Liu Yilong 劉義隆, Emperor Wen of the Song Dynasty 宋文帝

Emperor Wen Emperor Wen 文皇帝 (r. 424-453), personal name Liu Yilong 劉義隆 (407-453) was the third son of Emperor Wu 宋武帝 (r. 420-422), and the third emperor of the Liu-Song dynasty 劉宋 (420-479), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 (420-589). His mother was Lady Hu 胡婕好 (see female offices). Unlike his oldest brother, the heir apparent, who was more interested in martial arts, Yilong was interested in the Classics and literature. In 415, he was invested as District Duke of Pengcheng 彭城縣公. Five years later, he became the Prince of Yidu 宜都王 and was nominally appointed General Defending the West (zhenxi jiangjun 鎮西將軍) and regional inspector (cishi 刺史) of Jingzhou 荊州, in concurrence with the function of Commander-in-Chief (dudu 都督).

In 424, the regents Xu Xianzhi 徐羨之 (364-426) and Fu Liang 傅亮 (374-426) decided to dethrone Liu Yifu 劉義符 (Emperor Shaodi 宋少帝, r. 422-424) and received Liu Yilong at the court in Jiankang 建康 (today's Nanjing 南京, Jiangsu) to offer him the reign of the empire (r. 424-453). Yilong chose the reign-motto Yuanjia 元嘉.

Unlike his older brother, Yilong was an energetic ruler who tried to re-strengthen the central government with the help of the imperial princes, mainly his brothers Liu Yikang 劉義康 (409-451), the Prince of Pengcheng 彭城王, and Liu Yigong 劉義恭 (413-465), the Prince of Jiangxia 江夏王. In 426, he ordered the execution of Xu Xianzhi and Fu Liang on the grounds of having murdered the former emperor. In 429, Emperor Wen's son Liu Shao 劉劭 (424-453) was nominated Heir Apparent. In 436, he had the successful commander Tan Daoji 檀道濟 (394-436), regional inspector of Jiangzhou 江州, killed for fear he might try to usurp the throne. Shortly later, Liu Yikang, who was Overseer of the Imperial Secretariat (lu shangshu shi 錄尚書事) and thus the regent, did attempt to depose Liu Yilong, and was demoted to the post of late Tan Daoji. Liu Yigong was elevated to the status of regent. In 445, the Household Administrator of the Heir Apparent (taizi zhanshi 太子詹事), Fan Ye 范曄 (398-445), planned a revolt to enthrone Liu Yikang, but the plot was revealed, and Liu Yikang was demoted to the status of a commoner.

The otherwise peaceful and stable reign of Liu Yilong, with a flourishing economy and blooming scholarship, was critically endangered in 450, when the Northern Wei dynasty 北魏 (386-534) launched a massive military campaign and advanced south of the Huai River 淮河 region until Guabu 瓜埠 (modern name 瓜埠; close to present-day Luhe 六合, Jiangsu). To finance the defensive war, Liu Yilong reduced official salaries by a third and taxed rich households and the Buddhist clergy. General Wang Xuanmo 王玄謨 (388-468) launched a counter-attack to the Guanzhong region 關中, but he did not advance very far, and blew off the campaign.

In 453, Liu Yilong was killed by his own son. He is buried in Changning Tomb 長寧陵 (near Nanjing). His posthumous title was at first Emperor Jing 宋景皇帝 and his temple name Emperor Zhongzong 宋中宗. The better-known posthumous title, Emperor Wen, was only bestowed when Emperor Xiaowu 宋孝武皇帝 (r. 453-464) acceded to the throne. He also changed Liu Yilong's temple name to Emperor Taizu 宋太祖.