Background

Liu Yan was born in 889, during the reign of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang. His father Liu Zhiqian (also known as Liu Qian) was then the prefect of Feng Prefecture (封州, in modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong) and was married to a Lady Wei, the niece of Wei Zhou (韋宙), a prior military governor (Jiedushi) of Lingnan East Circuit (嶺南東道, headquartered in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), which Feng Prefecture belonged to. However, he also secretly had a concubine outside the home, a Lady Duan, and it was to Lady Duan that Liu Yan was born. When Lady Wei found out, she killed Lady Duan, but could not bear to kill the infant Liu Yan, and she took him back home to be raised as her own, as a younger brother to her own sons Liu Yin and Liu Tai (劉台).

As Liu Yan grew up, it was said that he was tall and capable in both horsemanship and archery. After Liu Yin became the commander of the army of the circuit (which had been renamed Qinghai (清海)) by that point under the military governor Li Zhirou the Prince of Xue in 896, Liu Yan was also given the title of military advisor to Li Zhirou as the Prince of Xue, and his name was changed from Liu Yan to Liu Zhi.

Service under Liu Yin

In 901, Li Zhirou's successor Xu Yanruo died, leaving a recommendation to Emperor Zhaozong that Liu Yin be made acting military governor, and Liu Yin subsequently took that title. Liu Zhi continued serving under his brother, and was first recorded to have participated in a campaign in 902, when Lu Guangchou, who controlled the Qian Prefecture (虔州, in modern Ganzhou, Jiangxi) region as Qian's prefect, attacked Qinghai, capturing Shao Prefecture (韶州, in modern Shaoguan, Guangdong) and giving it to his son Lu Yanchang, and then putting Chao Prefecture (潮州, in modern Chaozhou, Guangdong) under siege. Liu Yin personally led an army and repelled Lu Guangchou from Chao, and then prepared to attack Shao. Under Liu Zhi's advice (as Liu Zhi believed that a direct attack would not be successful due to the strength of Lu Yanchang's army), he put Shao under siege to try to wear out Lu Yanchang's defense, but the strategy backfired when, due to high water levels on the river, the Qinghai army's food supplies were disrupted. Lu Guangchou then launched a relief army from Qian, repelling Liu Yin from Shao.

Meanwhile, Emperor Zhaozong commissioned the chancellor Cui Yuan as the new military governor of Qinghai, but Cui, while on the way to Qinghai, heard about popular uprisings in the region and also was worried that Liu Yin would not yield the position to him, and therefore returned to then-capital Luoyang. Subsequently, after Liu Yin bribed the powerful warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan), who had the Tang imperial court under his physical control by that point, Emperor Zhaozong's son and successor Emperor Ai of Tang commissioned Liu Yin as full military governor in 904. Liu Zhi served as Liu Yin's deputy military governor. It was said that at that time, in addition to the continued conflict with Lu Guangchou, substantial portions of the region were controlled by other warlords—Khúc Hạo (曲顥) at Jiao Prefecture (交州, in modern Hanoi, Vietnam); Liu Shizheng (劉士政) at Gui Prefecture (桂州, in modern Guilin, Guangxi); Ye Guanglüe (葉廣略) at Yong Prefecture (邕州, in modern Nanning, Guangxi); Pang Juzhao (龐巨昭) at Rong Prefecture (容州, in modern Yulin, Guangxi); Liu Changlu (劉昌魯) at Gao Prefecture (高州, in modern Maoming, Guangdong); and Liu Qian (劉潜, different person than Liu Zhi's father) at Xin Prefecture (新洲, in modern Yunfu, Guangdong). In addition, east of the Pearl River, there were some 70 camps of people who did not recognize Liu Yin's authorities. It was said that after Liu Yin entrusted the military matters to Liu Zhi, Liu Zhi gradually had these warlords expelled or forced into submission, such that he became known as the preeminent general in the Lingnan region.

One of these campaigns was described as in or around 910 (by which time Liu Yin was a vassal of the new Later Liang, which Zhu had established as its Emperor Taizu, and carried the title of Prince of Nanping or Nanhai), when Liu Zhi attacked Liu Changlu at Gao Prefecture. Liu Changlu repelled his attack, but figured that he would not be able to indefinitely hold out against the Liu brothers, and therefore, along with Pang, offered to submit to Ma Yin the Prince of Chu. Ma sent troops to safely escort Liu Changlu and Pang back to his territory and had his general Yao Yanzhang take up garrison at Rong Prefecture.

