Liu Ji (July 1, 1311- May 16, 1375), also known as Bowen and posthumously named Wencheng, was an outstanding military strategist, politician, and literary figure during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He was one of the founding fathers of the Ming dynasty and was of Han ethnicity. He was born in Nantian Township, Qingtian County (now part of Wencheng County, Zhejiang Province). Therefore, he was known as Liu Qingtian at that time. In the third year of Ming Hongwu (1370), he was conferred the title of Chengxin Bo, and people also called him Liu Chengxin. In the ninth year of the Zhengde reign of Emperor Wuzong, he was posthumously awarded the title of Taishi and posthumously named Wencheng. Later generations also referred to him as Liu Wencheng and Duke Wencheng. Liu Jitong is knowledgeable in classics, history, astronomy, and military tactics. He assisted Zhu Yuanzhang in completing the imperial business, founding the Ming Dynasty, and striving to maintain national stability, thus gaining worldwide fame and being compared to Marquis Wu of Zhuge by later generations. Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly referred to Liu Ji as “my ovary.” In literary history, Liu Ji, along with Song Lian and Gao Qi, is known as one of the “Three Masters of Poetry and Prose in the Early Ming Dynasty.
刘基（1311年7月1日－1375年5月16日）字伯温，谥曰文成，元末明初杰出的军事家、政治家、文学家，明朝开国元勋，汉族，青田县南田乡（今属浙江省文成县）人。故时人称他刘青田，明洪武三年（1370）封诚意伯，人们又称他刘诚意。武宗正德九年追赠太师，谥号文成，后人又称他刘文成、文成公。刘基通经史、晓天文、精兵法。他辅佐朱元璋完成帝业、开创明朝并尽力保持国家的安定，因而驰名天下，被后人比作诸葛武侯。朱元璋多次称刘基为：“吾之子房也。”在文学史上，刘基与宋濂、高启并称“明初诗文三大家”。
刘基·《春蚕》
可笑春蚕独苦辛，为谁成茧却焚身。
不如无用蜘蛛网，网尽蜚虫不畏人。
The Silkworm
Liu Ji
Why should the silkworm busy alone and forget
It will be boiled when its cocoon is made one day?
Why not imitate the spider spinning its net
To catch all insects, careless of what people say?
