Lou Hu (樓護) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Lou Hu as an official and physician. This record brings together 24 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	Lou Hu	樓護	Lou Hu
Given	Hu	護	Hu
Courtesy	Junqing	君卿	Junqing
Surname	Lou	樓	Lou

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0126

Roles

Official
Physician

Life and dates

Death

Text: died; son inherited rank / 護卒，子嗣其爵
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0161

Career and standing

Title: Governor of Guanghan / 廣漢太守
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0143
Title: Governor of Tianshui / 天水太守
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0137
Title: Remonstrance Grandee / 諫大夫
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0135
Title: attached-city lord of Loujiuli / 樓舊裡附城
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0152
Title: Marquis of Xixiang / 息鄉侯
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0148

Places and affiliations

Place: Qi / 齊
Explicit · hanshu:104:s0126

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 24 passages

Open chapter

唯成帝時，外家王氏賓客為盛，而樓護為帥。 Under Chengdi the Wang in-laws ran the richest salon of retainers, headed by Lou Hu.

樓護字君卿，齊人。 Lou Hu, styled Junqing, came from Qi.

父世醫也，護少隨父為醫長安，出入貴戚家。 His father was a hereditary physician; Lou Hu grew up trailing him through the mansions of the great in Chang'an.

護誦醫經、本草、方術數十萬言，長者咸愛重之，共謂曰：「以君卿之材，何不宦學乎？」 He memorized hundreds of thousands of characters of pharmacopeia and case lore, and elders urged him, "A mind like yours belongs in office, not in an apothecary."

是時，王氏方盛，賓客滿門，五侯兄弟爭名，其客各有所厚，不得左右，唯護盡入其門，咸得其歡心。 The Wangs were at their zenith: each of the five brothers hoarded clients who would not cross to a rival house—except Lou Hu, who dined in every mansion and kept them all smiling.

與谷永俱為五侯上客，長安號曰「谷子雲筆札，樓君卿脣舌」，言其見信用也。 He and Gu Yong were chief clients of the five Wang marquises, and the capital joked, "Ziyun wields the brush; Junqing wields the tongue"—both men were indispensable.

母死，送葬者致車二三千兩，閭里歌之曰：「五侯治喪樓君卿。」 When his mother died, the mourners who escorted the burial brought two or three thousand carriages. The neighborhoods sang of it: "The five marquises arranged the funeral for Lou Junqing."

久之，平阿侯舉護方正，為諫大夫，使郡國。 Marquis Ping'e eventually nominated him as a candidate of integrity; he became a remonstrance grandee and toured the provinces on imperial business.

護假貸，多持幣帛，過齊，上書求上先人塚，因會宗族故人，各以親疏與束帛，一日數百金之費。 He borrowed heavily, loaded up with silk, detoured through Qi to petition at the ancestral tombs, feasted every kinsman and crony, and handed out silk by rank—burning hundreds of gold in a day.

時成都侯商為大司馬衛將軍，罷朝，欲候護，其主簿諫：「將軍至尊，不宜入閭巷。」 At the time Wang Shang, Marquis of Chengdu, was Grand Marshal and General of the Guards. After leaving court, he wanted to call on Lou Hu, but his chief clerk remonstrated, "Your rank is supremely exalted; you should not enter common lanes and alleys."

商不聽，遂往至護家。 Wang Shang ignored the advice and rolled up to Lou Hu's door.

後護復以薦為廣漢太守。 Later a nomination made him governor of Guanghan.

寬父素與護相知，寬至廣漢過護，不以事實語也。 Lü Kuan's father was an old friend of Lou Hu's; the fugitive called on him in Guanghan but never breathed a word of the conspiracy.

到數日，名捕寬詔書至，護執寬。 Within days the empire-wide warrant arrived, and Lou Hu handed Lü Kuan over.

莽大喜，徵護入為前煇光，封息鄉侯，列於九卿。 Wang Mang was delighted, recalled Lou Hu to court as former Director of Shining Brightness, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Xixiang, and ranked him among the Nine Ministers.

莽居攝，槐里大賊趙朋、霍鴻等群起，延入前煇光界，護坐免為庶人。 During Mang's regency the Huaili rebels Zhao Peng and Huo Hong overran the district under Lou Hu's ministry; he lost his post and became a commoner.

至王莽篡位，以舊恩召見護，封為樓舊裡附城。 When Wang Mang seized the throne he remembered old ties, summoned Lou Hu, and enfeoffed him as a minor attached-city noble at Loujiuli.

而成都侯商子邑為大司空，貴重，商故人皆敬事邑，唯護自安如舊節，邑亦父事之，不敢有闕。 Wang Yi, Wang Shang's son, became Grand Minister of Works; every old friend flattered him—except Lou Hu, who kept the easy equality of earlier days, so Yi treated him like a father and never slipped in courtesy.

坐者百數，皆離席伏，護獨東鄉正坐，字謂邑曰：「公子貴如何！」 A hundred guests dropped to the kowtow while Lou Hu alone sat facing east and drawled, "Well, Yi—how does it feel to be the great man?"

初，護有故人呂公，無子，歸護。 Long before, a childless friend surnamed Lü had moved in with him.

護身與呂公、妻與呂嫗同食。 He and his wife shared table and board with the old couple.

及護家居，妻子頗厭呂公。 Once Lou Hu retired, his wife and children grew tired of the guests.

護聞之，流涕責其妻子曰：「呂公以故舊窮老托身於我，義所當奉。」 Lou Hu wept and scolded his household: "Lord Lü is a ruined old friend who threw himself on my mercy—duty says I keep him."

護卒，子嗣其爵。 When Lou Hu died, his son inherited the fief.