In 911, Liu Yin grew deathly ill. He submitted a petition recommending Liu Zhi as acting military governor, and died shortly after. Liu Zhi took over the circuit. Shortly after, Later Liang's Emperor Taizu made Liu Zhi full military governor. His name was changed back to Liu Yan.

As military governor

It was said that Liu Yan, while serving as military governor, frequently invited members of the intelligentsia who had fled from the Central Plain to serve on his staff, and often made the prefects of the circuit's prefectures, so among the prefects there were no military officers.

Meanwhile, also in 911, Lu Guangchou's son and successor Lu Yanchang was assassinated by his officer Li Qiu, who subsequently died and was succeeded by another officer, Li Yantu. As Li Qiu had considered killing Lu Guangchou's chief strategist Tan Quanbo, Tan claimed to be ill and retired from the Qian Prefecture army. Hearing of this, Liu Yan dispatched an army to attack Shao Prefecture and captured it; its prefect Liao Shuang (廖爽) fled to Chu, allowing Liu Yan to take Shao under his control. Meanwhile, he also again attacked Rong Prefecture. Yao Yanzhang was unable to stand up against his attacks despite being aided by a Chu relief force commanded by Xu Dexun, so Yao took the people and left Rong Prefecture, allowing Liu to take control of the Rong Prefecture region, as well as Gao Prefecture. Hearing of the war between two of his vassals, Later Liang's Emperor Taizu sent a delegation led by the official Wei Jian (韋戩) to try to mediate a peace between Ma and Liu. Liu responded by sending a large tribute of gold, silver, rhinoceros horns, ivory, and other assorted jewels and spices, to Emperor Taizu.

In late 912, Emperor Taizu was assassinated and succeeded by his son Zhu Yougui the Prince of Ying. In early 913, Zhu Yougui bestowed the honorary title of acting Taifu (太傅, "emperor's professor") on Liu. He was subsequently defeated in a countercoup led by his brother Zhu Youzhen the Prince of Jun and committed suicide. Zhu Youzhen, who took the throne and changed his name to Zhu Zhen, then gave Liu the title of not only military governor of Qinghai, but also of Jianwu Circuit (建武, headquartered at Yong Prefecture), and also created him the Prince of Nanping, a title previously held by Liu Yin.

Also in 913, Liu Yan sought a marital alliance with Ma Yin, and Ma agreed. In 915, Liu sent a delegation to Chu's capital Changsha to welcome Ma's Empress Ma daughter as his bride, and Ma sent his brother Ma Cun (馬存) to escort her to Qinghai. Meanwhile, Liu was dissatisfied that he was only given the title of Prince of Nanping, while another Later Liang vassal, Qian Liu, carried the greater title of Prince of Wuyue. He made a request to Zhu Zhen that he be created the similarly-honored title of Prince of Nanyue and be given a further title as commander of the circuits. When Zhu Zhen refused, Liu commented:

Thereafter, Liu stopped sending tributes and emissaries to the Later Liang court.

In fall 917, Liu went further and declared himself emperor of a new state of Yue, at his capital of Panyu (which he renamed Xingwang). He posthumously honored his grandfather Liu Anren (劉安仁), father Liu Qian, and brother Liu Yin as emperors. He commissioned the Later Liang emissaries Zhao Guangyi and Li Yinheng (who were previously detained by Liu Yin), as well as his deputy military governor Yang Dongqian, chancellors.

As emperor of Yue

Also in 917, Liu Yan gave his niece, Liu Hua, the daughter of his brother Liu Yin, whom he had created the Princess Qingyuan, in marriage to Wang Yanjun, a son of his northeastern neighbor Wang Shenzhi the Prince of Min (who remained a Later Liang vassal), to cement a relationship between the two states.

In 918, after Liu Yan offered sacrifices to heaven and earth and issued a general pardon, he changed the name of his state from Yue to Han (and thus his state became known as Southern Han).

As emperor of Southern Han

Early reign

In 919, Liu Yan created his wife Lady Ma empress.

In 920, at Yang Dongqian's request, Liu Yan established schools and imperial examinations, apparently following the Tang model. He also sent emissaries to Former Shu, seeking friendly relations.

