Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Ai 哀

Ai

Died BC 1

Passages: 133
Chapters: 29
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Ai as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 133 passages from 29 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Emperor Ai	哀	Ai
Regnal	Ai	哀	Ai
Temple	Ai	哀	Ai
Posthumous	Ai	哀帝	Ai
Title	Ai	哀
Regnal	Ai	哀	Āi
Posthumous	Ai	哀	Ai
Posthumous	Ai	哀帝	Āidì
Temple name	Aidi	哀帝	Āidì
Title	Crown Prince	皇太子
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	孝哀皇帝	Xiàoāi huángdì
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	哀	Ai
Temple name	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Aidi
Title	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Ai Di
Temple	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Aidi
Title	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Āidì
Regnal name	Emperor Ai	哀帝
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Āidì
Regnal	Emperor Ai	哀帝
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Ai Di
Regnal	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Ai Di
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	哀帝
Temple name	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Ai Di
Title	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Aidi
Title	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Āi Dì
Regnal	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Aidi
Temple	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Āidì
Title	Emperor Ai	哀帝
Regnal	Emperor Ai	哀	Ai
Title	Emperor Ai	哀	Ai
Posthumous	Emperor Ai	孝哀	Xiào’āi
Temple name	Emperor Ai	哀帝
Temple name	Emperor Ai	哀帝	Āidì
Regnal	Emperor Taiping of the Chengsheng Liu	陳聖劉太平皇帝
Temple	Emperor Xiaoai	孝哀帝	Xiaoai Di
Title	King of Dingtao	定陶王
Title	Prince of Dingtao	定陶王
Title	Son of Heaven	天子	Tianzi
Title	the emperor
Title	the emperor	上
Title	the sovereign	上	shang
Personal	Xin	欣	Xin
Title	Your Majesty	陛下
Title	Your Majesty	陛下	bixia

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:011:s0301, hanshu:025:s0249, hanshu:026:s0327, hanshu:048:s0256, hanshu:056:s0152, hanshu:070:s0262, hanshu:089:s0191, hanshu:090:s0003, hanshu:096:s0325, hanshu:103:s0087, houhanshu:031:s0007, houhanshu:110:s0014
Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0171, hanshu:082:s0188, hanshu:088:s0244, hanshu:091:s0156, hanshu:099:s0050, hanshu:105:s0220, houhanshu:032:s0030, houhanshu:118:s0069
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:012:s0001, hanshu:105:s0010
Value: male
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0173, houhanshu:028:s0306

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 元壽二年六月戊午 · Western Year: BC 1 · Place: Weiyang Palace / 未央宮
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0132
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 哀帝之崩也 · Western Year: AD 1
Explicit · houhanshu:032:s0030
Manner: died / 崩 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 哀帝崩 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0188
Statement: died as emperor · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 哀帝崩 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0071
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 哀帝崩 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0193
died / 崩
Explicit · hanshu:089:s0192
Text: died several months after Dong Xian's gate omen · Unresolved: true
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0241
Text: Emperor Ai died (崩)
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0207
Text: 哀帝崩
Explicit · hanshu:088:s0249

Age

Age: 17 · Reckoning: sui · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 元延四年 · Western Year: BC 9
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0018, hanshu:012:s0004
Age: 3 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0003

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 元壽二年 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0125, hanshu:012:s0132
Source Date: Text: 元壽元年 · Western Year: BC 2
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0146, hanshu:012:s0121
Source Date: Text: 元壽元年 · Western Year: BC 2
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0250, hanshu:082:s0255
Source Date: Text: 元延四年 · Western Year: BC 9
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0004
Source Date: Text: 哀帝之崩也 · Western Year: AD 1
Explicit · houhanshu:032:s0030
Source Date: Text: 哀帝之時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 1
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:031:s0007
Source Date: Text: 哀帝初 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 5
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:028:s0306
Source Date: Text: 哀帝即位 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:026:s0327, hanshu:082:s0170, hanshu:082:s0175, hanshu:082:s0252, hanshu:090:s0189
Source Date: Text: 哀帝在位 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 1
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:093:s0173
Source Date: Text: 哀帝崩 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0188
Source Date: Text: 哀帝时 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 1
Explicit · houhanshu:118:s0069
Source Date: Text: 哀帝時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:099:s0050, hanshu:099:s0184
Source Date: Text: 哀帝時 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0156
Source Date: Text: 建平三年 · Western Year: BC 4
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0103
Source Date: Text: 建平中 · Western Interval: Start: BC 6 · End: BC 3
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:056:s0152
Source Date: Text: 建平二年 · Western Year: BC 5
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0073, hanshu:012:s0139, hanshu:012:s0143
Source Date: Text: 建平元年 · Western Year: BC 6
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0066
Source Date: Text: 建平四年 · Western Year: BC 3
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0111, hanshu:012:s0114
Source Date: Text: 建武十九年 · Western Year: AD 43
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:110:s0014
Source Date: Text: 成、哀之間 · Western Interval: Start: BC 33 · End: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:025:s0270
Source Date: Text: 昭、宣、元、成、哀、平六世之間 · Western Interval: Start: BC 87 · End: AD 5
Explicit · hanshu:025:s0249
Source Date: Text: 綏和二年三月 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:012:s0026, hanshu:012:s0027
Source Date: Text: 至成、哀間 · Western Interval: Start: BC 7 · End: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:103:s0087

