Hou Zan (後贊) | 24 Histories

Overview

Hou Zan was a Courtier and Official.

PeriodFive Dynasties

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 950 贊奔兗州
Beheaded and displayed · At marketplace 市 · Authority Murong Yanchao (慕容彥超)
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 212

Attested activity

AD 948 to AD 951 乾祐至廣順初
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 18, passage 2
AD 948 to AD 950 後漢隱帝時
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passages 85, 106
AD 947 to AD 950 高祖即位
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passages 208-209, 212

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of Hou Zan
mother 母
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 206

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Dragon Flight Commissioner 飛龍使
AD 947 高祖即位 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 209
guard officer 牙將
Appointed
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 208
Arrested
Captured · Authority Murong Yanchao (慕容彥超)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 212

Places and affiliations

Polity Later Han 後漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passages 208-209
At Xiqiu in Yan Prefecture 兗州瑕丘
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 205
At Yan Prefecture 兗州 · Relation Fled to
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 212

Learning and skills

Skill singing 謳 · Level skilled-from-childhood
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 207

Events and relationships

Joined plot to kill Yang Bin
AD 950 共謀殺邠等 · Political · Conspirator · With Yang Bin (楊邠)
Dated from the passage context · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 210
Rotated attendance to block criticism
Court · Attendant · With Guo Yunming (郭允明)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 211
Relation Served · Person Zhang Yanlang (張延朗)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 207
Relation Entered service of · Person High Ancestor (高祖)
Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 30, passage 208

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 18Volume 18: The Later Han Imperial Family · 1 passage

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帝年少，數與小人郭允明、後贊、李業等遊戲宮中，後數切責之。 As a youth the emperor often caroused in the palace with Guo Yunming, Hou Zan, Li Ye, and other low companions; the empress scolded him again and again.

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 30Volume 30 Later Han Biographies 10: Su Fengji, Shi Hongzhao, Yang Bin, Wang Zhang, Liu Zhu, Li Ye, Nie Wenjin, Hou Zan, Guo Yunming · 10 passages

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隱帝自關西罷兵，漸近小人，與後贊、李業等嬉遊無度，而太后親族頗行幹托，弘肇與楊邠稍裁抑之。 When the western war ended the Hidden Emperor drifted toward petty favorites—Hou Zan, Li Ye, and the rest—and played without restraint. The dowager’s kin peddled influence; Hongzhao and Yang Bin checked them where they could.

是時，李業、郭允明、後贊、聶文進等用事，不喜執政。 Li Ye, Guo Yunming, Hou Zan, Nie Wenjin, and others held the court and hated the chief ministers.

而帝方與業及聶文進、後贊、郭允明等狎昵，多為廋語相誚戲，放紙鳶於宮中。 The emperor meanwhile caroused with Ye, Nie Wenjin, Hou Zan, and Guo Yunming—veiled jests, mockery, paper kites in the palace.

後贊，兗州瑕丘人。 Hou Zan came from Xiqiu in Yan Prefecture.

贊幼善謳，事張延朗。 Zan sang well from childhood and served Zhang Yanlang.

延朗死，贊更事漢高祖，高祖愛之，以為牙將。 Yanlang died; Zan entered the Han High Ancestor’s service. The High Ancestor favored him and made him a guard officer.

高祖即位，拜飛龍使，隱帝尤愛幸之。 At enthronement Zan became Dragon Flight Commissioner; the Hidden Emperor doted on him above all others.

楊邠等執政，贊久不得遷，乃共謀殺邠等。 Yang Bin and his faction ruled; Zan languished without promotion. He joined the plot to kill them.

邠等死，隱帝悔之，贊與允明等番休侍帝，不欲左右言已短。 Bin and the rest were dead; the Hidden Emperor repented. Zan and Yunming rotated attendance at his side so no courtier could whisper against them.

隱帝兵敗北郊，贊奔兗州，慕容彥超執送京師，梟首於市。 The Hidden Emperor lost at the Northern Suburb. Zan fled to Yan; Murong Yanchao captured him, sent him to the capital, and had his head hung in the market.