In 922, there was an incident where Liu Yan, believing in the words of the sorcerer that he needed to leave the capital to avoid a disaster, left Xingwang to visit Meikou (梅口, in modern Meizhou, Guangdong), near the Min border. The Min general Wang Yanmei (Wang Shenzhi's son or nephew) decided to launch a surprise attack on Liu Yan's train, but before Wang Yanmei's forces arrived, Liu Yan received the news and fled Meikou before Min forces could attack.

In 924, Liu Yan launched an attack on Min, advancing on the borders of Min's Ting (汀洲, in modern Longyan, Fujian) and Zhang (漳州, in modern Zhangzhou, Fujian) Prefectures. A Min counterattack defeated him, and he fled.

Meanwhile, in 923, Later Liang had been conquered by its northern rival Jin, whose prince Li Cunxu declared himself the emperor of a new Later Tang (as Emperor Zhuangzong). When the news reached Liu Yan, Liu Yan became fearful of this powerful new state in the north, and in 925 sent his official He Ci (何詞) to Later Tang to try to seek friendly relations in humble terms (referring to himself as "the King of the Great Han" rather than emperor while addressing Emperor Zhuangzong as "the Emperor of the Great Tang") and to find out more about the strength of this new dynasty. After He Ci returned, He Ci reported that Emperor Zhuangzong had become arrogant and excessive and that there was no need to be fearful of him; Liu Yan was pleased, and from this point on no longer sought communications with Later Tang.

Later in the year, it was said that a white dragon was discovered in the Han palace. In response, Liu Yan changed his era name to Bailong ("white dragon") and changed his own name to Gong (龔). However, later in the year, when foreign monks informed him that the character "Gong" was not favorable to Southern Han's fortune, he further changed his name to a newly created character (龑), showing the character of a dragon (龍) over that of heaven (天), pronouncing the newly created character "Yan." (The Zizhi Tongjian placed this second name change in 941.) Also in 925, when Zheng Min (鄭旻) the emperor of Changhe, sent his brother Zheng Zhaochun (鄭昭淳) to Southern Han to seek a marriage alliance, Liu Yan gave another niece, the Princess Zengcheng, to Zheng Min in marriage.

Middle reign

In 928, a Chu fleet attacked Southern Han and put Feng Prefecture under siege. In response, Liu Yan, believing that Dayou was a phrase from the I Ching that would portend good fortune in battle, changed the era name to Dayou, and also sent the general Su Zhang (蘇章) to take a fleet manned with well-trained archers to try to lift the siege on Feng. Su engaged the Chu fleet and pretended to withdraw after a skirmish, inducing the Chu fleet to chase; he then caught the Chu fleet in an ambush and defeated it, forcing the Chu forces to withdraw.

In 930, Liu Yan sent his generals Liang Kezhen (梁克貞) and Li Shoufu (李守鄜) to attack Jiao Prefecture; they captured it and took Khuc Thua My (曲承美, son and successor of Khuc Hao) captive, taking (for the time being) Jinghai Circuit (靜海, Vietnamese: Tĩnh Hải, headquartered at Jiao Prefecture) under Southern Han control and ending the control of the circuit by the Khúc family. Liang further advanced to Champa and pillaged it of its treasure. Liu stationed his general Li Jin (李進) at Jiao Prefecture to defend it.

The Southern Han hold on Jinghai would not last long, however. After the fall of the Khúcs, Dương Đình Nghệ the prefect of Ai Prefecture (愛州, Vietnamese: Ai châu, in modern Thanh Hóa Province, Vietnam) built up a personal army of 3,000 adoptive sons, wanting to take control of Jinghai. Although Li knew about this, he did nothing as he was receiving regular bribes from Dương. In 931, Duong put Jiao Prefecture under siege. Liu Yan sent the general Cheng Bao (程寶) to try to lift the siege, but before Cheng could get there, the city fell. Li fled back to Xingwang, where Liu put him to death. Cheng tried to recapture Jiao Prefecture, but Yang defeated and killed him in battle.

In 932, Liu Yan created his 19 sons as imperial princes.

In 934, Empress Ma died.

Also in 934, Liu Yan allowed his then-surviving oldest son Liu Hongdu the Prince of Qin (Liu Hongdu's older brothers Liu Yaoshu and Liu Guitu having died earlier) to form a guard force of his own, but these guard ranks were filled with hoodlums that Liu Hongdu was close to. When Yang Dongqian tried to speak on this matter to advise Liu Yan to curb Liu Hongdu's activities, as Liu Hongdu was commonly regarded as the heir, Liu Yan refused to listen. When Yang subsequently observed the guards pillage gold and silk from merchants and the merchants' fear causing them not to report the matter, Yang lamented, "If the rule is as troubled as this, what is a chancellor for?" He thus claimed an illness and retired to his mansion. Liu Yan subsequently never against summoned Yang for any audiences, and Yang eventually died at his home without returning to chancellorship.

