Emperor Xiaowu of Song (宋孝武帝; 19 September 430 – 12 July 464), personal name Liu Jun (劉駿), courtesy name Xiulong (休龍), childhood name Daomin (道民), was an emperor of the Liu Song dynasty of China. He was a son of Emperor Wen. After his older brother Liu Shao assassinated their father in 453 and took the throne, he rose in rebellion and overthrew Liu Shao. He was generally regarded as a capable, but harsh and sexually immoral emperor. He curtailed the powers of the officials and imperial princes greatly during his reign.
Background
Liu Jun was born in 430, as Emperor Wen's third son. His mother, Consort Lu Huinan, was not one of Emperor Wen's favorite consorts, and he was also not much favored by his father. In 435, he was created the Prince of Wuling. In 439, at age nine, he was made the governor of Xiang Province (湘州, modern Hunan), and for the next several years he was rotated through the provinces, although he did not appear to be actually at all in charge until 445, when he was made the governor of Yong Province (雍州, modern northwestern Hubei and southwestern Henan), an important province militarily due to its location on the border with rival Northern Wei, and with Emperor Wen interested in recovering provinces lost to Northern Wei during the reign of his brother Emperor Shao, Yong was considered a key post. As his mother was not favored by the Emperor, she mostly accompanied him rather than stay at the palace in the capital Jiankang.
In 448, Liu Jun was made the governor of the equally important Xu Province (徐州, modern northern Jiangsu and northern Anhui), with its capital at Pengcheng, and it was there that he was involved in a major war between Liu Song and Northern Wei. In 450, with Emperor Wen's northern advances not only repelled by Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei, but with Northern Wei troops under Emperor Taiwu attacking south in retaliation, Northern Wei troops quickly reached Pengcheng. Liu Jun's uncle Liu Yigong () the Prince of Jiangxia, the commander of the northern troops, wanted to abandon Pengcheng, at the suggestion of Zhang Chang (), Liu Jun insisted on defending Pengcheng, and Liu Yigong gave up his plan to flee. Emperor Taiwu, after diplomatic parlaying at Pengcheng, continued advancing south, all the way to the Yangtze River, before withdrawing in 451. Despite holding Pengcheng, Liu Jun was slightly demoted after the war. (During the war, at the instigation of Liu Jun, his older brother Liu Shao the Crown Prince, and He Shangzhi (), Emperor Wen put his brother Liu Yikang, the former prime minister who had been deposed in 440, to death.) In 452, Liu Jun was sent to be the governor of South Yan Province (南兗州, modern central Jiangsu), and then of Jiang Province (江州, modern Jiangxi and Fujian).
Uprising against Liu Shao
In 452, Liu Shao and another brother, Liu Jun the Prince of Shixing (different character), were caught in a scandal where they had engaged a witch to curse Emperor Wen to death so Liu Shao could become emperor faster, and Emperor Wen was set on deposing them. Liu Shao, in 453, then led a coup d'etat and assassinated Emperor Wen, taking over as emperor himself. At this time, Liu Jun the Prince of Wuling was at Wuzhou (五洲, a small island on the Yangtze River in modern Huanggang, Hubei) preparing to attack rebellious aborigines in the region. His communications officer Dong Yuansi () arrived from Jiankang and informed him how Liu Shao had assassinated Emperor Wen, and he in turn had Dong inform it to his subordinates.
Meanwhile, Liu Shao wrote a secret letter to the general Shen Qingzhi (), who at the time was with Liu Jun. However, Shen had no intentions of following Liu Shao's orders, and after showing the letter to Liu Jun, ordered his troops to enter a state of emergency, preparing a major rebellion against Liu Shao. Meanwhile, Liu Jun's uncle Liu Yixuan () the Prince of Nanqiao and governor of Jing Province (荊州, modern Hubei), and Zang Zhi () the governor of Yong Province both refused Liu Shao's promotions as well and sent messengers to Liu Jun, requesting that he declare himself emperor. Liu Jun first returned to the capital of Jiang Province, Xunyang (尋陽, in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi), and then issued declarations requesting other governors to join him. Liu Yixuan and Zang Zhi soon arrived with their troops, and they quickly advanced toward Jiankang. Meanwhile, Liu Jun's brother Liu Dan () the Prince of Sui, the governor of Kuaiji Commandery along the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay, also declared support for Liu Jun.