Wu Sansi (武三思) | 24 Histories

Overview

Wu Sansi was an aristocrat and Official.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 705 不殺武三思
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 7
AD 705 to AD 707 五王失政後
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 123, passage 137
AD 705 to AD 707 武三思封戶在貝州，屬大水，刺史宋璟議免其租，巨源以為蠶桑可輸，繇是河朔人多流徙者。
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 123, passage 211
AD 690 to AD 705 武后宴宰相
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 114, passage 266
AD 705 to AD 710 神龍至景龍
Dated from the passage context · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 64
AD 707 節湣太子以兵誅武三思而敗
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 102

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Wu Chongxun (武崇訓)
son 子
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 64

Key source chapters

Career and standing

fief households in Bei Prefecture 封戶在貝州
Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 211

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 102
Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 123, passage 211
At Bei Prefecture 貝州 · Relation Enfeoffed at
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 211

Works and attributed material

Yun'yuan's words were pointed rebuke of the ruler
Impeachment · Speaker · With Zhou Yun'yuan (周允元) · Paraphrased
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 114, passage 266

Events and relationships

Impeached
Political · Accuser · With Zhou Yun'yuan (周允元)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 114, passage 266
Targeted for killing by Crown Prince Jiemin
AD 707 節湣太子以兵誅武三思而敗 · Military · Target · With Crown Prince Jiemin (節湣太子)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 102
Relation Patron of · Person Wei Juyuan (韋巨源)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 220

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 123, passage 102

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 85Volume 81 Biographies 31: Cui Dunli, Lu Chengqin, Liu Xiangdao, Li Jingxuan, Li Yiyan, Sun Chuyue, Le Yanwei, Zhao Renben · 2 passages

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又則天父母二陵各置守戶五百人，武三思及子崇訓墓各置守戶六十人。 Wu Zetian's parents' tombs each received five hundred guard households; Wu Sansi and his son Chongxun each received sixty.

以武氏外戚乃與昭陵禮同，三思等復逾親王之製，又上疏切諫。 Equating Wu kin with Taizong's Zhaoling and outdoing princely rites, Shao remonstrated again.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 114Volume 114 Biographies 39: Cui Rong and Descendent Cong, Descendent Neng, Neng's Nephew: Shen You, Neng's Nephew an Qian, Neng's Son: Yan Ceng, Xu Yanbo, Su Weidao, Dou Lu Qin Wang · 1 passage

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武三思劾奏語指斥，後曰：「聞其言足以誡，安得為過？」 Wu Sansi accused him of insolent rebuke, but the Empress replied: "His words are admonition enough—how can that be a fault?"

New Book of Tang, Chapter 121Volume 121 Biographies 46: Liu, Zhong, Cui, and the Two Kings · 4 passages

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桓彥範等誅張易之、昌宗，而不殺武三思，幽求謂彥範曰：「公等無葬地矣。 After Huan Yanfan and his allies killed Zhang Yizhi and Changzong but spared Wu Sansi, Youqiu warned Yanfan, "You will leave yourselves no ground for a grave.

既，五王皆為三思構死。 Before long all five princes had been destroyed through Sansi's machinations.

時諸武若三思、延秀及楚客等權寵交煽，日用多所結納，驟拜兵部侍郎。 At that time Wu Sansi, Wu Yanxiu, Chuke, and others traded power and favor; Riyong cultivated many alliances and was suddenly made vice minister of war.

會謀刺武三思，琚義其為，即與周璟、張仲之等共計。 When a plot formed to kill Wu Sansi, Ju embraced the cause and joined Zhou Jing, Zhang Zhongzhi, and others in planning it.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 123Volume 123 Biographies 48: Li, Xiao, Lu, Wei, Zhao, He · 4 passages

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節湣太子以兵誅武三思而敗，宗楚客等諗侍御史冉祖雍上變，言相王與太子謀。 When Crown Prince Jiemin raised troops to kill Wu Sansi and failed, Zong Chuke and others urged Investigating Censor Ran Zuyong to report a plot between the Prince of Xiang and the crown prince.

五王失政，更因武三思得中丞，附安樂公主為宰相。 After the Five Princes fell, he again obtained the vice censorate through Wu Sansi, attached himself to Princess Anle, and became chancellor.

武三思封戶在貝州，屬大水，刺史宋璟議免其租，巨源以為蠶桑可輸，繇是河朔人多流徙者。 Wu Sansi's fief households in Bei Prefecture suffered great flood; Prefect Song Jing proposed remitting their rent. Juyuan held that tribute could still be delivered—hence many north of the Yellow River fled.

博士李處直請謚為「昭」，戶部員外郎李邕以巨源附武三思為相，托韋後親屬，謚「昭」為非。 Erudite Li Chuzhi requested the posthumous title "Illustrious." Vice Director Li Yong held that Juyuan had sided with Wu Sansi to become chancellor and relied on Empress Wei's kin—that "Illustrious" was wrong.