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Kin of Empress Dowager Fu (傅太后)
Kinship Term: paternal grandmother / 王祖母 · Subject Role: paternal-grandmother · Object Role: grandson · Generation Distance: 2 · Line: paternal · Intermediary Person Ids: Liu Kang (康)
Descendant of Consort Fu (傅昭儀)
Kinship Term: grandmother / 祖母 · Generation Distance: 2
Child of Liu Kang (康)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Intermediary Person Ids: Liu Kang (康)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Line: paternal
Parentage: biological
Parentage: biological
Spouse of Empress Fu (傅氏)
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: active
Kin of Ding Ming (丁明)
Kinship Term: maternal uncle / 舅 · Subject Role: maternal-uncle · Object Role: nephew · Line: maternal
Child of Mother of Emperor Ai (哀帝母)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son · Line: maternal
Child of Lady Ding (丁姬)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 0 · Negated: true
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0193

Career and standing

Prince of Dingtao / 定陶王
Explicit · hanshu:089:s0191
Status: crown-prince · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 綏和元年 · Western Year: BC 8
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0019
As: Emperor Ai / 哀帝
Explicit · hanshu:094:s0258
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 哀帝即位 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:026:s0327
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 太子即位，是為孝哀帝 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0220
Role: emperor · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 綏和二年四月丙午 · Western Year: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0027
Emperor Ai took the throne
Explicit · hanshu:096:s0325
just succeeded / 初即位
Explicit · hanshu:094:s0338
Raw: 哀帝即位
Explicit · hanshu:117:s0074
Text: acceded while Dong Xian served the crown prince
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:105:s0167
Text: ascended or was established as emperor in the cited unit
Explicit · hanshu:088:s0196
Text: took the throne (即位)
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0262

Places and affiliations

Label: Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · hanshu:025:s0249
Polity: Han · Relation: ruler-of
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0171
Polity: Western Han · Relation: ruled
Explicit · hanshu:026:s0327
Polity: Western Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0027, hanshu:012:s0140
漢
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0275
Place: Yiling / 義陵 · Relation: buried-at · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 元壽二年九月壬寅 · Western Year: BC 1
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0133

Works and attributed material

Kind: edict · Role: author · Addressee Person Id: Ping Dang (平當)
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0181, hanshu:082:s0182, hanshu:082:s0183
Kind: edict · Role: author · Addressee Person Id: Peng Xuan (彭宣)
Explicit · hanshu:082:s0255
Kind: dismissal edict · Role: issuer · Other Person Id: Fu Xi (傅喜)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0067, hanshu:093:s0068
Kind: edict · Role: author · Mode: quotation
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0033, hanshu:012:s0037, hanshu:012:s0040, hanshu:012:s0041, hanshu:012:s0042, hanshu:012:s0043, hanshu:012:s0060, hanshu:012:s0061, hanshu:012:s0062, hanshu:012:s0063, hanshu:012:s0064, hanshu:012:s0065, hanshu:012:s0069, hanshu:012:s0070, hanshu:012:s0074, hanshu:012:s0075, hanshu:012:s0076, hanshu:012:s0077, hanshu:012:s0078, hanshu:012:s0079, hanshu:012:s0094, hanshu:012:s0095, hanshu:012:s0096, hanshu:012:s0097, hanshu:012:s0098, hanshu:012:s0140, hanshu:012:s0141, hanshu:012:s0142, hanshu:012:s0143, hanshu:012:s0144, hanshu:012:s0145, hanshu:012:s0147, hanshu:012:s0148, hanshu:012:s0149, hanshu:012:s0150, hanshu:012:s0151, hanshu:012:s0152, hanshu:012:s0153, hanshu:012:s0154, hanshu:012:s0155, hanshu:012:s0156
Kind: memorial · Role: author · Mode: quotation
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0020, hanshu:012:s0021, hanshu:012:s0022, hanshu:012:s0023
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Mode: quotation
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0006, hanshu:012:s0007, hanshu:012:s0082, hanshu:012:s0083, hanshu:012:s0084, hanshu:012:s0085, hanshu:012:s0086, hanshu:012:s0087, hanshu:012:s0088, hanshu:012:s0089

Events and relationships

Kind: ritual · Role: subject · Action: capping ceremony performed by Emperor Cheng · Other Person Id: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 元延四年 · Western Year: BC 9
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0018
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: established as Crown Prince · Other Person Id: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 綏和元年 · Western Year: BC 8
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0019
Kind: ritual · Role: ruler · Action: posthumously-honored-father-as-Emperor-Gong · Other Person Id: Liu Kang (康)
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0221
Kind: title protection · Action: refused Grand Empress Dowager Fu's attempt to strip Fu Xi's marquisate · Other Person Id: Fu Xi (傅喜)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0070
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: shelved-land-limit-proposal
Explicit · hanshu:026:s0339
Type: child · Person Id: Lady Ding (丁姬) · Text: Lady Ding was Emperor Ai's birth mother
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0201
Type: son-of · Person Id: Empress Dowager Ding (丁太后)
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0193

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: skilled in literary composition from youth; sought to strengthen imperial authority like Emperors Wu and Xuan; disliked music and sensual pleasures · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0134, hanshu:012:s0135, hanshu:012:s0136
Kind: illness · Statement: flaccid paralysis (痿痺) from accession, worsening in final years
Explicit · hanshu:012:s0137

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 11Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng · 1 passage

建始以來，王氏始執國命，哀、平短祚，莽遂篡位，蓋其威福所由來者漸矣！ Since Jianshi, the Wang clan began to grasp the state's fate. Ai and Ping had short blessings, Mang then usurped the position—indeed his power and blessing came gradually!

