Qin and Han · Imperial Counselor and Statesman

Chao Cuo 晁錯

Cháo Cuò

First attested BC 209; died BC 154

Passages
138
Chapters
17
Histories
5

Overview

Chao Cuo was an Imperial Counselor and Statesman.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Other names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Nickname Bag of Wisdom 智囊

Life and dates

Death

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Attested activity

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Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Key source chapters

  1. Book of Han, Chapter 58 Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo 60 passages
  2. Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101 Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo 34 passages
  3. Book of Han, Chapter 44 Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu 18 passages
  4. Book of Han, Chapter 51 Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu 7 passages
  5. Book of Han, Chapter 26 Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 3 passages

Career and standing

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Places and affiliations

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Learning and skills

Works and attributed material

Events and relationships

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Assessments and attributes

Source notes

References in the histories

138 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 5Volume 4: Annals of Emperor Wen · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 6Volume 5: Annals of Emperor Jing · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 26Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 · 3 passages
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Book of Han, Chapter 44Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu · 18 passages
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及景帝即位，錯為御史大夫，說上曰：「昔高帝初定天下，昆弟少，諸子弱，大封同姓，故孽子悼惠王王齊七十二城，庶弟元王王楚四十城，兄子王吳五十餘城。 When Emperor Jing came to the throne, Chao Cuo became Imperial Counselor. He urged the emperor, "When Gaozu first settled the realm, he had few brothers and his sons were young, so he gave large fiefs to men of his own surname. Thus King Daohui, his son by a concubine, ruled Qi with seventy-two cities; King Yuan, his younger half-brother, ruled Chu with forty cities; and his nephew ruled Wu with more than fifty cities.
召入見，上問以吳楚之計，盎對曰：「吳楚相遺書，曰『賊臣朝錯擅適諸侯，削奪之地』，以故反，名為西共誅錯，復故地而罷。 Yuan Ang was summoned to audience, and the emperor asked him about the plans of Wu and Chu. Ang replied, "Wu and Chu have exchanged letters saying, 'The wicked minister Chao Cuo has arbitrarily punished the feudal lords and stripped away their lands.' That is why they have rebelled. Their stated aim is to march west together, execute Chao Cuo, restore their former territories, and then disband.
Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 7 passages
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Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 60 passages
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平陽侯臣窋、汝陰侯臣灶、潁陰侯臣何、廷尉臣宜昌、隴西太守臣昆邪所選賢良太子家令臣錯昧死再拜言：臣竊聞古之賢主莫不求賢以為輔翼，故黃帝得力牧而為五帝先，大禹得咎繇而為三王祖，齊桓得管子而為五伯長。 The men who recommended me as Worthy and Good were your servants the Marquis of Pingyang, Cao Zhu; the Marquis of Ruyin, Xiahou Zao; the Marquis of Yingyin, Guan He; the Commandant of Justice, Yichang; and the Administrator of Longxi, Kunxie. Your servant Chao Cuo bows twice and, risking death, states: I have heard that every worthy ruler of antiquity sought worthy men as his wings and helpers. Thus the Yellow Emperor obtained Limu and became foremost of the Five Thearchs; Great Yu obtained Gao Yao and became progenitor of the Three Kings; and Duke Huan of Qi obtained Guan Zhong and became leader of the Five Hegemons.
上卒問盎，對曰：「吳、楚相遺書，言高皇帝王子弟各有分地，今賊臣晁錯擅適諸侯，削奪之地，以故反名為西共誅錯，復故地而罷。 The emperor finally asked Yuan Ang, who replied, "Wu and Chu have exchanged letters saying that Gaozu's sons and younger brothers were each granted allotted territories, but now the wicked minister Chao Cuo has arbitrarily punished the feudal lords and cut away their lands. For this reason, they have raised the banner of marching west to join in executing Chao Cuo, restoring their former lands, and then standing down.
Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 2 passages
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Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 1 passage
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 31Volume 28a: Biographies of Huan Tan; Feng Yan · 1 passage
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History of Liao, Chapter 103Volume 103 Biographies 33: Literature 1 · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 11Annals of the Xiaojing Emperor · 2 passages
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太史公曰：漢興，孝文施大德，天下懷安，至孝景，不復憂異姓，而晁錯刻削諸侯，遂使七國俱起，合從而西鄉，以諸侯太盛，而錯為之不以漸也。 The Grand Historian says: When Han arose, Emperor Wen practiced great virtue, and the realm rested in peace. By Emperor Jing's time, there was no longer any fear of kings from other surnames. But Chao Cuo cut sharply into the power of the feudal lords, causing the seven states to rise together, join in alliance, and march west. The problem was that the feudal lords had grown too powerful, and Cuo did not proceed gradually.
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 23Treatise on Ritual · 2 passages
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 50House of Prince Yuan of Chu · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 34 passages
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 121Biographies of Confucian Scholars · 1 passage
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New Book of Tang, Chapter 178Volume 178 Biographies 103: Liu Fen · 2 passages
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是時，第策官左散騎常侍馮宿、太常少卿賈餗、庫部郎中龐嚴見蕡對嗟伏，以為過古晁、董，而畏中官眥睚，不敢取。 At that time the examination graders — Left Regular Attendant of the Cavalry Feng Su, Vice Minister of Rites Jia Su, and Bureau Director of the Storehouses Pang Yan — seeing Fen's answers sighed in admiration, holding them to surpass the ancient Chao Cuo and Dong Zhongshu; yet fearing the inner eunuchs' resentment, they dared not select him.