Late reign

In 936, Liu Yan sent his general Sun Dewei (孫德威) to attack Chu's Meng (蒙州, in modern Wuzhou, Guangxi) and Gui (桂州, in modern Guilin, Guangxi). When Chu's prince Ma Xifan (Ma Yin's son) personally went to Gui Prefecture to defend against the attack, Sun withdrew.

In 937, Dương Đình Nghệ was killed by his general Kiều Công Tiễn (矯公羨), who took over Jinghai. In 938, when another former general of Duong's, Ngô Quyền (吳權), rose at Ai Prefecture and subsequently attacked Jiao Prefecture, Kieu Cong Tien sought aid from Southern Han. Liu Yan wanted to use this opportunity to take over Jinghai again, so he commissioned his son Liu Hongcao as the military governor of Jinghai and changed his title to Prince of Jiao, having him command an army to head to Jiao Prefecture while Liu Yan himself commanded a follow-up army. By the time that Liu Hongcao was approaching Jiao Prefecture, however, Wu had already defeated and killed Kieu Cong Tien and occupied Jiao Prefecture. When Liu Hongcao prepared to attack, Wu set a trap for him—setting large wooden planks covered with iron into the tidal zone, such that when Liu Hongcao attacked at high tide, the planks were invisible, but when the tide fell, the Southern Han ships became stuck on the planks and unable to move. Ngo then counterattacked, killing more than half of the Southern Han soldiers, including Liu Hongcao. Liu Yan, hearing the news, cried bitterly and withdrew his own fleet. (This became known as the Battle of Bạch Đằng River.)

In 939, Zhao Guangyi, pointing out that there had not been any emissaries sent between Southern Han and Chu after Empress Ma's death and that the two states, related by marriage, should be friendly to each other, recommended the official Li Shu (李紓) as an appropriate emissary. Liu Yan agreed, and after Li visited Chu, Chu also sent emissaries to Southern Han, reestablishing relations between the two states. Despite this, in 941, Liu Yan sent an emissary to Later Jin's Emperor Gaozu (whose Later Jin state had earlier taken over Later Tang's territory) seeking a military alliance where they would attack Chu and divide its territory; the Later Jin emperor declined.

In 942, Liu Yan grew seriously ill. He considered both of his oldest surviving sons, Liu Hongdu and Liu Hongxi the Prince of Jin, to be arrogant and unrestrained, and considered a younger son, Liu Hongchang the Prince of Yue, to be an appropriate successor. He thus considered sending Liu Hongdu and Liu Hongxi out of the capital and making Liu Hongchang his heir. However, the official Xiao Yi (蕭益) persuaded him that bypassing older sons would cause disturbances, and so Liu Yan did not carry out this plan. He soon died, and Liu Hongdu became emperor (as Emperor Shang).

The Zizhi Tongjian, summarizing the opinions from other sources, commented about Liu Yan's reign:

Personal information

• Father

　• Liu Zhiqian or Liu Qian, posthumously honored Emperor Shengwu with the temple name of Daizu ).

• Mother

　• Lady Duan, Liu Zhiqian's concubine ).

• Wife

　• Empress Ma, daughter of Ma Yin, the prince of Chu:

• Major Concubine

　• Consort Zhao, mother of Prince Hongdu, later consort dowager.

• Children

　• Liu Yaoshu (劉耀樞), the Prince of Yong (created 932), died early

　• Liu Guitu (劉龜圖), the Prince of Kang (created 932), died early

　• Liu Hongdu (劉弘度), later renamed Liu Bin, initially the Prince of Bin (created 932), later the Prince of Qin (created 932), later emperor

　• Liu Hongxi (劉弘熙), later renamed Liu Sheng, the Prince of Jin (created 932), later emperor

　• Liu Hongchang (劉弘昌), the Prince of Yue (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 944)

　• Liu Hongbi (劉弘弼), the Prince of Qi (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongya (劉弘雅), the Prince of Shao (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 945)

　• Liu Hongze (劉弘澤), the Prince of Zhen (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 944)

　• Liu Hongcao (劉弘操), initially the Prince of Wan (created 932), later the Prince of Jiao (created and killed in battle 938).

