Qin and Han · Ruler

Gengshi Emperor 更始帝

Gengshi Di

Attested AD 23 - AD 25

Passages: 18
Chapters: 7
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Gengshi Emperor as a ruler. This record brings together 18 passages from 7 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Gengshi Emperor	更始帝	Gengshi Di
Title	emperor	皇帝
Regnal name	Emperor Gengshi	更始	Gengshi
Title	Emperor Gengshi	更始
Regnal	Gengshi	更始	Gengshi
Regnal name	Gengshi	更始	Gēngshǐ
Regnal name	Gengshi Emperor	更始	Gengshi
Title	Gengshi Emperor	更始

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0096, houhanshu:034:s0057, houhanshu:089:s0102, houhanshu:118:s0035
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · houhanshu:031:s0024

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 更始 · Western Interval: Start: AD 23 · End: AD 25
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0096, hanshu:091:s0097, houhanshu:089:s0102
Source Date: Text: 更始 · Western Interval: Start: AD 23 · End: AD 25
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:031:s0024
Source Date: Text: 更始二年 · Western Year: AD 24
Explicit · houhanshu:118:s0035
Source Date: Text: 更始立 · Western Year: AD 23
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:037:s0020
Source Date: Text: 自更始以來 · Western Interval: Start: AD 23 · End: AD 25
Explicit · houhanshu:034:s0057

Places and affiliations

Polity: Han · Relation: ruled
Explicit · houhanshu:089:s0102

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander-authority · Action: sent-Li-Song-against-Ying · Other Person Id: Li Song (李松)
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0097

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: had lost the Way and was about to perish · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · houhanshu:118:s0037

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 2 passages

漢既誅莽，更始時嬰在長安，平陵方望等頗知天文，以為更始必敗，嬰本統當立者也，共起兵將嬰至臨涇，立為天子。 After Han destroyed Wang Mang, Ying was still in Chang’an under the Gengshi regime. Fang Wang of Pingling and others, versed in the stars, believed Gengshi would fall and that Ying was the rightful heir; they rose in arms, escorted him to Linjing, and proclaimed him emperor.

更始遣丞相李松擊破殺嬰云。 Gengshi’s chancellor Li Song crushed the rising and killed Ying, or so the record runs.

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 3 passages

更始至長安，大臣薦遵為大司馬護軍，與歸德侯劉颯俱使匈奴。 Gengshi's court named Chen Zun marshal-guard to the Grand Marshal and sent him with Liu Sa of Guide marquisate as envoys to the shanyu.

會更始敗，遵留朔方，為賊所敗，時醉見殺。 When Gengshi collapsed Chen Zun stayed north, was overrun by raiders, and died drunk in the melee.

傳送致涉長安，更始西屏將軍申徒建請涉與相見，大重之。 They convoyed him to Chang'an where Shentu Jian, Gengshi's western-screen general, courted him.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 31Volume 28a: Biographies of Huan Tan; Feng Yan · 7 passages

莽時為掌樂大夫，更始立，召拜太中大夫。 Under Wang Mang he served as grandee for music; the Gengshi Emperor named him grandee of the palace.

更始二年，遣尚書僕射鮑永行大將軍事，安集北方。 In Gengshi 2 the court sent Bao Yong, vice director of the secretariat, north as acting grand marshal to settle the region.

皇帝以聖德靈威，龍興鳳舉，率宛、葉之眾，將散亂之兵，喢血昆陽，長驅武關，破百萬之陳，摧九虎之軍，雷震四海，席捲天下，攘除禍亂，誅滅無道，一期之間，海內大定。 Then our emperor rose like dragon and phoenix, led the men of Wan and Ye, shattered a million foemen at Kunyang, stormed Wuguan, broke the Nine Tigers—thunder across the empire, the realm rolled up in one sweep, the wicked cut down, and in a single turning the land knew peace.

況乎萬里之漢，明帝復興，而大將軍為之梁棟，此誠不可以忽也。 How much more this renewed Han of boundless extent, with you as its roof beam—this brooks no neglect.

後邑聞更始敗，乃遣使詣洛陽獻璧馬，即拜為上黨太守。 When Tian Yi learned Gengshi had fallen, he sent envoys to Luoyang with jade disks and horses and was appointed grand administrator of Shangdang.

或訛言更始隨赤眉在北，永、衍信之，故屯兵界休，方移書上党，雲皇帝在雍，以惑百姓。 Rumors placed the Gengshi Emperor with the Red Eyebrows in the north; Bao Yong and Feng Yan believed them, camped at Jiexiu, and drafted letters to Shangdang claiming the court was at Yong to confuse the people.

永、衍審知更始已歿，乃共罷兵，幅巾降於河內。 When Bao Yong and Feng Yan learned Gengshi was dead, they disbanded their host and surrendered to Han at Henei in plain cloth.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 34Volume 30a: Biographies of Su Jing; Yang Hou · 1 passage

自更始以來，孤恩背逆，歸義向善，臧否粲然，可不察歟！ From Emperor Gengshi onward, traitors and loyalists stand in sharp contrast—how can you not see which side is which?

Book of Later Han, Chapter 37Volume 32: Biographies of Fan Hong; Yin Shi · 3 passages

更始立，欲以宏為將，宏叩頭辭曰：『書生不習兵事。』 The Gengshi regime wanted Fan Hong as a general; he kowtowed and refused: 'I am a scholar, not a soldier.'

更始元年，遷偏將軍，從攻宛，別降新野、淯陽、杜衍、冠軍、湖陽。 In Gengshi 1 he became lieutenant general, joined the attack on Wan, and separately brought Xinye, Yuyang, Duyan, Guanjun, and Huyang to surrender.

二年，更始封識陰德侯，行大將軍事。 In the second year the Gengshi court enfeoffed him as marquis of Yinde with the powers of grand general.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 89Volume 80a: Biographies of Writers 1 · 1 passage

天畀更始，不能引维。 Heaven raised up Emperor Gengshi, yet no hand could steady the traces.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 118Volume 107: Five Elements Part Five · 1 passage

时，更始失道，将亡。 The Gengshi emperor had already forfeited the Mandate; his regime was finished.