Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Xuan 宣帝

Xuān Dì

BC 91 - BC 49

Passages: 73
Chapters: 20
Histories: 4

Overview

The translated histories identify Emperor Xuan as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 73 passages from 20 chapters across 4 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuān Dì
Title	Central Exemplar	中宗
Regnal	Emperor Xiaoxuan	孝宣皇帝
Title	Emperor Xiaoxuan	孝宣帝
Title	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuan Di
Temple	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuān dì
Regnal	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuan Di
Personal	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuan Di
Temple name	Emperor Xuan	宣帝
Posthumous	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuan Di
Temple	Emperor Xuan	孝宣皇帝	Xiaoxuan Huangdi
Title	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuandi
Temple name	Emperor Xuan	孝宣
Regnal	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuandi
Posthumous	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuāndì
Title	Emperor Xuan	孝宣皇
Temple name	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuāndì
Title	Emperor Xuan	宣帝	Xuāndì
Temple	Emperor Xuan	宣	Xuān
Title	imperial great-grandson	皇曾孫
Title	Imperial Great-Grandson	皇曾孫	Huang Zengsun
Personal name	Liu Bingyi	病已	Bìngyǐ
Posthumous	Xuan	宣	Xuān
Temple	Xuan	宣	Xuan
Title	Xuan	宣
Alternate	Xuandi
Temple name	Zhongzong	中宗	Zhongzong
Temple name	Zhongzong	中宗
Personal		宣帝

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0304, hanshu:085:s0101, hanshu:091:s0002, hanshu:101:s0022, houhanshu:109:s0051, houhanshu:115:s0112
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:089:s0201, houhanshu:110:s0011, nanqishu:005:s0056
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:070:s0218, hanshu:105:s0011

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Birth

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 武帝末巫蠱時生數月 · Western Year: BC 91
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:085:s0101

Death

Date: Text: when Emperor Xiaocheng was three · Resolved: false
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:011:s0305
Manner: died · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 宣帝崩 · Western Year: BC 49
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0014

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 孝宣 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 49
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:101:s0012
Source Date: Text: 宣帝之世 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 49
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:091:s0002, hanshu:091:s0006, hanshu:091:s0014
Source Date: Text: 宣帝时 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 49
Explicit · houhanshu:115:s0112
Source Date: Text: 建武十九年 · Western Year: AD 43
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:110:s0011
Source Date: Text: 昔 · Western Year: AD 74
Explicit event contextual date · nanqishu:005:s0056
Source Date: Text: 癸酉 · Western Year: AD 85
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:109:s0051, houhanshu:109:s0045
Source Date: Text: 皇曾孫至宣帝 · Western Interval: Start: BC 91 · End: BC 49
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:085:s0101, hanshu:085:s0227

Family

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

Descendant of Crown Prince Li (戾太子)
Kinship Term: great-grandson / 曾孫 · Generation Distance: 2 · Line: paternal
Descendant of Che (徹)
Kinship Term: great-grandson / 曾孫 · Generation Distance: 3
Parent of Liu Qin (劉欽)
Kinship Term: begot / 生 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parentage: biological
Parent of Liu Jing (劉竟)
Kinship Term: begot / 生 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Emperor Yuan (孝元帝)
Kinship Term: begot / 生 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological
Parent of Liu Ao (劉囂)
Kinship Term: begot / 生 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Liu Yu (劉宇)
Kinship Term: begot / 生 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Spouse of Empress Xu (許皇后)
Kinship Term: empress / 后 · Union Category: marriage
Kinship Term: empress / 后 · Union Category: marriage
Kinship Term: empress / 皇后 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: ended
Parent of Crown Prince of Emperor Xuan (皇太子)
Kinship Term: heir / 皇太子 · Parentage: biological
Kinship Term: heir / 皇太子 · Parentage: biological
Spouse of Lady Zhang (張婕妤)
Kinship Term: honored lady / 婕妤 · Union Category: concubinage · Relationship State: active
Spouse of Lady Rong (戎婕妤)
Union Category: concubinage
Spouse of Empress Wang of Changling (長陵王婕妤)
Union Category: primary-marriage
Spouse of Empress Huo (霍皇后)
Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: ended
Spouse of Lady Gongsun (公孫婕妤)
Union Category: concubinage
Spouse of Lady Wei (衛婕妤)
Union Category: concubinage

