Literature surrounding Liu Yu's northern expedition : Prose and poetry on the Jin-Song Revolution

In 416 AD, Liu Yu, the general of the Eastern Jin dynasty, suppressed the Yao-Qin dynasty in the north. After this victory, Liu Yu’s aim was to ensure a peaceful transfer of power (dynastic change) from the Eastern Jin dynasty to Liu Song dynasty. Therefore, a variety of cultural activities were conducted in addition to military actions. This paper examines the work of writers who accompanied the expedition and focuses on the following two points: first, the compilation of war records, such as Shu zheng ji and Xi zheng ji, and second, the composition of poetry by noblemen, such as Xie Lingyun and Xie Zhan. Many of the authors of war records were not famous, though they were writers with a wide range of knowledge. Their records illustrate that Liu Yu had already seized control of the north by recording the geography and tradition. On the other hand, the noblemen praised the success of the northern expedition using poetry. The poems depicted Liu Yu as a descendant of the royal family of the Han dynasty and claimed that he had an air of dignity suited to an emperor. Thus, during the course of the northern expedition, writers from different backgrounds praised Liu Yu’s achievements using a variety of genres to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. These writings also formed the basis for literature during the reign of the Liu-Song dynasty