Liu Ji
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Liu Ji (traditional Chinese: 劉基; simplified Chinese: 刘基; Wade-Giles: Liu Chi, pinyin: Liú Jī, July 1, 1311 — 16 May 1375), courtesy name Bowen (伯温), posthumous name Wencheng (文成), was a Chinese military strategist, officer, statesman and poet of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasty. He lived in Nantian Town, Wencheng County, Wenzhou, but came from Qiantian County. He was the main advisor to the Yuan Dynasty era rebel Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), who later became the first Ming Emperor (r. 1368-1398). With his contemporary general and scholar Jiao Yu, he was one of the co-editors of the military treatise known as the Huolongjing, as well as co-edited Zhuge Liang's Mastering the Art of War book. He eventually became the grand chancellor at the imperial court.
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[edit] Life
Liu Ji served Zhu Yuanzhang in his rebellion against the Mongol-led regime of the Yuan Dynasty in China, which had ruled since the conquest of the Southern Song Dynasty in 1279. Liu Ji dabbled in many fields of statecraft, philosophy, scholarly works, and technology. His philosophical outlook was that of a skeptical naturalist, and he became interested in astronomy, calendrical science, magnetism, and geomancy. He was known to be a friendly associate to the mathematician and alchemist Zhao Yuqin, and collaborated with his contemporary general and scholar Jiao Yu to edit and compile the military-technology treatise of the Huolongjing, which outlined the use of various gunpowder weapons. He was very interested in the latter, and once said that "thunder is like fire shot from a cannon".[1] Liu Ji served not only in the administration of Zhu Yuanzhang, but also in many battles as a commanding officer on land and upon the water leading the flagship of the early Ming naval forces. Liu Ji was placed in charge by Zhu Yuanzhang of the campaign to conquer all of Zhejiang from 1340 to 1350, in their rebellion against the Yuan Dynasty.[2] He was also responsible for the military ventures against opposing Chinese rebel groups, as well as coastal Japanese pirates.[2] His forces owed much of their success to the use of the medieval Chinese firearm known as the fire lance.[2]
Liu Ji (Bowen) was named after Zhang Liang, as the latter is considered by many Chinese as being the most brilliant military strategist in China's long martial history.
[edit] Biographical works
Liu Ji's biography is found in the 128th chapter of the Chinese Ming Shi historical text, while the author Chong Tai also wrote a biography on him.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 5, Part 7. Taipei: Caves Books, Ltd.
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