Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Liu An

Liu An (劉安; c. 179–122 BCE) was a prince of the Western Han dynasty who ruled the Kingdom of Huainan as its second king, renowned for patronizing the compilation of the Huainanzi, a comprehensive philosophical compendium blending Daoist cosmology, Confucian ethics, Legalist governance, and proto-scientific observations. As grandson of Emperor Gaozu, the dynasty's founder, and a distant cousin of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu An inherited his fief in 164 BCE and assembled a circle of scholars, including the famed Eight Gentlemen of Huainan, to produce erudite works under his oversight. The Huainanzi, presented to Emperor Wu in 139 BCE, articulated theories on statecraft, human nature, and the cosmos, influencing subsequent Chinese intellectual traditions through its syncretic approach rather than rigid adherence to any single school. Liu An's career ended in disgrace when, amid court intrigues, he faced accusations of treason in 122 BCE—prompted by reports of disloyalty and alleged rebellion plots involving sorcery and assassination schemes—forcing him and his heirs to commit suicide by imperial decree, with his kingdom partitioned among relatives. Later folklore attributed to him inventions like tofu and elixirs of immortality, but these lack corroboration in contemporaneous records and likely arose from embellished tales of his scholarly pursuits and alchemical interests.

Early Life and Background

Family Origins and Inheritance

Liu An was the eldest son of (劉長, c. 199–174 BCE), the first King of and a direct son of Emperor Gaozu (劉邦, r. 202–195 BCE), founder of the . As such, Liu An belonged to the extended imperial clan, descending from the dynasty's peasant-origins founder through patrilineal lines that emphasized loyalty amid early power consolidations. Liu Chang's own birth occurred under contentious circumstances, as his mother, a concubine of , died shortly after delivery while imprisoned, highlighting the intrigues surrounding Gaozu's succession and family dynamics. Liu Chang received the Huainan fief in 196 BCE as part of the Han's semi-feudal vassal system, granting him administrative control over territories in modern northern Anhui and surrounding areas. His rule ended in 174 BCE following a failed rebellion against Emperor Wen (劉恆, r. 180–157 BCE), prompted by perceived slights and exclusion from imperial favor; Liu Chang committed suicide after imperial forces suppressed the uprising, leading to the temporary abolition of the Huainan kingdom. In 164 BCE, during the reign of Emperor Jing (劉啟, r. 157–141 BCE), the Han court reestablished and partitioned the former territories among Liu Chang's three surviving sons to mitigate princely threats while preserving Liu clan privileges. As the senior heir, Liu An, then about 15 years old, inherited the principal fief—encompassing six commanderies—and the hereditary title of (王) of , restoring partial autonomy under central oversight. This division reflected policies of fragmenting large principalities to prevent rebellions, a causal response to events like Liu Chang's revolt, while affirming dynastic continuity through blood ties.

Intellectual Formation

Liu An, born circa 179 BCE as the son of Liu Chang (Prince Li of ) and grandson of Gaozu (Liu Bang), ascended to the throne of at a young age following his father's death in 174 BCE amid a failed against Jing. As a royal, his early intellectual environment was shaped by the eclectic scholarly currents of the early Western period, where Confucian classics coexisted with emerging Daoist, Legalist, and yin-yang cosmological ideas amid the dynasty's consolidation of power. Historical records note his personal affinity for and music from youth, including the composition of numerous rhapsodies (fu), which reflected a cultivated engagement with poetic and rhetorical traditions rather than rigid doctrinal adherence. This foundation evolved through An's deliberate cultivation of a scholarly circle at his court in Shouchun, where he amassed thousands of retainers, including philosophers, writers, and (technical specialists in esoterica and cosmology). By the mid-140s BCE, under Wu's reign, An's intellectual pursuits emphasized syncretic synthesis over singular school loyalty, drawing from and Zhuangzi's Daoist naturalism while incorporating Confucian ritual ethics and Legalist statecraft to address governance challenges. Primary accounts, such as those in the , portray him not as a solitary autodidact but as a facilitator whose inquiries drove collective textual production, foreshadowing the Huainanzi's structure of "inner" (philosophical core), "outer" (applied strategies), and "middle" (miscellaneous) chapters. An's formation thus prioritized pragmatic , prioritizing causal mechanisms of cosmic and political order over ideological purity—a stance critiqued by orthodox Confucian historians for diluting Huang-Lao Daoism with heterogeneous elements, yet evidenced in his court's output as a response to centralization pressures. No records specify formal tutors, but his documented immersion in book collections and debates indicates self-directed study augmented by expert consultations, aligning with princely norms of the era where intellectual authority derived from rather than institutional academies.

