Tanxian (曇獻) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Tanxian as a monk and religious leader. This record brings together 6 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	Tanxian	曇獻	Tanxian
Title	Director of Buddhist Affairs	昭玄統	Zhaoxuan Tong
Religious name	Tanxian	曇獻	Tanxian

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · beiqishu:009:s0105

Roles

Monk
Religious Leader

Life and dates

Death

Manner: executed
Explicit · beiqishu:009:s0110

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: Houzhu early reign · Western Interval: Start: AD 565 · End: AD 576
Strongly inferred · beiqishu:009:s0105, beiqishu:009:s0110

Career and standing

Label: Director of Buddhist Affairs / 昭玄統 · Action: appointed
Explicit · beiqishu:009:s0108

Learning and skills

Belief: Buddhism / 佛法 · Relation: monk-of
Explicit · beiqishu:009:s0105

References in the histories

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

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses and Consorts · 6 passages

Open chapter

自武成崩後，數出詣佛寺，又與沙門曇獻通。 After Wucheng's death she often went out to Buddhist temples, and again had relations with the monk Tanxian.

布金錢於獻席下，又挂寶裝胡床於獻屋壁，武成平生之所御也。 She spread gold coins beneath Tanxian's mat and hung upon the wall of Tanxian's room a precious decorated barbarian couch that Wucheng had used in life.

乃置百僧於內殿，托以聽講，日夜與曇獻寢處。 She then placed a hundred monks in the inner hall, using the pretext of listening to lectures, and day and night shared Tanxian's bed.

以獻為昭玄統。 She made Tanxian Director of Buddhist Affairs.

僧徒遙指太后以弄曇獻，乃至謂之為太上者。 Monks from afar pointed at the empress dowager while jesting with Tanxian, even calling her the Grand Sovereign.

帝聞太后不謹而未之信，後朝太后，見二少尼，悅而召之，乃男子也，於是曇獻事亦發，皆伏法，並殺元、山、王三郡君，皆太后之所昵也。 The emperor heard that the empress dowager was unrestrained but did not yet believe it; later, attending upon the empress dowager at court, he saw two young nuns, was pleased and summoned them — they were men; thereupon Tanxian's affair also came to light; all were executed by law, and the three Ladies of Yuan, Shan, and Wang were also killed — all were favorites of the empress dowager.