Book of Han, Chapter 12Volume 11: Annals of Emperor Ai · 10 passages

孝哀皇帝，元帝庶孫，定陶恭王子也。 Emperor Ai was a grandson of Emperor Yuan through a concubine, and the son of Prince Gong of Dingtao.

上怪之，以問定陶王，對曰：「令，諸侯王朝，得從其國二千石。 The emperor found this strange and asked the King of Dingtao about it. He replied: 'According to the regulations, when feudal lords come to court, they are allowed to bring officials ranked at two thousand bushels from their domains.

成帝由此以為不能，而賢定陶王，數稱其材。 From this, Emperor Cheng concluded that the King of Zhongshan was incompetent, but he came to admire the King of Dingtao and often praised his talents.

昭儀及根見上亡子，亦欲豫自結為長久計，皆更稱定陶王，勸帝以為嗣。 Consort Zhao and Wang Gen, observing that the emperor had no sons, wanted to secure their own long-term interests. They both spoke highly of the King of Dingtao and urged the emperor to name him as heir.

明年，使執金吾任宏守大鴻臚，持節徵定陶王，立為皇太子。 The following year, Emperor Cheng sent Colonel Ren Hong, temporarily serving as Grand Herald, to summon the King of Dingtao with imperial credentials and establish him as Crown Prince.

謝曰：「臣幸得繼父守藩為諸侯王，材質不足以假充太子之宮。 He respectfully declined, saying: 'I am fortunate to have succeeded my father in holding my fief as a feudal king. My talents and character are inadequate to serve even temporarily as Crown Prince.

後月餘，立楚孝王孫景為定陶王，奉恭王祀，所以獎厲太子專為後之誼。 Over a month later, he installed Jing, grandson of King Xiao of Chu, as King of Dingtao to maintain the sacrifices to King Gong, thereby encouraging the Crown Prince to concentrate solely on securing the succession.

四月丙午，太子即皇帝位，謁高廟。 In the fourth month, on the day bingwu, the Crown Prince ascended the throne as emperor and performed the ancestral rites at the imperial temple.

號曰陳聖劉太平皇帝。 The title shall be Emperor Taiping of the Chengsheng Liu.

贊曰：孝哀自為藩王及充太子之宮，文辭博敏，幼有令聞。 Appraisal: Emperor Ai, from his time as a feudal king to his tenure as Crown Prince, displayed extensive and nimble literary skills, earning an excellent reputation from his youth.

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 2 passages

今漢道至盛，歷世二百餘載，考自昭、宣、元、成、哀、平六世之間，斷獄殊死，率歲千餘口而一人，耐罪上至右止，三倍有餘。 The Han way had now flourished for more than two hundred years. Across the six reigns of Emperor Zhao, Emperor Xuan, Emperor Yuan, Emperor Cheng, Emperor Ai, and Emperor Ping, capital cases ending in death averaged a little more than one person in every thousand each year; sentences ranging from shaving punishment to amputation of the right foot were more than three times as numerous.

以口率計，斷獄少於成、哀之間什八，可謂清矣。 On a per capita basis, adjudicated criminal cases were less than two-tenths as numerous as during the reigns of Emperor Cheng and Emperor Ai; the administration could be called clear.

Book of Han, Chapter 26Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 · 2 passages

哀帝即位，師丹輔政，建言：「古之聖王莫不設井田，然後治乃可平。 When Emperor Ai took the throne, Shi Dan assisted in governance and proposed: "The sage kings of antiquity all established well-field systems; only then could government be made even.

天子下其議。 The emperor circulated the proposal for discussion.

Book of Han, Chapter 27Volume 24b: Treatise on Trade 2 · 1 passage

宣、元、成、哀、平五世，亡所變改。 Across the five reigns of Xuan, Yuan, Cheng, Ai, and Ping, nothing was changed.

Book of Han, Chapter 38Volume 29: Treatise on Rivers and Canals · 1 passage

哀帝初，平當使領河隄，奏言「九河今皆寘滅，按經義治水，有決河深川，而無隄防雍塞之文。 Early in Emperor Ai's reign, Ping Dang was put in charge of river dikes and memorialized: "The Nine Rivers are now entirely blocked and erased. Classical water policy speaks of opening channels and deepening rivers, not of choking them with embankments.

Book of Han, Chapter 44Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu · 1 passage

哀帝時繼絕世，乃封敬王澤玄孫之孫無終公士歸生為營陵侯，更始中為兵所殺。 In Emperor Ai's time, the court continued the broken line by enfeoffing Guisheng, a gentleman of Wuzhong and a distant descendant of Ze through King Jing, as Marquis of Yingling. During the Gengshi era he was killed by soldiers.

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 1 passage

至哀帝時，乃封參玄孫之孫本始為平陽侯，二千戶，王莽時薨。 Under Emperor Ai, Benshi, a grandson of Cao Shen’s great-great-grandson, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Pingyang with two thousand households; he died in Wang Mang’s time.

Book of Han, Chapter 56Volume 47: The Three Sons of Emperor Wen · 1 passage

哀帝建平中，立復殺人。 Under Emperor Ai’s Jianping reign he killed yet another man.

