Collection of Liu Yuxi with Annotations and Explanations (Complete 3 Volumes)

Author: (Tang) Liu Yuxi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1989-10-01
Features: Liu Yuxi (772–842 AD), styled Mengde, was a renowned literary figure of the Tang Dynasty. He was a native of Luoyang (present-day Luoyang, Henan). His father, Liu Xu, fled from turmoil at the end of the Tianbao era and moved his family eastward. He once served as a counselor under Wei Yuanfu, the regional inspector of Western Zhejiang. Liu Yuxi was born after his father's migration, so he spent his childhood in the Jiangnan region. Even in his youth, Liu Yuxi was already celebrated for his literary talent. In 799 (the ninth year of the Zhenyuan era), at the age of twenty-two, he passed the imperial examinations and later the selective examination for outstanding talent. He was appointed as a tutor to the crown prince and later served as the assistant magistrate of Weinan. In 803 (the nineteenth year of the Zhenyuan era), he was promoted to the position of assistant censor-in-chief. It was during this time that he began associating with Wang Shuwen and Wei Zhiji. Emperor Dezong passed away in January 805 (the twenty-first year of the Zhenyuan era), and Crown Prince Li Song ascended the throne as Emperor Shunzong, changing the era to Yongzhen. At that time, Wei Zhiji served as the prime minister, while Wang Qin and Wang Shuwen were appointed as scholars of the Hanlin Academy. Wang Shuwen was soon promoted to the position of deputy minister of revenue and supervisor of the iron bureau. Liu Yuxi and Liu Zongyuan were also promoted to key positions, with Liu Zongyuan becoming the assistant director of the Ministry of Rites and Liu Yuxi being transferred to the position of assistant director of the Ministry of Land Tax, effectively overseeing the affairs of the iron bureau. During the period of administrative reform, the eunuch faction and the regional military governors colluded both internally and externally, forcing Emperor Shunzong to abdicate and installing Li Chun as Emperor Xuanzong. As a result, all members of the reformist group were persecuted. Liu Yuxi was first demoted to the post of magistrate of Lianzhou and later to the post of assistant magistrate of Langzhou. He then resided in Langzhou for ten years. In 814 (the ninth year of the Yuanhe era), those who had been demoted during the Yongzhen era were recalled to the capital. Liu Yuxi returned to the capital from Langzhou in February of the following year but was again demoted to the post of magistrate of Bozhou in March. Bozhou was far away, so he requested to be transferred back to Lianzhou, where he remained for another six years. In 821 (the first year of the Changqing era), he was reassigned as the magistrate of Kuizhou. In 824 (the fourth year of the Changqing era), he was transferred to the post of magistrate of Hezhou. In 828 (the second year of the Dahe era), he was reinstated as the assistant director of the Ministry of Personnel and appointed as a scholar of the Jixian Academy, returning to the capital. Shortly after, he was appointed as the director of the Ministry of Rites and continued to serve as a scholar of the Jixian Academy. In October 831 (the fifth year of the Dahe era), he was appointed as the magistrate of Suzhou. In July 834 (the eighth year of the Dahe era), he was transferred to the post of magistrate of Runzhou. In 835 (the ninth year of the Dahe era), he was appointed as the director of Tongzhou. In 836 (the first year of the Kaicheng era), he was appointed as a guest of the crown prince, serving in the eastern capital. In 838 (the third year of the Kaicheng era), he was transferred to the position of director of the Secretariat. In 841 (the first year of the Huajing era), he was granted the title of assistant director of the Ministry of Rites and appointed as a guest of the crown prince. He passed away in July 842 (the second year of the Huajing era) at the age of seventy-one, posthumously awarded the title of director of the Ministry of Revenue.
The seventy years of Liu Yuxi's life coincided with the declining Tang Dynasty after the An Lushan Rebellion, a period marked by regional military governors' dominance, eunuchs' power, and escalating conflicts within the ruling elite. Thus, every turn in his life was closely tied to the social and political climate of his time. After the failure of the Yongzhen reforms, he endured hardship and adversity for over thirty years. However, political setbacks did not dampen the spirit of this exceptionally talented literary figure. Instead, he actively engaged in literary creation even in adversity, achieving remarkable success. His famous three essays on materialist philosophy, "Three Essays on Tian Lun," were written during his initial exile in Langzhou. His concept of "upholding human reason and surpassing the heavens" reflects the culmination of his profound observations and reflections on natural and social phenomena, as well as his firsthand experience of the political turmoil of the time. This perspective shaped his attitude toward his exile, allowing him to rise above the ordinary and embody a heroic spirit in his indignation, which permeated his works, especially his poetry. During his time in Langzhou, he also wrote numerous allegorical poems, such as "The Lament of the Swarms of Mosquitoes," "The Ode to the Polyglot Crow," "The Lament of the Kite," and "The Ode to the Autumn Fireflies." These works, deeply allegorical, served as vehicles for expressing his political views and criticisms, standing out as masterpieces of their kind.