Wang Zhu (王蠋) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Wang Zhu as a farmer and scholar. This record brings together 5 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	Wang Zhu	王蠋	Wáng Zhú
Personal name	Wang Zhu	王蠋	Wáng Zhú
Given	Zhu	蠋	Zhú

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060

Roles

Farmer
Scholar

Life and dates

Death

Manner: suicide by hanging and snapping his neck / 經其頸於樹枝，自奮絕脰而死 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 燕之初入齊 · Western Year: BC 284
Explicit · shiji:082:s0069

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 燕之初入齊 · Western Year: BC 284
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060

Career and standing

Status: commoner · Label: commoner / 布衣
Explicit · shiji:082:s0070

Places and affiliations

Polity: Qi / 齊 · Relation: subject-of
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060, shiji:082:s0065
Place: Huayi / 畫邑
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060
Place: Huayi / 畫邑 · Relation: native-of
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060

Learning and skills

Skill: righteousness / 義 · Level: renowned
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060, shiji:082:s0070

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · shiji:082:s0064, shiji:082:s0065, shiji:082:s0066, shiji:082:s0067, shiji:082:s0068

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: declining-party · Action: refused-generalship-and-enfeoffment
Explicit · shiji:082:s0061, shiji:082:s0062

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: worthy · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report
Explicit · shiji:082:s0060

References in the histories

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

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 82Biography of Tian Dan · 5 passages

Open chapter

燕之初入齊，聞畫邑人王蠋賢，令軍中曰「環畫邑三十里無入」，以王蠋之故。 When Yan first entered Qi, they heard that a man named Wang Zhu of the town of Huayi was a worthy. The general ordered his army: "No one shall enter within thirty li of Huayi." This was done out of respect for Wang Zhu.

已而使人謂蠋曰：「齊人多高子之義，吾以子為將，封子萬家。」 Later, he sent a messenger to say to Wang Zhu: "Many of the people of Qi esteem your sense of righteousness. I wish to appoint you my general and enfeoff you with ten thousand households."

蠋固謝。 Wang Zhu firmly declined.

王蠋曰：「忠臣不事二君，貞女不更二夫。 Wang Zhu answered, "A loyal minister does not serve two lords, just as a virtuous woman does not take a second husband.

齊亡大夫聞之，曰：「王蠋，布衣也，義不北面於燕，況在位食祿者乎！」 When the exiled officials of Qi heard of this, they said, "Wang Zhu was a mere commoner, yet his sense of righteousness would not allow him to face north and submit to Yan. How much more should this be true of those of us who held office and drew a salary!"