Qin and Han · General

Li Shang 酈商

Lì Shāng

Attested BC 206 - BC 180

Passages: 12
Chapters: 6
Histories: 3

Overview

The translated histories identify Li Shang as an aristocrat, general, military officer, and official. This record brings together 12 passages from 6 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Li Shang	酈商	Lì Shāng
Personal name	Li	酈	Li
Personal name	Li Shang	酈商	Li Shang
Personal name	Li Shang	酈商
Personal	Li Shang	酈商	Li Shang
Title	Marquis of Quzhou	曲周侯
Given	Shang	商	Shāng
Personal name	Shang	商	Shāng
Given	Shang	商	Shang

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:004:s0011, zhoushu:017:s0153
Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:094:s0070
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:042:s0098

Roles

Aristocrat
General
Military Officer
Official

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 二年…曲周侯臣商 · Western Year: BC 186
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:004:s0011
Source Date: Text: 八年…曲周侯酈商 · Western Year: BC 180
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:004:s0048
Source Date: Text: 其弟酈商為漢將 · Western Year: BC 202
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:094:s0070, shiji:094:s0071
Source Date: Text: 史臣比喻 · Western Interval: Start: BC 206 · End: BC 180
Explicit · zhoushu:017:s0153

Family

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

Parent of Li Ji (酈寄)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Sibling of Li Yiji (酈食其)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger

Career and standing

Label: Commandant of Guards / 衛尉 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:094:s0071
Text: Commandant of the Guards / 衛尉
Explicit · hanshu:042:s0099
Title: General commanding Chenliu troops
Explicit · hanshu:001:s0172
Title: Marquis of Quzhou / 曲周侯 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:004:s0011
Label: bound by edict not to harm Tian Heng / 敢動搖者致族夷 · Action: bound-by-edict · Authority Person Id: Emperor Gaozu (高祖)
Explicit · shiji:094:s0071

Events and relationships

Type: younger-brother · Person Id: Li Yiji (酈食其)
Explicit · hanshu:042:s0098
Relation: younger-brother · Person Key: Li Yiji (酈食其)
Explicit · hanshu:001:s0172

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 1Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 · 1 passage

沛公以為廣野君，以其弟商為將，將陳留兵。 Pei Gong made him Lord Guangye and appointed his younger brother Shang as general, commanding the Chenliu troops.

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 2 passages

人或聞，以語酈商。 Someone heard and told Li Shang.

酈商見審食其曰：「聞帝已崩，四日不發喪，欲誅諸將。 Li Shang saw Shen Shiqi and said: "Heard the emperor has passed away. Four days without announcing death, wanting to execute the generals.

Book of Han, Chapter 4Volume 3: Annals of Empress Lü Zhi · 2 passages

丞相臣平言：「謹與絳侯臣勃、曲周侯臣商、潁陰侯臣嬰、安國侯臣陵等議，列侯幸得賜餐錢奉邑，陛下加惠，以功次定朝位，臣請臧高廟。」 Chancellor Chen Ping memorialized: 'I have respectfully deliberated with Bo, Marquis of Jiang; Shang, Marquis of Quzhou; Ying, Marquis of Yingyin; Ling, Marquis of Anguo; and others. The marquises have fortunately received bestowed meal allowances and fief incomes. Your Majesty adds further favor by establishing court positions according to the order of their merits. I request that these rankings be preserved in the Gao Temple.'

太尉勃與丞相平謀，以曲周侯酈商子寄與祿善，使人劫商令寄紿說祿曰：「高帝與呂后共定天下，劉氏所立九王，呂氏所立三王，皆大臣之議。 Grand Commandant Zhou Bo and Chancellor Chen Ping plotted together. Since Marquis of Quzhou Li Shang's son Ji was on good terms with Lü Lu, they sent men to seize Shang and have Ji deceive and persuade Lü Lu, saying: 'Emperor Gaozu and Empress Lü together settled the realm. The Liu clan established nine kings and the Lü clan established three kings—all were matters deliberated by the ministers.

Book of Han, Chapter 42Volume 33: Wei Bao, Tian Dan and Hán Xin (King of Han) · 2 passages

橫謝曰：「臣亨陛下之使酈食其，今聞其弟商為漢將而賢，臣恐懼，不敢奉詔，請為庶人，守海島中。」 Tian Heng declined, saying, "I boiled Your Majesty's envoy Li Yiji. Now I hear his younger brother Shang is a valued Han general. I am afraid and dare not obey; I ask only to remain a commoner and stay on an island at sea."

使還報，高帝乃詔衛尉酈商曰：「齊王橫即至，人馬從者敢動搖者致族夷！」 When the envoy returned and reported, Gaozu ordered the Commandant of the Guards, Li Shang: "When King Tian Heng of Qi arrives, if any of his followers stir up trouble, exterminate their clans!"

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 94Biography of Tian Dan, King of Qi · 4 passages

田橫因謝曰：「臣亨陛下之使酈生，今聞其弟酈商為漢將而賢，臣恐懼，不敢奉詔，請為庶人，守海島中。」 Tian Heng declined, saying, "I boiled Your Majesty's envoy Li Yiji alive. Now I hear that his younger brother Li Shang serves as a Han general and is a man of ability. I am terrified and dare not obey the summons. I beg leave to remain a commoner and keep to my island."

使還報，高皇帝乃詔衛尉酈商曰：「齊王田橫即至，人馬從者敢動搖者致族夷！」 When the envoy returned with this reply, Emperor Gao issued an edict to Li Shang, the Commandant of Guards: "Tian Heng, the former King of Qi, is about to arrive. If anyone among his retinue so much as stirs, the offender's entire clan shall be exterminated!"

乃復使使持節具告以詔商狀，曰：「田橫來，大者王，小者乃侯耳； He then sent another envoy bearing the imperial tally to inform Tian Heng in full of the edict restraining Li Shang, adding, "If Tian Heng comes, at best he shall be made a king, at least a marquis.

且吾亨人之兄，與其弟并肩而事其主，縱彼畏天子之詔，不敢動我，我獨不愧於心乎？ Moreover, I boiled a man's elder brother alive, and now I am to stand shoulder to shoulder with his younger brother in serving the same lord. Even if Li Shang fears the imperial edict and dares not touch me, can I alone feel no shame in my heart?

Book of Zhou, Chapter 17Volume 17 Biographies 9: Liang Yu; Guo Ganhui; Yi Feng; Liu Liang; Wang De · 1 passage

及殷憂啟聖，豫奉興王，參謀締構之初，宣力經綸之始，遂得連衡灌、酈，方駕張、徐，可謂遇其時也。 When sorrow gave way to a founding sage they served the rising dynasty from the first, counselled at the start of its construction, and labored at the beginning of its ordering—so they could rank with Guan and Li and stand beside Zhang and Xu; they had truly met their moment.