Qin and Han · General and Official

Wang Feng 王鳳

Wáng Fèng

Attested BC 33 - BC 7

Passages: 60
Chapters: 11
Histories: 1

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Feng as an aristocrat, family member, general, and official. This record brings together 60 passages from 11 chapters across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Feng	王鳳	Wáng Fèng
Given name	Feng	鳳
Given	Feng	鳳	Feng
Given	Feng	鳳	Fèng
Title	Grand General	大將軍	Da Jiangjun
Title	Grand General	大將軍
Title	Grand General Wang Feng	大將軍王鳳
Title	Marquis of Yangping	陽平侯
Surname	Wang	王	Wang
Surname	Wang	王	Wáng
Personal	Wang Feng	王鳳	Wang Feng
Personal name	Wang Feng	王鳳	Wang Feng
Personal name	Wang Feng	王鳳
Given		鳳	Feng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316, hanshu:091:s0144
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:090:s0003, hanshu:096:s0237
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:070:s0081, hanshu:105:s0119
Value: male
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0007

Roles

Aristocrat
Family Member
General
Official
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Date Text: dingsi of the eighth month of autumn / 秋八月丁巳
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0122
Text: died after entrusting Chunyu Chang to the court
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0120
陽朔中，鳳薨
Explicit · hanshu:096:s0257

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 建始三年至河平四年 · Western Interval: Start: BC 30 · End: BC 25
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:093:s0007, hanshu:093:s0022
Source Date: Text: 成帝 · Western Interval: Start: BC 33 · End: BC 7
Explicit · hanshu:090:s0153
Source Date: Text: 成帝之世 · Western Interval: Start: BC 33 · End: BC 7
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:091:s0144

Family

Sibling of Empress Wang (王皇后)
Kinship Term: maternal uncle of her son / 元舅 · Shared Parentage: uncertain
Kin of Emperor Cheng (成帝)
Kinship Term: senior maternal uncle / 長舅 · Subject Role: maternal-uncle · Object Role: nephew

Career and standing

Label: Grand General / 大將軍 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0144
Label: Grand Marshal and Grand General / 大司馬大將軍 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0007
Label: grand marshal and great general / 大司馬大將軍 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:090:s0153
Grand Commander / 大司馬
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0122
Grand General / 大將軍
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0122, hanshu:094:s0009
Name: General-in-chief / 大將軍
Explicit · hanshu:038:s0151
大將軍
Explicit · hanshu:096:s0050
Title: Attendant / 侍中
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Title: Commandant of the Guards / 衞尉
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Title: General-in-Chief / 大將軍
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Title: Grand Marshal / 大司馬
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Title: Supervisor of the affairs of the Masters of Writing / 領尚書事
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Title: Marquis of Yangping / 陽平侯
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316

Works and attributed material

Kind: council proposal · Role: speaker · Statement: evacuate the court and people onto boats and the city walls
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0011, hanshu:093:s0012
Kind: memorial · Role: author · Other Person Id: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝)
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0144, hanshu:091:s0145, hanshu:091:s0146, hanshu:091:s0147, hanshu:091:s0148, hanshu:091:s0149, hanshu:091:s0150, hanshu:091:s0151, hanshu:091:s0152, hanshu:091:s0153
Kind: private message · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Wang Shang (王商) · Statement: asked for leniency toward Yang Rong
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0027, hanshu:093:s0028