Rule and Political Involvement

Governance of Huainan

Liu An succeeded his father, Liu Chang, as Prince of in 174 BCE after the latter's amid suspicions of disloyalty to Jing. The kingdom, with its capital at Shouchun (modern Shouxian, Province), encompassed territories in eastern equivalent to nine counties, granting Liu An semi-autonomous authority over local administration, taxation, and military affairs under nominal . His governance relied heavily on a vast retinue of retainers, numbering several thousand, comprising scholars, strategists, writers, philosophers, and even magicians who provided counsel on state matters and helped execute administrative duties. This patronage network, drawn from across the realm, emphasized advisory roles in policy formulation and , reflecting a decentralized style of rule that prioritized intellectual input over rigid centralization. Liu An demonstrated initial fidelity to the imperial court by contemplating but ultimately abstaining from the Rebellion of the Seven Princes in 154 BCE, thereby preserving the kingdom's stability during a period of princely unrest. Specific fiscal or agrarian policies under Liu An remain sparsely documented in historical records, though his court's composition suggests efforts to integrate diverse expertise for effective local management. Tensions arose from the perceived threat of his influential circle, culminating in 122 BCE when imperial investigators uncovered evidence of treasonous plotting, including alliances with external figures and preparations for rebellion against Emperor Wu; Liu An was compelled to commit , after which was partitioned and downgraded.

Relations with the Han Imperial Court

Liu An was enfeoffed as Prince of Huainan circa 164 BCE during the reign of (r. 180–157 BCE), succeeding his father , who had died in 174 BCE following a failed rebellion against (r. 157–141 BCE). Despite the familial history of revolt, Liu An affirmed loyalty to the throne by declining to participate in the in 154 BCE, a widespread uprising by princes against imperial authority. Relations warmed under Emperor Wu (r. 141–87 BCE), Liu An's nephew and successor to Jing. In 139 BCE, Liu An presented the Huainanzi compilation to Wu during a state visit, prompting the emperor to commission a commentary on Qu Yuan's Lisao rhapsody in recognition of his scholarly acumen. By 126 BCE, Wu granted Liu An dispensation from obligatory court attendance, a mark of imperial favor extended to few princes. Tensions escalated as Wu's policies diminished the autonomy and military prerogatives of vassal kingdoms, fostering resentment among Liu princes. In 122 BCE, court investigators uncovered evidence of Liu An's alleged treasonous preparations, including weapon forging, territorial expansion schemes, and overtures to figures like the king of . Confronted by imperial commissioners dispatched to , Liu An ingested poison and died by suicide; his coregent son Liu迁 was executed, the kingdom was dissolved, and over 100 associates faced . Primary accounts in Sima Qian's (c. 100 BCE) describe the plot while questioning its gravity, attributing some accusations to political maneuvering and portraying Liu An's erudition as incongruent with rebellion.

