Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Emperor of Western Jin

Emperor Hui 惠帝

Hui di

Attested AD 290 - AD 301

Passages: 22
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Hui was an emperor of Western Jin. It is not yet established whether this person is the same as similarly named people in other chapters.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 291 元康元年
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passage 203
AD 290 惠帝即位
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passage 201
AD 301 永甯元年正月
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passage 183

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Sima Yu (司馬遹)
eldest son 長子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passage 2
Spouse of Empress Jia (賈后)
empress 賈后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passages 15, 201
Child of Emperor Wu (武帝)
son 子 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 53, passage 4

Works and attributed material

Condolence text · Author · Quote true
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passages 143-166
Edict · Author · Quote true
Directly stated · Book of Jin 53, passages 131-140

References in the histories

Search passages

History

22 passages

Book of Jin, Chapter 53Volume 53 Biographies 23: Crown Prince Minhuai · 22 passages

湣懷太子遹，字熙祖，惠帝長子，母曰謝才人。 Crown Prince Minhuai, Yu, courtesy name Xizu, was Emperor Hui's eldest son; his mother was Talented Lady Xie.

嘗與諸皇子共戲殿上，惠帝來朝，執諸皇子手，次至太子，帝曰：「是汝兒也。」 Once he was playing in the palace hall with the imperial princes; when Emperor Hui came to audience he took each prince's hand in turn; when he reached the crown prince, Emperor Wu said, 'This is your son.'

惠帝乃止。 Emperor Hui thereupon stopped.

惠帝即位，立為皇太子。 When Hui Di took the throne, Yu was made crown prince.

文曰：「陛下宜自了； The text read: "Your Majesty should end your own life;

帝幸式乾殿，召公卿入，使黃門令董猛乙太子書及青紙詔曰：「遹書如此，今賜死。」 The emperor visited Shi-Qian Hall, summoned dukes and ministers, and had Yellow Gate Chief Dong Meng display the crown prince's script with an edict on blue paper: "Yu has written thus—now sentence him to death."

賈后使董猛矯以長廣公主辭白帝曰：「事宜速決，而群臣各有不同，若有不從詔，宜以軍法從事。」 Empress Jia had Dong Meng falsely relay Princess Changguang's words to the emperor: "Matters must be settled quickly while ministers disagree—whoever disobeys the edict should face military law."

自道文病，中宮三遣左右來視，云：'天教呼汝。 Since Daowen fell ill, the empress sent attendants three times to see me, saying, "His Majesty summons you."

'到二十八日暮，有短函來，題言東宮發，疏云：'言天教欲見汝。 On the evening of the twenty-eighth a short letter arrived, marked as a dispatch from the Eastern Palace. It said, "His Majesty wishes to see you."

二十九日早入見國家，須臾遣至中宮。 On the twenty-ninth morning I entered and saw His Majesty; presently I was sent to the inner palace.

須臾中宮遣陳舞見語：'聞汝表陛下為道文乞王，不得王是成國耳。 Presently the empress sent Chen Wu to tell me: 'I hear you petitioned His Majesty to make Daowen a prince and were refused. A princely title means a territorial domain, after all.'

'中宮遙呼陳舞：'昨天教與太子酒棗。 The empress called to Chen Wu from a distance: "Yesterday His Majesty ordered wine and jujubes for the crown prince."

中宮遙呼曰：'汝常陛下前持酒可喜，何以不飲？ The empress called from a distance: 'You are always so pleasing when you hold wine before His Majesty; why will you not drink?'

天與汝酒，當使道文差也。 His Majesty has given you wine; it should make Daowen recover.

'便答中宮：'陛下會同一日見賜，故不敢辭，通日不飲三升酒也。 I answered the inner palace: His Majesty granted ale one day—therefore I dared not refuse—but all day I never drank three sheng.

天與汝酒飲，不肯飲，中有惡物邪？ His Majesty gives you wine to drink, yet you refuse. Is there something harmful in it?'

須臾有一小婢持封箱來，云：'詔使寫此文書。 Presently a young maid brought a sealed case and said, "The emperor orders you to copy this document."

催促云：'陛下停待。 They pressed: 'His Majesty is waiting.'

又為哀策曰：「皇帝臨軒，使洗馬劉務告于皇太子之殯曰：咨爾遹！ They further composed a condolence text: "The emperor facing the gallery sends Groom of the Household Liu Wu to the crown prince's lying-in-state: Ah, Yu!

太安元年三月癸卯，薨，帝服齊衰期，諡曰沖太孫。 On guimao in Tai'an third month he died; the emperor wore trimmed mourning for a year and granted the posthumous title Chong Imperial Grandson.

及於繼明宸極，守器春坊，四教不勤，三朝或闕，豹姿未變，鳳德已衰，信惑奸邪，疏斥正士，好屠酤之賤役，耽苑囿之佚遊，可謂靡不有初，鮮克有終者也。 When the new ruler ascended the imperial throne and the prince guarded the succession in the Eastern Palace, he neglected the four teachings and sometimes omitted the three daily greetings. His leopard’s form was not yet transformed, while his phoenix virtue had already declined. He trusted wicked deceivers and drove away upright men, enjoyed the lowly work of butchering and selling wine, and indulged in idle outings in the parks. Truly one may say: "All have a beginning, but few carry through to the end."

一人乏探隱之聰，百辟無爭臣之節。 The ruler lacked the discernment to uncover hidden matters, and the ministers lacked the integrity to remonstrate.