Liu Bingzhong
Encyclopedia
Liu Bingzhong (1216–1274), or Liu Kan was a Yuan Dynasty
court adviser and architect. He was born in Ruizhou (Rui prefecture), during the Jin Dynasty. In 1233, he entered the Jin's bureaucracy. He still was an officer after the Mongol-Yuan Dynasty
replaced the Jin, but later he became a monk. However his teacher thought that his talent should not be buried, so he recommended Liu Bingzhong to Kublai Khan
, to become his adviser. During this period, he was extolled as the Five Talented in Xintai
. He was credited with occult powers which allowed him to foretell the future and so assist military operations. Liu had a paramount influence on Yuan era city designs, and he is known to have planned both the Yuan capital of Dadu
and its summer capital Xanadu
(Shangdu).
Liu Bingzhong and Yao Shu
made a plan "to canvass all talented to give well-governorship suggestions". Many Confucianists, such as Xu Heng
, Wang Xun, Zhang Yi, were attracted to provide ruse to Kublai Khan, who later became the founder of the Yuan Dynasty
.
After the Battle of Fishing Town
, Möngke Khan
died and Kublai Khan succeeded his post. Liu Bingzhong suggested to name the new dynasty as "Yuan" with reference to The Changes
, which was adopted by Kublai Khan in 1271. He also suggested Kublai Khan to adopt the Chinese law, and removed some Mongolian misgovernment.
Kublai Khan recognized Jin's Central Capital
as the Capital of the Yuan, and renamed it to Dadu
(Chinese
: 大都, "The Great Capital"). Liu Bingzhong was the planner and the original architect of the Capital Construction of Dadu. Liu also designed and planned the layout of the Yuan's summer capital at Xanadu
(Shangdu). Liu formulated the Time Service Calendar with Guo Shoujing
. When he became the teacher of Zhenjin
, who later became the Crown Prince , he set up the Zishan College in Wuon Mountain to teach Confucianism and Natural Science.
In 1274, he died in Nanbing Mountain Villa.
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
court adviser and architect. He was born in Ruizhou (Rui prefecture), during the Jin Dynasty. In 1233, he entered the Jin's bureaucracy. He still was an officer after the Mongol-Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
replaced the Jin, but later he became a monk. However his teacher thought that his talent should not be buried, so he recommended Liu Bingzhong to Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China...
, to become his adviser. During this period, he was extolled as the Five Talented in Xintai
Xintai
Xintai is a county-level city administered under Tai'an prefecture-level city, in the Shandong province of eastern China. It is located about 50km to the southeast of the city of Tai'an.-Climate:...
. He was credited with occult powers which allowed him to foretell the future and so assist military operations. Liu had a paramount influence on Yuan era city designs, and he is known to have planned both the Yuan capital of Dadu
Khanbaliq
Khanbaliq or Dadu refers to a city which is now Beijing, the current capital of the People's Republic of China...
and its summer capital Xanadu
Xanadu
-Description of Xanadu by Toghon Temur :The lament of Toghon Temur Khan , concerning the loss of Daidu and Heibun Shanduu in 1368, is recorded in many Mongolian historical chronicles...
(Shangdu).
Liu Bingzhong and Yao Shu
Yao Shu
Yao Shu , courtesy name Lingzhang , formally Count Cheng of Wuxing , was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty and Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, serving twice as chancellor during Wu Zetian's reign.- Background :...
made a plan "to canvass all talented to give well-governorship suggestions". Many Confucianists, such as Xu Heng
Xu Heng
Xu Heng was a Confucianist and educator of the Yuan Dynasty in China.Xu Heng was born in present-day Xinyang of Henan Province, which was then governed by the Jin Dynasty. At the age of 16, he studied Confucian Classics and became enamoured of it. In early 1230s, when the Jin Dynasty was...
, Wang Xun, Zhang Yi, were attracted to provide ruse to Kublai Khan, who later became the founder of the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
.
After the Battle of Fishing Town
Fishing town
Fishing Town or Fishing City , is one of the three great ancient battlefields of China. It is famous for its resistance to the Mongol armies in the latter half of the Song Dynasty...
, Möngke Khan
Möngke Khan
Möngke Khan , born Möngke, , was the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from July 1, 1251 – August 11, 1259. He was the first Great Khan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms to improve the administration of the Empire during his reign...
died and Kublai Khan succeeded his post. Liu Bingzhong suggested to name the new dynasty as "Yuan" with reference to The Changes
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
, which was adopted by Kublai Khan in 1271. He also suggested Kublai Khan to adopt the Chinese law, and removed some Mongolian misgovernment.
Kublai Khan recognized Jin's Central Capital
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
as the Capital of the Yuan, and renamed it to Dadu
Khanbaliq
Khanbaliq or Dadu refers to a city which is now Beijing, the current capital of the People's Republic of China...
(Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 大都, "The Great Capital"). Liu Bingzhong was the planner and the original architect of the Capital Construction of Dadu. Liu also designed and planned the layout of the Yuan's summer capital at Xanadu
Xanadu
-Description of Xanadu by Toghon Temur :The lament of Toghon Temur Khan , concerning the loss of Daidu and Heibun Shanduu in 1368, is recorded in many Mongolian historical chronicles...
(Shangdu). Liu formulated the Time Service Calendar with Guo Shoujing
Guo Shoujing
Guo Shoujing , courtesy name Ruosi , was a Chinese astronomer, engineer, and mathematician born in Xingtai, Hebei who lived during the Yuan Dynasty...
. When he became the teacher of Zhenjin
Zhenjin
Zhenjin was the second son of Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan Dynasty. He was designated as the Crown Prince by Kublai Khan in 1273, and became the head of Zhongshusheng .The North Chinese Buddhist monk Haiyun gave him the name, Zhenjin , when he was born in 1243...
, who later became the Crown Prince , he set up the Zishan College in Wuon Mountain to teach Confucianism and Natural Science.
In 1274, he died in Nanbing Mountain Villa.
Literary Work
- Spring Corpus 藏春集 (6 volumes);
- Spring Poetry Anthology 藏春词;
- Poetry Anthology 诗集 (22 volumes);
- Corpus 文集 (10 volumes);
- Pingsha Jade Ruler 平沙玉尺 (4 volumes);
- Jade Ruler and New Mirror 玉尺新镜 (2 volumes).