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 5
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0002, hanshu:091:s0003

Career and standing

Label: Zhongzong / Central Exemplar / 中宗 · Action: bestowed
Explicit · houhanshu:110:s0022
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 宣帝即位 · Western Year: BC 74
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:085:s0121, hanshu:085:s0227
took the throne / 即位
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0219

Places and affiliations

Association: Han emperor
Explicit · songshu:069:s0088
Label: Han / 漢 · Relation: served
Explicit · hanshu:085:s0121
Label: Western Han / 汉 · Relation: under
Strongly inferred · houhanshu:115:s0112
Label: Western Han / 漢 · Relation: ruled
Strongly inferred · hanshu:091:s0002, hanshu:091:s0014
Label: Western Han / 漢 · Relation: served
Explicit · hanshu:101:s0012

Works and attributed material

Kind: edict · Role: author · Other Person Id: Huang Ba (黃霸)
Explicit · hanshu:101:s0229, hanshu:101:s0078, hanshu:101:s0081
Kind: edict · Role: author · Other Person Id: Zhu Yi (朱邑)
Explicit · hanshu:101:s0135, hanshu:101:s0136
Kind: edict · Role: author · Other Person Id: Wang Cheng (王成)
Explicit · hanshu:101:s0039, hanshu:101:s0040, hanshu:101:s0041

Events and relationships

Kind: ritual · Role: recipient · Action: announced-sacrifice-as-Zhongzong · Place: Bright Hall / 明堂 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 癸酉 · Western Year: AD 85
Explicit · houhanshu:109:s0051
Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: considered-succession-change · Other Person Id: Liu Qin (劉欽)
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0011, hanshu:091:s0012
Kind: political · Role: exemplar · Action: revived-Han
Explicit · nanqishu:005:s0056

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 · 3 passages

宣帝愛之，字曰太孫，常置左右。 Emperor Xuan loved him, gave him the courtesy designation Grandson of the Emperor, and often kept him close by.

年三歳而宣帝崩，元帝即位，帝爲太子。 When he was three, Emperor Xuan died. Emperor Yuan took the throne, and the future emperor became crown prince.

賴侍中史丹護太子家，輔助有力，上亦以先帝尤愛太子，故得無廢。 Because Attendant Shi Dan strongly protected and supported the crown prince's household, and because the emperor remembered that the late emperor had especially loved the crown prince, the crown prince was not deposed.

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

宣帝地節中，光祿大夫郭昌使行河。 During Emperor Xuan's Dijie period, Grand Master Guo Chang was dispatched to inspect the Yellow River.

Book of Han, Chapter 42Volume 33: Wei Bao, Tian Dan and Hán Xin (King of Han) · 1 passage

增少為郎，諸曹侍中光祿大夫，昭帝時至前將軍，與大將軍霍光定策立宣帝，益封千戶。 Zeng became a palace gentleman when young, passed through the various bureaus, and became Attendant-in-Ordinary and Grandee of Splendid Light. In Emperor Zhao's time he rose to Front General; together with Grand General Huo Guang he settled the plan and enthroned Emperor Xuan, and his fief was increased by one thousand households.

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

宣帝時，詔丞相御史求問蕭相國後在者，得玄孫建世等十二人，復下詔以酇戶二千封建世為酇侯。 Emperor Xuan ordered the chancellor and censor to locate any surviving descendants of Minister Xiao; twelve men were found, among them Jianshi, whom the court again enfeoffed at Zan with two thousand households.

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 4 passages

時，宣帝養於掖廷，號皇曾孫，與延年中子佗相愛善，延年知曾孫德美，勸光、安世立焉。 At that time Emperor Xuan was being raised in the rear court under the title Imperial Great-Grandson. He and Yannian's middle son Tuo were on close terms. Knowing the great-grandson's virtue, Yannian urged Guang and Anshi to enthrone him.

