Chang Qiang (嘗羌) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Chang Qiang as a ruler. This record brings together 8 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Chang Qiang	嘗羌	Chang Qiang
Title	King of Dian	滇王	Dian Wang

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:116:s0047

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 元封二年 · Western Year: BC 109
Explicit · shiji:116:s0067, shiji:116:s0068, shiji:116:s0069, shiji:116:s0070
Source Date: Text: 元狩元年 · Western Year: BC 122
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:116:s0043, shiji:116:s0047

Family

Descendant of Zhuang Qiao (莊蹻)
Kinship Term: descendant of Chu / 楚苗裔 · Line: paternal

Origins and identity

Label: descendant of Chu / 楚苗裔
Explicit · shiji:116:s0076

Career and standing

Title: King of Dian / 滇王 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:116:s0047
Status: surrendered · Action: entered
Explicit · shiji:116:s0069
Status: spared · Action: pardoned · Label: not put to death / 弗誅
Explicit · shiji:116:s0068

Places and affiliations

Polity: Dian / 滇 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:116:s0047

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Provenance: Mode: quotation · Speaker Person Id: Chang Qiang (嘗羌)
Explicit · shiji:116:s0049

Events and relationships

Kind: diplomatic · Role: host · Action: detained Han envoys and sought westward route
Explicit · shiji:116:s0047
Kind: military · Role: surrendering-ruler · Action: surrendered kingdom after Han destroyed Laojin and Mimo · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 元封二年 · Western Year: BC 109
Explicit · shiji:116:s0067, shiji:116:s0069, shiji:116:s0070

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: first among southwestern rulers to show goodwill · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · shiji:116:s0068
Assessment: most favored among southwestern recipients of royal seals · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · shiji:116:s0071, shiji:116:s0072
Item: royal seal / 王印 · Relation: bestowed
Explicit · shiji:116:s0070

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 116Treatise on the Southwestern Yi People · 8 passages

Open chapter

至滇，滇王嘗羌乃留，為求道西十餘輩。 When the envoys reached Dian, the King of Dian, Chang Qiang, detained them and dispatched more than ten parties to find a westward route on their behalf.

滇王與漢使者言曰：「漢孰與我大？」 The King of Dian asked the Han envoys, 'Which is greater — Han, or my kingdom?'

上使王然于以越破及誅南夷兵威風喻滇王入朝。 The Emperor dispatched Wang Ranyu to use the military prestige won by the defeat of the Yue and the punishment of the southern Yi as leverage to persuade the King of Dian to present himself at court.

滇王者，其眾數萬人，其旁東北有勞寖、靡莫，皆同姓相扶，未肯聽。 The King of Dian commanded tens of thousands of subjects. To his northeast lay Laojin and Mimo, peoples of the same clan who supported one another, and they refused to comply.

滇王始首善，以故弗誅。 The King of Dian had been the first among the southwestern rulers to show goodwill, and for this reason his life was spared.

滇王離難西南夷，舉國降，請置吏入朝。 The King of Dian distanced himself from the unrest of the southwestern Yi, surrendered his entire kingdom, and requested that Han officials be installed and that he be permitted to present himself at court.

於是以為益州郡，賜滇王王印，復長其民。 The territory was thereupon organized as the Commandery of Yizhou. The King of Dian was granted a royal seal and permitted to continue governing his people.

秦滅諸候，唯楚苗裔尚有滇王。 When Qin destroyed the feudal lords, only among the descendants of Chu did the kingship of Dian endure.