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Names
	Family name: Liú (劉); Given name: Chóng (崇), changed to Mín (旻) in 951
Era dates
	Qiányòu (乾祐), continued from Later Han's Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Yin; Year 4: 9 February 951 – 29 January 952; Year 5: 30 January 952 – 17 January 953; Year 6: 18 January 953 – 5 February 954; Year 7: 6 February 954 – 26 January 955
Posthumous name
	Emperor Shénwǔ (神武皇帝) (951)
Temple name
	Shìzǔ (世祖; "Generational Forefather")

Emperor Shizu of Northern Han
北漢世祖
Emperor Shizu of Northern Han; 北漢世祖
Emperor Shizu of (Northern) Han (more...)
1st emperor of Northern Han
Reign	951–954
Claimed predecessor	Liu Chengyou, nephew and last emperor of Later Han
Successor	Liu Chengjun (Emperor Ruizong), son
Born	895 or January 896; Tang dynasty
Died	954 (aged 59); Taiyuan, Northern Han dynasty (today's Taiyuan, Shanxi)
Issue	Liu Yun (劉贇), son; Liu Chengjun (劉承鈞), son; Liu Gao (劉鎬), son; Liu Kai (劉鍇), son; Liu Qi (劉錡), son; Liu Xi (劉錫), son; Liu Xian (劉銑), son; daughter, mother of Liu Ji'en and Liu Jiyuan;
Names
Names
	Family name: Liú (劉); Given name: Chóng (崇), changed to Mín (旻) in 951
Era dates
	Qiányòu (乾祐), continued from Later Han's Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Yin; Year 4: 9 February 951 – 29 January 952; Year 5: 30 January 952 – 17 January 953; Year 6: 18 January 953 – 5 February 954; Year 7: 6 February 954 – 26 January 955
Posthumous name
	Emperor Shénwǔ (神武皇帝) (951)
Temple name
	Shìzǔ (世祖; "Generational Forefather")
House	Liu
Dynasty	Northern Han
Father	Liu Dian (劉琠)
Mother	Lady An (安氏)

Liu Min (Chinese: 劉旻) (c. 895^{[note 1]} – 954^[1]), named Liu Chong (Chinese: 劉崇) before 951,^[1]^{[note 2]}, also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Northern Han, was the founding emperor of the Northern Han dynasty of China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. He was an ethnic Shatuo and the younger brother of the Later Han dynasty's founder Liu Zhiyuan (Emperor Gaozu).

Liu Chong created Northern Han in the Shatuo base in modern Shanxi after his eldest son was killed in 951 by general Guo Wei, who overthrew Later Han dynasty to establish the Later Zhou dynasty. In 954, Liu Chong was defeated by Guo's successor Chai Rong in the Battle of Gaoping and died soon afterwards.

Early life

The young Liu Chong drank and gambled and was once sentenced to join the military with his face tattooed.^[2]

During Later Jin

When Liu Zhiyuan became the military governor of Hedong (河東; roughly modern Shanxi), he named Liu Chong his chief director (都指揮使).^[2]

Formation of the Northern Han

Liu Min was the brother of Liu Zhiyuan, the founder of the Later Han state, which was the last of three successive Shatuo Turk dynasties. The Later Han fell in 950 with the rise of the Later Zhou. Liu Min declared himself the legitimate successor of the Later Han and formed the Northern Han (sometimes called Eastern Han) kingdom in Shanxi, the traditional power base of the Shatuo Turks.

Relations with neighbouring states

The kingdom was wedged between its two larger, more powerful neighbors, the Later Zhou to the south, and the Liao dynasty to the north. Liu Min restored traditional ties with the Liao, who served as protectors to the Northern Han, allowing it to last later than any of the other kingdoms traditionally listed as one of the Ten Kingdoms.

Family

Father
- Liu Dian (劉琠), posthumously honored Emperor Zhangsheng with the temple name of Xianzu
Mother
- Lady An, Lady Dowager of Wu, posthumously honored Empress Zhangyi
Wife
- Empress (name unknown)
Concubine
- Consort Wang (915-971)
Children
- Liu Chengyun or Liu Yun, the Duke of Xiangyin (created 951, killed by Guo Wei 951)
- Liu Chengjun (Liu Jun) (劉承鈞), later Emperor Ruizong
- Liu Hao (劉鎬), killed by Liu Jiyuan ~968
- Liu Kai (劉鍇), killed by Liu Jiyuan ~968
- Liu Qi (劉錡), killed by Liu Jiyuan ~968
- Liu Xí (劉錫, note different tone than his brother), killed by Liu Jiyuan ~968
- Liu Xǐ (劉銑, note different tone than his brother)
- At least three more sons
- Princess, mother of Liu Ji'en and Liu Jiyuan

Notes

^ ^a ^b From his date and Chinese age at death we can deduct that he was born some time between 30 January 895 and 18 January 896.
^ ^a ^b Many Chinese emperors changed their given names to rarely encountered characters to alleviate the burden of the populace who must observe naming taboo.

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Zizhi Tongjian, ch. 290.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wudai Shiji, ch. 70.

Sources

Xue, Juzheng; et al., eds. (974). 《五代史》 [History of the Five Dynasties] (in Literary Chinese).
Ouyang, Xiu (1073). 《五代史記》 [Historical Records of the Five Dynasties] (in Literary Chinese).
Sima, Guang (1086). 《資治通鑑》 [Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government] (in Literary Chinese).
Mote, F. W. (1999). Imperial China: 900–1800. Harvard University Press. pp. 11–15. ISBN 0-674-01212-7.

Regnal titles
Preceded by None (traditionally), claimed to be succeeding Liu Chengyou of Later Han	Emperor of Northern Han 951–954	Succeeded by Liu Chengjun (Emperor Ruizong)
	Emperor of China (Central Shanxi) 951–954	Succeeded by Liu Chengjun (Emperor Ruizong)