A Fractured Empire: The Birth of Southern Han

In the chaotic aftermath of the Tang Dynasty’s collapse (907 CE), the Lingnan region (modern Guangdong, Guangxi, and beyond) became a battleground for warlords. From this turmoil emerged a formidable power based in Fengzhou (modern Wuzhou, Guangxi), which expanded its military and resources before seizing Panyu (modern Guangzhou). By the Later Liang period (907-923), this regional governor declared independence, establishing the Southern Han Kingdom with Panyu as its capital.

At its peak, Southern Han controlled territories spanning present-day Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and parts of Yunnan and Vietnam. But what made this short-lived kingdom (917-971) truly extraordinary—or notorious—was its eccentric rulers and their descent into tyranny.

The Naming Obsession of Liu Yan

The kingdom’s de facto founder, Liu Yan (later renamed Liu 龑), exhibited three peculiar passions: renaming himself, altering reign periods, and divination through the I Ching. His life became a parade of identity changes:

1. Liu Yan (刘岩): Named after a cryptic stone inscription found during his mother’s burial.
2. Liu Zhi (刘陟): Motives for this change remain lost to history.
3. Liu Gong (刘龚): Adopted after a court flatterer reinterpreted an ominous white rainbow as a “white dragon” omen.
4. Liu 龑 (刘䶮): A self-invented character combining “dragon” and “heaven,” inspired by a foreign monk’s warning that “Gong” invited doom.

Like Empress Wu Zetian, Liu 龑 created his own name—a rare act of imperial hubris. His reign titles (Qianheng, Bailong, Dayou) also mirrored I Ching hexagrams, reflecting his obsession with cosmic signs over governance.

The Descent into Madness

Initially, Liu 龑 showed promise: recruiting scholars, stabilizing borders, and fostering trade. But power corrupted absolutely. His later reign was marked by:

– Paranoid Purges: Convinced scholars prioritized family over loyalty, he increasingly relied on eunuchs—a policy that would haunt Southern Han.
– Sadistic Innovations: Liu designed grotesque tortures: “water prisons” with venomous snakes, boiling victims, and salt-coated flayings. Court records describe him drooling with delight during executions.
– A Cursed Prophecy: On his deathbed, Liu lamented, “My descendants are inept—like rats entering a bull’s horn, our path will narrow!” His words proved tragically accurate.

The Eunuch Kingdom

Liu’s successors spiraled deeper into depravity:

– Liu Bin (刘玢): Spent his mourning period hosting nude orgies and prowling brothels in mourning garb. Murdered within a year by his brother.
– Liu Sheng (刘晟): Seized power via fratricide, then exterminated 15 princes and ministers. Eunuch numbers swelled from 300 to 1,000+ as scholars were sidelined.
– Liu Chang (刘鋹): The final ruler, who:
– Employed 7,000+ eunuchs (outnumbering Tang Dynasty peaks).
– Mandated castration for officials—creating a “kingdom of the emasculated.”
– Dubbed a Persian concubine “Seductive Sow” (Meizhu) and hosted public orgies called “Grand Naked Pairs.”
– Handed state affairs to a shamaness, “Granny Beard,” who claimed to channel the Jade Emperor.

Collapse and Legacy

By 971 CE, Southern Han was a hollowed-out parody of governance: treasury drained by silver-plated palaces, peasants crushed under invented taxes (even a “city entry fee”), and dissenters fed to tigers. The Song Dynasty’s armies, led by Zhao Kuangyin, crushed the kingdom effortlessly.

Southern Han’s legacy is a cautionary tale of how superstition, cruelty, and institutionalized eunuch rule can unravel a state—a bizarre footnote in China’s fractured Five Dynasties era. Its rulers’ excesses, from DIY characters to snake pits, remain unmatched in their theatrical depravity.