宣帝即位，褒賞大臣，延年以定策安宗廟，益戶二千三百，與始封所食邑凡四千三百戶。 When Emperor Xuan took the throne he rewarded the great ministers. For helping settle the succession policy and secure the ancestral temples, Yannian received an additional 2,300 households, bringing his total fief to 4,300 households.

是時，四夷和，海內平，延年視事三歲，以老病乞骸骨，天子優之，使光祿大夫持節賜延年黃金百斤、酒，加致醫藥，延年遂稱病篤。 The frontier was quiet and the realm at peace. After three years in office he cited age and ill health and asked leave to retire. The emperor treated him kindly, sending the grand coachman with a hundred catties of gold, wine, and physicians with medicines. Yannian then insisted his condition was critical.

跡三代之季世，覽宗、宣之饗國，察近屬之符驗，禍敗曷常不由女德？ Trace the last kings of the three ancient dynasties, read how the great affinal clans fared from Emperor Xuan through Emperor Yuan, then look at the omens among your own kin: has catastrophe ever come from anywhere but the inner quarters?

Book of Han, Chapter 75Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 · 4 passages

宣帝時修武帝故事，講論六藝群書，博盡奇異之好，徵能為楚辭九江被公，召見誦讀，益召高材劉向、張子僑、華龍、柳褒等待詔金馬門。 Under Emperor Xuan the court revived Emperor Wu's cultural program: debate on the Six Classics and the wider corpus, a restless taste for the rare and marvelous. It summoned Bei Gong of Jiujiang, famed for his Chu-style verse, heard him recite, and then added brilliant men such as Liu Xiang, Zhang Ziqiao, Hua Long, and Liu Bao to the roster of scholars awaiting summons at the Golden Horse Gate.

宣帝召見武等觀之，皆賜帛，謂曰：「此盛德之事，吾何足以當之！」 Emperor Xuan called He Wu and his fellows in to perform, rewarded each with silk, and said, 'Such music belongs to a reign of supreme virtue; how can I deserve it?'

後方士言益州有金馬碧雞之寶，可祭祀致也，宣帝使褒往祀焉。 Later a wizard reported that Yizhou held the spirits of the Golden Horse and Green Cock, which might be summoned by sacrifice. Emperor Xuan dispatched Wang Bao to conduct the rites.

至宣帝神爵三年，珠崖三縣復反。 Under Emperor Xuan, in the third Shenjue year, three Zhuya counties rose again.

Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 21 passages

數年，宣帝即位，徵相入為大司農，遷御史大夫。 Some years later, when Emperor Xuan came to the throne, Wei Xiang was summoned as grand minister of agriculture and then promoted to imperial censor.

宣帝善之，詔相給事中，皆從其議。 Emperor Xuan approved and made Wei Xiang supernumerary household grandee with palace access; all his proposals were adopted.

宣帝始親萬機，厲精為治，練群臣，核名實，而相總領眾職，甚稱上意。 Emperor Xuan then personally took charge of government, strove to govern well, trained his ministers, and examined names against realities, while Wei Xiang oversaw the offices and greatly pleased him.

時，宣帝生數月，以皇曾孫坐衛太子事系，吉見而憐之。 The future Emperor Xuan was only months old when, as the imperial great-grandson, he was imprisoned in the Crown Prince Wei affair; Bing Ji saw the infant and pitied him.

又心知太子無事實，重哀曾孫無辜，吉擇謹厚女徒，令保養曾孫，置閒燥處。 Knowing the crown prince was innocent and the child blameless, he chose a trustworthy woman convict to nurse the boy and lodged him in a warm, quiet cell.

內謁者令郭穰夜到郡邸獄，吉閉門拒使者不納，曰：「皇曾孫在。 When Guo Rang, director of palace ushers, reached the hostel prison at night, Bing Ji barred the gate and said, ‘The imperial great-grandson is inside.

曾孫病，幾不全者數焉，吉數敕保養乳母加致醫藥，視遇甚有恩惠，以私財物給其衣食。 The boy nearly died several times; Bing Ji ordered better care, summoned doctors, and paid for food and clothes from his own purse.

而遺詔所養武帝曾孫名病已在掖庭外家者，吉前使居郡邸時見其幼少，至今十八九矣，通經術，有美材，行安而節和。 The edict-nurtured great-grandson Liu Bingyi, raised outside the harem—whom Bing Ji had known as a child in the hostel—is now a young man of eighteen or nineteen, learned, talented, and even-tempered.

