Background
Liu Zixun was born in 456, as Emperor Xiaowu's third son. His mother Consort Chen carried the rank Shuyuan (淑媛), the fifth rank for imperial consorts. He was Emperor Xiaowu's third son. In 460, at age four, Emperor Xiaowu created him the Prince of Jin'an, and starting in 463, he started to be rotated as a provincial governor, with staff members in actual charge of the administration of the provinces. He was said to be unfavored by Emperor Xiaowu because he had an eye illness.
In 464, Emperor Xiaowu died and was succeeded by Liu Zixun's violent and impulsive older brother Liu Ziyi (as Emperor Qianfei). Emperor Qianfei, apprehensive of actual or potential threats to his authority, soon slaughtered a number of high level officials as well as his main former rival as his father's heir, his brother Liu Ziluan (劉子鸞) the Prince of Xin'an. He then saw that both his grandfather Emperor Wen and his father Emperor Xiaowu were third-born sons, and he became alarmed at that fact, and he became even more alarmed when his uncle and brother-in-law He Mai (何邁) made a failed attempt to overthrow him and put Liu Zixun on the throne. In 465, he sent poison with his attendant Zhu Jingyun (朱景雲) to Liu Zixun's post at Jiang Province (江州, modern Jiangxi and Fujian), to force Liu Zixun to commit suicide. However, as Zhu approached the capital of Jiang Province, Xunyang (尋陽, in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi), he intentionally slowed down, and upon hearing this, Liu Zixun's staff, led by his chief of staff Deng Wan (鄧琬), declared a rebellion in Liu Zixun's name and sought support from other provinces. Quickly, his brother Liu Zisui (劉子綏) the Prince of Anlu, then the governor of Ying Province (郢州, modern eastern Hubei), declared for him. 10 days later, around the new year 466, however, Emperor Qianfei was assassinated by his attendants, and the officials supported his uncle Liu Yu the Prince of Xiangdong as emperor (as Emperor Ming).
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