Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official and Scholar

Xiao Chen 蕭琛

Xiāo Chēn

Attested AD 480 - AD 502

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Xiao Chen was an official and Scholar.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Yanyu	彥瑜	Yànyú

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 490 to AD 502 少時與劉繪、蕭琛相友善
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 26, passage 105
AD 480 to AD 500 起家齊太學博士
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passages 127-128

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Xiao Sengzhen (蕭僧珍)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 123
Kin of Xiao Huikai (蕭惠開)
paternal uncle 從伯 · paternal line · Through Xiao Huixun (蕭惠訓)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 125
Child of Xiao Huixun (蕭惠訓)
father 父
father 父 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 124

Career and standing

Chief Clerk 主簿
Appointed · At Danyang 丹陽
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 130
Erudite of the Qi Imperial University 齊太學博士
First appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 127
Recorder on the Grand Tutor's staff 司徒記室
Promoted
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 130

Places and affiliations

Polity Southern Qi 南齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 127
At Lanling 蘭陵
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 122
At Danyang 丹陽 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 130
Organization Qi Imperial University 齊太學 · Relation Member of
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 127

Learning and skills

Recommended
Credential Distinguished Graduate of Southern Xu 南徐州秀才
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 130

Works and attributed material

Speech · Addressee · With Xiao Huikai (蕭惠開) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 125

Events and relationships

Sought out Wang Jian at Leyou Gardens
Social · Visitor · With Wang Jian (王儉) · At Leyou Gardens 樂游苑
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passages 128-129
Relation Friend of · Person Fu Ying (傅映)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 105
Relation Friend of · Person Liu Hui (劉繪)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 105

Assessments and attributes

Assessment quick-witted with debater’s eloquence · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 126
Item peach-branch staff 桃枝杖 · Relation Used
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 129
Item tiger-skin boots 虎皮靴 · Relation Wore
Directly stated · Book of Liang 26, passage 129

References in the histories

Book of Liang, Chapter 26Volume 26: Fan Xiu; Fu Zhao; Fu Ying; Xiao Chen; Lu Gao · 7 passages

少時與劉繪、蕭琛相友善，繪之爲南康相，映時爲府丞，文教多令具草。 In youth he was close to Liu Hui and Xiao Chen; when Hui became administrator of Nankang and Ying served as his commandery aide, Hui often had him draft official documents.

蕭琛字彥瑜，蘭陵人。 Xiao Chen, styled Yanyu, came from Lanling.

琛年數歲，從伯惠開撫其背曰：「必興吾宗。」 When Chen was still a child, his uncle Huikai stroked his back and said, “You will surely raise up our house.”

琛少而朗悟，有縱橫才辯。 Chen was quick-witted from youth and possessed a debater’s eloquence.

時王儉當朝，琛年少，未爲儉所識，負其才氣，欲候儉。 Wang Jian then dominated the court; Chen was young and unknown to him, but confident in his gifts and determined to seek him out.

時儉宴于樂游苑，琛乃著虎皮靴，策桃枝杖，直造儉坐，儉與語，大悅。 When Jian was feasting in the Leyou Gardens, Chen appeared in tiger-skin boots, leaning on a peach-branch staff, and walked straight to Jian’s seat; Jian spoke with him and was delighted.

儉爲丹陽尹，辟爲主簿，舉爲南徐州秀才，累遷司徒記室。 When Jian became governor of Danyang he made Chen his chief clerk, nominated him as southern Xu’s distinguished graduate, and promoted him to recorder on the Grand Tutor’s staff.