Liu Xiang (77–6BCE[1]), born Liu Gengsheng and bearing the courtesy nameZizheng, was a Chinese astronomer, historian, poet, politician, librarian, and writer of the Western Han Dynasty. Among his polymathic scholarly specialties were history, literary bibliography, and astronomy. He is particularly well known for his bibliographic work in cataloging and editing the extensive imperial library.
Liu Gengsheng was born in Xuzhou. Being a distant relative of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty, he was thus a member of the ruling dynastic clan (the Liu family). Liu Xiang's father ranked as a marquess.[2] Liu Xiang's son, Liu Xin, would continue the scholarly tradition of his father and his relative Liu An (the Prince of Huainan).
By the beginning of Han Yuandi's reign, Liu Xiang was a member of a group of Confucian officials, including Xiao Wangzhi, who wished to limit the power of the emperor's female family members relatives' clans, the Shi and the Xu. He ended up on the losing side of a power struggle between the powerful eunuch's Hong Gong and Shi Xian. Briefly imprisoned, Liu Xiang was terminated from his official position, and he received no new appointments to the office for the next fifteen years.[3]
The succession of Emperor Cheng to the imperial throne was accompanied by a realignment of power among the various factions involved in government, and Liu Xiang was able to revive his official prospects. In 26 BCE, at the command of the emperor, Liu Xiang spent much of the rest of the 20-odd years of his life engaged in the massive bibliographic work of organizing the imperial library. This work was assisted by his son, Liu Xin, who finally completed the task after his father's death.
Hawkes, David, translator and introduction (2011 [1985]). Qu Yuan et al., The Songs of the South: An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets. London: Penguin Books. ISBN978-0-14-044375-2
Loewe, Michael. (1986). "The Former Han Dynasty," in The Cambridge History of China: Volume I: the Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 B.C. – A.D. 220, 103–222. Edited by Denis Twitchett and Michael Loewe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-24327-0.
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xiang, scholar, this, chinese, name, family, name, xiang, born, gengsheng, bearing, courtesy, name, zizheng, chinese, astronomer, historian, poet, politician, librarian, writer, western, dynasty, among, polymathic, scholarly, specialties, were, history, litera. In this Chinese name the family name is Liu Liu Xiang 77 6 BCE 1 born Liu Gengsheng and bearing the courtesy name Zizheng was a Chinese astronomer historian poet politician librarian and writer of the Western Han Dynasty Among his polymathic scholarly specialties were history literary bibliography and astronomy He is particularly well known for his bibliographic work in cataloging and editing the extensive imperial library Liu XiangBornLiu Gengsheng77 BCEXuzhou Han DynastyDied6 BCE aged 71 IssueLiu XinFatherLiu De Marquis Miao of YangchengOccupationAstronomer historian poet politician librarian writerLiu XiangTraditional Chinese劉向Simplified Chinese刘向TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinLiu XiangGwoyeu RomatzyhLiou ShianqWade GilesLiu HsiangIPA ljo ʊ ɕja ŋ Yue CantoneseYale RomanizationLauh HeungJyutpingLau4 Hoeng3IPA lɐ u hœ ːŋ Southern MinTai loLau HiongMiddle ChineseMiddle ChineseLjuw XjangOld ChineseBaxter Sagart 2014 me ru n ang sLiu GengshengTraditional Chinese劉更生Simplified Chinese刘更生TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinLiu GengshengWade GilesLiu Keng shengYue CantoneseJyutpingLau4 Gang1 Sang1Courtesy NameChinese子政TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinZǐzhengWade GilesTzŭ chengYue CantoneseJyutpingZi1 Zing3 Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLife EditLiu Gengsheng was born in Xuzhou Being a distant relative of Liu Bang the founder of the Han dynasty he was thus a member of the ruling dynastic clan the Liu family Liu Xiang s father ranked as a marquess 2 Liu Xiang s son Liu Xin would continue the scholarly tradition of his father and his relative Liu An the Prince of Huainan By the beginning of Han Yuandi s reign Liu Xiang was a member of a group of Confucian officials including Xiao Wangzhi who wished to limit the power of the emperor s female family members relatives clans the Shi and the Xu He ended up on the losing side of a power struggle between the powerful eunuch s Hong Gong and Shi Xian Briefly imprisoned Liu Xiang was terminated from his official position and he received no new appointments to the office for the next fifteen years 3 The succession of Emperor Cheng to the imperial throne was accompanied by a realignment of power among the various factions involved in government and Liu Xiang was able to revive his official prospects In 26 BCE at the command of the emperor Liu Xiang spent much of the rest of the 20 odd years of his life engaged in the massive bibliographic work of organizing the imperial library This work was assisted by his son Liu Xin who finally completed the task after his father s death Works EditLiu compiled the first catalogue of the imperial library the Abstracts 別錄 Bielu and is the first known editor of the Classic of Mountains and Seas Shanhaijing which was finished by his son 4 Liu also edited collections of stories and biographies including the Strategies of the Warring States Zhanguoce the New Prefaces 新序 Xinxu the Garden of Stories 說苑 Shuoyuan and the Biographies of Exemplary Women Lienuzhuan citation needed He has long erroneously been credited with compiling the Biographies of the Immortals Liexian Zhuan a collection of Taoist hagiographies and hymns 5 Liu Xiang was also a poet He is credited with the Nine Laments Jiu Tan that appears in the Songs of Chu 6 See also EditConfucian classics Guodian Chu Slips Liu An Science and technology of the Han Dynasty Sima Qian Sima TanNotes Edit Loewe 1986 192 Hawkes 330 Hawkes 281 E L Shaughnessy Rewriting Early Chinese Texts pp 2 3 Theobald Ulrich 24 July 2010 Liexianzhuan China Knowledge Tubingen Hawkes 280References EditFei Zhengang Liu Xiang Encyclopedia of China Philosophy Edition 1st ed Hawkes David translator and introduction 2011 1985 Qu Yuan et al The Songs of the South An Ancient Chinese Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets London Penguin Books ISBN 978 0 14 044375 2 Loewe Michael 1986 The Former Han Dynasty in The Cambridge History of China Volume I the Ch in and Han Empires 221 B C A D 220 103 222 Edited by Denis Twitchett and Michael Loewe Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 24327 0 External links Edit Chinese Wikisource has original text related to this article The Garden of Stories Works by Xiang Liu at Project Gutenberg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Liu Xiang scholar amp oldid 1122371174, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