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 6 passages

會成帝崩，哀帝即位，業復上書言：「王氏世權日久，朝無骨鯁之臣，宗室諸侯微弱，與系囚無異，自佐史以上至於大吏皆權臣之黨。 It happened that Emperor Cheng died and Emperor Ai took the throne. Du Ye again submitted a memorial saying, "The Wang clan has held power for generations. The court has no blunt-spoken ministers. Imperial clansmen and feudal lords are weak, no different from bound prisoners. From clerks upward to great officials, all are partisans of the power-holders.

陛下初即位，謙讓未皇，孤獨特立，莫可據杖，權臣易世，意若探湯。 Your Majesty has only just taken the throne; modest deference has left no time for other concerns, and you stand alone without support to rely on. Powerful ministers change with the times, and their intentions are as dangerous to test as boiling water.

竊見朱博忠信勇猛，材略不世出，誠國家雄俊之寶臣也，宜征博置左右，以填天下。 I have privately observed that Zhu Bo is loyal, trustworthy, brave, and forceful, with talent and strategy rarely seen in any age. He is truly a heroic and precious minister of the state. He should be summoned and placed at Your Majesty's side to steady the realm.

此人在朝，則陛下可高枕而臥矣。 With this man at court, Your Majesty may sleep with head on high pillow.

時，高昌侯董宏亦言宜尊帝母定陶王丁後為帝太后。 About the same time Dong Hong, marquis of Gaochang, argued that Emperor Ai's birth mother, Lady Ding, consort of the king of Dingtao, should receive the title empress dowager.

哀帝崩，王莽秉政，諸前議立廟尊號者皆免，徙合浦。 After Emperor Ai died and Wang Mang took charge, everyone who had backed the temple and title controversy was removed from office and banished to Hepu.

Book of Han, Chapter 82Volume 71: Jun, Shu, Yu, Xue, Ping and Peng · 3 passages

哀帝即位，征當為光祿大夫、諸吏、散騎，復為光祿勳、御史大夫，至丞相。 Emperor Ai summoned him as Imperial Household Grandee with attendant-at-leisure privileges; he rose again to superintendent of the imperial household and commandant of the imperial counselors, and finally to chancellor.

哀帝即位，徙為左將軍。 When Emperor Ai succeeded, he was transferred to General of the Left.

會哀帝崩，新都侯王莽為大司馬，秉政專權。 When Emperor Ai died, Wang Mang of Xindu became grand marshal and seized sole power.

Book of Han, Chapter 88Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He · 11 passages

喜為大司馬，薦崇，哀帝擢為尚書僕射。 Fu Xi's grand marshalship lifted Zheng Chong to vice president of the secretariat under Ai.

數求見諫爭，上初納用之。 At first Ai listened to his blunt visits.

上怒，下崇獄，窮治，死獄中。 Ai jailed him until he died under interrogation.

哀帝即位，徵寶為諫大夫，遷司隸。 Ai recalled him to censor, then metropolitan governor.

上乃順指下寶獄。 Ai folded and jailed Sun Bao.

哀帝崩，王莽白王太后徵寶以為光祿大夫，與王舜等俱迎中山王。 Wang Mang recalled him to greet the boy emperor.

哀帝即位，以高第入為京兆尹，遷執金吾。 Ai made him metropolitan governor, then Bearer of the Mace.

上於是制詔丞相、御史大夫：「交讓之禮興，則虞、芮之訟息。 The emperor therefore ordered the chancellor and imperial counsellor by edict: "When the rite of yielding flourishes, the dispute of Yu and Rui ceases.

哀帝崩，莽秉政，使大司徒孔光奏隆前為冀州牧治中山馮太后獄冤陷無辜，不宜處位在中土。 When Emperor Ai died and Wang Mang took control of the government, he had Grand Minister over the Masses Kong Guang memorialize that, as former Shepherd of Ji Province, Long had mishandled the case of Empress Dowager Feng of Zhongshan and entrapped innocent people, and therefore should not serve in the central government.

成帝太后以邛成太后愛林卿故，聞之涕泣，為言哀帝。 Chengdi's mother wept to Ai for Wang Linqing.

哀帝問狀而善之，遷併攏西太守。 Ai approved the sting and moved He Bing to Longxi.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 3 passages

哀帝時，南郡江中多盜賊，拜育為南郡太守。 Under Emperor Ai the middle Yangtze swarmed with pirates, and Yu was named governor of Nan commandery.

初，哀帝為定陶王時，由為定陶令，失王指，頃之，制書免由為庶人。 While Emperor Ai was still prince of Dingtao, You was its magistrate and lost the prince's favor; an edict soon reduced him to commoner.

哀帝崩，為復土校尉、京輔左輔都尉，遷江夏太守。 When Ai died, You rose as colonel of the burial mounds, then chief commandant of the capital left, then governor of Jiangxia.

Book of Han, Chapter 90Volume 79: Feng Fengshi · 1 passage

頃之，哀帝即位，帝祖母傅太后用事，追怨參姊中山太后，陷以祝詛大逆之罪，語在《外戚傳》。 Soon Ai ruled; Grand Empress Dowager Fu hated Shen's sister, the Zhongshan dowager, and framed her for witchcraft—see the outer-kin annals.

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 9 passages

哀帝時，無鹽危山土自起覆草，如馳道狀，又瓠山石轉立。 In Emperor Ai’s reign soil at Wuyan’s Danger Mountain heaved up over the turf in the shape of an imperial causeway, and a boulder at Gourd Mountain rolled upright.

