Liu Jingxian
Chinese chancellor
Liu Jingxian (Chinese: 劉景先; died 689), né Liu Qixian (劉齊賢), was a Chinese politician of the Tang dynasty, serving as chancellor late in the reign of Emperor Gaozong and the subsequent regency of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Dowager Wu over their sons Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong. In 684, Liu offended Empress Dowager Wu by defending fellow chancellor Pei Yan against charges of treason. He was arrested and then exiled. He was rearrested in 689 and committed suicide by hanging.
Background
It is not known when Liu Qixian was born. His family was from what would become Wei Prefecture (魏州, part of modern Handan, Hebei). His grandfather Liu Linfu (劉林甫) served as a mid-level official under Tang dynasty's founder Emperor Gaozu and his son and successor Emperor Taizong, and carried the title of Baron of Leping, a title that Liu Qixian's father Liu Xiangdao inherited. Liu Xiangdao later served as chancellor during the reign of Emperor Taizong's son Emperor Gaozong and was created the Duke of Guangping. He died in 666, and Liu Qixian inherited the title.
During Emperor Gaozong's reign
Liu Qixian had, at one point, served as an assistant imperial censor, before becoming the military advisor to the prefect of Bing Prefecture (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi).
The public source identifies “Liu Jingxian” as chinese chancellor. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Jingxian, Chinese and chancellor.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Liu Jingxian”, the useful work is to connect “chinese chancellor” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1564669. VIAF identifies the subject as 10150202078203111557. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Liu Jingxian”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Liu Jingxian primary sources, Liu Jingxian archive and Jingxian research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Liu Jingxian”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Liu Jingxian” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.