Qin and Han · Envoy

Su Wu 蘇武

Sū Wǔ

Attested BC 141 - BC 81

Passages
6
Chapters
4
Histories
3

Overview

The translated histories identify Su Wu as a diplomat, envoy, and official. This record brings together 6 passages from 4 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal Su Wu 蘇武 Sū Wǔ
Personal name Su Wu 蘇武
Personal name Su Wu 蘇武 Su Wu
Personal Su Wu 蘇武 Su Wu
Personal name Su Wu 蘇武 Sū Wǔ
Title Superintendent of Dependencies 典屬國
Given Wu
Given Wu
Surname Su

Identity

Historicity
Historical
Identification
Named
Sex
Male

Roles

  • Diplomat
  • Envoy
  • Official

Life and dates

Attested activity

  • Source Date: Text: 始元六年 · Western Year: BC 81
    Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:008:s0064
  • Source Date: Text: 漢興六十餘載 · Western Interval: Start: BC 141 · End: BC 87
    Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:068:s0254, hanshu:068:s0258
  • Source Date: Text: 漢蘇武出使 · Western Interval: Start: BC 100 · End: BC 81
    Strongly inferred · weishu:093:s0019
  • Source Date: Text: 蘇武 · Western Interval: Start: BC 100 · End: BC 81

Career and standing

  • Label: Superintendent of Dependencies / 典屬國 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 始元六年 · Western Year: BC 81
    Explicit · hanshu:008:s0064

Places and affiliations

Events and relationships

  • Kind: diplomatic · Role: envoy · Action: returned after nineteen years at Chanyu court · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 始元六年 · Western Year: BC 81
    Explicit · hanshu:008:s0064

Assessments and attributes

  • Assessment: envoy service (奉使) · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
    Explicit · hanshu:068:s0258

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 8Volume 7: Annals of Emperor Zhao · 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 68Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan · 1 passage
Draft History of Qing, Chapter 327Volume 327 Biographies 114: Liu Zao, Yang Yingju, Yang Zhongying, Su Erxiang, Ming Rui · 2 passages
Book of Wei, Chapter 93Volume 87: Morality and Righteousness: Yu Shenmen, Duan Jin, Shi Wende, Ji Gu, Wang Xuanwei, Lou Ti, Liu Kehou · 2 passages