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Liu Yifu 劉義符, the Infant Emperor of the Song Dynasty 宋少帝

May 14, 2025 © Ulrich Theobald

Liu Yifu 劉義符 (406-424; Emperor Shaodi 宋少帝, r. 422-424), childhood name Chebing 車兵, was the oldest son of Liu Yu 劉裕 (Emperor Wu 宋武王, r. 420-422), the founder of the Liu-Song dynasty 劉宋 (420-479), and the second emperor of the Liu-Song. His mother was Lady Zhang 張夫人 (see female offices). As a strong boy and good in music, he was made Liu Yu's heir at the age of 10 sui. In 418, Yifu was nominated Royal Heir Apparent of Liu Yu as King of Song, and a year later, with the foundation of the imperial dynasty of the Song, as Imperial Heir Apparent.

In 422, Liu Yu died, leaving his underage son under the regency of Minister of Works (sikong 司空), Xu Xianzhi 徐羨之 (364-426), and the Director of the Imperial Secretariat (shangshu ling 尚書令), Fu Liang 傅亮 (374-426). A year later, Liu Yifu proclaimed the reign motto Jingping 景平.

Yet the regents felt that Yifu was too childish and not serious enough to take over the duties of a ruler; they dethroned him, made him Prince of Yingyang 營陽王 and held him in arrest in the commandery of Wujun 吳郡 far from the capital Jiankang 建康 (today's Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu). The regents enthroned Yifu's younger brother Liu Yilong 劉義隆 (407-453; known as Emperor Wen 文皇帝, r. 424-453), and shortly later, Liu Yifu was killed by Xing Antai 邢安泰, a drafter in the Palace Secretariat (zhongshu sheren 中書舍人). Historians call Liu Yifu the Infant Emperor (Song Shaodi 宋少帝).

Sources:
Chen Quanli 陳全力, and Hou Xinyi 侯欣一, eds. 1988. Diwang cidian 帝王辭典, 92. Xi'an: Shaanxi renmin jiaoyu chubanshe.
Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, and Yang Youli 楊有禮, eds. 1994. Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典, 215. Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe.