Liu Wu (Chinese: 劉悟) (died September 25, 825[1]), formally the Prince of Pengcheng (彭城王), was a Chinese military general, monarch, and politician during the Tang dynasty, whose killing of his superior, the warlord Li Shidao, and subsequent submission to the imperial government, were the high point of Emperor Xianzong's campaign to end warlordism.
His grandfather Liu Zhengchen (劉正臣) had served as the Tang military governor (jiedushi) of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, then headquartered in modern Chaoyang, Liaoning) during the Anshi Rebellion and combatted the army of the rebel Yan, but was unable to capture the Yan northern capital Fanyang before being poisoned by his own subordinate Wang Xuanzhi (王玄志).
"[2][9] After Tian Hongzheng the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) crossed the Yellow River and pressured Pinglu's capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州) directly in winter 818,[8] Liu stationed his army at Yanggu (陽穀, in modern Liaocheng, Shandong) to defend against Tian.
Li Shidao thus summoned Liu back to Yun Prefecture under the guise of a strategic meeting but planned to execute him.
After keeping Liu at Yun Prefecture for 10 days, Li Shidao ordered him to return to Yanggu and gave him gifts to try to secure his loyalty.
Liu then called a meeting with all of his officers, declaring that he was set to turn against Li Shidao and follow imperial orders.
Soon thereafter, Emperor Xianzong issued an edict commissioning Liu as the military governor of Yicheng Circuit (義成, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan).
Liu was surprised and decided to submit—and, as soon as he left the city, Tian, approaching with Weibo and other circuits' troops, met him and gave him the seals of the Yicheng governorship.
His brother Wang Chengyuan, fearing the fate of Li Shidao, offered to surrender the circuit's control to the imperial government.
Emperor Muzong, as a result, made a number of transfers of military governors around Chengde—transferring Tian to Chengde, Wang Chengyuan to Yicheng, Liu to Zhaoyi Circuit, and Li Su the military governor of Wuning Circuit (武寧, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu), and also making Tian's son Tian Bu the military governor of Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan).
If Sikong Li still is aware of this underground, I think he would laugh at you.Liu Wu thanked Jia for his honest advice and did not kill Liu Chengjie, but instead only kept him under arrest.
Emperor Muzong subsequently gave Liu Wu the honorary title of acting Situ (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies, as Sikong was).
It was said that after this incident, Liu Wu became arrogant and no longer obedient of the imperial government, often gathering bandits to serve under his command.