Philosophical and Scholarly Patronage

Assembly of Scholars

Liu An, ruling as King of from approximately 164 BCE, actively patronized an assembly of scholars at his in Shouchun, attracting intellectuals versed in , cosmology, astronomy, , and to foster syncretic Daoist thought blending Huang-Lao principles with Confucian and Legalist ideas. This group, numbering over 200 retainers according to contemporary records, engaged in systematic debates and textual compilations, reflecting Liu An's personal involvement in directing intellectual projects aimed at legitimizing his and advising on statecraft. The assembly's most enduring contribution was the collaborative production of the , a 21-chapter compendium organized thematically to address cosmic order, , and , completed by around 139 BCE under Liu An's oversight. Scholars drawn from across the realm, including experts in yin-yang cosmology and correlative thinking, synthesized pre-Qin traditions into a cohesive framework that emphasized wuwei (non-action) and imperial harmony with . Liu An's role extended beyond patronage to active participation, as evidenced by the text's prefatory attribution and his presentation of the work to Wu during a court audience in 139 BCE, where it was received as a scholarly offering from the domain. Among the assembly, eight scholars stood out for their prominence, later designated the Eight Gentlemen of in historical for their advisory roles and literary contributions; these included Li Shang, Su Fei, Tian You, Mao Bei, Wu Bei, Jin Chang, Lei Bei, and Zuo Wu, whose expertise in ritual, ethics, and esoteric knowledge informed key sections of the . This selective cadre exemplified Liu An's strategy of cultivating talent to enhance his kingdom's prestige, though their precise individual inputs remain debated due to the text's composite authorship. The assembly not only produced the but also advanced practical innovations, such as alchemical and agricultural treatises, underscoring the court's function as a hub for empirical and theoretical inquiry amid intellectual eclecticism.

The Huainanzi Compilation and Content

The was compiled by a group of scholars assembled at the court of Liu An, King of (179–122 BCE), during the early Western Han dynasty, likely with Liu An's direct involvement in overseeing the project. This collective effort synthesized diverse intellectual traditions, drawing on Daoist, Yin-Yang, Confucian, and Legalist thought to produce a comprehensive philosophical and political treatise. The text was formally presented to in 139 BCE as a guide for , reflecting Liu An's ambition to offer an alternative syncretic framework to prevailing Confucian orthodoxy at the imperial court. Although traditionally attributed to Liu An himself, modern scholarship views the as a collaborative work rather than the product of a single author, with Liu An functioning primarily as patron and editor who integrated contributions from his retainers, such as scholars versed in cosmology, statecraft, and metaphysics. The compilation process involved debates and redactions among these experts, resulting in a structured yet eclectic corpus that prioritizes practical application of Daoist principles to rulership and cosmic order over pure speculation. Evidence from Han bibliographic records, such as the Hanshu, confirms the text's presentation in 21 pian (chapters or treatises), though later editions standardized it into this form without significant alterations to the core content. The consists of 21 thematically organized chapters that systematically address as the foundational principle uniting heaven, earth, and human affairs, emphasizing harmony through non-action (wuwei) and alignment with natural cycles. Early chapters (1–2) establish cosmological and ontological foundations, describing the Dao's of the universe from formless (vital energy) and the interplay of forces. Subsequent sections (3–6) explore temporal and spatial dimensions, including seasonal rhythms, geographical influences on , and the sage-ruler's role in mirroring cosmic patterns to maintain . Later chapters shift to , , and state administration, advocating a ruler who cultivates inner virtue to elicit spontaneous loyalty from subjects, while critiquing rigid Legalist punishments in favor of transformative . This syncretic structure integrates Huang-Lao Daoism with Huangdi () lore, incorporating astronomical observations, alchemical hints, and historical analogies to argue for a holistic where political efficacy derives from understanding causal interconnections in . Unlike more dogmatic texts, the employs metaphorical language, such as analogies to and , to illustrate how rulers achieve and by eschewing for attunement to the Dao's fluid dynamics. The work's enduring influence stems from this pragmatic blend, which influenced later Daoist compilations while providing a blueprint for Han-era amid competing philosophical schools.

Family and Personal Affairs

Marriages and Offspring

Liu An had two recorded sons. The elder, Liu Buhai (劉不害), was born to a disfavored concubine and received little paternal attention or recognition from his father. The younger son, Liu Qian (劉遷), born to Liu An's principal , was favored and designated as to the kingdom of . No daughters or additional offspring are attested in historical records, and details of Liu An's marriages, including the identity or background of his principal , remain undocumented in primary sources such as the and Hanshu. Succession tensions arose from Liu An's preferential treatment of Liu Qian, exacerbating familial discord that contributed to later internal conflicts.

