Wuji county is located in the central part of Hebei province. It has a long history and profound culture. It was under the jurisdiction of Zhongshan Kingdom in Han Dynasty (202 BC - AD 220). It was also the base of Liu Xiu, also known as Emperor Guangwu, who founded the Eastern Han (the restored Han Dynasty) and hometown of Liu Kun, a prominent poet and military leader in Western Jin Dynasty (AD 265-316).
Liu Kun (271-318) is a descendant of Liu Sheng, a prince of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD24). There are four Chinese idioms taken from Liu’s life stories. These idioms have greatly impacted the lives of people till date. They are聞雞起舞(wén jī qǐ wǔ, rising up upon hearing the crow of a rooster to practice sword skill), 枕戈待旦(zhěn gē dài dàn, make a pillow of one's spear waiting for daybreak),先吾著鞭 (xiān wú zhuó biān, steal a march on someone) and多難興邦 (duō nàn xīng bang, much distress regenerates a nation). In his hometown, Wuji county, people still celebrate him as a national hero and have spread his stories for generations.
According to historical records, Liu’s home was near the Chengxian village and Xiao dong lang village. Local residents who boast the same family name ‘Liu’ proudly regard themselves as descendants of Liu Kun.
The government of Wuji county also makes efforts to promote the influence of Liu’s stories. A Wen ji qiwu gallery established in the county’s cultural center displays more than 200 calligraphy works of the Chinese characters 聞雞起舞 by state leaders, famous artists and celebrities from all walks of life.
Writers in Wuji county have written a novel Wen ji qiwu based on Liu’s story. A research institute specializing in Liu Kun culture was established in 2010.
