Liu Zhongli 柳仲禮

Liu Zhongli 柳仲禮 (c. 550) was a high minister of the Liang dynasty 梁 (502-557), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589).

His ancestors hailed from Jiexian 解縣 in the commandery of Hedong 河東 (today's Linyi 臨猗, Shanxi). Liu Zhongli was brave and daring. He was Assistant Editorial Director of the Palace Library (zhuzuo zuolang 著作佐郎), General of Flashing Authority (dianwei jiangjun 電威將軍), regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of the province of Sizhou 司州, and was invested as Marquis of the District of Yangquan 陽泉縣侯. For his victory over He Basheng 賀拔勝 (d. 544) of the Western Wei empire 西魏 (535-556) at Xianyang 襄陽, he was made Gentleman of the Palace Gate (huangmen lang 黃門郎).

During the rebellion of Hou Jing 侯景 (503-552), in 548, he commanded a unit for the defence of the capital Jiankang 建康 (Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu), but he did chose not to fight, and surrendered to the rebel. Later on, he switched his allegiance to Xiao Yi 蕭繹, the Prince of Xiangdong 湘東 (the eventual Emperor Yuan 梁元帝, r. 552-554), who made him regional inspector of Yongzhou 雍州. During the defence of the city of Xiangyang 襄陽 in central China, Liu was captured by the army of the Western Wei under the command of Yang Zhong 楊忠 (507-568).