Family background and education His ancestors were
Xiongnu nomadic people. The putative ‘seventh generation’ family head, Liu Liang, was an official of the
Northern Wei (386–534), who followed the
Emperor Xiaowen (471–499) when he established the capital at
Luoyang in 494. Following the government sinification policy, he became Han and registered his surname as Liu. From then on the family was based in Luoyang. Liu Yuxi's father, Li Xu, was forced to leave Luoyang to avoid the
An Lushan rebellion (755–763) and went to
Jiaxing (in the north of present-day
Zhejiang Province). Liu Yuxi was born and grew up in the south. In his youth he studied with two renowned poets in
Kuaiji (now
Shaoxing), the
Chan (
Zen) monks
Lingche (靈澈, 746–816) and
Jiaoran (皎然, 730–799), and his later works often reflected this Buddhist sensibility.
Early career In 793, Liu passed the
jinshi imperial examination. One of the other successful candidates that year was another great poet,
Liu Zongyuan, whose career was to be closely connected to that of Liu Yuxi. That same year, Liu Yuxi went on to pass the higher examination (
boxue hongceke). In 795, the Ministry of Appointments sent him to be a tutor to the Heir Apparent, a sign that he was destined from a prominent career. However, in 796, his father suddenly died, and he had to return to
Yangzhou. In 800, Liu became a secretary to the important scholar-official
Du You who had been made the military governor of Xusihao Circuit, in charge of suppressing an insurrection in
Xuzhou, enabling Liu to see army life at first hand. Later he followed Du You to Yangzhou, where he enjoyed the company of the poet
Li Yi. In 802. Liu was transferred to be a registrar (
zhubu) in Weinan, Shaanxi. The following year, on the recommendation of an official in the Imperial Censorate called Li Wen, Liu was transferred to the post of
investigating censor. At that time, the essayist and poet
Han Yu was already also working as an investigating censor, with
Liu Zongyuan shortly to join him. These three literary giants of the middle Tang period became friends and were to remain in close contact for the rest of their lives.) that helped earn him another immediate banishment. Liu was to be sent to be the prefect of Bo (播州, in modern
Zunyi,
Guizhou), but as this would have been too hard a living place for Liu's mother, Liu Zongyuan offered to go there instead. Finally
Pei Du, the deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, Yushi Zhongcheng), persuaded the emperor that Liu could be the local governor in
Lianzhou in
Guangdong, while Liu Zongyuan was sent to
Liuzhou in
Guangxi. In 821, Liu was again transferred to
Kuizhou (on the
Yangtze River), then transferred to another post at
Hezhou (Guangxi). In 826, Liu was again recalled, this time to
Luoyang, ending the long period of his banishment from the court. noting that the peach trees had all disappeared, since his previous visit 14 years earlier.
Later career In 830, Pei Du resigned as chancellor, and Liu was again given a provincial post, this time as governor in
Suzhou, where his work on flood control was particularly appreciated. The local people designated him, with
Wei Yingwu and Bai Juyi, as one of the ‘Three Worthies’ (三贤 sanxian), later to be commemorated in the ‘Three Worthies Hall’ (三贤堂). After Suzhou, he was posted to
Ruzhou (in Henan) and
Tongzhou (in Shaanxi). In 836, he left Tongzhou to take up a nominal post in the household of the Heir Apparent in Luoyang. In 841, he also became an ‘Acting Adviser’ to the director of the Board of Rites (Jianjiao Libu Shangshu 检校礼部尚书). At that time Bai Juyi was also in retirement in Luoyang and the two old poets were able to spend time together. Liu Yuxi died in the autumn of 842 at the age of 71. He was given the posthumous rank of ‘Minister of Revenue’ (Hubu Shangshu 户部尚书). ==Poetry==