Events and relationships

Kind: counsel · Role: advisor · Action: advised-denying-books · Other Person Id: Liu Yu (劉宇)
Explicit · hanshu:091:s0154
Kind: political prosecution · Action: continued pressing the case after the emperor refused prosecution · Other Person Id: Wang Shang (王商)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0037
Kind: political · Action: monopolized power and alienated Wang Shang · Other Person Id: Wang Shang (王商)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0007, hanshu:093:s0008
Kind: political prosecution · Action: sought allegations against Wang Shang and pressed for investigation · Other Person Id: Wang Shang (王商)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0029, hanshu:093:s0030
Type: maternal-uncle-of · Person: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝)
Explicit · hanshu:011:s0316
Type: maternal-uncle-of · Person Id: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝)
Explicit · hanshu:096:s0050
Type: maternal-uncle-of · Person Id: Chunyu Chang (淳于長)
Explicit · hanshu:105:s0119
Relation: marriage-ally-of · Person Id: Yang Rong (楊肜)
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0026
Type: maternal-uncle · Person Local Id: Emperor Xiaocheng (孝成皇帝)
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0081
Type: son · Person Local Id: Wang Jin (禁)
Explicit · hanshu:070:s0082

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: ashamed and regretful after his flood proposal failed · Provenance: Mode: narrator
Explicit · hanshu:093:s0019

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 11Volume 10: Annals of Emperor Cheng · 2 passages

以元舅侍中衞尉陽平侯王鳳爲大司馬大將軍，領尚書事。 He appointed his maternal uncle Wang Feng, then Attendant, Commandant of the Guards, and Marquis of Yangping, as Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, with charge of the affairs of the Masters of Writing.

秋八月丁巳，大司馬大將軍王鳳薨。 On Dingsi of the eighth month of autumn, Grand Commander and Grand General Wang Feng passed away.

Book of Han, Chapter 38Volume 29: Treatise on Rivers and Canals · 2 passages

杜欽說大將軍王鳳，以為「前河決，丞相史楊焉言延世受焉術以塞之，蔽不肯見。 Du Qin advised Grand General Wang Feng: "During the previous breach, Chancellor's Clerk Yang Yan said that Yanshi had used a technique learned from him to close it, but Yanshi suppressed his claim and refused to see him.

鳳如欽言，白遣焉等作治，六月乃成。 Wang Feng accepted Du Qin's advice, petitioned accordingly, and dispatched Yang Yan and the others. The work was completed by the sixth month.

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 15 passages

時，帝舅大將軍王鳳以外戚輔政，求賢知自助。 Meanwhile the emperor's uncle, Grand General Wang Feng, ruled as regent through his maternal connection and cast about for able men to strengthen his hand.

鳳父頃侯禁與欽兄緩相善，故鳳深知欽能，奏請欽為大將軍軍武庫令。 Wang Feng's late father, Marquis Qing Wang Jin, had been friendly with Du Huan, so Feng knew Qin's talents well and had him appointed intendant of the arsenal on the general's staff.

鳳白之太后，太后以為故事無有。 When Feng laid the memorial before the empress dowager, she replied that no precedent existed for what he proposed.

前言九女，略陳其禍福，甚可悼懼，竊恐將軍不深留意。 My earlier memorial on the nine imperial concubines sketched their blessings and curses in frightening detail; I fear Your Lordship has not weighed it seriously enough.

鳳不能自立法度，循故事而已。 Wang Feng lacked the courage to innovate; he hid behind precedent.

征詣大將軍莫府，國家政謀，鳳常與欽慮之。 He was then summoned to Grand General Wang Feng's headquarters, where Feng habitually discussed state strategy with him.

見鳳專政泰重，戒之曰：「昔周公身有至聖之德，屬有叔父之親，而成王有獨見之明，無信讒之聽，然管、蔡流言而周公懼。 Seeing Wang Feng's grip on power grow oppressive, Du Qin warned him: "The Duke of Zhou was the paragon of sagehood and the king's uncle, and King Cheng was a discerning sovereign who refused slander—yet the rumor spread by Guan and Cai still struck terror into the duke.

頃之，復日蝕，京兆尹王章上封事求見，果言鳳專權蔽主之過，宜廢勿用，以應天變。 Soon another eclipse darkened the sun. Wang Zhang, governor of the capital, sealed a memorial and begged an audience, denouncing Wang Feng for monopolizing power and blinding the throne. He urged that Feng be removed to answer Heaven.

