Qin and Han · Emperor of Western Han

Present Emperor 今上

Attested BC 141 - BC 139

Passages: 8
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Present Emperor was an emperor of Western Han.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 141 今上初即位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 79
BC 139 廢明堂事
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 87
BC 140 迎申公、議明堂
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passages 82, 86

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 79

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Paraphrased · With Master Shen (申公) · Mode narrative
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 84

Events and relationships

Abandoned Hall of Light and handed over Zhao Wan and Wang Zang
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 87
Summoned Master Shen
Political · Ruler · With Master Shen (申公)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 82
Relation Rebuked by · Person Grand Empress Dowager Dou (太皇竇太后)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 87

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 79

References in the histories

Search passages

History

8 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 121Biographies of Confucian Scholars · 8 passages

今上初即位，臧乃上書宿衛上，累遷，一歲中為郎中令。 When the present emperor first ascended the throne, Wang Zang submitted a memorial and was assigned to the palace guard. Through successive promotions, he rose within a single year to become the Commandant of the Gentlemen of the Interior.

綰、臧請天子，欲立明堂以朝諸侯，不能就其事，乃言師申公。 Zhao Wan and Wang Zang petitioned the emperor to build a Hall of Light for receiving the feudal lords in audience. Unable to bring the project to fruition on their own, they recommended their teacher, Master Shen.

於是天子使使束帛加璧安車駟馬迎申公，弟子二人乘軺傳從。 The emperor sent an envoy bearing bundles of silk and jade discs, together with a comfortable carriage drawn by four horses, to welcome Master Shen. Two of his disciples rode in a light carriage to accompany him.

至，見天子。 Upon his arrival, he was granted an audience with the emperor.

天子問治亂之事，申公時已八十餘，老，對曰：「為治者不在多言，顧力行何如耳。」 The emperor asked him about the principles of order and disorder. Master Shen, by then over eighty and frail with age, replied: "Good governance does not lie in many words — it lies only in the vigor of one's actions."

是時天子方好文詞，見申公對，默然。 At that time the emperor was particularly enamored of eloquent rhetoric. Hearing Master Shen's blunt reply, he fell silent.

然已招致，則以為太中大夫，舍魯邸，議明堂事。 Nevertheless, having already summoned him, the emperor appointed him Grand Palace Grandee, lodged him at the Lu embassy, and charged him with deliberating on the Hall of Light project.

太皇竇太后好老子言，不說儒術，得趙綰、王臧之過以讓上，上因廢明堂事，盡下趙綰、王臧吏，後皆自殺。 The Grand Empress Dowager Dou was devoted to the teachings of Laozi and had no use for Confucian learning. She seized upon the transgressions of Zhao Wan and Wang Zang to reproach the emperor. The emperor thereupon abandoned the Hall of Light project and turned Zhao Wan and Wang Zang over to the judicial officials. Both later took their own lives.