Qin and Han · Marquis of Zhuxu

Liu Zhang 劉章

Born c. BC 200

Passages: 12
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Liu Zhang was a Marquis of Zhuxu.

Life and dates

Age

BC 181 to BC 180 哀王八年…其明年
Years 20
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 16, 20

Attested activity

BC 186 to BC 180 哀王三年…高后崩
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 14, 37, 39

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Liu Fei (劉肥)
father 父
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 14, 26
Spouse of Daughter of Lü Lu (呂祿女)
wife 妻
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 14, 39
Sibling of Liu Xiang (劉襄)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 14
Sibling of Liu Xingju (劉興居)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 15

Career and standing

palace guard 宿衛
Held · At Chang'an 長安
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 14-15
Marquis of Zhuxu 朱虛侯
BC 186 哀王三年 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 14

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Subject of
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 14
At Chang'an 長安 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 15

Works and attributed material

Allow me to sing a farming song for the Empress Dowager.
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Zhang (劉章)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 25
I am descended from generals. Allow me to enforce the drinking rules by military law.
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Zhang (劉章)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 22
I do know it.
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Zhang (劉章)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 28
One man fled the drinking. I have carried out the military law and beheaded him.
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Zhang (劉章)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 32
Plow deep and sow with care. Set the seedlings far apart. Whatever is not of the true stock, uproot it and cast it away.
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Zhang (劉章)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 30

Events and relationships

Enforced military drinking law and beheaded a Lü clansman
BC 181 to BC 180 朱虛侯年二十…高后崩 · Banquet · Wine steward
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 21, 32
Secretly urged King of Qi to raise troops against the Lü
BC 180 高后崩 · Political · Conspirator · With Liu Xiang (劉襄)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passage 39

Assessments and attributes

Assessment strong and spirited; Lü clan feared him; ministers rallied to him · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 52, passages 20, 36

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 52House of Prince Daohui of Qi · 12 passages

哀王三年，其弟章入宿衛於漢，呂太后封為朱虛侯，以呂祿女妻之。 In the third year of King Ai's reign, his younger brother Zhang entered service as a palace guard in the Han capital. Empress Dowager Lü enfeoffed him as Marquis of Zhuxu and gave him the daughter of Lü Lu as his wife.

後四年，封章弟興居為東牟侯，皆宿衛長安中。 Four years later, Zhang's younger brother Xingju was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongmou, and both brothers served in the palace guard at Chang'an.

朱虛侯年二十，有氣力，忿劉氏不得職。 The Marquis of Zhuxu was twenty years old, strong and spirited, and deeply resentful that the Liu clan had been shut out of power.

嘗入待高后燕飲，高后令朱虛侯劉章為酒吏。 Once, when he attended a banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager, she appointed Liu Zhang, Marquis of Zhuxu, to serve as the wine steward.

章自請曰：「臣，將種也，請得以軍法行酒。」 Liu Zhang volunteered, saying, "I am descended from generals. Allow me to enforce the drinking rules by military law."

酒酣，章進飲歌舞。 When the drinking was at its height, Zhang came forward and performed songs and dances.

已而曰：「請為太后言耕田歌。」 Afterward, Zhang said, "Allow me to sing a farming song for the Empress Dowager."

章曰：「臣知之。」 Zhang replied, "I do know it."

章曰：「深耕穊種，立苗欲疏，非其種者，鉏而去之。」 Zhang said, "Plow deep and sow with care. Set the seedlings far apart. Whatever is not of the true stock, uproot it and cast it away."

頃之，諸呂有一人醉，亡酒，章追，拔劍斬之，而還報曰：「有亡酒一人，臣謹行法斬之。」 Before long, one of the Lü clansmen grew drunk and tried to slip away from the feast. Zhang pursued him, drew his sword, and struck off his head. He returned and reported, 'One man fled the drinking. I have carried out the military law and beheaded him.'

自是之後，諸呂憚朱虛侯，雖大臣皆依朱虛侯，劉氏為益彊。 From that day forward, the Lü clan lived in fear of the Marquis of Zhuxu. Even the great ministers rallied behind him, and the Liu clan grew ever stronger.

朱虛侯章以呂祿女為婦，知其謀，乃使人陰出告其兄齊王，欲令發兵西，朱虛侯、東牟侯為內應，以誅諸呂，因立齊王為帝。 The Marquis of Zhuxu, Zhang, had married Lü Lu's daughter and thus learned of their plot. He secretly dispatched a messenger to inform his elder brother, the King of Qi, urging him to march his army westward. The Marquis of Zhuxu and the Marquis of Dongmou would serve as agents inside the capital, and together they would destroy the Lü clan and place the King of Qi on the imperial throne.