Liu Can (柳璨; died January 27, 906), courtesy name Zhaozhi (炤之 or 昭之), formally the Baron of Hedong (河東男), nicknamed Liu Qiezi (柳篋子, "Liu the File Folder"), was an official of the Chinese Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Emperor Zhaozong and Emperor Zhaozong's son Emperor Ai, near the end of the dynasty.
He was an associate of warlord Zhu Quanzhong, the military governor (jiedushi) of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan). He assisted Zhu in the process of usurping the Li family to seize the Tang throne. However, eventually, Zhu became impatient of the pace that Liu and his other associates Jiang Xuanhui (蔣玄暉) and Zhang Tingfan (張廷範) were taking in that process and became suspicious that they had turned against him. Zhu then executed Liu Can and all his associates.
Background
It is not known when Liu Can was born. His family claimed ancestry from the ruling house of the Spring and Autumn period state Lu — specifically, from the nobleman Liu Xiahui. The traceable ancestry of Liu Can's included officials of Northern Wei, the Sui dynasty, and the Tang dynasty. Liu Can's grandfather Liu Qi (柳器) was a cousin of the famed official and calligraphy Liu Gongquan, and his father was named Liu Zhongzun (柳仲遵); neither Liu Qi nor Liu Zhongzun were listed with any official titles. (Liu Can's biography in the Old Book of Tang gave alternative names of Liu Gongqi (柳公器) and Liu Zun (柳遵) for Liu Can's grandfather and father, respectively.) Liu Can had at least two younger brothers, Liu Yu (柳瑀) and Liu Jian (柳瑊).
Liu Can lost his father early, and, in his youth, was said to be poor but studious. For some time, he lived in a forest; during the day, he collected wood, while he studied at night using light from burning wood and leaves. It was said that he was straightforward in his personality, but this was looked down by his clansmen Liu Bi (柳璧) and Liu Ci (柳玼) (the grandsons of Liu Gongquan's brother Liu Gongchuo (柳公綽), himself a renowned official and general), who were prominent officials at the imperial court, and Liu Bi and Liu Ci did not even refer to him as a clansman.
Early career
During the Guanghua era (898–901) of Emperor Zhaozong, Liu passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class. He was considered an expert on the history of the Han dynasty and particularly impressed the imperial official Yan Rao (顏蕘). When Yan was put in charge of the imperial history institute, he then invited Liu to serve as a scholar under him. Believing that the earlier Tang historian Liu Zhiji was overly critical of ancient Confucian classics and history texts, Liu Can wrote a 10-volume work criticism Liu Zhiji's work and entitled it, Liu's Commentary on History (柳氏釋史), and this work was much praised by scholars. The imperial officials, impressed with his writing style, often asked him to draft petitions for them, causing him to gain the nickname of "Liu the File Folder" (柳篋子).
Emperor Zhaozong favored those who wrote well, and he initially treated Li Xi well, eventually making Li a chancellor in 895; however, the warlords Li Maozhen, Wang Xingyu, and Han Jian attacked the imperial capital Chang'an later in the year, killing Li Xi and another chancellor, Wei Zhaodu. Emperor Zhaozong was much saddened by Li Xi's death, and often wanted to seek another scholar of similar talent to Li Xi. Someone recommended Liu for his literary talent; Emperor Zhaozong thus summoned Liu to his presence and was impressed when Liu was able to write poems to his request. He soon thereafter made Liu an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi).
As chancellor
In spring 904, at the demand of the powerful warlord Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit, whose troops then controlled Chang'an, the leading chancellor Cui Yin was put to death. The next day, Emperor Zhaozong, citing Liu's talent, made Liu a chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), even though Liu still, even after the chancellor commission, carried the relatively low position of You Jianyi Daifu (右諫議大夫), an advisor at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), reflecting his lack of seniority. It was said that Liu's promotion to chancellorship after just less than four years of service in the imperial administration and was unprecedented in its quickness. He was therefore viewed lowly by his chancellor colleagues Pei Shu, Dugu Sun, and Cui Yuan, all of whom were senior officials.