Ji Liu

Born in 1311 in what is now Zhejiang, Liu Ji—better known as Liu Bowen—was a Chinese strategist, politician, writer, and poet who lived through the turbulent final years of the Yuan dynasty and the rise of the Ming. He is especially famous for serving Zhu Yuanzhang, the future Hongwu Emperor, and is widely remembered as an important adviser during the Ming dynasty's founding.

Beyond politics and military planning, Liu Bowen was also known for his literary work. Traditional accounts describe him as a learned figure with strong interests in history, astronomy, and statecraft, and his reputation grew over time into that of both a brilliant scholar and a near-legendary wise man.

Because of that mix of history and folklore, Liu Bowen appears in Chinese cultural memory as more than a court official: he is often treated as a symbol of clear thinking in chaotic times. For audiobook listeners, he is an especially intriguing figure because his story sits at the crossroads of power, literature, and enduring myth.