於是天子感悟，召見章，與議，欲退鳳。 The emperor was stirred, received Wang Zhang in audience, and began to consider dismissing Feng.

鳳甚憂懼，欽令鳳上疏謝罪，乞骸骨，文指甚哀。 Feng was terrified. Du Qin had him memorialize an abject apology and offer to resign—the wording was heart-rending.

上少而親倚鳳，亦不忍廢，復起鳳就位。 The emperor, who had leaned on Feng since boyhood, could not bear to cast him off and restored him to power.

鳳心慚，稱病篤，欲遂退。 Chastened, Feng pleaded grave illness and tried to withdraw.

鳳復起視事。 Wang Feng returned to duty.

欽欲救其過，復說鳳曰：「京兆尹章所坐事密，吏民見章素好言事，以為不坐官職，疑其以日蝕見對有所言也。 Du Qin, hoping to repair the damage, again urged Feng: "The charge against Metropolitan Governor Wang Zhang was never made public. The capital supposes that because he always spoke boldly on policy, he lost his life not for corruption but for what he said about the eclipse.

鳳白行其策。 Feng adopted the plan and put it into effect.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 2 passages

大將軍王鳳以育名父子，著材能，除為功曹，遷謁者，使匈奴副校尉。 Grand General Wang Feng, noting the fame of father and son and Yu's proven ability, made him merit officer, then usher, then deputy colonel on a Xiongnu mission.

後坐失大將軍指免官。 He was later dismissed for failing to follow Grand General Wang Feng's instructions.

Book of Han, Chapter 90Volume 79: Feng Fengshi · 4 passages

是時，成帝長舅陽平侯王鳳為大司馬大將軍，輔政八九年矣，時數有災異，京兆尹王章譏鳳專權不可任用，薦野王代鳳。 Wang Feng, Cheng's senior uncle, had run the state nearly a decade when capital governor Wang Zhang attacked his monopoly and nominated Yewang to replace him.

大將軍鳳風御史中丞劾奏野王賜告養病而私自便，持虎符出界歸家，奉詔不敬。 Feng nudged the palace secretary to charge that Yewang had abused sick leave, crossed out of his command with the tiger tally, and insulted imperial grace.

杜欽時在大將軍莫府，欽素高野王父子行能，奏記於鳳，為野王言曰：「竊見令曰，吏二千石告，過長安謁，不分別予賜。 Du Qin, in Feng's staff, argued the statute: two-thousand-bushel men passing through the capital on leave were not split between "ordinary" and "granted" sick leave;

鳳不聽，竟免野王。 Feng ignored him and cashiered Yewang anyway.

Book of Han, Chapter 91Volume 80: The Six Sons of Emperors Xuan and Yuan · 2 passages

後年來朝，上疏求諸子及《太史公書》，上以問大將軍王鳳，對曰：「臣聞諸侯朝聘，考文章，正法度，非禮不言。 The following year he attended court and asked for the Masters compendia and Sima Qian’s history. The emperor consulted Wang Feng, who answered, “When kings come to audience they are to polish their style and law, not to chatter outside ritual.

對奏，天子如鳳言，遂不與。 The emperor accepted Feng’s memorial and denied the books.

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 14 passages

而帝元舅大司馬大將軍王鳳顓權，行多驕僭。 Meanwhile Wang Feng, the emperor's senior maternal uncle, served as grand marshal and grand general and dominated the government, and his behavior was frequently overbearing and out of line.

商論議不能平鳳，鳳知之，亦疏商。 Wang Shang could not curb Wang Feng in council debate; Feng noticed the friction and kept his distance from him.

大將軍鳳以為太后與上及後宮可御船，令吏民上長安城以避水。 Wang Feng proposed putting the empress dowager, the emperor, and the harem aboard boats and ordering officials and townsfolk onto the ramparts of Chang'an to ride out the supposed flood.

群臣皆從鳳議。 The entire court fell in behind Wang Feng's plan.

而鳳大慚，自恨失言。 Wang Feng was deeply embarrassed and bitterly regretted his rash words.

