Emperor Ming of Song

Names
	Liú Yù (劉彧); courtesy name: Xiubing (休炳); Childhood name: Rongqi (榮期)
Era dates
	Tàishǐ (泰始): 465-471; Tàiyù (泰豫): 472;
Posthumous name
	Emperor Ming (明皇帝)
Temple name
	Taizong (太宗)

Emperor Ming of Song
宋明帝
Emperor Ming of Song ; 宋明帝
Emperor of Liu Song
Reign	1 January 466 – 10 May 472
Predecessor	Emperor Qianfei
Successor	Emperor Houfei
Pretender	Liu Zixun (from 7 February 466 to 19 September 466)
Born	Liu Rongqi (劉榮期); 9 December 439
Died	10 May 472 (aged 32); Jiankang, Liu Song
Burial	Gaoning Mausoleum (高寧陵)
Consorts	Empress Minggong
Issue	Liu Yu; Liu Zhun; Princess Jinling; Princess Jian'an; Princess Yangxian
Names
Names
	Liú Yù (劉彧); courtesy name: Xiubing (休炳); Childhood name: Rongqi (榮期)
Era dates
	Tàishǐ (泰始): 465-471; Tàiyù (泰豫): 472;
Posthumous name
	Emperor Ming (明皇帝)
Temple name
	Taizong (太宗)
Father	Emperor Wen
Mother	Empress Dowager Xuan

Emperor Ming of Liu Song ((劉)宋明帝; 9 December 439^[1] – 10 May 472^[2]), personal name Liu Yu (劉彧), courtesy name Xiubing (休炳), childhood name Rongqi (榮期), was an emperor of the Chinese Liu Song dynasty. He became emperor after his violent and impulsive nephew Liu Ziye was assassinated in January 466, as he was regarded as more lenient and open-minded at first. However, he soon turned cruel and suspicious as well after becoming emperor, and during his reign, his nephews and brothers were nearly all slaughtered on his orders. This greatly weakened the Liu Song dynasty and contributing to its fall in 479, just seven years after his death.

^ According to Emperor Ming's biography in Book of Song, he was born on the wuyin day of the 10th month of the 16th year of the Yuanjia era of his father Liu Yilong's reign. This corresponds to 9 Dec 439 in the Julian calendar. (元嘉十六年十月戊寅生。) Song Shu, vol.08)
^ According to Emperor Ming's biography in Book of Song, he fell gravely ill on the jihai day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Taiyu era of his reign, and later died aged 34 (by East Asian reckoning) on the same day. This corresponds to 10 May 472 on the Julian calendar. [(泰豫元年四月)己亥，上大渐...。是日，上崩於景福殿，时年三十四] Song Shu, vol.08)

[1] According to Emperor Ming's biography in Book of Song, he was born on the wuyin day of the 10th month of the 16th year of the Yuanjia era of his father Liu Yilong's reign. This corresponds to 9 Dec 439 in the Julian calendar. (元嘉十六年十月戊寅生。) Song Shu, vol.08)

[2] According to Emperor Ming's biography in Book of Song, he fell gravely ill on the jihai day of the 4th month of the 1st year of the Taiyu era of his reign, and later died aged 34 (by East Asian reckoning) on the same day. This corresponds to 10 May 472 on the Julian calendar. [(泰豫元年四月)己亥，上大渐...。是日，上崩於景福殿，时年三十四] Song Shu, vol.08)

[1]

[2]