Overview
Emperor Yuan was a ruler.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Attested activity
Places and affiliations
- Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Ruled
Learning and skills
- Skill music 音樂 · Level fond
Works and attributed material
Events and relationships
Dismissed Jun to gentleman
Ill and withdrew from government
Medical · Sufferer
Laughed at accusation and showed memorial
Praised but did not employ
Refused to dismiss eunuch secretaries
- Relation Patron of · Person Shi Xian (石顯)
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 13 passages
元帝即位數年，恭死，顯代為中書令。
A few years into Yuan's reign Hong Gong died and Shi Xian became chief of the secretariat.
是時，元帝被疾，不親政事，方隆好於音樂，以顯久典事，中人無外黨，精專可信任，遂委以政。
Yuan was often ill and left state business aside while he lost himself in music. Shi Xian, long trusted in the palace, had no outside clique and seemed safe—so power passed to him.
元帝不聽，由是大與顯忤。
Yuan refused, and Xiao Wangzhi made a bitter enemy of Shi Xian.
天子召見，欲以為侍中，逡請間言事。
The emperor summoned Jun for palace attendant; Jun asked for a private audience.
上聞逡言顯顓權，天子大怒，罷逡歸郎官。
Jun denounced Shi Xian's monopoly; the emperor, furious, demoted him back to ordinary gentleman.
其後御史大夫缺，群臣皆舉逡兄大鴻臚野王行能第一，天子以問顯，顯曰：「九卿無出野王者。
When the imperial counsellor's post fell open, the court ranked Ye Wang, Jun's brother and grand herald, first in talent; the emperor consulted Shi Xian, who said, "No nine minister outranks Ye Wang.
上曰：「善，吾不見是。」
"Well said," the emperor replied. "I had not seen that."
顯內自知擅權事柄在掌握，恐天子一旦納用左右耳目，有以間己，乃時歸誠，取一信以為驗。
Shi Xian knew he held the real strings of government and dreaded the day the emperor might listen to other intimates; he staged moments of contrition to manufacture proof of loyalty.
上許之。
The emperor agreed.
後果有上書告顯顓命矯詔開宮門，天子聞之，笑以其書示顯。
When a memorial later charged him with forging orders to force the gate, the emperor only laughed and handed Shi Xian the paper.
愚臣微賤，誠不能以一軀稱快萬眾，任天下之怨，臣願歸樞機職，受後宮掃除之役，死無所恨，唯陛下哀憐財幸，以此全活小臣。」
I am too humble to please the multitude or absorb the world's hatred. Let me surrender the secretariat and sweep the inner palace instead—I would die content if Your Majesty would pity me and let me live."
天子以為然而憐之，數勞勉顯，加厚賞賜，賞賜及賂遺訾一萬萬。
Yuan bought the performance: he comforted Shi Xian again and again, heaped gifts on him, and cash from stipends and kickbacks reportedly reached a hundred million.
顯因薦禹天子，歷位九卿，至御史大夫，禮事之甚備。
He pushed Gong Yu up the ladder to the nine ministers and even to imperial counsellor, honoring him with elaborate courtesy.