Hong Gong (弘恭) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Hong Gong as an eunuch and official. This record brings together 17 passages from 3 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Hong Gong	弘恭	Hong Gong
Given	Gong	恭	Gong
Personal	Hong Gong	弘恭	Hóng Gōng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:010:s0071
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:089:s0132
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:105:s0008

Roles

Eunuch
Official

Life and dates

Death

Text: died several years after Emperor Yuan acceded
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0077

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 初元二年十二月 · Western Year: BC 47
Explicit · hanshu:010:s0071

Career and standing

Label: Palace Secretary / 中書令 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:010:s0071
Title: director of the central secretariat
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0076

Places and affiliations

Text: Pei
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0073

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: accuser · Action: slandered · Other Person Id: Xiao Wangzhi (蕭望之)
Explicit · hanshu:010:s0071

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 10Volume 9: Annals of Emperor Yuan · 1 passage

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十二月，中書令弘恭、石顯等譖望之，令自殺。 In the twelfth month, Palace Secretary Hong Gong, Shi Xian and others slandered Wangzhi, causing him to commit suicide.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 11 passages

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中書令弘恭、石顯久典樞機，明習文法，亦與車騎將軍高為表裡，論議常獨持故事，不從望之等。 Hong Gong and Shi Xian had long run the machinery of state, knew every clause of the code, and moved in lockstep with General Shi Gao, stonewalling Wangzhi with citations of old precedent.

恭、顯又時傾仄見詘。 The pair were themselves sometimes cornered and refuted in debate.

望之以為中書政本，宜以賢明之選，自武帝游宴後庭，故用宦者，非國舊制，又違古不近刑人之義，白欲更置士人，由是大與高、恭、顯忤。 Wangzhi argued that the secretariat was the administrative heart and should be manned by scholars; since Emperor Wu's harem diversions, castrates had filled those desks—neither ancient practice nor wise policy—and he pressed to put gentlemen in their place, making bitter enemies of Gao, Gong, and Xian.

望之聞之，以問弘恭、石顯。 When Wangzhi heard this, he questioned Hong Gong and Shi Xian.

顯、恭恐望之自訟，下於它吏，即挾朋及待詔華龍。 Shi Xian and Hong Gong feared Wangzhi would defend himself in court, so they referred the case to other officials and at once enlisted Peng and attendant Hua Long.

恭、顯令二人告望之等謀欲罷車騎將軍疏退許、史狀，候望之出休日，令朋、龍上之。 Hong Gong and Shi Xian had the two accuse Wangzhi and his allies of plotting to remove General Shi Gao and of memorializing to oust the Xu and Shi clans; they waited for Wangzhi's day off and had Peng and Long submit the charge.

事下弘恭問狀，望之對曰：「外戚在位多奢淫，欲以匡正國家，非為邪也。」 The case went to Hong Gong for investigation. Wangzhi replied, "The consort clans in power are mostly extravagant; our aim was to correct the state, not to do wrong."

恭、顯奏「望之、堪、更生朋黨相稱舉，數譖訴大臣，毀離親戚，欲以專擅權勢，為臣不忠，誣上不道，請謁者召致廷尉。」 Hong Gong and Shi Xian memorialized that "Wangzhi, Zhou Kan, and Liu Gengsheng had formed a faction, repeatedly slandered great ministers, divided kinsmen, and sought to monopolize power; as disloyal ministers guilty of impiety toward the throne, they asked that an usher deliver them to the commandant of justice."

以責恭、顯，皆叩頭謝。 He rebuked Hong Gong and Shi Xian, and both kowtowed in apology.

恭、顯因使高言：「上新即位，未以德化聞於天下，而先驗師傅，既下九卿大夫獄，宜因決免。」 Hong Gong and Shi Xian then had Shi Gao speak, saying, "Your Majesty has just taken the throne and your transforming virtue is not yet known throughout the realm, yet you have first put your tutors on trial. Now that nine ministers and grandees sit in prison, you ought to dismiss them at once."

弘恭、石顯等知望之素高節，不詘辱，建白：「望之前為將軍輔政，欲排退許、史，專權擅朝。 Hong Gong, Shi Xian, and the others knew that Wangzhi had always maintained lofty integrity and would not bend under humiliation, so they reported, "When Wangzhi formerly assisted the government as general, he wanted to push aside the Xu and Shi families and monopolize power at court.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 5 passages

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孝元時宦者則弘恭、石顯； under Emperor Yuan, the eunuchs Hong Gong and Shi Xian;

弘恭，沛人也。 Hong Gong came from Pei.

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.

恭為令，顯為僕射。 Hong Gong was chief; Shi Xian, his deputy.

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.