Contents
Biography & Historical Record
Liu Du (刘度 / 劉度, Lưu Độ) was Grand Administrator of Lingling Commandery in southern Jing Province. After Liu Biao (刘表, Lưu Biểu)’s death and Liu Cong (刘琮, Lưu Tông)’s surrender of Jing to Cao Cao (曹操, Tào Tháo), Lingling fell under Cao’s nominal sphere. Following the Battle of Red Cliffs (208–209), Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) advanced on the four southern commanderies. Liu Du surrendered Lingling in 209 and was retained for a time as administrator; his later fate is sparsely recorded.
In Luo Guanzhong’s novel (Ch. 52–53) the surrender is dramatized through his son Liu Xian (刘贤, Lưu Hiền) and the fictional champion Xing Daorong (邢道荣, Hình Đạo Vinh). Do not link Liu Xian to /liu-xian-han/ (刘羡, a different Han prince).
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Chapter 52 (Zhuge Liang Cleverly Seizes Three Cities; Zhao Yun Captures Guiyang by Strategy): As Administrator of Lingling, Liu Du hears Liu Bei’s army approach. Son Liu Xian boasts that Xing Daorong can match Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) and Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi). Liu Du sends both out. Xing Daorong is defeated, captured, and released after a feigned surrender; he and Liu Xian plot an ambush that Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) anticipates. Zhao Yun kills Xing Daorong; Zhang Fei captures Liu Xian, who returns and persuades his father to open the gates. Liu Du presents his seals and surrenders; Liu Bei keeps him as Administrator of Lingling and sends Liu Xian to serve with the Jingzhou army.
Liu Du (刘度, Lưu Độ) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Administrator of Lingling under Liu Biao / Cao Cao
Governs Lingling while Liu Biao holds Jing; after Liu Cong’s surrender the commandery is nominally under Cao Cao.
Surrender to Liu Bei
History: one of four southern administrators who submit after Red Cliffs. Novel: Xing Daorong and Liu Xian are defeated; Liu Du opens Lingling’s gates and is retained as administrator.
For detailed historical records, archives, and official chronicles, explore Liu Du on Wikipedia.
Key Relationships
Family
- Liu Xian (刘贤, Lưu Hiền): Son (novel). Commands Lingling’s defenders, is captured by Zhang Fei, and persuades Liu Du to surrender. Correct 汉字 刘贤 — do not use
/liu-xian-han/(刘羡).
Friends
- Xing Daorong (邢道荣, Hình Đạo Vinh): Novel-only Lingling champion who challenges Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei; slain by Zhao Yun after a failed ambush.
Enemies
- Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị): Occupies Lingling in the 209 southern campaign; accepts Liu Du’s surrender and reinstates him.
- Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng): Anticipates Xing Daorong’s false surrender and ambush (novel).
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Captures Liu Xian and presses Lingling’s fall (novel).
- Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân): Intercepts and kills Xing Daorong (novel).
Other
- Han Xuan (韩玄, Hàn Huyền): Peer Administrator of Changsha among the four southern commanderies.
- Jin Xuan (金旋, Kim Toàn): Peer Administrator of Wuling.
- Zhao Fan (赵范, Triệu Phạm): Peer Administrator of Guiyang.
- Liu Biao (刘表, Lưu Biểu) / Liu Cong (刘琮, Lưu Tông): Prior Jing overlords before Cao Cao’s sphere and Liu Bei’s southern advance.
- Cao Cao (曹操, Tào Tháo): Nominal superior of southern Jing after Liu Cong’s 208 surrender; lost effective grip after Red Cliffs.
In Novel
Chapter 52
- Liu Du (刘度, Lưu Độ): Administrator of Lingling. Son Liu Xian (刘贤, Lưu Hiền) and general Xing Daorong (邢道荣, Hình Đạo Vinh) sortie against Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị)’s army. Xing Daorong is captured, feigns surrender, and plots an ambush with Liu Xian; Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) anticipates it. Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) kills Xing Daorong; Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) captures Liu Xian, who persuades Liu Du to open the gates. Liu Du surrenders seals; Liu Bei retains him as Administrator; Liu Xian joins the Jingzhou army.
In History
Summary
- Liu Du (刘度, Lưu Độ) was Grand Administrator of Lingling and one of the four southern Jing administrators who surrendered to Liu Bei in 209 after Red Cliffs loosened Cao Cao’s hold.
Year: before 208 AD
- Serves under Liu Biao’s Jing regime; after Liu Cong’s surrender, Lingling is nominally under Cao Cao.
Year: 209 AD
- Surrenders Lingling to Liu Bei with little prolonged resistance recorded; later career sparsely attested. Xing Daorong and the dramatized ambush are novel inventions.
Historical Record
- SGZ / ZZTJ notices of Liu Bei’s annexation of the four southern commanderies (Wuling, Changsha, Guiyang, Lingling); ROTK Ch.52 expands the Lingling episode.
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