　• Liu Honggao (劉弘杲), the Prince of Xun (born 923, created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 943).

　• Liu Hongwei (劉弘暐), the Prince of En (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongmiao (劉弘邈), the Prince of Gao (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 954 '''

　• Liu Hongjiǎn (劉弘簡) (note different tone than his brother), the Prince of Tong (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongjiàn (劉弘建) (note different tone than his brother), the Prince of Yi (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongji (劉弘濟), the Prince of Bian (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongdao (劉弘道), the Prince of Gui (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongzhao (劉弘照), the Prince of Yi (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

　• Liu Hongzheng (劉弘政), the Prince of Tong (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 955)

　• Liu Hongyi (劉弘益), the Prince of Ding (created 932, killed by Liu Sheng 947)

生平

祖父劉安仁為蔡州上蔡（今河南上蔡）人，遷居福建，以經商為生，又因為生意需要，遷居嶺南，生劉知謙。唐朝末年，知謙從軍，受到當時的南海軍節度使韋宙賞識，與韋的姪女韋氏結婚，生下劉隱、劉臺兩個兒子。黃巢之亂出征有功，882年任封州刺史。

劉知謙後來又私納小妾段氏，生下劉巖。正妻韋氏大怒，殺了段氏，但未忍傷害還是嬰兒的劉巖，抱回家中和自己的兩個兒子一起撫育。劉巖長大之後，聰慧又擅長武藝，且精通占卜算命之術，但又天性苛酷，每視殺人則喜，人皆以為蛟蜃化身。

知謙死後，長子劉隱擁兵自重，克肇慶、番禺（今屬廣州），割據嶺南地區，逐漸坐大，但劉隱向後梁稱臣納貢，後梁封為南海王，乾化元年（911年），劉隱還沒來得及稱帝，就因病在本郡去世，諡襄王。

劉隱有子，但劉巖篡奪其位，自命為留後，又襲位交趾節度使，其後又襲封南海王稱號。劉隱死後六年（917年），劉巖在番禺稱帝，建國號為「大越」， 改元為「乾亨」，定都番禺（今日廣州市）。次年，劉巖自稱是漢朝皇室的後裔，為了表示自己建國是恢復昔日的漢家天下，于是又改國號為「大漢」，史稱南漢。

後唐同光四年（926年），劉巖取《周易》中「飛龍在天」之意，改名為「劉龑」。據說他原先為自己改名為「劉龔」，後才自創一「龑」字。劉䶮生平最喜歡殺人，還發明了諸多酷刑，每次行刑，他會到現場觀摩，往往是看得口水直流。又喜奢侈，盡收國中珍寶，所築宮殿也是金玉裝飾，朝夕染香，窮奢至極。

越南也是在劉䶮手上開始漸漸脫離中國。安南地區雖然是靜海軍轄地，但是在南漢建立前後一直由曲氏所占據。當南漢建立後與後梁斷絕關係，曲承美私下向後梁上表，求得了靜海軍節度使，視南漢為偽朝。所以劉䶮一直想要滅掉曲承美，大有三年（930年），劉䶮派遣李守鄘和梁克貞帶大軍攻打交趾，曲承美戰敗被俘，劉䶮見到他說：「你不是一直說朕的大漢是偽朝嗎？現在反而被朕所縛，何也？」曲承美無話可說，只能頓首告罪，劉䶮赦免其罪。梁克貞帶兵繼續向南進發，攻克了占城，曲承美部下紛紛投降，任曲氏部下楊廷藝為愛州刺史，自己帶兵回朝。大有四年（931年），楊廷藝反叛，率兵攻打交州，交州刺史李進不敵，逃回番禺，劉䶮派遣程寶前來攻打楊廷藝，反而在戰場上被楊廷藝所殺。此後楊廷藝自稱交州節度使，但他擔心南漢再次攻打自己，就上書臣服了南漢，劉䶮也覺得沒有再大動幹戈的必要，就接受了這個既定的事實。大有十年（937年），楊廷藝被部下矯公羨所殺，隨機矯公羨向南漢上表稱臣，但沒多久，楊廷藝的另一個手下，也是楊廷藝的女婿吳權打敗了矯公羨。劉䶮見交州內亂，想著趁機占領交州，就封自己的兒子劉弘操為交王，讓他出兵白藤江，自己親率後軍駐紮在海門，吳權擊敗了南漢軍，殺了劉弘操。劉䶮見前方失利，就收兵回朝。隨後吳權在交州稱王，建立了吳朝，之後越南絕大部分是以附屬國的身份臣服中原政權，而不是直接屬于中國的一部分。

