Qin and Han · Scholar and Hermit

Wang Sheng 王生

Attested BC 157 - BC 141

Passages: 12
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Sheng as a hermit, philosopher, and scholar. This record brings together 12 passages from 2 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Wang Sheng	王生	Wang Sheng
Personal	Wang Sheng	王生

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:059:s0074, shiji:102:s0074

Roles

Hermit
Philosopher
Scholar

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 景帝 · Western Interval: Start: BC 157 · End: BC 141
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:059:s0073, shiji:102:s0073, shiji:102:s0074

Learning and skills

Belief: Huang-Lao teaching / 黃老 · Relation: adherent-of
Explicit · hanshu:059:s0074
Belief: Huang-Lao teachings / 黃老言 · Relation: adherent-of
Explicit · shiji:102:s0074

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · hanshu:059:s0078, hanshu:059:s0079, shiji:102:s0075, shiji:102:s0078, shiji:102:s0079

Events and relationships

Relation: advisor-of · Person Id: Zhang Shizhi (張釋之)
Explicit · hanshu:059:s0073, shiji:102:s0073

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: esteemed-for-honoring-zhang · Provenance: Mode: narrative
Explicit · shiji:102:s0080
Assessment: worthy tact in elevating Zhang Shizhi · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · hanshu:059:s0080

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 59Volume 50: Zhang, Feng, Ji and Zheng · 6 passages

用王生計，卒見謝，景帝不過也。 Wang Sheng's advice won out: he went in to apologize, and Emperor Jing did not press the old grudge too far.

王生者，善為黃、老言，處士。 Wang Sheng was a recluse who excelled at Huang-Lao teaching.

王生老人，曰「吾襪解」，顧謂釋之：「為我結襪！」 Wang Sheng, an old man, said, "My leg bands have come loose," and turning to Shizhi said, "Tie my leg bands for me!"

釋之跪而結之，既已，人或讓王生：「獨奈何廷辱張廷尉如此？」 Shizhi knelt and fastened them. Afterwards someone scolded Wang Sheng: "Why humiliate Commandant Zhang like that in open court?"

王生曰：「吾老且賤，自度終亡益於張廷尉。 Wang Sheng said, "I am old and obscure; I will never advance Zhang's career by my own weight.

諸公聞之，賢王生而重釋之。 The nobles heard the story, admired Wang Sheng's tact, and respected Shizhi all the more.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 102Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang · 6 passages

用王生計，卒見謝，景帝不過也。 Following Wang Sheng's counsel, he finally obtained an audience and offered his apology. Emperor Jing did not hold it against him.

王生者，善為黃老言，處士也。 Wang Sheng was well versed in the teachings of Huang-Lao and lived as a recluse scholar.

嘗召居廷中，三公九卿盡會立，王生老人，曰「吾韤解」，顧謂張廷尉：「為我結韤！」 He was once summoned to attend court. The Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were all standing assembled when Wang Sheng, who was elderly, said, "My leggings have come loose," and turned to Zhang Shizhi, saying, "Tie my leggings for me."

既已，人或謂王生曰：「獨柰何廷辱張廷尉，使跪結韤？」 Afterward, someone said to Wang Sheng, "Why did you single out Zhang, the Commandant of Justice, and humiliate him at court by making him kneel to tie your leggings?"

王生曰：「吾老且賤，自度終無益於張廷尉。 Wang Sheng said, "I am old and lowly, and I knew I could never be of direct benefit to Zhang, the Commandant of Justice.

諸公聞之，賢王生而重張廷尉。 When the assembled lords heard this, they admired Wang Sheng and held Zhang the Commandant of Justice in even greater esteem.