Career
After becoming Prince of Chu, he was a known supporter of many religions. Born to the Lady Xu (Chinese: 許氏), a junior consort of Emperor Guangwu, Liu Ying was given the rank of duke in 39 Civil Engineering, and prince (wáng) in 41 Civil Engineering. The next year he received Chu as his hereditary fiefdom, with his capital at Pengcheng (modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu). The young Liu Ying seems to have been close to his half-brother Liu Zhuang, the future Emperor Ming.
After Liu Ying became a prince, he actively supported both religions in the hope of finding a drug of longevity or immortality.
Because of these activities, Liu Ying was suspected of treasonous intrigue and the subject of an imperial edict from Emperor Ming. He was treated like a god to whom sacrifices and honor fastss were held.
Five years later, in 70, Liu Ying"s activities were again denounced by high officials and he was accused of plotting against the throne, a crime punishable by death. Among his supposed crimes was the most heinous of those in Han law: usurping the prerogatives of the emperor, and great improprietry and immorality in his conduct toward the throne (Chinese: 大逆不道).
Nevertheless, Emperor Ming refused to execute Liu Ying, instead demoting him to the rank of a commoner and exiling him to Danyang in the lower Yangtze.
Liu Ying committed suicide upon reaching his destination the next year. He was buried with the honours of a full marquess (Chinese: 侯). As part of the purges following Liu Ying"s downfall, thousands of his supposed adherents were arrested and implicated each other under torture.
More than a century later, it was still thriving under the patronage of Ze Rong, a native of Danyang.
