Liu Ji (Liu Bowen)

Devised Zhu Yuanzhang's strategy of destroying Chen Youliang first; later generations mythologized him as able to "foresee five hundred years."

Life

Jinshi of the Yuan dynasty

Liu Ji, from Qingtian in Zhejiang, was a jinshi of the Yuan dynasty and served as a Yuan official, but quit his post and went into retirement after clashing with his superiors. In 1360 Zhu Yuanzhang sent envoys to recruit him with full courtesy; he presented the Eighteen Proposals on Current Affairs and from then on joined Zhu Yuanzhang's staff.

Chen First, Then Zhang

Analyzing the situation, he argued that Zhang Shicheng sought only to protect himself and posed little threat, whereas the ambitious Chen Youliang had to be destroyed first; Zhu Yuanzhang adopted this strategy. When Chen Youliang attacked Yingtian in 1360, he advocated luring the enemy in, which led to the great victory at the Battle of Longwan; in 1363 he also accompanied the army as an adviser at the Battle of Lake Poyang.

Count of Chengyi

After the founding of the Ming dynasty he became Vice Censor-in-Chief, oversaw the drafting of the calendar and the legal codes, and was made Earl of Chengyi. At odds with Chancellor Hu Weiyong, he resigned from office in his later years and returned home, dying of illness in 1375; one account holds that Hu Weiyong had him poisoned.

Legacy

In the official histories Liu Ji is a strategist of exceptional cunning at the founding of the dynasty, while folk tradition deified him as a military adviser who could foresee the future; the saying "Zhuge Liang was the strategist of the earlier dynasty, Liu Bowen of the later" is widely known.

Major works & achievements

• Advised destroying Chen Youliang first
• Wrote Yu Lizi

Did you know? The widely circulated "Pancake Song" bears Liu Bowen's name but is actually a later forgery.

Key dates

• 1333Passed the Yuan dynasty jinshi exam
• 1360Joined Zhu Yuanzhang's staff and presented the Eighteen Proposals on Current Affairs; Battle of Longwan
• 1363Accompanied the army at the Battle of Lake Poyang
• 1368Became Vice Censor-in-Chief
• 1370Made Earl of Chengyi
• 1375Died