Internal Succession Conflicts

Liu An designated his eldest son, Liu Qian, as of , establishing the line of succession within the royal family. Liu Qian, however, exhibited arrogant and undisciplined behavior that created tensions with officials and strained relations with his father. In one notable incident, Liu Qian publicly disparaged the Lei Bei, prompting Liu An to and dismiss the official as an example of accountability; yet Liu Qian intervened, refusing to allow his father to formally complain or pursue the matter further, which forced Lei Bei to leave in resentment. This paternal indulgence and cover-up of the crown prince's faults exacerbated internal frictions, as Liu An prioritized family harmony over transparent , alienating key retainers whose was essential for stability. Lei Bei's departure proved fateful, as his grievances led to the exposure of Liu An's broader rebellious plotting to the imperial court in 122 BCE. Liu Qian's implication in the coup attempt alongside his father highlighted how the heir's recklessness undermined the family's position, intertwining personal failings with dynastic ambitions. Despite Liu An having at least eight sons, no records indicate overt among the brothers for princely title, but the designated heir's conduct foreshadowed instability in the succession line. The events underscored a causal link between unchecked familial favoritism and the erosion of authority, as prince's actions not only provoked external accusations—such as those from Liu Jian, Prince of Jiangdu, who resented Liu Qian—but also facilitated the unraveling of the court's secretive maneuvers.

Downfall and Death

Treason Accusations

In 122 BCE, Liu An, Prince of , faced formal accusations of for allegedly plotting a rebellion against (r. 141–87 BCE). The charges centered on Liu An's preparations to mobilize his forces in response to imperial policies that progressively eroded the administrative and military autonomy of feudal kingdoms, including , as part of broader centralization efforts under the tui en (推恩, "partitioning of grace") system and related edicts. These reforms, initiated after the in 154 BCE, aimed to fragment larger principalities into smaller, less threatening entities, which Liu An reportedly viewed as a direct threat to his lineage's status and regional influence. Historical accounts detail that Liu An's plot involved secret communications with disaffected officials and preparations for an uprising, though the veracity of the specifics—such as the extent of armaments gathered or alliances sought—remains tied to imperial court testimonies, which may reflect post-facto justifications for the prince's elimination. Primary records indicate the scheme was exposed through intercepted messages or reports to the , prompting Wu to dispatch investigators who uncovered evidence of disloyalty, including talismans and maps suggestive of coordinated action. No large-scale mobilization occurred, and the accusations did not implicate widespread support beyond Liu An's immediate circle, distinguishing it from earlier princely revolts. The and Hanshu, key sources for these events, portray the plot as a culmination of Liu An's growing estrangement from the throne, exacerbated by his scholarly patronage and perceived Taoist leanings that clashed with the emperor's Legalist-Confucian orientation, though such interpretations warrant caution given Sima Qian's own experiences with imperial disfavor. The treason charges extended to Liu An's associates and family members, resulting in executions and exiles that underscored the severity of the perceived threat to dynastic stability. Wu's edict explicitly condemned Liu An for "harboring rebellious intentions" (moufan, 謀反), a capital offense under law that encompassed both active and seditious intent. While some modern analyses question whether the accusations were amplified by court rivalries—particularly amid Wu's campaigns against other princes like Liu Ci of Hengshan, accused concurrently—the contemporaneous affirm the plot's existence based on confiscated documents and witness statements, aligning with the era's pattern of preemptive strikes against potential challengers to central authority.

Suicide and Immediate Consequences

In 122 BCE, Liu An's alleged plot to rebel against —motivated by imperial policies curtailing princely powers—was exposed through informants, prompting him to commit by ingesting poison to avoid formal execution and humiliation. His brother, Liu Ci, Prince of Hengshan and co-conspirator in the scheme, had similarly taken his own life shortly prior upon discovery of their shared treasonous intentions. Liu An's eldest son and designated heir, Liu Bo, briefly attempted to rally supporters and continue the uprising but was swiftly defeated by imperial forces dispatched to Huainan; Liu Bo was captured and executed, along with Liu An's queen consort. Other implicated family members and associates faced execution or exile, effectively dismantling the princely lineage's influence. The was promptly abolished as a punitive measure, with its territories partitioned and directly administered by the central government as commanderies, including the newly formed , Lujiang, and Hengshan divisions; this reorganization exemplified Emperor Wu's broader campaign to consolidate imperial authority by eliminating semi-autonomous kingdoms.

