Liu Laozhi (died April or May 402),Vol.112 of Zizhi Tongjian recorded that Liu hanged himself in the 3rd month of the 1st year of the Yuanxing era of Emperor An's reign; the month corresponds to 18 Apr to 17 May 402 in the Julian calendar. Tongjian recorded that the first day of that month was a yisi (乙巳) day, which may be an error, as the first day should be a jisi (己巳) day. courtesy name Daojian, was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was one of the earliest and most distinguished recruits of the elite Beifu Army (北府兵; "Northern Headquarters Army"), founded by the border commander Xie Xuan in his war against the Former Qin dynasty. Liu Laozhi played a pivotal part in the Jin's decisive victory over the Former Qin at the Battle of Fei River, and subsequently followed Xie Xuan in his northern expedition to reclaim lost territory in the wake of the Qin's collapse in northern China. He was then trusted with defending the northern border, but after an incident where he failed to provide reinforcements for his ally, he was stripped of his office for cowardice in 394.
Following the ascension of Emperor An of Jin in 396, Liu Laozhi was welcomed back to the military by the commander, Wang Gong, who wanted to campaign against the emperor's corrupt regent, Sima Daozi. During the second insurrection in 398, he betrayed and turned Wang over to the imperial court, who rewarded him with Wang's high-ranking positions and command over the Beifu Army. When Sun En's rebellion broke out in 399, Liu was given a commanding role in suppressing the rebels and became the empire's most trusted top general. However, when the imperial court campaigned against the rebellious Inspector of Jing province, Huan Xuan, Liu Laozhi defected once more and allowed Huan to overwhelm the imperial forces. After Huan took over the court and threatened to take away Liu's command of the Beifu Army, he planned to rebel again, but this time, his staff member objected and walked out on him. With disaster seemingly inevitable, Liu Laozhi committed suicide.
One of Liu Laozhi's subordinates was Liu Yu, the future Emperor Wu of Liu Song who posthumously exonerated him when he overthrew Huan Xuan and restored the Jin dynasty in 404. Liu Laozhi was a controversial figure; despite his heroics at the Battle of Fei River and the northern expedition, his later string of betrayals ultimately branded him as one of the most notorious traitors of his period.
Early life and career
Joining the Beifu Army Liu Laozhi was descended from Liu Jiao, a brother of Emperor Gaozu of Han;Song Shu, vol.47 (biography of Liu Jingxuan) he came from a family of generals in Pengcheng Commandery. His great-grandfather Liu Xi (劉羲) was known for his marksmanship and served during the reign of Emperor Wu of Jin as the Administrator for Beidi and Yanmen commanderies. His father, Liu Jian (劉建) was also known for his martial prowess and rose to the rank of General Who Attacks Barbarians. Liu Laozhi himself was described as resolute and tactful. Records claim that he possessed a purplish-red complexion with striking beard and pair of eyes.Book of Jin, vol.84
In 377, the Inspector of Yan province, Xie Xuan was stationed at Guangling, where he began handpicking recruits to fight against the impending invasion of the Former Qin dynasty. Liu Laozhi was among the people drafted, serving as Xie Xuan's Army Advisor and leading troops at the front. Xie's new group became known as the Beifu Army, and they soon gained renown for being the empire's most elite fighting force that rarely lost in battle.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.105
In 378, the Former Qin generals, Peng Chao and Ju Nan (俱難) invaded Pengcheng, and so Xie Xuan led his army to repel them. Liu Laozhi distinguished himself in the battle by destroying Ju Nan's baggage train and seizing his transport ships at Xuyi, for which he was appointed General of Hawkish Display and Chancellor of Guangling. In the same year, his spouse (Liu Jingxuan's mother) also died.Liu Jingxuan's biography in Song Shu recorded that he was eight (by East Asian reckoning) when his mother died.
Battle of Luo Creek In 383, to support Huan Chong's expedition against Xiangyang, the Interior Minister of Xuancheng, Hu Bin (胡彬) led his troops towards Shouyang (壽陽; in present-day Shou County, Anhui) with Liu Laozhi providing rear support. However, before they could arrive, Huan's attack failed, and the Heavenly King of Former Qin, Fu Jian, sent Fu Rong and Zhang Ci to capture Shouyang. The court ordered Hu Bin and Liu Laozhi to intercept them, but Hu cautiously camped at Xiashi (硤石; in present-day Huainan, Anhui) instead. Shouyang eventually fell, and Fu Jian brought his main force to occupy the city. He also sent Liang Cheng with 20,000 troops to set up camp at Luo Creek (洛澗; also in Huainan, Anhui) and act as a bulwark against the Jin assault.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.106
The following month, Xie Xuan dispatched Liu Laozhi with 5,000 elite troops to attack Liang Cheng. When he saw Liu's army approaching, Liang ordered his troops to form a defensive line along the Luo river. However, Liu Laozhi charged straight ahead across the river and broke through their formation. Liang Cheng was killed in battle, and Liu Laozhi divided his troops to block the escape routes at all the river fords. The remaining Qin units collapsed, and as they scrambled to escape across the Huai River, Liu Laozhi's force killed or captured more than 10,000 of them and seized all their equipments. The success at Luo Creek was a crucial precursor to the more famous Battle of Fei River; shortly after, Xie Xuan, Xie Shi and the others led their troops to join Liu Laozhi and met Fu Jian's forces along the Fei River (淝水; in modern-day Lu'an, Anhui). The Jin forces defeated the numerically superior but highly dispirited Qin army in a historic victory, driving Fu Jian back to the north.
