Qin and Han · Emperor of Han

Emperor Cheng 成帝

Chengdi

First attested BC 33; died BC 7

Passages: 12
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Cheng was an emperor of Han.

Life and dates

Death

BC 7 成帝崩
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 220

Attested activity

BC 33 成帝即位
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passages 199, 216
BC 20 鴻嘉元年
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 198

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Emperor Yuan (孝元帝)
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 177
Child of Wang Zhengjun (王政君)
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 177
Spouse of Zhao Hede (趙合德)
Concubinage
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 190

Kinship Role sons · Count 0 · Negated true
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passage 218

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Han 漢
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 198

Events and relationships

Chose ai as heir
Succession · Ruler · With Emperor Ai (孝哀皇帝)
Directly stated · Book of Han 91, passages 188-190

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 1 passage

成帝時，修廢功，以吉舊恩尤重，鴻嘉元年制詔丞相御史：「蓋聞褒功德，繼絕統，所以重宗廟，廣賢聖之路也。 In Emperor Cheng’s time, neglected services were restored to honor. Because Bing Ji’s old kindness was especially weighty, in the first year of Hongjia an edict was issued to the chancellor and imperial secretary: ‘We have heard that commending merit and virtue and continuing broken lines of succession are ways to honor the ancestral temples and broaden the path for worthies and sages.

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 11 passages

至成帝即位，以淮陽王屬為叔父，敬寵之，異於它國。 When Cheng succeeded, he honored the king of Huaiyang as his father's younger brother, showered favor on him, and treated his domain unlike any other.

楚孝王囂，甘露二年立為定陶王，三年徙楚，成帝河平中入朝，時被疾，天子閔之，下詔曰：「蓋聞『天地之性人為貴，人之行莫大於孝』。 Prince Xiao of Chu, Ao, was enfeoffed as king of Dingtao in Ganlu 2 and transferred to Chu in Ganlu 3. During the He Ping era under Emperor Cheng he came to court but fell ill. The emperor pitied him and issued an edict: "We have heard that 'among the nature of Heaven and Earth, humanity is most prized, and among human conduct nothing is greater than filial piety.'

明年，成帝復立文弟平陸侯衍，是為思王。 The next year Emperor Cheng re-established Wen's younger brother Yan, marquis of Pinglu, as Prince Si.

初，成帝時又立紆弟景為定陶王。 Earlier, under Emperor Cheng, Jing—Yu’s younger brother—had been made king of Dingtao.

王皇后生孝成帝，傅昭儀生定陶共王康，馮昭儀生中山孝王興。 Empress Wang gave birth to Emperor Cheng. Lady Fu the Brilliant Companion bore Prince Gong of Dingtao, Kang; Lady Feng the Brilliant Companion bore Prince Xiao of Zhongshan, Xing.

成帝即位，緣先帝意，厚遇異於它王。 When Cheng succeeded, he followed his predecessor's wishes and favored him more generously than any other prince.

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.

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

成帝之議立太子也，御史大夫孔光以為《尚書》有殷及王，兄終弟及，中山王元帝之子，宜為後。 When Cheng debated the succession, Imperial Counselor Kong Guang cited the Documents on Yin brother-to-brother transmission and argued that Xing, Yuan’s son and king of Zhongshan, should follow.

成帝以中山王不材，又兄弟，不得相入廟。 Cheng judged Xing unfit and held that brothers could not share one temple line.

太皇太后以帝為成帝後，故立東平思王孫桃鄉頃侯子成都為中山王，奉孝王後。 The grand empress dowager, treating Ping as Cheng’s heir, enfeoffed Chengdu—son of Marquis Qing of Taoxiang and grandson of Prince Si of Dongping—as king of Zhongshan to carry on Xing’s line.