Legends, Myths, and Historical Assessment

Attributed Inventions and Immortality Lore

Liu An is traditionally credited in Chinese folklore with inventing tofu (dòufu) around 164 BCE, purportedly as a byproduct of alchemical experiments to concoct an elixir of immortality using soybeans and coagulants such as gypsum or nigari derived from seawater. According to these accounts, Liu An's retainers ground soybeans into a milk-like suspension, which curdled when mixed with mineral salts, yielding a nutritious substance initially valued for medicinal purposes rather than as food. This attribution lacks corroboration in contemporary Han Dynasty records, such as those compiled under Liu An's patronage, and first appears in much later texts like the Ming-era Bencao Gangmu (1596 CE), suggesting it emerged as part of Daoist hagiographic embellishment to link everyday innovations to transcendent pursuits. Alternative traditions credit his cook or anonymous court alchemists, but the core narrative ties the discovery to Liu An's assembly of fangshi (esoteric practitioners) focused on proto-chemical transmutations for longevity. No archaeological or textual evidence from the second century BCE confirms tofu production at that time, with the earliest secure references dating to the Song Dynasty (10th–13th centuries CE). In immortality lore, Liu An is depicted as achieving (immortal transcendence) by ingesting a successfully refined , prompting his bodily to in 122 BCE, sometimes accompanied by 70 disciples, court officials, or even household animals like dogs and chickens that inadvertently consumed elixir residues. These tales, drawn from post-Han Daoist compilations such as Ge Hong's Shenxianzhuan (c. 317–420 CE), portray Liu An's Huainan court as a hub for -based immortality quests, involving mercury, , and herbal amalgams tested on animals and retainers. Such legends contradict Shiji records of Liu An's forced suicide by poison amid treason charges, indicating the ascension narrative served to retroactively sanctify his Daoist inclinations and elevate his philosophical legacy over political downfall. The "Eight Dukes" or "Eight Immortals of Huainan"—retainers mythologized as co-ascenders—further exemplify this lore, though they likely represent idealized archetypes of alchemical adepts rather than historical figures. These stories, while influential in later Taoist traditions, reflect anecdotal embellishment typical of immortality hagiographies, prioritizing symbolic moral elevation over empirical verifiability.

Scholarly Debates on Authorship and Influence

The has traditionally been attributed to , Prince of (c. 179–122 BCE), who assembled scholars at his court to compile the text, which was presented to in 139 BCE as a syncretic philosophical work blending Daoist, Confucian, and other elements to advise on and cosmology. This attribution stems from the text's postface, which credits Liu An's oversight, positioning him as a patron directing retainers in synthesizing earlier traditions into a cohesive . Modern scholarship debates Liu An's direct involvement, with some arguing he functioned primarily as a symbolic author-patron whose lore as a sage-king retroactively linked him to the text to bolster his and political claims, rather than as its principal . Hal Roth proposes that the authorship narrative derives from Han-era legends emphasizing Liu An's intellectual circle, suggesting the work's core was produced by anonymous retainers under his aegis, with Liu An's personal contributions likely editorial or conceptual rather than textual. In contrast, Sarah A. Queen contends that the Huainanzi embodies Liu An's deliberate philosophical vision, serving as a bid for imperial amid rivalries with Wu, evidenced by its unified ethical framework critiquing centralized power. These views highlight tensions between hagiographic traditions and textual analysis, with critics noting the absence of explicit Liu An markings in the itself. Debates extend to the text's compilation process and integrity, with evidence indicating the presented 139 BCE version comprised 21 chapters, but the extant edition may include post-Liu An accretions, such as the "Yaolüe" (Essential Outline) , potentially added after his 122 BCE to impose retrospective unity on diverse essays from debates. Scholars like Griet Vankeerberghen argue this layering reflects evolving , where Liu An's initial patronage facilitated a foundational core, but later editors aligned it with imperial cosmology, complicating claims of singular authorship. Such analyses prioritize linguistic and intertextual evidence over biographical lore, revealing the as a collaborative product shaped by Liu An's ambitions yet refined beyond his lifetime. Regarding influence, scholarly consensus affirms the Huainanzi's role in early intellectual synthesis, impacting cosmology, rulership theory, and through its emphasis on aligning with natural rhythms, though its direct political sway waned after Liu An's . Debates persist on its philosophical primacy, with some viewing it as a proto-Daoist influencing later texts like the Wenzi via intertextual borrowing, while others, noting its eclectic sources, see limited , attributing broader Daoist to contemporaneous works amid bibliographic fragmentation. Its promotion of oral-performative philosophy and anti-centralist ethics reportedly shaped elite discourse, yet empirical traces in post- citations remain sparse, prompting questions about whether Liu An's disgrace marginalized its dissemination.