被越南軍隊擊敗的劉䶮回朝後沒有繼續攻打吳權，此時的劉䶮已經在位20年，銳氣全無，繼續耽于享樂。劉䶮比較喜歡自己恭敬孝順的第五個兒子劉弘昌，想立他為嗣，但又擔心于廢長立幼的危害。他雖然此時已經年過五十，但身體強健，無病無痛，認為自己還很長壽，所以想把繼承人的問題暫緩時日。然而天有不測風雲，大有十五年（942年），劉䶮突然染上了一場重病，眼看自己快要不行了，他招來左僕射王翻，和他說：「老三弘度，老四弘熙，雖然年長，但始終不能任大事。老五弘昌，比較像朕，朕早就想立為太子，但一直下不了決心，朕子孫不肖，恐怕將來子孫骨肉紛爭。就像鼠入牛角，越斗越小啊！」說道這裡，哭泣不已，王翻建議劉䶮立弘昌，將弘度弘熙調離外鎮。劉䶮深以為然，準備如是發詔，恰巧此時蕭益此時來問安，勸他放棄此想法，劉䶮瞬間沒了主意，蹉跎猶豫了幾日，沒想到直接病死了，享年五十四歲。南漢的命運正如劉䶮死前所預料的那樣，他的繼承人全是昏庸好殺之輩，劉弘度繼承了大位，比他父親劉䶮還要奢侈。沒過多久劉弘度就被其弟劉弘熙所殺。劉弘熙自立為帝，為了防止流言蜚語，設立嚴刑峻法，擔心自己的兄弟會像他一樣造反，將自己的弟弟一個個加害，劉䶮十九子，除了劉弘熙自己以外，全部被殺害。

身世爭議

史載劉安仁原籍河南上蔡。但劉華的墓誌稱家族出于東晉時南渡的彭城劉氏，「而家于五羊，今為封州賀水（註：五羊即廣州，賀水亦在廣東）人也」。藤田豐八在1935年考證，認為他是大食商人後裔，從西亞到福建泉州，謊稱河南上蔡籍，而唐宋蕃客中劉姓多為伊斯蘭的穆斯林。

藤田氏此說遭桑原騭藏質疑。桑原認為，關于宋元祐間廣州蕃坊娶宗女的劉姓人為阿拉伯人的說法，不能用以証明南漢劉氏是阿拉伯人的後裔，相反，宋元祐間廣州蕃客的劉姓，可能是南漢所賜。陳寅恪在1939年撰文《劉復愚遺文中年月及其不祀祖問題》考證，「家世無九品之官，四海無強大之親，父子俱以儒學進仕至中書舍人禮部尚書，而不祭祀先祖，及籍貫紛歧，而俱賈胡（註：通商的胡人）僑寄之地三端，推証之如此」。

家庭

后妃

• 馬皇后

• 趙昭儀（殤帝劉玢母，殤帝立，封為皇太妃）

• 蘇才人

姬侍

• 尚儀謝宜清

子女

子

• 邕王 劉耀樞，早夭

• 康王 劉龜圖，早夭

• 殤帝 劉弘度，943年被劉晟所殺

• 中宗 劉弘熙（劉晟）

• 越王 劉弘昌，944年被劉晟所殺

• 齊王 劉弘弼，947年被劉晟所殺

• 韶王 劉弘雅，945年被劉晟所殺

• 鎮王 劉弘澤，944年被劉晟所殺

• 萬王 劉弘操，938年戰死

• 循王 劉弘杲，943年被劉晟所殺

• 息王 劉弘暐，947年被劉晟所殺

• 高王 劉弘邈，954年被劉晟所殺

• 同王 劉弘簡，947年被劉晟所殺

• 益王 劉弘建，947年被劉晟所殺

• 辨王 劉弘濟，947年被劉晟所殺

• 貴王 劉弘道，947年被劉晟所殺

• 宣王 劉弘昭，947年被劉晟所殺

• 通王 劉弘政，955年被劉晟所殺

• 定王 劉弘益，947年被劉晟所殺