是時，哀帝被疾，多所惡，事下有司，逮王、後謁下獄驗治，言使巫傅恭、婢合歡等祠祭詛祝上，為雲求為天子。 Ai was ill and ill-tempered; officers jailed king and queen and proved they had set shamans Fu Gong and the slave girl Hehuan cursing the throne so Yun might become Son of Heaven.

元始元年，王莽欲反哀帝政，白太皇太后，立雲太子開明為東平王，又立思王孫成都為中山王。 In Yuanshi 1, Wang Mang, undoing Ai’s policies, persuaded the grand empress dowager to make Yun’s heir Kai Ming king of Dongping and to enfeoff Chengdu, grandson of the Prince of Dongping, as king of Zhongshan.

十九年薨，子欣嗣。 He died in the nineteenth year of his reign; his son Xin inherited.

十五年，成帝無子，徵入為皇太子。 In the fifteenth year of Xin's reign, as Emperor Cheng had no son, Xin was summoned to the capital as crown prince.

上以太子奉大宗後，不得顧私親，乃立楚思王子景為定陶王，奉共王後。 Because the crown prince was to carry on the main imperial line and could not favor his own kin, the emperor made Jing, son of Prince Si of Chu, king of Dingtao to continue Prince Gong's line.

成帝崩，太子即位，是為孝哀帝。 When Emperor Cheng died, the crown prince ascended as Emperor Ai.

外家王氏與趙昭儀皆欲用哀帝為太子，故遂立焉。 The Wangs at court and Lady Zhao the brilliant companion both wanted Ai as heir, so he was chosen.

七年，哀帝崩，無子，征中山王衎入即位，是為平帝。 In the seventh year of Kan’s reign Ai died childless; Kan was summoned to the capital as Emperor Ping.

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 18 passages

傅喜字稚游，河內溫人也，哀帝祖母定陶傅太后從父弟。 Fu Xi, courtesy name Zhiyou, came from Wen in Henei commandery. He was a paternal cousin of Grand Empress Dowager Fu of Dingtao, Emperor Ai's grandmother.

哀帝立爲太子，成帝選喜爲太子庶子。 When Emperor Ai was made crown prince, Emperor Cheng appointed Fu Xi palace attendant to the heir.

哀帝初即位，以喜爲衛尉，遷右將軍。 When Emperor Ai first took the throne, Fu Xi was made Commandant of the Guard and then General of the Right.

是時，王莽爲大司馬，乞骸骨，避帝外家。 At that time Wang Mang served as Grand Marshal but asked to retire in order to step aside before the new emperor's maternal relatives.

上既聽莽退，眾庶歸望於喜。 Once the emperor accepted Wang Mang's retirement, public expectation turned to Fu Xi.

又帝舅陽安侯丁明，皆親以外屬封。 The emperor's maternal uncle, Marquis of Yang'an Ding Ming, was likewise enfeoffed as a close maternal relative.

上於是用左將軍師丹代王莽爲大司馬，賜喜黃金百斤、上將軍印綬，以光祿大夫養病。 The emperor then replaced Wang Mang with General of the Left Shi Dan as Grand Marshal, gave Fu Xi one hundred jin of gold and the seal and sash of Upper General, and allowed him to convalesce with the rank of Grand Master of the Household.

大司空何武、尚書令唐林皆上書言：「喜行義修潔，忠誠憂國，內輔之臣也，今以寢病，一旦遣歸，眾庶失望，皆曰傅氏賢子，以論議不合於定陶太后故退，百寮莫不為國恨之。 Grand Minister of Works He Wu and Secretary Director Tang Lin jointly wrote: 'Fu Xi is upright, scrupulous, and devoted to the state—exactly the kind of man who should stand at the emperor's side. To dismiss him overnight on grounds of illness will disappoint the empire. People will say the worthy son of the Fu clan was cashiered because he would not trim his opinions to suit the Dowager of Dingtao, and every official will feel the dynasty has wronged itself.

喜立於朝，陛下之光輝，傅氏之廢興也。」 Fu Xi's presence at court is both your majesty's good fortune and the making or breaking of the Fu clan.'

上亦自重之。 The emperor himself still set great store by him.

明年正月，乃徙師丹為大司空，而拜喜為大司馬，封高武侯。 The following first month the emperor moved Shi Dan into the grand minister of works post, appointed Fu Xi grand marshal, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Gaowu.

傅太后大怒，上不得已，先免師丹以感動喜，喜終不順。 The grand empress dowager raged. Cornered, the emperor first dismissed Shi Dan, hoping to intimidate Fu Xi into yielding; Fu Xi still refused to bend.

其上大司馬印綬，就第。」 Surrender the grand marshal's seal and sash and retire to your estate.'

傅太后又自詔丞相、御史曰：「高武侯喜無功而封，內懷不忠，附下罔上，與故大司空丹同心背畔，放命圮族，虧損德化，罪惡雖在赦前，不宜奉朝請，其遣就國。」 Grand Empress Dowager Fu then issued her own order to the chancellor and censor: 'Marquis of Gaowu Fu Xi received a fief without merit. In his heart he is disloyal: he panders to factions below while misleading the throne, and he conspired with the former grand minister of works Shi Dan in mutinous defiance. Such conduct tears down the moral order. Even though his offenses predate the last amnesty, he must not continue at court; send him back to his fief.'

後又欲奪喜侯，上亦不聽。 She later tried to strip him of his title as well, but the emperor would not allow it.