光覽其議，遂尊立皇曾孫，遣宗正劉德與吉迎曾孫於掖庭。 Huo Guang accepted the plan, elevated Liu Bingyi, and sent Liu De with Bing Ji to fetch him from the harem compound.

宣帝初即位，賜吉爵關內侯。 Emperor Xuan ennobled Bing Ji as a marquis-within-the-passes as soon as he took the throne.

自曾孫遭遇，吉絕口不道前恩，故朝廷莫能明其功也。 After the boy became emperor, Bing Ji never mentioned his old service, so the court never knew his full merit.

元帝時，長安士伍尊上書言：「臣少時為郡邸小吏，竊見孝宣皇帝以皇曾孫在郡邸獄。 In Emperor Yuan’s time, Chang’an commoner Zun submitted a memorial saying, ‘When your servant was young, I served as a petty clerk in the commandery residence and privately saw Emperor Xuan, then the imperial great-grandson, in the prison there.

是時，治獄使者丙吉見皇曾孫遭離無辜，吉仁心感動，涕泣淒惻，選擇復作胡組養視皇孫，吉常從。 Envoy Bing Ji, moved by the child’s innocence, wept and assigned Hu Zu, a woman on labor rotation, to nurse him while he stayed at hand.

既遭大赦，吉謂守丞誰知，皇孫不當在官，使誰如移書京兆尹，遣與胡組俱送京兆尹，不受，復還。 After the general amnesty Bing Ji told assistant warden She Zhi that the imperial grandson could not stay in jail; he sent She Ru with transfer papers to the Governor of the Capital and had Hu Zu accompany them, but the governor refused to take the child and they had to return.

及組日滿當去，皇孫思慕，吉以私錢顧組，令留與郭徽卿並養數月，乃遣組去。 When Hu Zu’s term ended, Bing Ji paid her from his own pocket to stay on with Guo Zhengqing a few months longer.

後少內嗇夫白吉曰：『食皇孫亡詔令』。 The inner granary clerk then said there was no edict to feed the boy.

時，吉得食米肉，月月以給皇孫。 Bing Ji supplied rice and meat each month from his own rations.

吉即時病，輒使臣尊朝夕請問皇孫，視省席蓐燥濕。 When Bing Ji fell ill he sent me morning and night to check on the child’s bedding.

候伺組、徽卿，不得令晨夜去皇孫敖蕩，數奏甘毳食物。 He watched the nurses so they would not neglect the boy and sent delicate food.

教宣皇帝時，臣上書言狀，幸得下吉，吉謙讓不敢自伐，刪去臣辭，專歸美於組、徽卿。 When Emperor Xuan came to the throne I, Zun, reported the story; Bing Ji struck out my lines and gave the credit to Hu Zu and Guo Zhengqing.

近觀漢相，高祖開基，蕭、曹為冠，孝宣中興，丙、魏有聲。 Among Han chancellors, Xiao He and Cao Shen stood first at the founding; under Emperor Xuan’s restoration Bing Ji and Wei Xiang won lasting fame.

Book of Han, Chapter 88Volume 77: Gai, Zhuge, Liu, Zheng, Sun, Wujiang and He · 1 passage

宣帝嘉之，以寬饒為太中大夫，使行風俗，多所稱舉貶黜，奉使稱意。 Xuan made him a palace grandee and sent him circuit-riding as moral inspector; his promotions and sackings matched what the court wanted to hear.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 6 passages

宣帝自在民間聞望之名，曰：「此東海蕭生邪？ Emperor Xuan had known Wangzhi's reputation since his commoner days and said, "Is this the scholar Xiao from Donghai?

宣帝察望之經明持重，論議有餘，材任宰相，欲詳試其政事，復以為左馮翊。 Emperor Xuan saw in him classical learning, gravity, and debating power fit for the chancellorship and meant to test him in government, so he named him left governor of the metropolitan area.

