Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Ling 灵帝

Lingdi

Died AD 189

Passages
47
Chapters
9
Histories
1

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Ling as an aristocrat and ruler. This record brings together 47 passages from 9 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal Emperor Ling 灵帝 Lingdi
Title Emperor Ling 灵帝 Lingdi
Temple name Emperor Ling 灵帝 Ling Di
Title Emperor Ling 灵帝
Temple Emperor Ling 灵帝 Líng dì
Temple name Emperor Ling 灵帝 Língdì
Temple name Emperor Ling 孝灵皇帝 Xiaoling Huangdi
Title Emperor Ling
Temple name Emperor Ling 灵帝
Title Emperor Ling 灵帝 Língdì
Personal Emperor Ling the Filial and Sagely 孝灵帝 Xiào Líng dì
Regnal Ling 灵 Líng
Title Lingdi 灵帝
Personal name Liu Hong Liu Hong
Title Marquis of Jiedu 解犊侯
Title Marquis of Jieduting 解犊亭侯

Identity

Historicity
Historical
Identification
Named
Sex
Male

Roles

  • Aristocrat
  • Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Attested activity

Family

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

Career and standing

Places and affiliations

Events and relationships

  • Kind: court · Role: emperor · Other Person Id: Han Shuo (韩说) · Action: accepted Han Shuo's warning of an eclipse and ordered the officials to be in full dress · Outcome: the eclipse occurred as predicted · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 光和元年十月 · Regnal Year: 1 · Reign Name: 光和 · Month: 10 · Western Year: AD 178
    Explicit · houhanshu:093:s0088, houhanshu:093:s0089
  • Kind: portent · Role: witness · Action: asked Cai Yong about black vapor omen
    Explicit · houhanshu:118:s0084, houhanshu:118:s0085
  • Kind: appointment · Role: emperor · Other Person Id: Dong Fu (董扶) · Action: summoned Dong Fu as Palace Attendant on He Jin's recommendation and valued him greatly · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 灵帝时 · Western Interval: Start: AD 168 · End: AD 189
    Explicit · houhanshu:093:s0097

Assessments and attributes

  • Assessment: entrusted affairs to eunuchs; royal house feeble · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
    Explicit · houhanshu:118:s0034
  • Assessment: failed to restrain himself and return to ritual; cruel extravagance grew · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
    Explicit · houhanshu:115:s0081

Source notes

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 · 5 passages
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王甫休沐里舍，球诣阙谢恩，奏收甫及中常侍淳于登、袁赦、封𦐇、中黄门刘毅、小黄门庞训、硃禹、齐盛等，及子弟为守令者，奸猾纵恣，罪合灭族。 Wang Fu was on leave at his villa; Yang Qiu thanked the emperor at court, then filed charges to seize Wang Fu, the attendants Chunyu Deng, Yuan She, Feng (his given name is damaged in the manuscripts), Liu Yi, Pang Xun, Zhu Yu, Qi Sheng, and every kinsman serving as a local magistrate—men whose crimes called for wiping out whole clans.
Book of Later Han, Chapter 93Volume 82b: Biographies of Alchemists 2 · 4 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 4 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 113Volume 102: Astronomy Part Three · 4 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 115Volume 104: Five Elements Part Two · 7 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 116Volume 105: Five Elements Part Three · 7 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 117Volume 106: Five Elements Part Four · 5 passages
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 118Volume 107: Five Elements Part Five · 8 passages
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上问蔡邕，对曰：「所谓天投蜺者也。不见足尾，不得称龙。《易传》曰：『蜺之比无德，以色亲也。』潜潭巴曰：『虹出，后妃阴胁王者。』又曰：『五色迭至，照于宫殿，有兵革之事。』演孔图曰：『天子外苦兵，威内夺，臣无忠，则天投蜺。』变不空生，占不空言。」 The emperor asked Cai Yong, who answered: "This is the omen called Heaven hurling the paired rainbow. Without feet or tail it cannot properly be called a dragon. The Yi commentary reads, 'The secondary rainbow's likeness is want of virtue; it draws near through mere color.' Qian Tan Ba says, 'When a rainbow appears, a consort in the yin sphere presses upon the king.' He also says, 'When the five colors come in turn and shine upon the palace, arms and war follow.' The Extended Confucius Diagram says, 'When the Son of Heaven is worn down by war without, his authority is seized within, and his ministers are faithless, Heaven casts off the secondary rainbow.' Such transformations are never empty; such readings are never idle talk."
Book of Later Han, Chapter 119Volume 108: Five Elements Part Six · 3 passages
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