Liu Laozhi

Liu Laozhi (died April or May 402), courtesy name Daojian, was a military general of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was one of the earliest and most distinguished recruits of the elite Beifu Army (北府兵; "Northern Headquarters Army"), founded by the border commander Xie Xuan in his war against the Former Qin dynasty. Liu Laozhi played a pivotal part in the Jin's decisive victory over the Former Qin at the Battle of Fei River, and subsequently followed Xie Xuan in his northern expedition to reclaim lost territory in the wake of the Qin's collapse in northern China. He was then trusted with defending the northern border, but after an incident where he failed to provide reinforcements for his ally, he was stripped of his office for cowardice in 394.

Following the ascension of Emperor An of Jin in 396, Liu Laozhi was welcomed back to the military by the commander, Wang Gong, who wanted to campaign against the emperor's corrupt regent, Sima Daozi. During the second insurrection in 398, he betrayed and turned Wang over to the imperial court, who rewarded him with Wang's high-ranking positions and command over the Beifu Army. When Sun En's rebellion broke out in 399, Liu was given a commanding role in suppressing the rebels and became the empire's most trusted top general. However, when the imperial court campaigned against the rebellious Inspector of Jing province, Huan Xuan, Liu Laozhi defected once more and allowed Huan to overwhelm the imperial forces. After Huan took over the court and threatened to take away Liu's command of the Beifu Army, he planned to rebel again, but this time, his staff member objected and walked out on him. With disaster seemingly inevitable, Liu Laozhi committed suicide.

One of Liu Laozhi's subordinates was Liu Yu, the future Emperor Wu of Liu Song who posthumously exonerated him when he overthrew Huan Xuan and restored the Jin dynasty in 404. Liu Laozhi was a controversial figure; despite his heroics at the Battle of Fei River and the northern expedition, his later string of betrayals ultimately branded him as one of the most notorious traitors of his period.