References

  1. [1]
    Liu An 劉安, Prince of Huainan 淮南(www.chinaknowledge.de)
    Liu An 劉安(179-122 BCE) was a prince of the Former Han dynasty 前漢(206 BCE-8 CE). He is known as the mentor of the philosophical treatise Huainanzi 淮南子 ...
  2. [2]
    Liu an, Second King of Huai-nan (180?-122 B. C.) - jstor
    In attempting to depict the personality of Liu An, grandson of the founding emperor of the Former Han dynasty, the author examines three sources of evidence: ...
  3. [3]
    The Lore of Liu An and the Authorship of the Huainanzi
    This article provides an alternative approach to the issue of the Huainanzi's authorship by exploring how it was related to the Liu An lore emphasizing him ...
  4. [4]
    An Liu, John S. Major, Sarah A. Queen, Andrew Seth Meyer
    Compiled by scholars at the court of Liu An, king of Huainan, in the second century B.C.E, _The Huainanzi_ is a tightly organized, sophisticated articulation of ...
  5. [5]
    The Sad Origin Story Of King Liu Chang Of Huainan
    Jun 21, 2020 · King Liu Chang of Huainan was reportedly born under tragic circumstances in a prison. His mother was a concubine sent to Emperor Gaozu (r.
  6. [6]
    The Mysterious Deaths Of King Liu Chang And His Negligent Minders
    Jul 15, 2020 · The first, recorded in an annal of Emperor Wen's reign, claimed that “before Liu Chang reached his place of exile he fell ill and died along the ...Missing: reliable | Show results with:reliable
  7. [7]
    The Essential Huainanzi 1st Edition An Li King of Huainan PDF ...
    Liu Chang dies in 174; kingdom of Huainan temporarily abolished. Liu An becomes second king of Huainan in 164. 157–141 b.c.e .: Emperor Jing. Kingdom of ...
  8. [8]
    Huainanzi 淮南子(www.chinaknowledge.de)
    Huainanzi 淮南子"Master(s) from Huainan" is a collection of various philosophical treatises compiled by retainers of Liu An 劉安(179-122), Prince of Huainan ...
  9. [9]
    THE LORE OF LIU AN AND THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE HUAINANZI
    This article provides an alternative approach to the issue of the Huainanzi's author- ship by exploring how it was related to the Liu An lore emphasizing ...
  10. [10]
    rebellion of the Seven Princes - Chinaknowledge
    Sep 13, 2011 · Liu Jianglü, Prince of Qi, refused in the last moment to take part in the rebellion, and the Princes Liu Zhi 劉志 of Jibei and Liu An 劉安 ...
  11. [11]
    [PDF] Huainanzi 淮南子 - UBC Library Open Collections
    Jan 26, 2022 · The conflict that fractured the Liu clan, led to Liu An's demise, and dissolved Huainan as a self-governing kingdom corresponded to a ...
  12. [12]
    The Essential Huainanzi on JSTOR
    It was compiled under the auspices of, and probably with the active participation of, Liu An (179?–122 B.C.E.), the king of Huainan. Liu An was an ...
  13. [13]
    The Huainanzi and Liu An's Claim to Moral Authority - SUNY Press
    The book goes on to explore the relationship of moral, intellectual, and political authority in the first century of the Han dynasty, a period when the regime ...Missing: Prince governance
  14. [14]
    https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-huainanzi/9780231142045
  15. [15]
    A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in Early Han China
    The Huainanzi: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in Early Han China. Compiled by scholars at the court of Liu An, king of Huainan, in the second ...Missing: Prince governance
  16. [16]
    https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-essential-huainanzi/9780231501453
  17. [17]
    ECHOING RULERSHIP—UNDERSTANDING MUSICAL ...