喜在國三歲余，哀帝崩，平帝即位，王莽用事，免傅氏宮爵歸故郡，晏將妻子徙合浦。 Fu Xi spent three years in his fief. After Emperor Ai died and the child Emperor Ping ascended, Wang Mang took charge, stripped the Fu clan of their titles, and sent them home; Fu Yan removed his wife and children to Hepu on the southern coast.

贊曰：自宜、元、成、哀外戚興者，許、史、三王、丁、傅之家，皆重侯累將，窮貴極富，見其位矣，未見其人也。 The historian's judgment: From the reigns of Xuan through Ai, the consort clans—the Xu, the Shi, the three Wang lines, the Ding, and the Fu—stacked marquisates and generalships until they towered in wealth and rank; you could see their offices, rarely the men who deserved them.

哀、平際會，禍福速哉！ How swiftly fortune and misfortune alternated at the juncture of the Ai and Ping reigns!

Book of Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Xue Xuan and Zhu Bo · 6 passages

久之，哀帝初即位，博士申咸給事中，亦東海人也，毀宣不供養行喪服，薄於骨肉，前以不忠孝免，不宜復列封侯在朝省。 Some time after Emperor Ai came to the throne, Erudit Shen Xian of Donghai served in palace attendance. He attacked Xue Xuan for failing to wear mourning while supporting the living and for coldness toward kin. Having once been dismissed for disloyalty and unfilial conduct, he ought not again to hold marquis rank and office at court.

哀帝外家丁、傅貴，主附事之，而疏王氏。 Emperor Ai's maternal kin, the Ding and Fu clans, were powerful; the princess attached herself to them and kept her distance from the Wangs.

後歲餘，哀帝即位，以博名臣，召見，起家復為光祿大夫，遷為京兆尹，數月超為大司空。 A year later Emperor Ai took the throne, recalled Zhu Bo as a noted minister, restored him from private life to superintendent of the imperial household, then metropolitan governor, and within months to grand minister of works.

哀帝從之，乃更拜博為御史大夫。 Emperor Ai agreed and named Zhu Bo imperial secretary.

後四歲，哀帝遂改丞相為大司徒，復置大司空、大司馬焉。 Four years on, Ai renamed the chancellor grand minister of education and reinstated grand minister of works and grand marshal.

初，哀帝祖母定陶太后欲求稱尊號，太后從弟高武侯傅喜為大司馬，與丞相孔光、大司空師丹共持正議。 When Emperor Ai's grandmother, the Dowager of Dingtao, demanded an imperial-style title, her cousin Fu Xi as grand marshal stood with Kong Guang and Shi Dan on the side of precedent.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 7 passages

哀帝即位，遷為涼州刺史。 When Emperor Ai took the throne, Ye was transferred to be inspector of Liang province.

是時，帝祖母定陶傅太后稱皇太太后，帝母丁姬稱帝太后，而皇后即傅太后從弟子也。 At the time, the emperor's grandmother, Empress Dowager Fu of Dingtao, bore the title Grand Empress Dowager, while his mother, Lady Ding, was titled Empress Dowager. The empress herself was the daughter of a younger male cousin of Empress Dowager Fu.

元壽元年正月朔，上以皇后父孔鄉侯傅晏為大司馬衛將軍，而帝舅陽安侯丁明為大司馬票騎將軍。 On the new moon of the first month of Yuanshou, the emperor made the empress's father Marquis of Kongxiang Fu Yan grand marshal and general of the guards, and the emperor's uncle Marquis of Yang'an Ding Ming grand marshal and general of agile cavalry.

竊見陛下行不偏之政，每事約儉，非禮不動，誠欲正身與天下更始也。 I see you govern even-handedly, live frugally, and never act without ritual—you mean to reform yourself and begin anew with the realm.

不在前後，臨事而發者，明陛下謙遜無專，承指非一，所言輒聽，所欲輒隨，有罪惡者不坐辜罰，無功能者畢受官爵，流漸積猥，正尤在是，欲令昭昭以覺聖朝。 The eclipse fell on the very day of the promotions—Heaven shows you take counsel from every voice, grant every wish, spare the guilty, and ennoble the useless until corruption pools; the omen points straight at this, begging the court to wake.

願陛下加致精誠，思承始初，事稽諸古，以厭下心，則黎庶群生無不說喜，上帝百神收還威怒，禎祥福祿何嫌不報！ Add utmost sincerity, think back to your first intent, test policy against the classics, and win the people's hearts—then the spirits will lay aside wrath and blessings will return without stint.

贊曰：孝成之世，委政外家，諸舅持權，重於丁、傅在孝哀時。 The summation: Chengdi handed the realm to in-laws whose grip exceeded the Ding and Fu clans under Aidi.

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

哀帝時，丁、傅、董賢用事，諸附離之者或起家至二千石。 Under Emperor Ai the Ding clan, the Fu clan, and the favorite Dong Xian ran the government, and hangers-on vaulted overnight to salaries of two thousand piculs.

哀帝之初，又與董賢同官。 Early in Emperor Ai’s reign he held office with the favorite Dong Xian.

Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 1 passage

自是以至哀、平，酷吏眾多，然莫足數，此其知名見紀者也。 From Ai to Ping cruel clerks multiplied beyond counting—only these merit record.

