Ancient China · King Xiaowen of Qin

King Xiaowen 孝文王

Xiàowén Wáng

Died BC 250

Passages: 16
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify King Xiaowen as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 16 passages from 2 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	King Xiaowen	孝文王	Xiàowén Wáng
Regnal	King Xiaowen	孝文王	Xiàowén Wáng
Posthumous name	King Xiaowen	孝文王	Xiàowén Wáng
Title	Lord Anguo	安國君	Ānguó Jūn

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:048:s0176, shiji:085:s0004

Roles

Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秦王立一年 · Western Year: BC 250
Explicit · shiji:085:s0049

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 施及孝文王、莊襄王 · Western Year: BC 250
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:048:s0176
Source Date: Text: 秦昭王五十六年 · Western Year: BC 251
Explicit · shiji:085:s0047
Source Date: Text: 秦昭王四十二年 · Western Year: BC 265
Explicit · shiji:085:s0004
Source Date: Text: 秦王立一年 · Western Year: BC 250
Explicit · shiji:085:s0049

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Spouse of Lady Xia (夏姬)
Kinship Term: concubine / 姬 · Union Category: concubinage · Relationship State: active
Parent of Eldest son of Lord Anguo
Kinship Term: eldest son / 長子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Object Birth Order: 1
Spouse of Lady Huayang (華陽夫人)
Kinship Term: principal wife / 正夫人 · Union Category: primary-marriage · Relationship State: active
Child of King Zhao of Qin (昭王)
Kinship Term: second son / 次子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Object Birth Order: 2
Sibling of Crown Prince of King Zhao of Qin
Kinship Term: second son / 次子 · Shared Parentage: uncertain · Subject Relative Age: younger
Parent of King Zhuangxiang (莊襄王)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 20 · Qualifier: more than
Explicit · shiji:085:s0005

Career and standing

Status: crown-prince · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秦昭王四十二年 · Western Year: BC 265
Explicit · shiji:085:s0004
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秦昭王五十六年 · Western Year: BC 251
Explicit · shiji:085:s0047

Places and affiliations

Polity: Qin / 秦 · Relation: of
Explicit · shiji:085:s0004
Place: Shouling / 壽陵 · Relation: buried-at
Explicit · shiji:085:s0073

Assessments and attributes

Item: jade tally / 玉符 · Relation: engraved · Other Person Id: Lady Huayang (華陽夫人)
Explicit · shiji:085:s0037

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 48House of Chen She · 1 passage

施及孝文王、莊襄王，享國之日淺，國家無事。 The reigns of Kings Xiaowen and Zhuangxiang were brief, and the state knew no great upheaval.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 85Biography of Master Lü Buwei · 15 passages

其四十二年，以其次子安國君為太子。 Two years later, the king designated his second son, Lord Anguo, as the new crown prince.

安國君有子二十餘人。 Lord Anguo had over twenty sons.

安國君有所甚愛姬，立以為正夫人，號曰華陽夫人。 Lord Anguo deeply favored one of his concubines and elevated her to the rank of principal wife, bestowing upon her the title of Lady Huayang.

安國君中男名子楚，子楚母曰夏姬，毋愛。 One of Lord Anguo's middle sons was named Zichu. His mother, Lady Xia, had long fallen out of favor.

呂不韋曰：「秦王老矣，安國君得為太子。 Lü Buwei said, "The King of Qin is growing old, and Lord Anguo has been made crown prince.

竊聞安國君愛幸華陽夫人，華陽夫人無子，能立適嗣者獨華陽夫人耳。 I have heard that Lord Anguo dotes on Lady Huayang, yet Lady Huayang has no sons of her own. She alone has the power to determine who will be named the legitimate heir.

即大王薨，安國君立為王，則子毋幾得與長子及諸子旦暮在前者爭為太子矣。」 When the great king dies and Lord Anguo ascends the throne, you will have little chance of competing to become heir against the eldest son and those brothers who attend upon him morning and evening."

不韋雖貧，請以千金為子西游，事安國君及華陽夫人，立子為適嗣。」 Though I am not a rich man, allow me to spend a thousand catties of gold to travel west to Qin on your behalf. I will attend upon Lord Anguo and Lady Huayang and secure your appointment as the legitimate heir."

今夫人事太子，甚愛而無子，不以此時蚤自結於諸子中賢孝者，舉立以為適而子之，夫在則重尊，夫百歲之後，所子者為王，終不失勢，此所謂一言而萬世之利也。 You now serve the crown prince and enjoy his deep love, yet you have borne him no sons. If you do not seize this moment to choose the worthiest and most filial among his sons, establish him as the legitimate heir, and adopt him as your own, then while your husband lives you will be doubly honored. After he passes, the son you have selected will be king, and you will never lose your position. This is what they call gaining ten thousand generations of benefit through a single word.

華陽夫人以為然，承太子閒，從容言子楚質於趙者絕賢，來往者皆稱譽之。 Lady Huayang agreed with this counsel. When she found the crown prince at leisure, she brought up the subject of Zichu with studied casualness, remarking that the hostage in Zhao was said to be extraordinarily talented, and that all travelers who had met him spoke highly of his character.

安國君許之，乃與夫人刻玉符，約以為適嗣。 Lord Anguo consented, and he and Lady Huayang carved a jade tally together, sealing the pledge that Zichu would be named the legitimate heir.

安國君及夫人因厚餽遺子楚，而請呂不韋傅之，子楚以此名譽益盛於諸侯。 Lord Anguo and Lady Huayang then sent generous gifts to Zichu and appointed Lü Buwei as his tutor. With this patronage, Zichu's reputation grew ever more distinguished among the feudal lords.

秦昭王五十六年，薨，太子安國君立為王，華陽夫人為王后，子楚為太子。 In the fifty-sixth year of his reign, King Zhao of Qin died. Lord Anguo, the crown prince, ascended the throne. Lady Huayang was made queen, and Zichu was named crown prince.

秦王立一年，薨，謚為孝文王。 The new King of Qin reigned for only a year before he died. He was given the posthumous title King Xiaowen.

孝文王后曰華陽太后，與孝文王會葬壽陵。 Empress Dowager Huayang, the queen of King Xiaowen, was buried with King Xiaowen at the Shouling tomb.