusal to submit to her, deposed him and replaced him with his younger brother Li Dan (as Emperor Ruizong) — but the reins of government were by now even more firmly in her hands and not the new emperor's. As part of this move, Li Chongzhao was also deposed, and Liu became in charge of Chang'an in title as well, and Empress Dowager Wu wrote him a letter stating that she was entrusting the Guanzhong region (i.e., Chang'an) to him, just as how Emperor Gao of Han had done so to his prime minister Xiao He. Liu wrote back, offering to resign and citing old age, and further suggested to her that she should return her authorities to the new emperor, pointing out the example of Emperor Gao of Han's wife Empress Lü Zhi—who had controlled the government after his death but whose clan was slaughtered after her death. Empress Dowager Wu wrote back with encouraging words but did not accept his resignation or his suggestion.

In 684, after Li Ji's grandson Li Jingye had started a rebellion and accused Empress Dowager Wu of various crimes, Pei tried to use this as reason to advise Empress Dowager Wu to return imperial authorities to Emperor Ruizong. Instead, Empress Dowager Wu, angry over what she saw as Pei's betrayal, accused him of treason and put him to death. After Pei's death, it happened that a low-level official, Jiang Sizong (姜嗣宗), was in Chang'an, and when Liu asked him about what was happening in Luoyang, Jiang made the remarks, "I had long thought that there was something unusual about Pei." Liu thereafter wrote a petition and gave it to Jiang, asking him to deliver it to Empress Dowager Wu when he returned to Luoyang. Jiang did so, and when Empress Dowager Wu opened up the petition, the petition said, "Jiang Sizong knew that Pei Yan was plotting treason, but did not report it." Empress Dowager Wu immediately had Jiang's limbs broken, and then strangled him. (Ouyang Xiu and Bo Yang both commented on this incident and were critical of Liu—Bo more so than Ouyang, and Bo particularly believed that this showed that Liu's good reputation came from his treachery.) Liu died in spring 685 and was buried with high honors. Empress Dowager Wu had the imperial officials attend his funeral, and had him buried near Emperor Gaozong's tomb.

Notes and references

• Old Book of Tang, ch. 84.

• New Book of Tang, ch. 108.

• Zizhi Tongjian, ch. 200, 201, 202, 203.