Qin and Han · Consort

Lady Shen 慎夫人

Shèn fūrén

Attested BC 180 - BC 157

Passages: 17
Chapters: 4
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Lady Shen as a consort and musician. This record brings together 17 passages from 4 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Lady Shen	慎夫人	Shèn fūrén
Title	Lady Shen	慎夫人	Shèn fūrén
Title	Lady Shen	慎夫人
Title	Lady Shen	慎夫人	Shen Furen

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Title only
Sex: Female

Sex: female
Explicit · hanshu:005:s0288, hanshu:058:s0052, shiji:102:s0038
Value: female
Strongly inferred · shiji:101:s0058

Roles

Consort
Musician

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 慎夫人從 · Western Interval: Start: BC 180 · End: BC 157
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:102:s0038
Source Date: Text: 文帝時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 180 · End: BC 157
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:101:s0058

Family

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

Spouse of Emperor Wen (文帝)
Kinship Term: lady / concubine / 夫人 · Union Category: concubinage · Subject Role: concubine · Object Role: husband

Events and relationships

Relation: consort-of · Person Id: Emperor Wen of Han (漢文)
Explicit · shiji:102:s0038
Type: concubine-of · Person Id: Emperor Wen of Han (漢文)
Explicit · hanshu:058:s0057

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 5Volume 4: Annals of Emperor Wen · 1 passage

身衣弋綈，所幸慎夫人衣不曳地，帷帳無文繡，以示敦朴，為天下先。 He himself wore coarse silk garments, and his favored Lady Shen's robes did not trail on the ground. The curtains and canopies lacked embroidered patterns, demonstrating frugality and setting an example for the world.

Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 7 passages

上幸上林，皇后、慎夫人從。 When the Son of Heaven hunted Shanglin, the empress and Lady Shen went along.

及坐，郎署長布席，盎引卻慎夫人坐。 At seating time the chief usher arranged the cushions; Yuan Ang moved Lady Shen's place to the rear.

慎夫人怒，不肯坐。 Lady Shen flared up and would not take her seat.

盎因前說曰：「臣聞尊卑有序則上下和，今陛下既以立後，慎夫人乃妾，妾、主豈可以同坐哉！ Yuan Ang said: "Rank exists for a reason; you have named a queen, and Lady Shen is a concubine—lord and servant cannot share one bench.

陛下所以為慎夫人，適所以禍之也。 The favor you think you show her is the very thing that will destroy her.

於是上乃說，入語慎夫人。 The emperor saw his point, went within, and explained it to Lady Shen.

慎夫人賜盎金五十斤。 Lady Shen sent him fifty catties of gold in thanks.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 7 passages

上幸上林，皇后、慎夫人從。 The Emperor went to the Shanglin Park with the Empress and Lady Shen in attendance.

及坐，郎署長布席，袁盎引卻慎夫人坐。 When the seats were being arranged, the head of the Gentleman's Office laid out the mats, and Yuan Ang drew Lady Shen's seat back to a separate position.

慎夫人怒，不肯坐。 Lady Shen was furious and refused to sit down.

今陛下既已立后，慎夫人乃妾，妾主豈可與同坐哉！ Now that Your Majesty has installed the Empress, Lady Shen is a concubine. How can a concubine sit as an equal with her mistress!

陛下所以為慎夫人，適所以禍之。 What Your Majesty does for Lady Shen is precisely what will bring disaster upon her.

於是上乃說，召語慎夫人。 At this the Emperor was persuaded. He summoned Lady Shen and explained Ang's reasoning to her.

慎夫人賜盎金五十斤。 Lady Shen presented Ang with fifty catties of gold.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 102Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang · 2 passages

是時慎夫人從，上指示慎夫人新豐道，曰：「此走邯鄲道也。」 Lady Shen was in attendance at the time. The emperor pointed out the Xinfeng road to her and said, "This is the road to Handan."

使慎夫人鼓瑟，上自倚瑟而歌，意慘悽悲懷，顧謂群臣曰：「嗟乎！ He had Lady Shen play the zither; the emperor himself leaned on the zither and sang, his mood mournful and full of grief. He turned to the assembled ministers and said: "Alas!