Liu Wenhui was born in 1895 in Dayi County, Sichuan, and studied at the Baoding Military Academy, graduating in 1916.

With the province locked in internal struggles, no reinforcements were sent to support the Sichuan troops stationed in Xikang.

When a negotiated ceasefire failed, Tibet expanded the war attempting to capture parts of southern Qinghai province.

In 1932 Liu, in cooperation with the Qinghai army (Ma clique), sent out a brigade to attack the Tibetan troops in Garze and Xinlong, eventually re-occupying them, and all territories east of the Jinsha River.

[2] In 1932, during the Sino-Tibetan War, Liu drove the Tibetans back to the Yangtze River and even threatened to attack Chamdo.

During the fight with Communist forces while the Long March was in process, Chiang Kai-shek repeatedly ordered Liu to bring his troops against the Communists, but Liu made excuses, while secretly allowing safe passage for the Chinese Red Army in a non-aggression pact.

He made sure that his forces saw as little action as possible, while at the same time he was careful not to arouse the full wrath of Chiang Kai-shek, and thereby continued to reap the benefits of wearing the Nationalist mantle.