Liu Xie
Liu Bian was born in 176 to Liu Hong (Emperor Ling) and one of his consorts, Lady He. At the time of his birth, he was Emperor Ling's only son because the emperor's other sons who were born before Liu Bian died prematurely. As Emperor Ling believed that he lost his previous sons due to bad luck, he ordered Shi Zimiao (), a Taoist, to raise his newborn son; Liu Bian was given the title "Marquis Shi" (). Liu Bian's mother, Lady He, became empress in 180. In 181, another of Emperor Ling's consorts, Beautiful Lady Wang (), gave birth to a son, Liu Xie. Empress He, in her jealousy, had Beautiful Lady Wang poisoned to death. The motherless Liu Xie was raised by his grandmother, Empress Dowager Dong, and given the title "Marquis Dong" ().