Book of Han, Chapter 103Volume 91: Usurers · 3 passages

程、卓既衰，至成、哀間，成都羅裒訾至巨萬。 Long after the Cheng and Zhuo fortunes faded, during Chengdi and Aidi a Chengdu broker named Luo Pou piled up tens of millions.

刀間既衰，至成、哀間，臨淄姓偉訾五千萬。 When Dao Jian's star faded, a Linzi magnate surnamed Wei, in the reigns of Cheng and Ai, sat on fifty million cash.

師史既衰，至成、哀、王莽時，雒陽張長叔、薛子促訾亦十千萬。 When Shi's house waned, Luoyang partners Zhang Changshu and Xue Zicu—through Cheng, Ai, and into Wang Mang's day—matched his nine-figure hoard.

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 3 passages

竦博學通達，以廉儉自守，而遵放縱不拘，操行雖異，然相親友，哀帝之末俱著名字，為後進冠。 Zhang Song was bookish and abstemious; Chen Zun was a rake—opposites who stayed fast friends and, by Aidi's end, topped every young blade's list.

涉父哀帝時為南陽太守。 His father governed Nanyang under Emperor Ai.

自哀、平間，郡國處處有豪桀，然莫足數。 Between Emperors Ai and Ping bravos sprouted in every province, few worth naming.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 30 passages

孝哀時則有董賢。 and under Emperor Ai, Dong Xian.

哀帝立，賢隨太子官為郎。 When Ai ascended, Xian moved from the heir's staff into the corps of gentlemen.

二歲餘，賢傳漏在殿下，為人美麗自喜，哀帝望見，說其儀貌，識而問之，曰：「是舍人董賢邪？」 Two years later, while keeping the water-clock below the hall, he caught Ai's eye—handsome, self-possessed. The emperor recognized him and called out, "Is this Gentleman Dong Xian?"

因引上與語，拜為黃門郎，由是始幸。 He had him brought up for conversation, named him a yellow-gate gentleman, and favor began that day.

問及其父為雲中侯，即日徵為霸陵令，遷光祿大夫。 Learning that his father held the Yunzhong marquisate, Ai summoned the elder Dong the same day to be magistrate of Baling, then promoted him to grand counsellor of the household.

嘗晝寢，偏藉上袖，上欲起，賢未覺，不欲動賢，乃斷袖而起。 Once Ai napped with him; Xian lay across his sleeve. Rather than wake him, Ai took a knife and cut the cloth free.

上以賢難歸，詔令賢妻得通引籍殿中，止賢廬，若吏妻子居官寺捨。 To spare him trips home, Ai let Dong Xian's wife carry palace passes and live in his lodge inside, as if she were quartered in a ministry hostel.

又令將作為賢起塚塋義陵旁，內為便房，剛柏題湊，外為徼道，周垣數里，門闕罘罳甚盛。 He had a mortuary park built beside Ai's own tomb mound—inner chambers, cypress outer coffin, patrol paths, miles of wall, and ornate gate towers.

上欲侯賢而未有緣。 Ai wanted to make Dong Xian a full marquis but lacked an excuse.

上於是令躬、寵為因賢告東平事者，乃以其功下詔封賢為高安侯，躬宜陵侯，寵方陽侯，食邑各千戶。 Ai rewrote the story: Xi and Sun had exposed the plot "through" Dong Xian. He credited that tale and enfeoffed Dong Xian as marquis of Gao'an, Xi as marquis of Yiling, and Sun as marquis of Fangyang, each for a thousand households.

上初即位，祖母傅太后、母丁太后皆在，兩家先貴。 When Ai first ascended, his grandmother, Grand Empress Dowager Fu, and his mother, Empress Dowager Ding, were still living, and both the Fu and Ding kindreds already held great power.

上舅丁明代為大司馬，亦任職，頗害賢寵，及丞相王嘉死，明甚憐之。 Ai's uncle Ding Ming succeeded him as grand marshal and checked Dong Xian's influence somewhat; when Wang Jia died, Ding Ming grieved openly.

上浸重賢，欲極其位，而恨明如此，遂冊免明曰：「前東平王雲貪慾上位，祠祭祝詛，雲後舅伍宏以醫待詔，與校秘書郎楊閎結謀反逆，禍甚迫切。 The emperor increasingly valued Dong Xian and wanted to raise him to the highest office, but he resented Ding Ming's attitude. He therefore dismissed Ming by written rescript: "Previously Yun, King of Dongping, coveted the throne and performed sacrifices with curse-prayers. Wu Hong, the maternal uncle of Yun's queen, was awaiting appointment as a physician and plotted rebellion with Yang Hong, Gentleman for Collating the Palace Library. The danger was extremely urgent.

將軍位尊任重，既不能明威立義，折消未萌，又不深疾雲、宏之惡，而懷非君上，阿為宣、吳，反痛恨雲等揚言為群下所冤，又親見言伍宏善醫，死可惜也，賢等獲封極幸。 You, General, hold an honored and weighty office, yet you neither displayed authority and established justice to extinguish the plot before it sprouted, nor deeply abhorred the crimes of Yun and Hong. Instead you harbored thoughts unworthy of your ruler, sided with Xuan and Wu, and even claimed aloud that Yun and the others had been wronged by subordinates. You also personally said that Wu Hong was a good physician and that his death was regrettable, while Dong Xian and the others had received enfeoffment only through extraordinary good fortune.

單于怪賢年少，以問譯，上令譯報曰：「大司馬年少，以大賢居位。」 The Chanyu stared at the boyish grand marshal; through the interpreter the emperor explained, "He is young because true worth, not years, fills the office."

