Ancient China · Eldest son of Fan Li

Eldest son of Fan Li

Attested BC 450 - BC 350

Passages: 15
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Eldest son of Fan Li was an Eldest son of Fan Li.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 450 to BC 350 范蠡居陶後
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 190

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Fan Li (蠡)
eldest son 長男
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 190
Child of Wife of Fan Li
mother 其母
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 190, 193
Sibling of Middle son of Fan Li
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 191
Sibling of Youngest son of Fan Li
youngest brother 少弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 191

Career and standing

Claimed
Family supervisor as firstborn son
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 191

Places and affiliations

Polity Chu 楚 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 197

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Fan Li (蠡)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 191
Speech · Speaker · With Zhuang Sheng (莊生)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 218-219

Events and relationships

Brought his executed middle brother's body home
Funerary · Brother
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 226
Carried a letter and gold to Zhuang Sheng in Chu to rescue his middle brother
Travel · Family emissary
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 194-198
Recovered the thousand gold from Zhuang Sheng after hearing of the pardon
Financial · Actor
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 212, 216-221
Secretly gave private gold to powerful Chu nobles
Political influence · Briber
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 201
Threatened suicide when not chosen to rescue his brother
Personal · Son
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 191-192

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 41House of King Goujian of Yue · 15 passages

且遣其少子，朱公長男固請欲行，朱公不聽。 He intended to send his youngest son. Zhu Gong's eldest son, however, firmly requested to go, but Zhu Gong would not listen.

長男曰：「家有長子曰家督，今弟有罪，大人不遣，乃遺少弟，是吾不肖。」 The eldest son said: “The family's firstborn son is called the family supervisor. Now my younger brother has committed a crime. The great person does not send me, but instead sends the youngest brother. This shows I am unworthy.”

其母為言曰：「今遣少子，未必能生中子也，而先空亡長男，柰何？」 His mother spoke on his behalf, saying: “If we now send the youngest son, we may not be able to save the middle son, and we will first lose the eldest son for nothing. What should we do?”

朱公不得已而遣長子，為一封書遺故所善莊生。 Zhu Gong had no choice but to send the eldest son. He prepared a sealed letter for his old friend Zhuang Sheng.

長男既行，亦自私齎數百金。 After the eldest son set out, he also privately carried several hundred pieces of gold of his own.

然長男發書進千金，如其父言。 Nevertheless, the eldest son opened the letter and presented the thousand gold, as his father had instructed.

長男既去，不過莊生而私留，以其私齎獻遺楚國貴人用事者。 After the eldest son left, he did not return by way of Zhuang Sheng but stayed in secret, using the gold he had brought privately to make gifts to powerful nobles in Chu.

而朱公長男不知其意，以為殊無短長也。 But Zhu Gong's eldest son did not understand his intention and thought there was no chance of success.

楚貴人驚告朱公長男曰：「王且赦。」 The Chu nobles were alarmed and told Zhu Gong's eldest son, saying: “The king is about to issue a pardon.”

朱公長男以為赦，弟固當出也，重千金虛棄莊生，無所為也，乃復見莊生。 Zhu Gong’s eldest son thought this meant a pardon would be issued and that his younger brother would certainly be released. Resenting that the thousand gold pieces left with Zhuang Sheng would have been wasted, he went to see Zhuang Sheng again.

長男曰：「固未也。 The eldest son said, “Not yet.

長男即自入室取金持去，獨自歡幸。 The eldest son immediately went into the room, took the gold, and left, privately rejoicing in his good fortune.

莊生羞為兒子所賣，乃入見楚王曰：「臣前言某星事，王言欲以修德報之。 Zhuang Sheng was ashamed at having been betrayed by the young man, so he went in to see the King of Chu and said, “Earlier I spoke to Your Majesty about the matter of a certain star.

朱公長男竟持其弟喪歸。 Zhu Gong's eldest son finally brought his younger brother's body home for burial.

而長者不能，故卒以殺其弟，事之理也，無足悲者。 But the elder son could not. In the end, therefore, he caused his younger brother's death. Such is the logic of the matter; there is nothing to grieve over.