Han Qixian (韓企先) | 24 Histories

Overview

Han Qixian was a Jin Grand Chancellor, Statesman, and Scholar.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Jianyi	簡懿	Jiǎnyì

Life and dates

Death

AD 1146 皇統六年
Died
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 237

Age

aged sixty-five at death
Years 65 · Reckoning Source stated
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 237

Attested activity

AD 1101 to AD 1110 乾統間
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 78, passage 223
AD 1146 皇統六年
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 78, passage 237

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Han Zhigu (韓知古)
ninth-generation ancestor 九世祖 · 9 generations
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 222
Parent of Han Duo (韓鐸)
second son 次子
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 185

Kinship Role sons · Quantity at least two
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 185

Origins and identity

Ninth-generation descendant of Han Zhigu; the family was noble and prominent for generations
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 222

Career and standing

Left Vice Director of State Affairs; Palace Attendant 尚書左僕射、侍中
AD 1129 天會七年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 227
Co-Grand Councillor; Head of the Bureau of Military Affairs 同中書門下平章事、知樞密院事
AD 1128 天會六年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 226
Right Grand Councillor of State Affairs 尚書右丞相
AD 1134 天會十二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 228
Deputy Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs; Commissioner of Transport 樞密副都承旨、轉運使
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 224
Resident Commissioner of the Western Capital 西京留守
Appointed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 225
portrait among the meritorious officials in Yanqing Palace 衍慶宮功臣畫像
AD 1171 大定十一年 · Included
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passages 181-182

Show 4 more source-backed claims

place in the sacrifices at Emperor Taizong's temple 配享太宗廟廷
AD 1168 大定八年 · Posthumously granted
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 239
Duke of Chu 楚國公
AD 1129 天會七年 · Held
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 227
Prince of Pu 濮王
AD 1141 皇統元年 · Held
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 236
Reduced
AD 1157 正隆二年 · Posthumous rank reduced to Duke of Qi
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 238

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liao · Relation Associated with
Strongly inferred · History of Jin 78, passage 221
At Yanjing 燕京 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 221

Learning and skills

Earned
AD 1101 to AD 1110 乾統間 · Credential Presented Scholar degree 進士第
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 223
Skill classics, histories, and institutional precedent 經史、前代故事 · Level broadly versed
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 231

Events and relationships

Helped revise ritual institutions and old statutes
Institutional · Skill knowledge of classics, histories, and precedents
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passages 230-231
Relation Recommended for office by · Person Zonghan (宗翰)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 225
Relation Respected by · Person Zonghan (宗翰)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 235
Relation Succeeded in office · Person Liu Yanzong (劉彥宗)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 226
Relation Respected by · Person Zong Gan (宗幹)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 235

Assessments and attributes

Assessment Repaired policy gaps and consulted the sovereign in private counsel and open remonstrance · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 234
Assessment Selected officials carefully, cultivated younger talent, and filled the central offices with men of integrity · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passages 232-233
Assessment Served as grand chancellor through two reigns for nearly twenty years and left a distinguished record · Mode commentator-judgment
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 201
Assessment Shizong credited him with drafting much of Jin law and institutions and with unmatched secret counsel · Assessor Person Id Emperor Shizong of Jin (金世宗) · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Emperor Shizong of Jin (金世宗)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passages 181-182
Assessment Shizong judged him the worthiest Han grand chancellor and said no other equaled him · Assessor Person Id Emperor Shizong of Jin (金世宗) · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Emperor Shizong of Jin (金世宗)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passages 179-180
Assessment Taizong said he had dreamed of Qixian long before meeting him · Assessor Person Id Emperor Taizong of Jin (金太宗) · Mode dream-report Speaker Emperor Taizong of Jin (金太宗)
Directly stated · History of Jin 78, passage 229

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

History of Jin, Chapter 78Volume 78 Biographies 16: Liu Yanzong and His Sons E and Kuo; Kuo's Son Zhonghui; Liu Yi; Shi Liai; Han Qixian and His Son Duo · 16 passages

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劉頍時立愛韓企先子:鐸 Liu Yi; Shi Liai; Han Qixian and his son Duo

韓企先 Han Qixian

韓企先，燕京人。 Han Qixian was a native of Yanjing.

乾統間，企先中進士第，回翔不振。 During the Qiantong reign Qixian passed the jinshi examinations but did not advance vigorously.

都統杲定中京，擢樞密副都承旨，稍遷轉運使。 When Commander-in-Chief Gao secured the Central Capital, Qixian was promoted to deputy director of the Bureau of Military Affairs and gradually rose to Commissioner of Transport.

宗翰為都統經略山西，表署西京留守。 When Zonghan was commander-in-chief administering Shanxi, he memorialized to appoint Qixian Resident Commissioner of the Western Capital.

天會六年，劉彥宗薨，企先代之，同中書門下平章事、知樞密院事。 In Tianhui year 6, after Liu Yanzong died, Qixian replaced him as co-grand councillor and head of the Bureau of Military Affairs.

故自時立愛、劉彥宗及企先輩，官為宰相，其職大抵如此。 Thus from the generation of Liai, Liu Yanzong, and Qixian onward, though titled grand chancellors, their duties were largely of this kind.

十二年，以企先為尚書右丞相，召至上京。 In the twelfth year Qixian was appointed Right Director of the Department of State Affairs and summoned to the Supreme Capital.

企先博通經史，知前代故事，或因或革，鹹取折衷。 Qixian was broadly versed in the classics and histories and knew the precedents of former ages; whether retaining or reforming, he always sought a balanced middle course.

企先為相，每欲為官擇人，專以培植獎勵後進為己責任。 As grand chancellor, Qixian always sought to choose the right men for office and made cultivating and encouraging younger talent his personal duty.