及賢為大司馬，與光並為三公，上故令賢私過光。 Once Dong Xian joined him as a fellow "duke," Emperor Ai told Dong to call on Kong Guang informally.

光雅恭謹，知上欲尊寵賢，及聞賢當來也，光警戒衣冠出門待，望見賢車乃卻入。 Kong Guang, ever correct, knew the sovereign wished to exalt Dong Xian: he waited at his gate in full dress, then slipped back inside the moment Dong Xian's carriage appeared.

賢歸，上聞之喜，立拜光兩兄子為諫大夫、常侍。 When Ai heard how Kong Guang had debased himself, he was delighted and on the spot promoted two of Kong's nephews to remonstrant and regular attendant.

是時，成帝外家王氏衰廢，唯平阿侯譚子去疾，哀帝為太子時為庶子得幸，及即位，為侍中、騎都尉。 The Wangs who had dominated under Chengdi were spent; only Wang Quji, son of Marquis Tan of Ping'a, who had been Ai's study companion as heir, rose with him to palace attendant and commandant of cavalry.

上以王氏亡在位者，遂用舊恩親近去疾，復進其弟閎為中常侍，閎妻父蕭咸，前將軍望之子也，久為郡守，病免，為中郎將。 Seeing no Wang in power, Ai favored Quji out of old affection and promoted his brother Wang Hong to regular palace attendant; Hong's father-in-law Xiao Xian—Xiao Wangzhi's son—had been a long-serving governor, left office for illness, and now served as general of the household.

後上置酒麒麟殿，賢父子親屬宴飲，王閎兄弟侍中、中常侍皆在側。 Later Ai held a banquet in the Qilin Hall for the Dong clan; Wang Hong and his brothers, on duty as attendants, flanked the party.

上有酒所，從容視賢笑，曰「吾欲法堯禪舜，何如？」 When he had drunk, Ai turned to Dong Xian and smiled. "I wish to follow Yao and yield the throne to Shun—what do you think?"

閎進曰：「天下乃高皇帝天下，非陛下之有也。 Wang Hong stepped in: "The empire belongs to Gaozu's line, not to Your Majesty alone to give away.

陛下承宗廟，當傳子孫於亡窮。 You hold the ancestral shrines in trust for endless generations of heirs.

統業至重，天子亡戲言！」 The succession is too grave for imperial jokes!"

上默然不說，左右皆恐。 Ai fell silent, clearly offended; everyone at the table froze.

後數月，哀帝崩。 A few months later Emperor Ai was dead.

漢世衰於元、成，壞於哀、平。 Han strength ebbed under Emperors Yuan and Cheng and shattered under Ai and Ping.

哀、平之際，國多釁矣。 Between those two reigns the dynasty was riven with fault lines.

一朝帝崩，奸臣擅命，董賢縊死，丁、傅流放，辜及母后，奪位幽廢，咎在親便嬖，所任非仁賢。 When Ai died in a night, a usurper seized the brush; Dong Xian died on a rope, the Ding and Fu clans were swept into exile, and even the dowager paid for misrule—the price of filling office from the pillow instead of from virtue.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 2 passages

成帝季年，立定陶王為太子，數遣中盾請問近臣，穉獨不敢答。 Late in Cheng's reign, when the Prince of Dingtao was named heir, the heir's agents quizzed every intimate attendant, but Ban Zhi alone refused to reply.

哀帝即位，出穉為西河屬國都尉，遷廣平相。 Emperor Ai posted him chief commandant over the Xihe dependent state, then promoted him to chancellor of Guangping.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 28Volume 25: Biography of Zhuo, Lu, Wei, Liu · 1 passage

休字子泉，哀帝初，守新都令。 Kong Xiu, styled Ziquan, early in Emperor Ai's reign served as magistrate of Xindu.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 31Volume 28a: Biographies of Huan Tan; Feng Yan · 2 passages

哀、平間，位不過郎。 Under Emperors Ai and Ping he never rose above gentleman cadet.

後賢果風太醫令真欽，使求傅氏罪過，遂逮後弟侍中喜，詔獄無所得，乃解，故傅氏終全於哀帝之時。 Dong Xian later prompted the court physician Zhen Qin to dig up dirt on the Fu family and had the empress's brother Fu Xi, a palace attendant, thrown into the imperial jail—but nothing was proved, so the case collapsed and the Fu clan survived Emperor Ai's reign.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage

先將軍葬渭陵，哀帝之崩也，營之以為園。 My late father, the general, lay buried at Weiling; when Emperor Ai died the tombs there were expanded into an imperial park.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 3 passages

大司徒涉等议：「宜奉所代，立平帝、哀帝、成帝、元帝庙，代今亲庙。 Dai She and others argued: "You should honor those you have succeeded by establishing temples to Ping, Ai, Cheng, and Yuan in place of the present private shrines.

其成、哀、平且祠祭长安故高庙。 Cheng, Ai, and Ping would meanwhile receive cult at the former Chang’an High Temple.

其西庙成、哀、平三帝主，四时祭于故高庙。 The western hall kept the tablets of Cheng, Ai, and Ping, served at the old High Temple each season.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 118Volume 107: Five Elements Part Five · 1 passage

时，周群上言，哀帝时亦有此异，将有易代之事。 Zhou Qun memorialized that Emperor Ai had seen the same prodigy—a sign that the dynasty would change hands.