初，大將軍鳳連昏楊肜為琅邪太守，其郡有災害十四，已上。 Wang Feng had earlier formed a marriage alliance with Yang Rong, governor of Langye, a commandery that had suffered more than a dozen calamities.

商部屬按問，鳳以曉商曰：「災異天事，非人力所為。 Wang Shang ordered his staff to look into the matter. Wang Feng sent word: 'Portents come from Heaven; no mortal official controls them.

商不聽，竟奏免肜，奏果寢不下，鳳重以是怨商，陰求其短，使人上書言商閨門內事。 Wang Shang ignored the hint, memorialized for Yang Rong's removal, and saw the document shelved. Wang Feng's resentment deepened; he began hunting for dirt and had someone memorialize about scandal inside Wang Shang's household.

天子以為暗昧之過，不足以傷大臣，鳳固爭，下其事司隸。 The emperor treated the charges as private indiscretions unworthy of ruining a senior minister, but Wang Feng pressed the case until the matter was referred to the metropolitan superintendent.

及商以閨門事見考，自知為鳳所中，惶怖，更欲內女為援，乃因新幸李婕妤家白見其女。 Once Wang Shang faced investigation over domestic scandal, he realized Wang Feng had set him up. In panic he tried to push his daughter into the palace as a counterweight and used the household of the newly favored Lady Li to present her.

鳳固爭之，於是制詔御史：「蓋丞相以德輔翼國家，典領百寮，協和萬國，為職任莫重焉。 Wang Feng would not let the matter drop, and the emperor had to issue an edict to the censor-in-chief: 'The chancellor exists to support the dynasty with moral authority, to head the bureaucracy, and to keep the realm in harmony—no burden is weightier.

商死後，連年日蝕、地震，直臣京兆尹王章上封事召開，訟商忠直無罪，言鳳顓權蔽主。 After Wang Shang's death, solar eclipses and earthquakes followed year on year. Wang Zhang, the principled governor of the capital, submitted a sealed memorial; when the emperor summoned him and opened it, Zhang argued that Wang Shang had been loyal and blameless and that Wang Feng had monopolized power and blinded the throne.

鳳竟以法誅章，語在《元後傳》。 Wang Feng eventually had Wang Zhang executed on a legal pretext; the story is told in the biography of Empress Dowager Yuan.

是時，太子長舅陽平侯王鳳爲衛尉、侍中，與皇后、太子皆憂，不知所出。 The crown prince's elder maternal uncle, Yangping Marquis Wang Feng, served as Commandant of the Guard and palace attendant; he, the empress, and the crown prince were all anxious and at a loss.

Book of Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Xue Xuan and Zhu Bo · 3 passages

大將軍王鳳聞其能，薦宣為長安令，治果有名，以明習文法詔補御史中丞。 When Grand General Wang Feng heard of his reputation, he recommended Xue Xuan for magistrate of Chang'an. His governance made a name, and his mastery of the code earned him an appointment as vice-imperial secretary.

久之，成帝即位，大將軍王鳳秉政，奏請陳咸為長史。 Some time later Emperor Cheng came to the throne. Grand General Wang Feng held power and recommended Chen Xian as chief clerk.

咸薦蕭育、朱博除莫府屬，鳳甚奇之，舉博櫟陽令，徙雲陽、平陵三縣，以高弟入為長安令。 Chen Xian recommended Xiao Yu and Zhu Bo for posts on the marshal's staff. Wang Feng was greatly impressed, named Zhu Bo magistrate of Liyang, moved him through Yunyang and Pingling, and because he ranked at the top of the list brought him into Chang'an as magistrate.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 11 passages

是時，上初即位，謙讓委政元舅大將軍王鳳，議者多歸咎焉。 The emperor had just succeeded and had handed power to his uncle, Grand General Wang Feng; many blamed the omens on him.