及宣帝寢疾，選大臣可屬者，引外屬侍中樂陵侯史高、太子太傅望之、少傅周堪至禁中，拜高為大司馬車騎將軍，望之為前將軍光祿勳，堪為光祿大夫，皆受遺詔輔政，領尚書事。 When Emperor Xuan fell gravely ill, he chose ministers to whom he could entrust the realm, summoned his maternal kinsman Palace Attendant Yueling Marquis Shi Gao, crown-prince tutor Wangzhi, and junior tutor Zhou Kan to the inner palace, made Gao grand marshal and general of chariots and cavalry, Wangzhi forward general and superintendent of the household, and Kan grand master of the household; all received the deathbed edict to assist government and headed Secretariat affairs.

宣帝崩，太子襲尊號，是為孝元帝。 When Emperor Xuan died, the crown prince succeeded as Emperor Yuan.

初，宣帝不甚從儒術，任用法律，而中書宦官用事。 Under Emperor Xuan the court favored law over Confucian rhetoric, and eunuch directors of the secretariat held real leverage.

龍者，宣帝時與張子蟜等待詔，以行汙濊不進，欲入堪等，堪等不納，故與朋相結。 Hua Long had once awaited summons with Zhang Zijiao and others under Emperor Xuan; his foul conduct blocked advancement, and when Zhou Kan's circle refused him he allied with Peng.

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 6 passages

卷八十宣元六王傳第五十 Volume 80: Biographies of the Six Princes of Emperors Xuan and Yuan (no. 50).

孝宣皇帝五男 Emperor Xuan had five sons.

孝宣皇帝五男。 Emperor Xuan had five sons.

淮陽憲王欽，元康三年立，母張婕妤有寵於宣帝。 Prince Xian of Huaiyang, Qin, was established in the third year of Yuankang (63 BCE). His mother, Lady Zhang the Honored Lady, enjoyed Emperor Xuan’s favor.

宣帝崩，元帝即位，乃遣憲王之國。 When Xuan died and Yuan ascended, the new emperor sent Prince Qin to his fief at Huaiyang.

石立，宣帝起之表也。 The standing stone had been the omen of Emperor Xuan’s ascent.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 6 passages

及至孝宣，由仄陋而登至尊，興於閭閻，知民事之艱難。 Emperor Xuan had climbed from humble obscurity to the throne; he came up through ordinary neighborhoods and knew firsthand how hard life could be for common folk.

宣帝最先褒之，地節三年下詔曰：「蓋聞有功不賞，有罪不誅，雖唐、虞不能以化天下。 Emperor Xuan singled him out for praise early on. In the third year of Dijie an edict declared: "They say that where merit goes unrewarded and guilt unpunished, not even the sage-kings Yao and Shun could civilize the realm.

會宣帝即位，在民間時知百姓苦吏急也，聞霸持法平，召以為廷尉正，數決疑獄，庭中稱平。 When Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, he already knew from his years among commoners how the people suffered under overbearing officials. Hearing that Huang Ba applied the law evenhandedly, he summoned him as director of convicts; Ba repeatedly resolved doubtful cases until the whole court praised his fairness.

三歲，宣帝下詔曰：「制詔御史：其以賢良高第揚州刺史霸為潁川太守，秩比二千石，居官賜車蓋，特高一丈，別駕主簿車，緹油屏泥於軾前，以章有德。」 After three years Emperor Xuan issued an edict: "By imperial command to the imperial clerk: appoint Huang Ba, inspector of Yang Province and top-ranked worthy, as governor of Yingchuan at the salary rank of two thousand bushels. Grant him a carriage canopy in office, one foot taller than usual, with chariots for his chief aide and registrar, and apply tiji oil to the screen and mudguards before the crossbar, to display his virtue."

宣帝即位，不久，渤海左右郡歲饑，盜賊並起，二千石不能禽制。 Soon after Emperor Xuan took the throne, famine struck Bohai and neighboring commanderies. Bandits rose everywhere and local governors could not suppress them.

時，遂年七十餘，召見，形貌短小，宣帝望見，不副所聞，心內輕焉，謂遂曰：「渤海廢亂，朕甚憂之。 Gong Sui was past seventy. At audience he looked undersized; Emperor Xuan, seeing him from afar, felt he did not match his reputation and secretly underestimated him. "Bohai lies in ruins," said the emperor, "and it weighs on me.

Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 5 passages

宣帝初立，代蔡義為御史大夫，以前為馮翊與議定策，封昌水侯。 Emperor Xuan named him imperial clerk for aiding the succession and created him marquis of Changshui.

宣帝即位，延年以決疑定策封陽成侯。 Emperor Xuan enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yangcheng for his decisive role in the succession crisis.

是時，大將軍霍光廢昌邑王，尊立宣帝。 At that time Grand General Huo Guang deposed Prince He of Changyi and enthroned Emperor Xuan.

宣帝初即位，延年劾奏光「擅廢立主，無人臣禮，不道」。 At the beginning of Emperor Xuan's reign, Yan Yannian impeached Huo Guang, charging him with "arbitrarily deposing and enthroning rulers, lacking the propriety of a minister, and acting impiously."

宣帝識之，拜為平陵令，坐殺不辜，去官。 Emperor Xuan knew him and named him magistrate of Pingling until wrongful executions cost him the post.

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 2 passages

祖父遂，字長子，宣帝微時與有故，相隨博弈，數負進。 His grandfather Sui, styled Zhangzi, had known the future Emperor Xuan in his obscure days; they gambled together, and Sui often lost.

及宣帝即位，用遂，稍遷至太原太守，乃賜遂璽書曰：「制詔太原太守：官尊祿厚，可以償博進矣。 When Xuan took the throne he employed Sui, who rose to Grand Administrator of Taiyuan. The emperor sent him a sealed edict: "To the Grand Administrator of Taiyuan: your rank is high and your pay ample—you can repay your gambling losses.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 3 passages

孝景、昭、宣時皆無寵臣。 Emperors Jing, Zhao, and Xuan had no true "favorites" of this kind.

宣帝時，侍中中郎將張彭祖少與帝微時同席研書，及帝即尊位，彭祖以舊恩封陽都侯，出常參乘，號為愛幸。 Xuandi's childhood study-mate Zhang Pengzu, later a palace attendant and general of the household, was made marquis of Yangdu for past loyalty and often rode beside him as escort—people spoke of him as a favorite.

宣帝時任中書官，恭明習法令故事，善為請奏，能稱其職。 Under Xuandi they ran the inner chancellery; Hong Gong knew law and precedent cold and drafted petitions to perfection.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 109Volume 98: Rituals and Worship Part Two · 1 passage

癸酉，更告祀高祖、太宗、世宗、中宗、世祖、显宗于明堂，各一太牢。 On guiyou he reported separately to Gaozu, Taizong, Shizong, Zhongzong, Shizu, and Xianzong in the Bright Hall, each with a full tailao.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 4 passages

孝宣皇以孙后祖，为父立庙于奉明，曰皇考庙，独群臣侍祠。 Xuan had raised a “royal father” temple at Fengming for his natural father, served only by officials, because he had inherited from his grandfather.

惟孝宣帝有功德，其上尊号曰中宗。」 Xuan alone, for genuine achievement, deserved the title Central Exemplar."

于是雒阳高庙四时加祭孝宣、孝元，凡五帝。 Luoyang’s High Temple then honored five sovereigns in the seasonal round, adding Xuan and Yuan.

太祖东面，惠、文、武、元帝为昭，景、宣帝为穆。 The founding ancestor faced east; Hui, Wen, Wu, and Yuan were zhao; Jing and Xuan were mu.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 115Volume 104: Five Elements Part Two · 1 passage

案宣帝、明帝时，五色鸟群翔殿屋，贾逵以为胡降征也。 Under Xuandi and Mingdi similar flocks had appeared; Jia Kui read them as portents of barbarian submission.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 5Volume 5 Annals 5: Prince of Hailing · 1 passage

昔宣帝中興漢室，簡文重延晉祀，庶我鴻基，於茲永固。 Long ago Emperor Xuan of Han revived the Han house; Emperor Jianwen of Jin renewed Jin's rites—may our great foundation here stand firm forever.

Book of Song, Chapter 69Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye · 1 passage

昭、宣電斷，漢祚方延。 when Emperors Zhao and Xuan acted with lightning decisiveness, the Han mandate was thereby prolonged.