Xie Xuan's Northern Expedition The defeat at Fei River sparked uprisings throughout the Former Qin empire. In 384, Liu Laozhi led the Beifu Army to capture Qiao commandery and was rewarded with the offices of Dragon-Prancing General and Interior Minister of Pengcheng, along with the fiefly title of Baron of Wugang County. Later that year, Xie Xuan, wishing to take advantage of the upheaval in Qin to reclaim lost territory, launched his northern expedition. He sent Liu Laozhi to attack the Qin Inspector of Yan province, Zhang Chong (張崇) at his city of Juancheng. As Zhang fled to the Later Yan, Liu recaptured Juancheng, and many cities and forts south of the Yellow River offered their surrender to Jin. Xie also sent Liu to conquer Qiaoniao (碻磝; southwest of present-day Chiping County, Shandong).
At the time, Fu Jian's son, Fu Pi was under siege by the rebel Prince of Later Yan, Murong Chui. Out of desperation, Fu Pi formed an unlikely alliance with Xie Xuan to lift the siege. Xie dispatched Liu Laozhi with 20,000 soldiers to reinforce Fu Pi against Murong Chui. Liu reached Fangtou (枋頭; in present-day Hebi, Henan) in 385 before he hesitated to go any further, as he received news that Fu Pi's subordinates had tampered with his terms of surrender. He later advanced to Sunjiu Palisade (孫就栅; northwest of present-day Xun County, Henan) to attack the Yan Administrator of Liyang, Liu Fu (劉撫). Murong Chui temporarily left his son, Murong Nong in charge of the siege to deal with the Jin threat at Sunjiu. Liu struggled in his early bouts with Murong Chui and retreated back to Liyang (黎陽; present-day Xun County, Henan), allowing Murong to return to Ye and continue his siege.
Liu Laozhi finally advanced to Ye the following month, and Murong Chui once again led his troops to face him. However, in a rare instance in his lengthy military career, Murong Chui suffered a defeat and was forced to lift his siege. He fled to Xincheng (新城; north of present-day Handan, Hebei), and then further up north, enticing Liu Laozhi to pursue him. Liu did not inform Fu Pi of his pursuit, and it was only later when Fu found out that he sent his soldiers to reinforce him. By then, Liu had caught up with Murong at Dongtang Swamp (董唐淵; northwest of present-day Quzhou County, Hebei), but his soldiers were weary from their long march. He attempted to destroy the Yan baggage train at Wuqiao Marsh (五橋澤), but Murong Chui dealt him a heavy defeat.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.107
Murong Chui had Murong De and Murong Nong cut off Liu Laozhi's escape route at Five Zhang Bridge (五丈橋), but according to records, Liu was able to escape alone on a fast horse by jumping over the creek. He rode until he was met with Fu Pi's reinforcements, who helped bring him to safety. At Linzhang Commandery, Liu Laozhi regathered his scattered soldiers and restored some of their morale, but due to his earlier defeat, he was recalled.
Defending the north Despite this setback, Liu Laozhi was soon reappointed as Dragon Prancing General and garrisoned at Huaiyin (淮陰, in modern Huai'an, Jiangsu) before later moving to Pengcheng and serving as its Administrator. In 389, he quelled a rebellion at Huangqiu (皇丘; in present-day Yongcheng, Henan) led by Liu Li (劉黎), who proclaimed himself as Emperor. Later that year, the Former Qin general, Zhang Yuan (張願) occupied Jinxiang and besieged the Jin Administrator of Taishan, Yang Mai (羊邁). Liu Laozhi initially sent his Army Advisor, Xiang Qinzhi (向欽之) to repel him, but the Heavenly King of Zhai Wei, Zhai Liao sent his son Zhai Zhao to reinforce Zhang Yuan. Liu summoned Xiang back and waited for Zhai Zhao to withdraw. Once he did, Liu recaptured Taishan and pursued him, forcing Zhai Zhao to flee north of the Yellow River. He then defeated Zhai Zhao at Huatai (滑台, in modern Anyang, Henan) and accepted Zhang Yuan's surrender.
In 393, Liu Laozhi put down another rebellion, this time by Sima Hui (司馬徽) at Mount Matou (馬頭山; in present-day Jiaozuo, Henan). However, in 394, the Later Yan invaded Linqiu (廩丘, in modern Puyang, Henan), and Liu received an urgent request from the Administrator of Gaoping, Xu Han (徐含) for reinforcements. Liu was unable to help, and as a result he was charged with cowardice and stripped of office.
Power struggle in the south
Betraying Wang Gong For the next few years, Liu Laozhi remained out of military and government service. It was not until 397 when he reappeared; that year, the Inspector of Qing and Yan province, Wang Gong was planning to march from Jingkou onto the capital, Jiankang to compel Emperor An of Jin's regent, Sima Daozi to remove his corrupt associate, Wang Guobao. He invited Liu to serve on his staff as Interior Minister of Southern Pengcheng and General Who Assists the State, which Liu agreed.
The insurrection that year ended with a peace agreement between Wang and Sima after the latter had Wang Guobao executed. However, one of Wang's allies, Wang Xin refused to disperse his army and rebelled against him at Wu Commandery. Wang Gong sent Liu Laozhi with 5,000 troops to attack Wang Xin, and Liu ultimately defeated the rebels at Qu'e (曲阿; present-day Danyang, Jiangsu). For his reward, Liu Laozhi was appointed Administrator of Jinling.Zizhi Tongjian, vol.109
In 398, Wang Gong, in an alliance with the Inspector of Yu province, Yu Kai and the Inspector of Jing province, Yin Zhongkan, once again raised an army against Sima Daozi, this time to force him to remove his confidants, Sima Shangzhi and his brothers, as well as the Inspector of Jiang province, Wang Yu (王愉). In response, Sima Daozi sent his son, Sima Yuanxian as Commander of the Expeditionary Force to oppose them.