Bian Que (扁鵲) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Bian Que as a physician. This record brings together 5 passages from 5 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Bian Que	扁鵲	Bian Que
Personal name	Bian Que	扁鵲	Bian Que
Personal name	Bian Que	扁鵲
Personal	Bian Que	鵲	Que

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Uncertain

Roles

Physician

Life and dates

Attested activity

Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · jinshi:131:s0048
Source Date: Text: 不遭臾跗、扁鵲 · Western Year: BC 500
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:099:s0092
Source Date: Text: 扁鵲傳統時代 · Western Year: c. BC 400
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:049:s0004

Source notes

Value: legendary
Explicit · hanshu:002:s0338

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 49Volume 49 Biographies 41: Arts · 1 passage

Open chapter

故太史公著《龜策》、《日者》及《扁鵲倉公傳》，皆所以廣其聞見，昭示後昆。 Hence Sima Qian’s treatises on tortoise divination, day-selection, and the physicians Bian Que and Lord Cang—all to widen what we know and guide posterity.

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 1 passage

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命乃在天，雖扁鵲何益！」 The mandate is in Heaven. Though Bian Que came, what benefit!"

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 1 passage

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子徒笑我玄之尚白，吾亦笑子之病甚，不遭臾跗、扁鵲，悲夫！」 You laugh at my "dark" classic still showing white—I laugh at how ill you are, and that no Yu Fu or Bian Que is at hand to cure you—pity!"

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage

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龢、鵲發精於鍼石，研、桑心計於無垠。 Yi He and Bian Que mastered the needle and stone probe; Ji Yan and Sang Hongyang's financial calculations knew no bounds.

History of Jin, Chapter 131Volume 131 Biographies 69: Huan Zhe, Liang Chong, Song Gui, Pan Shouheng, Fang Ji, Liu Wansu, Zhang Congzheng, Li Qingsi, Ji Tianxi, Zhang Yuansu, Ma Guizhong, Wu Zhen Son: Kang, Li Mao, Hu Dexin · 1 passage

Open chapter

太史公敘九流，述《日者》、《龜策》、《扁鵲倉公列傳》。 Grand Historian Sima Qian surveyed the Nine Schools and wrote the biographies of day-diviners, tortoise-and-yarrow specialists, and the physicians Bian Que and Lord Cang.