Liu Biao

劉表
Courtesy name: Jingsheng (景升)
Born
142
Died
208
Ancestral home
Gaoping, Shanyang (Zoucheng, Shandong)
Book mentions
179
Roles:
noble politician warlord
Factions:
Han dynasty Liu Biao (primary)
Relationships:
Liu Cong Son
Liu Qi Son
Lady Cai Wife
Lady Chen Wife
Links:
Appears in 35 chapters:
  • Chapter 6 — Burning The Capital, Dong Zhuo Commits An Atrocity; Hiding The Imperial Hereditary Seal, Sun Jian Breaks Faith.
    Liu Biao; called on by Yuan Shao to bar Sun Jian's road home. Sends Kuai Yue and Cai Mao with 10,000 troops; the engagement makes the Liu-Sun feud permanent.
  • Chapter 7 — Yuan Shao Fights Gongsun Zan At The River Pan; Sun Jian Attacks Liu Biao Across The Great River.
    Liu Biao; receives Yuan Shao's letter denouncing Sun Jian and sends Huang Zu to harass Sun Jian's crossing - provoking the campaign that ends with Sun Jian dead in the western hills near Xiangyang.
  • Chapter 8 — Wang Yun Prepares The Chaining Scheme; Dong Zhuo Rages At Phoenix Pavilion.
    Liu Biao; receives Sun Ce's exchange terms and returns Sun Jian's coffin.
  • Chapter 15 — Taishi Ci Fights With The Young Overlord; Sun Ce Cuts Short The White Tiger King.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the regional power roll.
  • Chapter 16 — In The Camp Gate, Lu Bu Shoots The Halberd; At River Yu, Cao Cao Suffers A Defeat.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the regional roll.
  • Chapter 17 — Yuan Shu Marches Out Seven Armies; Cao Cao And Three Generals Join Forces.
    Backs Zhang Xiu's ravaging of Nanyang and Jiangling - the alliance that pulls Cao Cao's army south while Shouchun still smokes.
  • Chapter 18 — Giving Counsels, Jia Xu Directs A Great Victory; Braving Battlefield, Xiahou Dun Loses An Eye.
    Answers Zhang Xiu's call and blocks the retreat at Anzhong - into Cao Cao's pass ambush. Burned once, he refuses Jia Xu's paradoxical second pursuit and misses the victory, then goes home to Jingzhou to play lips to Zhang Xiu's teeth.
  • Chapter 19 — Cao Cao Makes Flood In Xiapi; Lu Bu Perishes At The White Gate Tower.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the regional roll.
  • Chapter 21 — In A Plum Garden, Cao Cao Discusses Heroes; Using The Host's Forces, Guan Yu Takes Xuzhou.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the regional roll.
  • Chapter 23 — Mi Heng Slips His Garment And Rails At Traitors; Ji Ping Pledges To Kill The Prime Minister.
    Liu Biao; receives Mi Heng from Cao Cao and, knowing the trap, passes him on to Huang Zu, where Mi Heng is killed for the same insolence.
  • Chapter 28 — Putting Cai Yang To Death, The Brothers' Doubts Disappear; Meeting At Gucheng, Lord and Lieges Fortify Each Other.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the regional roll.
  • Chapter 29 — The Little Chief Of The South Slays Yu Ji; The Green Eyed Boy Lays Hold On The South Land.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the southern strategic roll.
  • Chapter 31 — Cao Cao Overcomes Yuan Shao In Cangting; Liu Bei Seeks Shelter With Liu Biao In Jingzhou.
    Overrules Cai Mao's kill-the-messenger counsel - 'I have decided, and you need say no more' - rides ten miles beyond Jingzhou to welcome Liu Bei, and lodges him in his own residence.
  • Chapter 32 — Jizhou Taken: Yuan Shang Strives; River Zhang Cut: Xun You Schemes.
    The target of Cao Cao's southern feint: he puts Liu Bei out front at Xiping and never has to fight - Xun You's council verdict ('quietly content between the Zhang and the Han, no ambition to enlarge his borders') tells the reader why the north comes first.
  • Chapter 33 — A Gallant Warrior, Cao Pi Marries Lady Zhen; An Expiring Star, Guo Jia Settles Liaodong.
    Writes the two peacemaker letters on Liu Bei's advice - scolding Yuan Tan for crooking the knee to the enemy and warning Yuan Shang about the hound and the hare - while committing Jingzhou to defense and nothing more.
