Ji Liu

Born in 1311, Liu Ji—better known as Liu Bowen—lived through the turbulent final years of the Yuan dynasty and the rise of the Ming. He served as a strategist, official, and thinker, and later became famous as one of the key advisers associated with Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming dynasty.

Alongside his political and military reputation, he was also an accomplished writer. He is linked with works such as Yulizi, which uses allegory and anecdote to explore power, judgment, and human behavior. That mix of literary skill and practical insight helped give his writing a lasting place in Chinese intellectual history.

Over time, Liu Bowen became a larger-than-life cultural figure, admired not only as a statesman but also as a poet and sage. For modern readers, his appeal often lies in the way his writing moves easily between storytelling and reflection, offering ideas about leadership and society that still resonate.