Liu Ji, courtesy name Bowen. Wuzong of the Yuan Dynasty was born in the fourth year of his reign (1311), and Taizu Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty died in the eighth year of Hongwu (1375) at the age of 65. Liu Ji came from a distinguished family. He was smart and studious since he was a child, and was known as a child prodigy. In the fourth year of Yuan Zhishun (1333), 23-year-old Liu Ji passed the Jinshi examination and began his official career. He was determined to serve his country, but the imperial court was fatuous and corrupt, which made his official career of more than 20 years suffer repeated hardships and debasements. In March of the 20th year of Yuan Zhizheng (1360), he accepted Zhu Yuanzhang's invitation and became counselor of military affairs, making great contributions to the establishment and development of the Ming Dynasty. He was upright and courageous, and Zhu Yuanzhang respected him as "my son-in-law (Zhang Liang)". There is a saying among the people that "Zhuge Kongming is above and Liu Jibowen is below." Living in troubled times and full of knowledge, Liu Ji was born into a scholarly landlord family in Wuyang Village, Nantian Mountain, Qingtian County, Chuzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province (now Nantian, Wencheng County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province).