A Promising Prince’s Fatal Inheritance

In the turbulent year of 422 CE, seventeen-year-old Liu Yizhen stood on the precipice of death, though few could have predicted this fate for the once-favored son of Emperor Wu of Liu Song. The second son of the dynasty’s founder, Liu Yizhen had enjoyed privileges beyond his siblings – accompanying his father on military campaigns to Guanzhong, receiving prestigious appointments as Yangzhou governor and Minister Over the Masses (司徒), and remaining in the capital Jiankang while his brothers were sent to provincial posts. His father’s lingering consideration to name him heir apparent instead of his elder brother spoke volumes about his early promise.

Yet this privileged position would prove his undoing in the ruthless power struggles following Emperor Wu’s death. The young prince’s story reveals the fragile foundations of the newly established Liu Song dynasty (420-479 CE) and the deadly game of thrones that characterized the Northern and Southern Dynasties period.

The Making of a Spoiled Prince

Liu Yizhen grew up during his father’s meteoric rise from humble origins to emperor. Born in 405 CE, he belonged to the first generation of imperial princes in this new dynasty that had replaced the Eastern Jin in 420. Historical records describe him as exceptionally bright and bookish, traits that endeared him to his warrior father who perhaps saw in his son the cultured legitimacy his military regime lacked.

His privileged status became evident during the Guanzhong campaign of 416-417 CE. Despite being only eleven or twelve years old, Liu Yizhen accompanied his father on this critical northern expedition. When the campaign failed and Guanzhong was lost, Emperor Wu reportedly cared more about his son’s safe return than the territorial loss – even considering another costly expedition to rescue him before being dissuaded by advisors.

This indulgence continued after their return. While other sons were sent to govern provinces, Liu Yizhen remained in the capital with lofty titles and authority. The emperor’s deathbed dilemma – whether to change the succession in his favor – suggests how deeply this second son had captured his affection despite not being the heir apparent.

The Fatal Flaws of Character

Beneath Liu Yizhen’s intellectual gifts lay personality traits that doomed him in the cutthroat political environment. After barely escaping the Guanzhong disaster, he reportedly reflected: “Today’s troubles stem from lack of planning, but how can a true man understand the world’s difficulties without experiencing storms?” This moment of apparent introspection proved fleeting.

The prince surrounded himself with a coterie of literary figures who shared his disdain for convention – the poet-official Yan Yanzhi, landscape poetry pioneer Xie Lingyun, and the monk Hui Lin. His famous declaration that “When I achieve my ambitions, I’ll appoint Xie Lingyun and Yan Yanzhi as chancellors” revealed both literary pretensions and dangerous political ambitions. These words implied:
1. He intended to become emperor (only emperors appointed chancellors)
2. He rejected the current leadership

His literary circle embodied the aristocratic culture of the preceding Eastern Jin dynasty. Yan Yanzhi, great-grandson of Jin official Yan Han, wrote exquisite prose but was known for drunken excess. Xie Lingyun, grandson of famous general Xie Xuan, combined literary genius with political arrogance. These men represented the old aristocratic order that Emperor Wu had struggled to control.

The Gathering Storm

After being sent to govern Liyang, Liu Yizhen’s behavior grew increasingly erratic. He constantly demanded supplies from the central government in what appeared to be preparations for rebellion. When regent Xu Xianzhi reduced these provisions, the prince’s angry responses and request to return to Jiankang sounded alarm bells.

The regency council saw deeper dangers. They were already plotting to depose Emperor Shao (Liu Yifu, Liu Yizhen’s elder brother) and feared Liu Yizhen would become next in line. Exploiting existing fraternal tensions, they had Liu Yizhen demoted to commoner status and exiled to Xin’an commandery in 424 CE.

This move revealed their broader intentions. Within months, they would depose and murder both Liu Yifu and Liu Yizhen, clearing the way for their chosen puppet – the younger brother Liu Yilong.

The Mechanics of a Coup

The regents’ conspiracy unfolded with cold precision. After eliminating Liu Yizhen, they summoned two key military figures to Jiankang – general Tan Daoji from Guangling and Wang Hong from Jiangzhou. These reinforcements ensured their control when they struck on May 25, 424 CE.

Tan Daoji, who had been young Liu Yifu’s childhood guardian and personal protector, led troops into the palace where they found the emperor sleeping on his dragon boat. The arrested sovereign was first sent to his former residence, then exiled to Wu commandery where assassins killed him on June 24 after a dramatic last stand.

The conspirators then selected Liu Yilong, the third son stationed in Jingzhou, as their new emperor. This choice reflected careful calculation:
1. It maintained proper succession order, preventing Liu Yilong from rebelling
2. Liu Yilong’s connections balanced all factions – his father-in-law had ties to all three regents
3. At 18, he seemed pliable compared to his troublesome brothers

The Legacy of Broken Trust

The tragedy of Liu Yizhen and his brother reveals the unstable foundations of the Liu Song dynasty. Emperor Wu’s elaborate power-sharing arrangement among three regents (Xu Xianzhi, Fu Liang, and Xie Hui) collapsed within two years of his death. His trust in Tan Daoji proved equally misplaced when the general participated in his son’s murder.

This episode exemplifies the political turbulence of the Northern and Southern Dynasties period (420-589 CE), where coups and regicides became commonplace. The moral boundaries that had constrained even ruthless Han and Three Kingdoms politicians had eroded completely after centuries of division.

Liu Yizhen’s story also illustrates the cultural tensions between the old aristocratic families and the new military elite. His literary salon represented Eastern Jin cultural values that increasingly clashed with the pragmatic militarism of the new regime. In the end, neither his bookish intellect nor his father’s affection could save him from the ruthless logic of dynastic politics.

The young prince’s life and death serve as a cautionary tale about privilege without power, talent without judgment, and ambition without means – fatal combinations in any era of political upheaval.