Qin and Han · Eastern Han Emperor

Emperor Guangwu 光武

Guangwu

Attested AD 25 - AD 57

Passages: 14
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Guangwu as a general, ruler, and statesman. This record brings together 14 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	Emperor Guangwu	光武	Guangwu
Title	Emperor Guangwu	光武	Guangwu
Alternate	Wenshu	文叔	Wenshu

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0027

Roles

General
Ruler
Statesman

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: AD 25-57 · Western Interval: Start: AD 25 · End: AD 57
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:085:s0027

Career and standing

Action: commuted death sentence and returned prisoner to jail · Other Person Id: Dong Xuan (董宣)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0027
Action: summoned and intended to club to death · Other Person Id: Dong Xuan (董宣)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0039
Action: ascended throne · Western Year: AD 25
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0087

Places and affiliations

Polity: Eastern Han / 東漢 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0027

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Statement: He asked Dong Xuan what he wished to say. · Other Person Id: Dong Xuan (董宣) · Provenance: Mode: direct-quotation · Speaker Person Id: Emperor Guangwu (光武)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0041
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Statement: He joked that one basket of cakes had earned Fan Ye a commandant's post. · Other Person Id: Fan Ye (樊晔) · Provenance: Mode: direct-quotation · Speaker Person Id: Emperor Guangwu (光武)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0065
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Statement: The Son of Heaven is not the same as a commoner. · Provenance: Mode: direct-quotation · Speaker Person Id: Emperor Guangwu (光武)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0048

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: Dong Xuan was incorruptible, recognized only after his death · Other Person Id: Dong Xuan (董宣) · Provenance: Mode: direct-quotation · Speaker Person Id: Emperor Guangwu (光武)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0058
Item: imperial food and wardrobe garments / 御食、乘舆服物 · Relation: bestowed · Other Person Id: Fan Ye (樊晔)
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0064

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · houhanshu:085:s0027

References in the histories

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

Book of Later Han, Chapter 85Volume 77: Biographies of Cruel Officials · 14 passages

时，同刑九人，次应及宣，光武驰使驺骑特原宣刑，且令还狱。 Nine others were condemned with him, and when the roll call would next have fallen on Dong Xuan, Emperor Guangwu sent relay riders at a gallop to commute his sentence and had him sent back to jail.

主即还宫诉帝，帝大怒，召宣，欲箠杀之。 She hurried to the palace to denounce him; the emperor flew into a rage, summoned Dong Xuan, and meant to club him to death.

帝曰：“欲何言？” The emperor asked, “What is it?”

宣曰：“陛下圣德中兴，而从奴杀良人，将何以理天下乎？ Dong Xuan replied, “Your Majesty’s sagely power brought the house back from ruin; if a slave may slaughter the guiltless, how are you to govern all under Heaven?

帝令小黄门持之，使宣叩头谢主，宣不从，强使顿之，宣两手据地，终不肯俯。 The emperor told a young eunuch to hold him back and ordered Dong Xuan to bow in apology to the princess; he would not. They tried to press his head down, but he planted both hands on the floor and never lowered his brow.

主曰：“文叔为白衣时，臧主匿死，吏不敢至门。 The princess cried, “When Wenshu was still a commoner, he concealed fugitives for me, and no bailiff dared knock at my door.

今为天子，威不能行一令乎？” Now that he is Son of Heaven, can his power not reach a single county magistrate?”

帝笑曰：“天子不与白衣同。”」 The emperor smiled and said, “The Son of Heaven is not a commoner.”

帝伤之，曰：“董宣廉洁，死乃知之！” The emperor was stricken and said, “Dong Xuan was honest—I learned it only when he was gone!"

与光武少游旧。 In his younger days he had been Guangwu’s companion on the road.

初，光武微时，尝以事拘于新野，晔为市吏，餽饵一笥，帝德之不忘，仍赐晔御食，及乘舆服物。 Long before, when Guangwu was still unknown, he had been held at Xinye over some matter; Fan Ye, then a market inspector, sent a hamper of food, and the emperor cherished the deed ever after, later presenting him with dishes from the palace kitchen and clothing from the imperial wardrobe.

光武为大司马，平定河北，召章置江曹属，数从征伐。 While Guangwu served as grand marshal and was bringing Hebei to heel, he called Li Zhang to his staff in charge of river works, and Zhang rode with him on many expeditions.

光武即位，拜阳平令。 After Guangwu mounted the throne, Li Zhang became magistrate of Yangping.

兴归郡，以状上帝，悉以所得班劳吏士。 When Chu Xing was back in his yamen, he memorialized the whole affair; the emperor had every prize shared out to reward the officers and men.