Qin and Han · Scholar

Xiahou Sheng 夏侯勝

Attested BC 90 - BC 40

Passages: 8
Chapters: 5
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Xiahou Sheng as an official, scholar, and teacher. This record brings together 8 passages from 5 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Xiahou Sheng	夏侯勝	Xiahou Sheng
Title	Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent	太子太傅
Given name	Sheng	勝
Given	Sheng	勝	Sheng
Surname	Xiahou	夏侯	Xiahou
Personal name	Xiahou Sheng	夏侯勝	Xiahou Sheng
Personal name	Xiahou Sheng	夏侯勝	Xiàhóu Shèng
Given		勝	Sheng
Surname		夏侯	Xiahou

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0260, hanshu:085:s0140, hanshu:101:s0022
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · liangshu:038:s0346

Roles

Official
Scholar
Teacher

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 地節後 · Western Interval: Start: BC 67 · End: BC 63
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:085:s0140
Source Date: Text: 夏侯勝言經術 · Western Interval: Start: BC 90 · End: BC 40
Strongly inferred · liangshu:038:s0346, liangshu:038:s0347
Source Date: Text: 孝宣承統 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 48
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0260
Source Date: Text: 宣帝即位 · Western Interval: Start: BC 74 · End: BC 70
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:101:s0224, hanshu:101:s0225

Career and standing

Label: Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent / 太子太傅 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:085:s0140

Places and affiliations

Label: Han / 漢 · Relation: served
Explicit · hanshu:085:s0140
Label: Western Han / 漢 · Relation: served
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0260
Label: Western Han / 西漢 · Relation: served
Strongly inferred · liangshu:038:s0346

Works and attributed material

Kind: saying · Role: speaker · Text: 士患不明經術；經術明，取青紫如拾地芥耳 · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report · Witness Person Id: Yao Cha (姚察)
Explicit · liangshu:038:s0346, liangshu:038:s0347
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Emperor Xuan (宣帝)
Explicit · hanshu:085:s0140, hanshu:085:s0141, hanshu:085:s0142

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: advanced through Confucian learning (儒術) · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0260
Assessment: had achievements recounted in their age · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0260

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 68Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan · 1 passage

孝宣承統，纂修洪業，亦講論六藝，招選茂異，而蕭望之、梁丘賀、夏侯勝、韋玄成、嚴彭祖，尹更始以儒術進，劉向，王褒以文章顯，將相則張安世、趙充國、魏相、丙吉、於定國、杜延年，治民則黃霸、王成、龔遂、鄭弘、召信臣、韓延壽、尹翁歸、趙廣漢、嚴延年、張敞之屬，皆有功跡見述於世。 Emperor Xuan inherited the succession and carried forward the great enterprise. He too expounded the Six Arts and recruited outstanding men. Xiao Wangzhi, Liangqiu He, Xiahou Sheng, Wei Xuancheng, Yan Pengzu, and Yin Gengshi advanced through Confucian learning; Liu Xiang and Wang Bao gained distinction for their writing; among the generals and chancellors were Zhang Anshi, Zhao Chongguo, Wei Xiang, Bing Ji, Yu Dingguo, and Du Yannian; and among those who governed the people were Huang Ba, Wang Cheng, Gong Sui, Zheng Hong, Shao Xinchen, Han Yanshou, Yin Wengui, Zhao Guanghan, Yan Yannian, Zhang Chang, and others. All left achievements celebrated in their age.

Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 1 passage

上憂吉疾不起，太子太傅夏侯勝曰：「此未死也。 Fearing Bing Ji might die, the emperor heard Grand Tutor Xiahou Sheng say, ‘He is not dying yet.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 1 passage

以令詣太常受業，復事同學博士白奇，又從夏侯勝問《論語》、《禮服》。 On imperial summons he entered the Grand Master of Ceremonies' school, continued under the erudite Bai Qi, a classmate, and took the Analects and Mourning Dress from Xiahou Sheng.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 4 passages

守丞相長史，坐公卿大議廷中知長信少府夏侯勝非議詔書大不敬，霸阿從不舉劾，皆下廷尉，繫獄當死。 While serving as chief clerk to the chancellor, he was implicated when, at a grand conference of court nobles, he learned that Xiahou Sheng, director of the Palace of Everlasting Faith, had criticized an imperial edict—a capital offense of great irreverence. Huang Ba connived and failed to impeach him; all were sent to the minister of justice, imprisoned, and sentenced to death.

霸因從勝受尚書獄中，再隃冬，積三歲乃出，語在勝傳。 Huang Ba therefore studied the Documents in prison under Sheng. He endured two winters and three full years before release; the fuller account appears in Sheng's biography.

勝出，復為諫大夫，令左馮翊宋畸舉霸賢良。 After Sheng was released he became remonstrating grandee and had Song Ji, governor of Zuo Fengyi, recommend Huang Ba as worthy and good.

勝又口薦霸於上，上擢霸為揚州刺史。 Sheng also recommended Huang Ba orally to the emperor, who promoted him to inspector of Yang Province.

Book of Liang, Chapter 38Volume 38: Zhu Yi; He Chen · 1 passage

陳吏部尚書姚察云：夏侯勝有言曰：「士患不明經術； Yao Cha, Chen Director of the Ministry of Personnel, said: Xiahou Sheng once said, "The scholar's trouble is not knowing the classics;