Liu Bei

King of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period in China (reigned 221-223). Born in Zhuo Commandery (Hebei Province). His courtesy name was Xuande. His posthumous name was Emperor Zhaolie. He is said to have been the descendant of King Liu Sheng of Zhongshan, son of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty. He had large ears, and when he hung his hands, they reached down to his knees. His father died early, and he and his mother made a living by weaving straw mats. In 184, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, Bei rose up with his fellow countryman Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who had fled to Zhuo, but at first he had no territory under his direct control and was forced to move between various local nobles (Gongsun Zan, Tao Qian, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, etc.). There is an anecdote that when he was under Cao Cao, Cao said, "The heroes of the world are you and me," thunder rumbled and Bei dropped his chopsticks.

The last person he turned to was Liu Biao of Jingzhou. Under Liu Biao, he lived a relatively peaceful life, and while he was pleased with the laudation of his superiors, he also succeeded in inviting talented people such as Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong. He especially welcomed Zhuge Liang with the three visits, saying, "Having Kongming with me is like having a fish in water," and the two became like a king and a fish in water. From then on, Liang played an active role as Liu Bei's advisor and diplomat.

In 208, he allied with Sun Quan and defeated Cao Cao, who had been marching south, in the Battle of Red Cliffs, laying the foundation for the division of the world into three parts. After the war, Bei divided Jingzhou into two parts with Wu, and maintained a close relationship with Sun Quan's sister, who became his empress, but they soon came into conflict over the possession of Yizhou (Sichuan). In 211, Bei entered Shu at the invitation of Liu Zhang, governor of Yizhou, and captured Chengdu and took possession of Yizhou. Sun Quan allied with Cao Cao, killed Guan Yu, who had remained in Jingzhou, and occupied Jingzhou, dividing the world into three parts.

In 219 he became King of Hanzhong, and in 221, upon receiving news of the fall of the Later Han Dynasty, he ascended to the throne in Chengdu, named the country Han (Shu Han), and named the era Zhangwu.

First, he led his troops to avenge Guan Yu, but the battle went against his will, and he retreated to Yong'an (Baidicheng) and died of illness. On his deathbed, he is said to have said, "If this child (the future ruler Liu Shan) is not worth saving, then you should take him yourself." His tomb is in Chengdu, but Zhuge Liang's Wuhou Shrine, which is set up within it, is more famous.

[Naotsugu Kano]

``Zhuge Liang'' by Naoyoshi Kano (1966, Jinto Oraisha) ▽ ``Zhuge Liang'' by Hisashi Miyagawa (1978, Togensha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、三国蜀(しょく)の王（在位221～223）。涿(たく)郡（河北省）の人。字(あざな)は玄徳(げんとく)。諡号(しごう)は昭烈帝。前漢景帝の子、中山(ちゅうざん)王劉勝の後と称する。耳が大きく、また手を垂れると膝(ひざ)の下にまで達したという。父に早く死なれ、母と蓆(むしろ)を織って生計をたてていたという。184年、黄巾(こうきん)の乱が起こると、同郷の張飛(ちょうひ)、涿に亡命していた関羽(かんう)らと立ち上がったが、最初は直接支配する領土をもたず、各地の豪族（公孫瓚(さん)、陶謙(とうけん)、曹操(そうそう)、袁紹(えんしょう)）などの間を転々とするありさまであった。曹操の下にあったとき、操が「天下の英雄は君と僕」といったとき、おりから雷が鳴り、備は箸(はし)を落としたという逸話がある。

　彼が最後に頼ったのは荊(けい)州の劉表であった。劉表の下にあって比較的平穏な生活を送り、髀肉(ひにく)の嘆をかこつ一面、諸葛亮(しょかつりょう)や龐統(ほうとう)といった優れた人材を招くことに成功した。とくに諸葛亮には三顧の礼をもって迎え、「自分に孔明のあるのは、魚の水あるが如(ごと)し」といい、君臣水魚の交わりを結んだ。以後亮は劉備の謀臣として、あるいは外交官として活躍をする。

　208年、孫権と同盟して、南下してきた曹操を赤壁(せきへき)の戦いで破り、天下三分の基礎を築いた。戦後荊州を呉と両分し、孫権の妹を皇后に迎えるなど、密接な関係が続いたが、やがて益州（四川(しせん)）の領有をめぐって対立していった。備は211年、益州牧劉璋(りゅうしょう)の招きによって蜀の地に入り、成都を攻略して益州を領有した。孫権は曹操と結んで、荊州に残っていた関羽を殺して荊州を占領し、天下は三分された。

　219年漢中王となり、221年、後漢(ごかん)滅亡の知らせを得て成都で即位し、国号を漢（蜀漢）と称し、年号を章武と定めた。

　彼はまず関羽の仇(あだ)を討とうとして、自ら軍を率いて出陣したが、戦局は不利となり、永安（白帝城）に退き病没した。臨終に際し、「この子（後主劉禅）助ける価値がなければ、君自ら取れ」と遺言したと伝える。陵は成都にあるが、その中に設けられた諸葛亮の武侯祠(し)のほうが有名である。

［狩野直禎］

『狩野直禎著『諸葛孔明』（1966・人物往来社）』▽『宮川尚志著『諸葛孔明』（1978・桃源社）』

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