Song, Liao, and Jin · Ruler

Kublai Khan 世祖

Shizu

Born AD 1215

Passages: 20
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Kublai Khan was a ruler.

Life and dates

Birth

AD 1215 朕生
Kublai states the Yellow River ran clear at his own birth
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 54

Attested activity

AD 1278 至元十五年三月
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 53, 57
AD 1277 至元十四年八月
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 50
AD 1274 至元十一年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 22
AD 1275 至元十二年
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 38-39
AD 1270 to AD 1273 召用忠良
Dated from the passage context · History of Yuan 203, passage 10

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Heir Apparent (皇太子)
heir apparent 皇太子
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 56
Parent of Namuhan (那木罕)
imperial prince 皇子
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 45

Career and standing

flogging of the two chief provisioners 笞主膳二人
AD 1277 至元十四年八月 · Ordered
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 52

Places and affiliations

Polity Id yuan · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 10
AD 1275 至元十二年五月
At Shangdu 上都 · Relation Summered at
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 42

Works and attributed material

Edict · Author · With Tian Zhongliang (田忠良)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 35-36
Speech · Speaker · With Dong Wenzhong (董文忠)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 57
Speech · Speaker · With Tian Zhongliang (田忠良)
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 10, 14, 20, 22, 24, 30, 39, 42, 47
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 16, 26, 53-55

Events and relationships

Fell ill
AD 1275 至元十二年二月 · Medical · Patient
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 39
Flogged chief provisioners
AD 1277 至元十四年八月 · Legal · Authority
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 52
Recalled river clearing at xianzong and own birth
AD 1278 至元十五年三月 · Omen · Speaker
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passages 53-55
Recovered
AD 1275 至元十二年三月 · Medical · Patient
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 41

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · History of Yuan 203, passage 10

References in the histories

Search passages

History

20 passages

History of Yuan, Chapter 203Volume 203 Biographies 90: Medicine and Divination, Arts and Crafts · 20 passages

秉忠薦於世祖，遣使召至，帝視其狀貌步趨，顧謂侍臣曰：「是雖以陰陽家進，必將為國用。」 Liu Bingzhong recommended him to Kublai Khan, who sent for him. When Zhongliang arrived, the emperor studied his bearing and stride and told his attendants, "He may have come up through the arts of yin and yang, but he will prove indispensable to the realm."

帝喜，又曰：「朕有事縈心，汝試占之。」 Delighted, the emperor said, "Something has been troubling me — try your divination on it."

帝曰：「然，國師也。」 The emperor said, "Exactly — the Imperial Preceptor."

帝曰：「朕用兵江南，困於襄樊，累年不決，奈何？」 The emperor said, "Our armies in the south have been stalled at Xiangyang and Fancheng for years with no end in sight — what can be done?"

至元十一年，阿里海牙奏請率十萬眾渡江，朝議難之，帝密問曰：「汝試筮之，濟否？」 In the eleventh year of Zhiyuan (1274), Alihaiya petitioned to lead a hundred thousand troops across the Yangtze; the court was divided. The emperor asked Zhongliang privately, "Divine for me — will the crossing succeed?"

帝獵於柳林，禦幄殿，侍臣甚眾，顧忠良曰：「今拜一大將取江南，朕心已定，果何人耶？」 While hunting at Willow Grove, the emperor sat in his tent surrounded by attendants and asked Zhongliang, "I have decided to appoint a great general to conquer the south — who is it, in your judgment?"

帝笑曰：「此伯顏也，為西王旭烈兀使，朕以其才留用之，汝識朕心。」 The emperor laughed. "That is Bayan — he came as envoy from Prince Hulagu in the west, and I kept him for his ability. You read my thoughts well."

七月十五日夜，白氣貫三台，帝問何祥，忠良對曰：「三公其死乎！」 On the night of the fifteenth day of the seventh month, a white vapor pierced the Three Terraces. When the emperor asked what it portended, Zhongliang replied, "Might the Three Dukes be about to die?"

八月，帝出獵，駐輦召忠良曰：「朕有所遺，汝知何物，還可復得否？」 In the eighth month, while out hunting, the emperor halted his carriage and called Zhongliang. "I have lost something," he said. "Do you know what it is, and whether I shall get it back?"

帝喜，賜以貂裘。 The emperor was delighted and gave him a sable fur coat.

十月，有旨問忠良：「南征將士能渡江否？ In the tenth month the emperor asked Zhongliang by edict, "Can our southern expedition cross the Yangtze?

二月，帝不豫，召忠良謂曰：「或言朕今歲不嘉，汝術云何？」 In the second month the emperor fell ill and summoned Zhongliang. "Some say this year bodes ill for me," he said. "What does your art tell you?"

忠良對曰：「聖體行自安矣。」 "Your Majesty will soon recover," Zhongliang answered.

三月，帝疾愈，賜銀五百兩、衣材三十匹。 In the third month the emperor recovered and rewarded him with five hundred taels of silver and thirty bolts of fabric for robes.

忠良引眾夜歸，敵殊不覺，和禮霍孫以為神，白其事於帝，賜黃金十兩。 Zhongliang led his men out by night without the enemy detecting them. Holihosun took it for a miracle, reported the exploit to the emperor, and Zhongliang received ten taels of gold.

帝不悅。 The emperor was displeased.

十二月，諸王昔里吉劫皇子、丞相以入海都，帝召忠良曰：「朕幾信讒言罪汝，今如汝言，汝祀神致禱，雖黃金朕所不吝。」 In the twelfth month Prince Shiregi seized the prince and chancellor and delivered them to Haidu. The emperor summoned Zhongliang: "I nearly believed your enemies and punished you; events have proved you right. Pray to the spirits on our behalf — ask for whatever gold you need."

帝怒，笞主膳二人，俾均其食。 The emperor was furious, had the two chief provisioners flogged, and ordered rations distributed fairly.

十五年三月，汴梁河清三百里，帝曰：「憲宗生，河清； In the third month of the fifteenth year the Yellow River at Bianliang ran clear for three hundred li. The emperor said, "When Emperor Xianzong was born, the river ran clear;

帝語符寶郎董文忠曰：「是不妄言，殆有徵也。」 The emperor told Dong Wenzhong, Keeper of the Imperial Seals, "He does not speak lightly — there may be something to this."