Ancient China · Yi Gate keeper and Xinling retainer

Hou Ying 侯嬴

Hóu Yíng

Died BC 257

Passages: 27
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Hou Ying as an attendant, hermit, and scholar. This record brings together 27 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Hou Ying	侯嬴	Hóu Yíng
Personal name	Hou Ying	侯嬴	Hóu Yíng
Alternate name	Master Hou	侯生	Hóu Shēng
Given	Ying	嬴	Yíng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017

Roles

Attendant
Hermit
Scholar

Life and dates

Death

Manner: slit his throat facing north / 北鄉自剄 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 魏安釐王二十年 · Western Year: BC 257
Explicit · shiji:077:s0097, shiji:077:s0083, shiji:077:s0040

Age

Age: 70 · Reckoning: stated
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 魏安釐王二十年 · Western Year: BC 257
Explicit · shiji:077:s0040, shiji:077:s0051

Career and standing

Label: gatekeeper of the Yi Gate / 夷門監者
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017
Status: poverty · Label: poor / 家貧
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017

Places and affiliations

Polity: Wei · Relation: resided-in
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017
Place: Yi Gate, Daliang / 大梁夷門 · Relation: posted-to
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Prince Wuji of Wei (魏公子無忌)
Explicit · shiji:077:s0019, shiji:077:s0033, shiji:077:s0034, shiji:077:s0035, shiji:077:s0036, shiji:077:s0038, shiji:077:s0055, shiji:077:s0056, shiji:077:s0057, shiji:077:s0058, shiji:077:s0059, shiji:077:s0061, shiji:077:s0062, shiji:077:s0063, shiji:077:s0064, shiji:077:s0065, shiji:077:s0068, shiji:077:s0069, shiji:077:s0070, shiji:077:s0071, shiji:077:s0072, shiji:077:s0082, shiji:077:s0083

Events and relationships

Relation: retainer-of · Person Id: Prince Wuji of Wei (魏公子無忌)
Explicit · shiji:077:s0037

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: worthy-hidden-as-gatekeeper · Provenance: Mode: narrative
Explicit · shiji:077:s0017

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 77Biography of the Prince of Wei · 27 passages

魏有隱士曰侯嬴，年七十，家貧，為大梁夷門監者。 There was a reclusive scholar in Wei named Hou Ying, seventy years old, living in poverty, who served as gatekeeper of the Yi Gate in Daliang.

坐定，公子從車騎，虛左，自迎夷門侯生。 Once everyone was seated, the prince took his chariot and escort, left the honored left seat empty, and personally went to welcome Master Hou from the Yi Gate.

侯生攝敝衣冠，直上載公子上坐，不讓，欲以觀公子。 Master Hou straightened his worn robes and cap, ascended directly to take the prince's seat of honor without yielding, wishing to observe the prince's reaction.

侯生又謂公子曰：「臣有客在市屠中，願枉車騎過之。」 Master Hou then said to the prince: 'I have a friend among the butchers in the market. I hope you would be willing to have your chariot and escort pass by there.'

公子引車入市，侯生下見其客朱亥，俾倪故久立，與其客語，微察公子。 The prince drove his chariot into the market. Master Hou got down to visit his friend Zhu Hai, deliberately lingering in conversation to carefully observe the prince's demeanor.

從騎皆竊罵侯生。 His mounted escort all cursed Master Hou under their breath.

侯生視公子色終不變，乃謝客就車。 When Master Hou saw that the prince's expression remained unchanged throughout, he then took leave of his friend and boarded the chariot.

至家，公子引侯生坐上坐，遍贊賓客，賓客皆驚。 Upon arriving home, the prince seated Master Hou in the place of honor and introduced him to all the guests, who were astonished.

酒酣，公子起，為壽侯生前。 As the wine flowed freely, the prince rose and offered a toast before Master Hou.

侯生因謂公子曰：「今日嬴之為公子亦足矣。 Master Hou then said to the prince: 'Today Ying has done enough for you, my prince.

嬴乃夷門抱關者也，而公子親枉車騎，自迎嬴於眾人廣坐之中，不宜有所過，今公子故過之。 Ying is merely the gatekeeper of the Yi Gate, yet the prince personally troubled his chariot and escort to welcome me from among the great gathering of people. It would not be fitting to have any shortcomings, yet the prince has deliberately exceeded proper bounds.

然嬴欲就公子之名，故久立公子車騎市中，過客以觀公子，公子愈恭。 However, I wished to build up the prince's reputation, so I deliberately kept your chariot and escort standing long in the market, letting passersby observe you—and you grew even more deferential.

市人皆以嬴為小人，而以公子為長者能下士也。」 All the people in the market considered Ying a petty man, but the prince a noble gentleman who could humble himself before scholars.'

於是罷酒，侯生遂為上客。 The banquet was then dismissed, and Master Hou became one of his highest-ranking retainers.

侯生謂公子曰：「臣所過屠者朱亥，此子賢者，世莫能知，故隱屠閒耳。」 Master Hou said to the prince: 'The butcher I visited, Zhu Hai, is a worthy man. The world cannot recognize his worth, so he hides among the butchers.'

行過夷門，見侯生，具告所以欲死秦軍狀。 On the way, as he passed through the Yi Gate, he saw Master Hou and explained in full how he intended to die fighting the Qin army.

辭決而行，侯生曰：「公子勉之矣，老臣不能從。」 Taking his leave and about to depart, Master Hou said: 'Do your best, my prince. This old minister cannot follow you.'

公子行數里，心不快，曰：「吾所以待侯生者備矣，天下莫不聞，今吾且死而侯生曾無一言半辭送我，我豈有所失哉？」 The prince traveled several li, but his heart was uneasy. He said: 'My treatment of Master Hou has been exemplary, known throughout the world. Now I am about to die, yet Master Hou has not sent me off with even a single word or half a phrase. Have I perhaps done something wrong?'

復引車還，問侯生。 He turned the chariot back and went to question Master Hou.

侯生笑曰：「臣固知公子之還也。」 Master Hou smiled and said, "I knew from the start that my prince would come back."

侯生乃屏人閒語，曰：「嬴聞晉鄙之兵符常在王臥內，而如姬最幸，出入王臥內，力能竊之。 Master Hou then dismissed the others and spoke privately, saying: 'I have heard that General Jin Bi's army tally is always kept in the king's bedchamber, and Lady Ruji is most favored, able to enter and leave the king's bedchamber at will. She has the ability to steal it.

嬴聞如姬父為人所殺，如姬資之三年，自王以下欲求報其父仇，莫能得。 I have heard that Lady Ruji's father was murdered, and Lady Ruji has been seeking revenge for three years. From the king downward, all have tried to find the killer for her, but none could succeed.

公子行，侯生曰：「將在外，主令有所不受，以便國家。 As the prince set out, Master Hou said, "When a general is in the field, he may decline some of his ruler's orders if doing so benefits the state.

侯生曰：「公子畏死邪？ Master Hou said, "Is my prince afraid of death?

公子過謝侯生。 The prince stopped by to bid farewell to Master Hou.

侯生曰：「臣宜從，老不能。 Master Hou said: 'I ought to go with you, but I'm too old.

公子與侯生決，至軍，侯生果北鄉自剄。 The prince bade farewell to Master Hou, and upon arriving at the army, Master Hou indeed faced north and slit his throat.