Liu Bei (Chinese: 劉備, pronunciationⓘ; Mandarin pronunciation: [ljǒʊ pêɪ]; 161 – 10 June 223),[3] courtesy name Xuande (玄德), was a Chinese warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty who later became the founding emperor of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. Despite early failings and lacking both the material resources and social status other warlords of his time commanded, he gathered support among Han loyalists who opposed Cao Cao, the warlord who controlled the Han central government and the figurehead Emperor Xian, and led a popular movement to restore the Han dynasty. Liu Bei overcame a number of setbacks to carve out his own realm, which at its peak spanned present-day Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hunan, and parts of Hubei, Yunnan, and Gansu. Bolstered by the cultural influence of the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and its portrayal of Liu Bei as an exemplar of virtuous Confucian rule, Liu Bei is widely revered in China and other East Asian societies as an ideal benevolent and humane ruler who cared for his people and selected capable advisers for his government. Historically, Liu Bei, like many Han rulers, was greatly influenced by Laozi.[citation needed] He was a brilliant politician and leader whose skill was a remarkable demonstration[opinion] of "Confucian in appearance but Legalist in substance".[b][additional citation(s) needed][4]