永知鳳方見柄用，陰欲自托，乃復曰： Knowing Feng was ascendant, Yong sought quietly to win his favor and added:

永既陰為大將軍鳳說矣，能實最高，由是擢為光祿大夫。 Having quietly pleaded Wang Feng's cause, Yong was judged the ablest candidate and was raised to grand counselor of the palace.

永奏書謝鳳曰：「永斗筲之材，質薄學朽，無一日之雅，左右之介，將軍說其狂言，擢之皁衣之吏，廁之爭臣之末，不聽浸潤之譖，不食膚受之訴，雖齊桓、晉文用士篤密，察父哲兄覆育子弟，誠無以加！ He wrote Wang Feng: "I am a trifling talent, shallow and ill-read, a stranger to you without introduction, yet you welcomed my blunt words, raised me from a petty clerk to the ranks of remonstrators, and refused both whispered slander and shallow complaint. Not even Duke Huan of Qi or Lord Wen of Jin treated their men with such care—no fond father or elder brother could do more.

鳳遂厚之。 Feng thereafter treated him with great favor.

平阿侯譚年次當繼大將軍鳳輔政，尤與永善。 Marquis of Ping'a Tan, next in line to succeed Grand General Wang Feng, was especially close to Yong.

陽朔中，鳳薨。 During Yangshuo, Wang Feng died.

鳳病困，薦從弟御史大夫音以自代。 On his deathbed Feng recommended his younger cousin, Imperial Counselor Wang Yin, to succeed him.

音用從舅越親輔政，威權損於鳳時，永復說音曰：「將軍覆上將之位，食豪腴之都，任周、召之職，擁天下之樞，可謂富貴之極，人臣無二，天下之責四面至矣，將何以居之？ When Yin came to power through a maternal uncle and his authority fell short of Wang Feng's, Yong urged him: "You hold a marshal's rank, feed on the richest commanderies, bear the burden of the Zhou dukes, and turn the empire's hinge—you have reached the peak of wealth and power, yet blame now converges from every quarter. How will you bear it?

及欽欲挹損鳳權，而鄴附會音、商。 When Du Qin tried to check Wang Feng, Du Ye curried Wang Yin and Wang Shang instead.

永陳三七之戒，斯為忠焉，至其引申伯以阿鳳，隙平阿於車騎，指金、火以求合，可謂諒不足而談有餘者。 Gu Yong's "three-seven" warning was true loyalty; yet he cited Shen Bo to flatter Wang Feng, sowed strife with Ping'a, and read Venus and Mars to suit his patrons—candor thin, words many.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 2 passages

會大將軍王鳳病，長侍病，晨夜扶丞左右，甚為甥舅之恩。 When Wang Feng fell ill, Chang kept vigil day and night at his bedside—the bond of uncle and nephew ran deep.

鳳且終，以長屬托太后及帝。 On his deathbed Wang Feng commended Chang to the empress dowager and the emperor.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 3 passages

大將軍王鳳薦伯宜勸學，召見宴昵殿，容貌甚麗，誦說有法，拜為中常侍。 Wang Feng urged the throne to employ Ban Bo as a scholar who could inspire study; summoned to the private audience hall, Ban Bo cut a striking figure and lectured with crisp order, and the emperor named him Palace Attendant.

自大將軍薨後，富平、定陵侯張放、淳于長等始愛幸，出為微行，行則同輿執轡； Once Wang Feng was gone, favorites such as Marquis Zhang Fang of Fuping and Marquis Chunyu Chang of Dingling won the emperor's intimacy: on town trips they slipped out in disguise, and on the road they shared his chariot and took the reins.

後上朝東宮，太后泣曰：「帝間顏色瘦黑，班侍中本大將軍所舉，宜寵異之，益求其比，以輔聖德。 Later, when the emperor came to court at the Eastern Palace, the Empress Dowager wept and said, "The emperor's complexion has lately grown thin and dark. Palace Attendant Ban was first recommended by the Grand General; he should receive exceptional favor. Seek out more men like him, so they may support your sagely virtue.