  • Chapter 34 — Behind The Screen, Lady Cai Overhears A Secret; Across The Tan Torrent, The Dilu Horse Carries Its Master.
    Liu Biao; pressed by his second wife Lady Cai and her brother Cai Mao to make their son Liu Cong (not Liu Qi) the heir; the chapter is the long mid-court intrigue scene. Lady Cai's eavesdropping on Liu Biao's heir conversation with Liu Bei begins the plot to remove him.
  • Chapter 35 — Liu Bei Meets A Recluse At Nanzhang; Shan Fu Sees A Noble Lord At Xinye.
    Reads Liu Bei's letter, hears out Sun Qian, and orders Cai Mao's execution on the spot - 'how dare you try to hurt my brother!' - relenting only at his wife's prayers and Sun Qian's warning; he sends his elder son Liu Qi to Xinye to apologize in his name.
  • Chapter 36 — Shan Fu's Strategy: Fankou Is Captured; Xu Shu's Affection: Zhuge Liang Is Recommended.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - Liu Bei's nominal lord.
  • Chapter 38 — Zhuge Liang Plans For The Three Kingdoms; Sun Quan Attacks Xiakou To Take Revenges.
    Liu Biao; named in passing as Liu Bei's nominal lord.
  • Chapter 39 — At Jingzhou, The Son Of Liu Biao Thrice Begs Advice; At Bowang Slope, The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.
    Summons Liu Bei to plan vengeance for Huang Zu and instead offers him everything - 'after I am gone you will have this region' - an offer declined on the spot. He frets over Cao Cao's naval drills, and lets Liu Qi take three thousand soldiers to Jiangxia only when Liu Bei endorses it.
  • Chapter 40 — Lady Cai Renounces Jingzhou; Zhuge Liang Burns Xinye.
    Dying, he begs Liu Bei to administer the region and guard his orphans - his true testament names Liu Qi heir under Liu Bei's guardianship. The Cai faction seals his doors, turns his elder son away from the deathbed, and he dies with piercing shrieks, calling for the boy who was never let in.
  • Chapter 41 — Liu Bei Leads His People Over The River; Zhao Zilong Rescues The Child Lord At Dangyang.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - long dead by this point.
  • Chapter 42 — Screaming Zhang Fei Triumphs At Long Slope Bridge; Defeated Liu Bei Marches To Hanjin.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - long dead.
  • Chapter 43 — Zhuge Liang Disputes With The Southern Scholars; Lu Su Denounces The Majority Opinion.
    Liu Biao; named in passing.
  • Chapter 51 — Cao Ren Withstands The South Land; Zhuge Liang Angers Zhou Yu.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - long dead.
  • Chapter 52 — Zhuge Liang Negotiates With Lu Su; Zhao Zilong Captures Guiyang.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - long dead.
  • Chapter 53 — Guan Yu Releases Huang Zhong; Sun Quan Fights With Zhang Liao.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - dead.
  • Chapter 54 — The Dowager Marchioness Sees Her Son-In-Law; The Imperial Uncle Takes A Worthy Consort.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - dead.
  • Chapter 56 — Cao Cao Feasts In The Bronze Bird Tower; Zhuge Liang Provokes Zhou Yu A Third Time.
    Liu Biao; named in passing.
  • Chapter 57 — Sleeping Dragon Mourns In Chaisang; Young Phoenix Intervenes At Leiyang.
    Named in the threnody's second lament - the guard of distant Baqiu 'putting fear into the heart of Liu Biao.'
  • Chapter 61 — In The River, Zhao Zilong Recovers Liu Shan; With One Letter, Sun Quan Repulses Cao Cao.
    Liu Biao; named in passing - long dead.
  • Chapter 62 — The Taking Of River Fu Pass, Yang Huai and Gao Pei Perish; The Siege Of Luocheng, Huang Zhong and Wei Yan Rival.
    Liu Biao; named in passing.
  • Chapter 68 — Gan Ning's Hundred Horsemen Raid The Northern Camp; Zuo Ci's Flung-Down Cup Fools Cao Cao.
    Liu Biao; named in passing.
  • Chapter 93 — Jiang Wei Goes Over To Zhuge Liang; Zhuge Liang Reviles Wang Lang.
    Liu Biao; named in passing in the oration.
  • Chapter 120 — Recommending Du Yu, An Old General Offers New Plans; Capturing Of Sun Hao, Three Kingdoms Becomes One.
    Liu Biao; named in passing.