Ancient China · Ruler of Yan

King Zhao of Yan 燕昭王

Yan Zhao Wang

Attested BC 314 - BC 279

Passages: 11
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

King Zhao of Yan was a ruler of Yan.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Ping	平	Ping

Life and dates

Death

Unspecified
Directly stated · shiji:034:s0134a

Attested activity

BC 284 二十八年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 131
BC 314 將軍市被與太子平謀
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 110
BC 279 昭王三十三年
Dated from the passage context · shiji:034:s0134a
BC 311 燕人之共立太子平
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 121

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Yan Kuai (燕噲)
heir apparent 太子
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passages 106, 110, 121
Parent of King Hui (惠王)
son 子
Directly stated · shiji:034:s0134a

Career and standing

As King Zhao of Yan 燕昭王
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 121

Places and affiliations

Polity Yan · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 121

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Guo Kui (郭隗)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passages 123-125

Events and relationships

Built palace and served as student
Patronage · Patron · With Guo Kui (郭隗)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 128
Civil conflict several months
Military · Participant
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 117
Held Qi cities six years
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 134
Mourned dead and comforted orphans
Governance · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 130
Plotted to attack Zizhi
Military · Conspirator · With Zizhi (子之)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 110
Relation Student of · Person Guo Kui (郭隗)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 128

Assessments and attributes

Assessment righteous · Mode named-speech Speaker King Min of Qi (齊湣王)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 112

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 34House of Yan Shaogong · 11 passages

今王言屬國於子之，而吏無非太子人者，是名屬子之而實太子用事也。」 Now the king says to entrust the state to Zi Zhi, but all the officials are the heir apparent's people. This means in name entrusting it to Zi Zhi, but in reality the heir apparent handles affairs."

將軍市被與太子平謀，將攻子之。 General Shi Bei plotted with the heir apparent Ping to attack Zizhi.

齊王因令人謂燕太子平曰：「寡人聞太子之義，將廢私而立公，飭君臣之義，明父子之位。 The King of Qi then sent an envoy to tell the Yan heir apparent Ping, "I have heard of the heir apparent's righteousness—that you will set aside private ends and establish the public good, set right the duties between ruler and minister, and clarify the positions of father and son.

雖然，則唯太子所以令之。」 Even so, I will obey whatever the heir apparent commands.”

太子因要黨聚眾，將軍市被圍公宮，攻子之，不克。 The heir apparent then gathered his partisans and assembled the masses. General Shi Bei besieged the ducal palace and attacked Zizhi, but could not defeat him.

將軍市被及百姓反攻太子平，將軍市被死，以徇。 General Shi Bei and the common people counterattacked Crown Prince Ping. Shi Bei was killed, and his body was displayed as a warning.

燕子之亡二年，而燕人共立太子平，是為燕昭王。 Two years after Zi Zhi's death, the people of Yan jointly established the heir apparent Ping, who became King Zhao of Yan.

燕昭王於破燕之後即位，卑身厚幣以招賢者。 King Zhao of Yan took the throne after Yan had been destroyed. He humbled himself and offered generous gifts to recruit worthy men.

於是昭王為隗改筑宮而師事之。 King Zhao then built Kui a new palace and served him as teacher.

燕王噲死問孤，與百姓同甘苦。 The Yan king mourned the dead and comforted the orphaned, sharing hardship and ease with the common people.

昭王三十三年卒，子惠王立。 In the thirty-third year of King Zhao's reign, he died, and his son King Hui took the throne.