Xu Heng (許衡) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Xu Heng 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	Xu Heng	許衡	Xu Heng
Given	Heng	衡	Heng
Posthumous	Wenzheng	文正
Alternate	Xu	許氏
Personal	Xu Heng	許文正公衡
Personal name	Xu Heng	許衡	Xǔ Héng

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · yuanshi:171:s0088
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · yuanshi:179:s0002

Roles

Official
Scholar
Teacher

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 世祖初年 · Western Interval: Start: c. AD 1260 · End: AD 1276
Explicit event contextual date · yuanshi:191:s0058
Source Date: Text: 世祖朝 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1264 · End: AD 1294
Explicit event contextual date · yuanshi:179:s0002
Source Date: Text: 中統年間 · Western Year: AD 1261
Explicit event contextual date · yuanshi:206:s0074
Source Date: Text: 少受學於許衡 · Western Interval: Start: AD 1340 · End: AD 1360
Explicit event contextual date · mingshi:298:s0012
Source Date: Text: 至大元年 · Western Year: AD 1308
Explicit event contextual date · yuanshi:171:s0088, yuanshi:171:s0087

Career and standing

Label: Director of Education / 祭酒 · Action: held
Explicit · yuanshi:171:s0088
Label: Left Assistant Minister / 左丞 · Action: held
Explicit · yuanshi:191:s0058

Events and relationships

Relation: teacher-of · Person Id: Zhang Jiefu (張介福)
Explicit · mingshi:298:s0012
Relation: teacher-of · Person Id: He Sheng (賀勝)
Explicit · yuanshi:179:s0002

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: held Xu Ji in high esteem · Other Person Id: Xu Ji (許楫) · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · yuanshi:191:s0058

References in the histories

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

History of Ming, Chapter 298Volume 298 Biographies 186: Recluses · 1 passage

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少受學於許衡。 As a youth he studied under Xu Heng.

History of Yuan, Chapter 171Volume 171 Biographies 58: Liu Yin, Wu Cheng · 2 passages

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先是，許文正公衡為祭酒，始以《朱子小學》等書授弟子，久之，漸失其舊。 Earlier, when Xu Heng served as Director of Education, he had first used Zhu Xi's Elementary Learning and related books to instruct his disciples; over time this practice gradually lapsed.

議者遂以澄為陸氏之學，非許氏尊信朱子本意，然亦莫知朱、陸之為何如也。 Critics thereupon labeled Wu Cheng a follower of Lu Xiangshan's school, not in keeping with Xu Heng's original intent of revering Zhu Xi—yet they also did not truly understand what Zhu and Lu represented.

History of Yuan, Chapter 179Volume 179 Biographies 66: He Sheng, Yang Duoerzhi, Xiao Baizhu · 1 passage

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嘗從許衡學，通經傳大義。 He had studied under Xu Heng and gained a thorough understanding of the core meaning of the Classics.

History of Yuan, Chapter 191Volume 191 Biographies 78: Virtuous Officials 1 · 1 passage

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丞相安童、左丞許衡深器重之。 Chancellor An'tong and Left Assistant Minister Xu Heng held him in the highest regard.

History of Yuan, Chapter 206Volume 206 Biographies 93: Contrary Ministers · 3 passages

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時姚樞、竇默、許衡，皆世祖所敬信者，文統諷世祖授樞為太子太師，默為太子太傅，衡為太子太保，外佯尊之，實不欲使朝夕備顧問於左右也。 Yao Shu, Dou Mo, and Xu Heng were men Shizu trusted; Wentong had him appoint them Grand Tutor, Grand Mentor, and Grand Guardian of the Heir—honors in name meant to keep them from daily counsel at court.

默嘗與王鶚及樞、衡俱侍世祖，面詆文統曰：「此人學術不正，必禍天下，不可處以相位。」 Mo once attended Shizu with Wang E, Yao Shu, and Xu Heng and denounced Wentong to his face: "This man's learning is unsound; he will ruin the realm and must not hold the chancellorship."

默以許衡對，世祖不懌而罷。 Mo named Xu Heng; Shizu was displeased and ended the audience.