Ancient China · Courtier

Li Yuan 李園

Attested BC 240 - BC 238

Passages: 13
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Li Yuan as an attendant, courtier, and named individual. This record brings together 13 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Li Yuan	李園	Li Yuan
Surname	Li	李	Li
Personal name	Li Yuan	李園	Li Yuan
Given	Yuan	園	Yuan

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:078:s0130
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:078:s0172

Roles

Attendant
Courtier
Named Individual

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 後制於李園 · Western Year: BC 238
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:078:s0172
Source Date: Text: 趙人李園 · Western Interval: Start: BC 240 · End: BC 238
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:078:s0130, shiji:078:s0165

Family

Sibling of Younger Sister of Li Yuan (李園女弟)
Kinship Term: younger sister / 女弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Subject Role: younger-sister · Object Role: elder-brother · Shared Parentage: full

Places and affiliations

Polity: Chu / 楚 · Relation: active-in
Strongly inferred · shiji:078:s0172
Place: Zhao / 趙
Explicit · shiji:078:s0130

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Huang Xie (黃歇) · Provenance: Mode: self-report
Explicit · shiji:078:s0132
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Huang Xie (黃歇)
Explicit · shiji:078:s0132

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: controller · Action: controlled · Other Person Id: Lord Chunshen (春申君) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 後制於李園 · Western Year: BC 238
Explicit · shiji:078:s0172
Kind: assassination · Role: instigator · Action: killed · Other Person Id: Huang Xie (黃歇) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 楚考烈王卒 · Western Year: BC 238
Explicit · shiji:078:s0164, shiji:078:s0165
Relation: controller-of · Person Id: Lord Chunshen (春申君)
Explicit · shiji:078:s0172
Relation: enemy-of · Person Id: Huang Xie (黃歇)
Explicit · shiji:078:s0157

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · shiji:078:s0172

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 78Biography of Lord Chunshen · 13 passages

又并蒲、衍、首、垣，以臨仁、平丘，黃、濟陽嬰城而魏氏服； Again annexing Pu, Yan, Shou, and Yuan, threatening Ren and Pingqiu. Huang and Jiyang were besieged, and the House of Wei submitted.

趙人李園持其女弟，欲進之楚王，聞其不宜子，恐久毋寵。 A Zhao native named Li Yuan brought his younger sister, intending to present her to the King of Chu. Hearing that the king was not producing sons, he feared her favor would not last.

李園求事春申君為舍人，已而謁歸，故失期。 Li Yuan sought a position as retainer to Lord Chunshen. After some time, he requested leave to return home, deliberately arriving late.

於是李園乃進其女弟，即幸於春申君。 Thus, Li Yuan presented his younger sister, who won Lord Chunshen's favor.

知其有身，李園乃與其女弟謀。 When he learned she was with child, Li Yuan conspired with his younger sister.

楚王貴李園，園用事。 The King of Chu favored Li Yuan, who came to wield considerable influence.

李園既入其女弟，立為王后，子為太子，恐春申君語泄而益驕，陰養死士，欲殺春申君以滅口，而國人頗有知之者。 Once Li Yuan had brought in his younger sister and established her as queen with her son as crown prince, he feared Lord Chunshen would reveal the secret and grow even more insolent. Secretly, he cultivated assassins, intending to kill Lord Chunshen and silence him forever. Many in the kingdom knew of his plans.

曰：「李園不治國而君之仇也，不為兵而養死士之日久矣，楚王卒，李園必先入據權而殺君以滅口。 'Li Yuan cares nothing for governing the state, but he is Your Lordship's mortal enemy. Instead of raising armies, he has long been cultivating assassins. When the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will surely enter first, seize control, and kill Your Lordship to silence the secret.

對曰：「君置臣郎中，楚王卒，李園必先入，臣為君殺李園。 He replied: 'Appoint me as your aide-de-camp. When the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will surely enter first. I will kill Li Yuan for you.

春申君曰：「足下置之，李園，弱人也，仆又善之，且又何至此！」 Lord Chunshen said: 'Set that aside for now. Li Yuan is a weakling, and I have treated him kindly. How could matters come to such a pass!'

後十七日，楚考烈王卒，李園果先入，伏死士於棘門之內。 Seventeen days later, King Kaolie of Chu died. As predicted, Li Yuan entered first, concealing assassins within the Thorn Gate.

春申君入棘門，園死士俠刺春申君，斬其頭，投之棘門外。 Lord Chunshen entered the Thorn Gate. Li Yuan's death-dealers struck him from both sides, severed his head, and threw it outside the gate.

後制於李園，旄矣。 Later he was controlled by Li Yuan—what utter confusion!