    Apr 19, 2017 · One can understand Liu An's personal interests in giving such advice: a few years back, such interference resulted in heavy economic cost to the ...
  18. [18]
    The Huainanzi: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in ...
    Aug 8, 2025 · The Huainanzi: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in Early Han China by Liu An; John S. Major; Sarah A. Queen; Andrew Seth ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
  19. [19]
    Looking at the Composition of the Huainanzi, and Beyond | Dao
    Jul 25, 2021 · The article explores how numerology frames the structure of the Huainanzi, built after the image of the "roundness" of the Way and the Ruler.<|control11|><|separator|>
  20. [20]
    Composition of the Huainanzi | Research Starters - EBSCO
    The "Huainanzi" is a significant philosophical and scientific treatise from the Han dynasty, attributed to Liu An, the king of Huainan, who gathered scholars ...
  21. [21]
    The Huainanzi: Liu An, King of Huainan: A Guide to the Theory and ...
    Jun 24, 2011 · The Huainanzi: Liu An, King of Huainan: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in Early Han China. Translated and edited by John S.Missing: Prince | Show results with:Prince
  22. [22]
    The Huainanzi: Liu An, King of Huainan: A Guide to the Theory and ...
    May 1, 2011 · The Huainanzi: Liu An, King of Huainan: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Government in Early Han China.Missing: life education<|separator|>
  23. [23]
    Children Untaught: “Father-Destroying” Stories in Ancient China
    Jun 19, 2025 · The accusation of treason was merely a convenient excuse to remove him—and unfortunately, his son's reckless actions provided exactly that.Missing: timeline | Show results with:timeline
  24. [24]
    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 148)
    Aug 20, 2025 · However, the Crown Prince Liu Qian disparaged Lei Bei in front of Liu An. The Prince of Huainan scolded and dismissed him to set an example ...
  25. [25]
    Huainan King Liu An's rebellion, a deadly rebellion - DayDayNews
    Liu Ancai temporarily set aside the treason. After Yin Hong returned to the capital to report the situation to Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu discussed with the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  26. [26]
    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 149)
    Aug 23, 2025 · Prince of Huainan, Liu An, and his retainers, including Zuo Wu, plotted day and night, deliberating over rebellion. They studied maps and ...
  27. [27]
    https://ia802802.us.archive.org/zip_dir.php?path=/9/items/theessentialhuainanziliuan.zip&formats=ADDITIONAL%20TEXT%20PDF%2CIMAGE%20CONTAINER%20PDF%2CTEXT%20PDF%2CPDF
  28. [28]
    Emperor Wu of Han - New World Encyclopedia
    ... Liu Ci (劉賜), the Prince of Hengshan, were accused of plotting treason. Both of them committed suicide, and their families and alleged co-conspirators were ...
  29. [29]
    Liu An | Encyclopedia.com
    The most complete Western source on the life of Liu An is Benjamin E. Wallacker's "Liu An, Second King of Huai-nan," Journal of the American Oriental Society 92 ...
  30. [30]
    https://brill.com/display/book/9789047413363/BP000013.pdf
  31. [31]
    East Asia 122-115 - Sanity Quest Publishing
    HUAINAN, independent kingdom from 206, abolished. North becomes JIUJIANG commandery until ?. Middle, LUJIANG, part of Huainan from 153, becomes a commandery ...
  32. [32]
    The Ancient History Of Tofu - Daily Meal
    Mar 24, 2023 · Ancient texts suggest that Liu An was obsessed with the idea of immortality, and that he began dabbling in alchemy hoping to achieve this.
