Liu Zong

Liú Zǒng (died May 2, 821), dharma name Dàjué, formally Duke of Chǔ, was a general of the Táng Dynasty. He took over control of Lúlóng Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) in 810 after killing his father Liú Jì as well as his brother Liú Gǔn, and thereafter ruled the circuit de facto independently from the imperial government. In 821, he submitted the circuit to imperial control and took tonsure to be a Buddhist monk. He died shortly after. Background It is not known when Liu Zong was born. He was the second son of Liu Ji, who ruled Lulong Circuit as its military governor (Jiedushi) starting in 785 (when he succeeded Liu Zong's grandfather Liu Peng). Liu Zong's older brother Liu Gun was considered Liu Ji's heir, and during Liu Ji's rule was made deputy military governor, then considered the post for the heir among warlords who controlled their circuits de facto independently from the imperial government. Liu Zong was made the prefect of Ying Prefecture (瀛州, in modern Cangzhou, Hebei). Liu Zong was described by the Old Book of Tang to be treacherous. Killing of father and brother In 810, Liu Ji was commanding his Lulong troops in attacking Wang Chengzong, the ruler of neighboring Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), whom Emperor Xianzong had declared a renegade. He had Liu Gun remain at Lulong's capital You Prefecture to serve as acting military governor, while Liu Zong accompanied him on the campaign, serving as the army commander. During the campaign against Wang, Liu Ji had Liu Zong command the siege of Anping (安平, in modern Hengshui, Hebei), and Anping fell in one day. However, the Lulong army became bogged down at Raoyang (饒陽, in modern Hengshui) and was not able to advance further. Meanwhile, Liu Ji grew ill during the campaign. Liu Zong conspired with Liu Ji's assistant Zhang Qi, treasurer Cheng Guobao, and other officers, to take over power. He had people pretend to be imperial messengers arrive at the Lulong army's camp to state, "As the imperial government sees that you, Lord Chancellor, refuse to advance any further, the Deputy Military Governor has been made military governor." The next day, he had another person state, "The Deputy Military Governor's banner has already arrived at Taiyuan." Later on, he had another person state, "The banner has gone past Dai Prefecture [(代州, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi)]." The army was shocked by these developments.