  33. [33]
    soyfoods-tofu - Sci.muni.cz
    Lord Liu An, the king of Huainan and Taoist philosopher and alchemist, by tradition is said to have invented the process to make both soymilk and tofu around ...
  34. [34]
    Daoist Liu An Accidentally Invented Tofu | The Epoch Times
    Jan 21, 2017 · He was keen on practicing Daoism through which he accidentally invented Tofu more than 2,100 years ago.Missing: alchemy immortality
  35. [35]
    Bean to Block: Journey to the Birthplace of Chinese Tofu
    Jul 25, 2023 · Besides, the Bencao Gangmu was written over 1,000 years after Liu An died, and even if Li was drawing upon other historical documents, those ...
  36. [36]
    History of Tofu - Page 1 - SoyInfo Center
    The legend of Liu An as the person who first developed tofu and soymilk was slow to take root. There was no mention of tofu or soymilk in any works commissioned ...
  37. [37]
    Legend of Tofu — Superior Natural
    The translation of this poem “Doufu” has great significance and value as it is the first poem connecting tofu and its developer king of Huainan. [3] You can ...
  38. [38]
    LIU AN - the Chinese God of Immortality (Chinese mythology)
    May 16, 2019 · Liu An, prince of Huainan, was the grandson of Han Dynasty founding Emperor Liu Bang. He was a highly intellectual chap, with a reputation ...Missing: family inheritance
  39. [39]
    Shenxianzhuan 神仙傳(www.chinaknowledge.de)
    ... Liu An's 劉安ascension to Heaven. The biographies of Hu Gong 壺公, Jizi Xun 薊子訓, Liu Gen 劉根, Zuo Ci 左慈, Gan Shi 甘始or Feng Jun 封君are largerly ...
  40. [40]
    Liu An - John Thompson on the Guqin Silk String Zither
    Liu An (d. 122 BCE), or An, Prince of Huai Nan, was a grandson of the first Han emperor, Liu Bang. Liu An's father was 厲王Prince Li and they were distant ...<|separator|>
  41. [41]
    A Study of “Yao Lue” 要略, “A Sumary of the Essentials”
    Mar 26, 2015 · The Huainanzi is foremost a political treatise containing instructions worthy of a sage-king (shengwang 聖王) to be employed by the ruler as the ...
  42. [42]
    The Lore of Liu An and the Authorship of the Huainanzi
    This article provides an alternative approach to the issue of the Huainanzi's authorship by exploring how it was related to the Liu An lore emphasizing him ...
  43. [43]
    https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781501505133-006/pdf
  44. [44]
    [PDF] UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations - eScholarship
    ... Liu An's Huainan court. It further explores the relationship between the ... Prince of Huainan, the Owner-Author .......................... 242. 3.1 ...
  45. [45]
    [PDF] The important philosophical work Huainanzi 淮南子,1 as is well
    participation of, Liu An 劉安, king of Huainan and grandson of the founder of the Han dynasty. The completed work was presented to the newly enthroned ...
  46. [46]
    THE SOUNDSCAPE OF THE HUAINANZI 淮南子: POETRY ...
    Jul 14, 2022 · The focus is on the Huainanzi, a densely rhymed philosophical treatise compiled by Liu An in the second century b.c.e. I show that the tome ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
  47. [47]
    [PDF] the Huainanzi 淮南 - PhilArchive
    Jul 28, 2025 · He also points out that, as the Huainanzi was written long ago, mistakes may have slipped into the text in the course of its transmission ...
  48. [48]
    [PDF] Writing as Weaving: Intertextuality and the Huainanzi's Self ...
    Benjamin Wallacker's discussion of Liu An's life story in relationship to the Huainanzi, see Benjamin. Wallacker, “Liu An, Second King of Huainan (180?-122 ...<|separator|>