Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official

Xu Zhicai 徐之才

Attested AD 526 - AD 570

Passages: 65
Chapters: 4
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Xu Zhicai as an aristocrat, astrologer, courtier, and official. This record brings together 65 passages from 4 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Xu Zhicai	徐之才	Xu Zhicai
Posthumous name	Civil and Bright	文明
Title	Earl of Chiyang county	池陽縣伯
Title	Marquis of Chang'an county	昌安縣侯
Alternate name	Master Xu	徐郎
Title	Prince of Xiyang commandery	西陽郡王
Personal name	Xu Zhicai	徐之才
Personal name	Xu Zhicai	徐之才	Xu Zhicai

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · beiqishu:030:s0002, beiqishu:033:s0065
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · weishu:110:s0184

Roles

Aristocrat
Astrologer
Courtier
Official
Physician
Scholar
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Age: 80
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0184

Age

Age: 80 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0184

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 大寧二年春 · Western Year: AD 562
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0107
Source Date: Text: 天平中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 534 · End: AD 537
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0088
Source Date: Text: 天統四年 · Western Year: AD 568
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0128
Source Date: Text: 孝昌二年 · Western Year: AD 526
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0084
Source Date: Text: 武定四年 · Western Year: AD 546
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0089
Source Date: Text: 武平元年 · Western Year: AD 570
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0144
Source Date: Text: 皇建二年 · Western Year: AD 561
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0103
Source Date: Text: 禪代 · Western Year: AD 550
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:030:s0100
Source Date: Text: 魏武定八年五月 / 天保初 · Western Year: AD 550
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:049:s0053
Source Date: Text: 齊將受禪 · Western Year: AD 550
Explicit event contextual date · weishu:110:s0184

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Kin of Xu Zhan (徐謇)
Kinship Term: cousin-grandfather / 從祖 · Subject Role: granduncle · Object Role: grandnephew
Kin of Xu Kang (徐康)
Kinship Term: elder cousin / 從兄 · Subject Relative Age: elder · Subject Role: elder-cousin · Object Role: younger-cousin
Parent of Xu Lin (徐林)
Kinship Term: eldest son / 長子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Object Birth Order: 1
Child of Xu Xiong (徐雄)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Parent of Xu Tongqing (徐同卿)
Kinship Term: second son / 次子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son · Object Birth Order: 2
Spouse of Wife of Xu Zhicai (徐之才妻)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻 · Union Category: marriage · Relationship State: active
Sibling of Xu Zhifan (徐之範)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: elder · Subject Role: elder-brother · Object Role: younger-brother

Career and standing

Label: physician / 醫術
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0082, beiqishu:033:s0086
Label: inspector of Yan province / 兗州刺史 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 天統四年 · Western Year: AD 568
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0128
Label: left vice director of the imperial secretariat / 尚書左僕射 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 天統四年 · Western Year: AD 568
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0128
Label: secretariat director / 秘書監 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 武定四年 · Western Year: AD 546
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0089
Label: inspector of Western Yan province / 西兗州刺史 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 皇建二年 · Western Year: AD 561
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0103
Label: attendant-in-ordinary / palace attendant / 侍中 · Action: appointed
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0101
Label: director of the imperial secretariat / 尚書令 · Action: appointed
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0146
Label: inspector of Zhao province / 趙州刺史 · Action: appointed · Negated takeup: true
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0102
Label: left vice director of the imperial secretariat / 尚書左僕射 · Action: reappointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 武平元年 · Western Year: AD 570
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0144
Label: golden purple light grand master / 金紫光祿大夫 · Action: transferred
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0091
Title: Earl of Chiyang county / 池陽縣伯 · Action: enfeoffed
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0101
Title: Prince of Xiyang commandery / 西陽郡王 · Action: enfeoffed
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0146
Label: posthumous duke of Situ and recorder of secretariat affairs / 贈司徒公、錄尚書事 · Action: posthumously-granted
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0185

Places and affiliations

Place: Danyang / 丹陽
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0065

Learning and skills

Work: Classic of Filial Piety / 孝經 · Action: recited · Age: 5
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0067
Institution: Imperial Academy / 太學 · Action: summoned · Age: 13
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0072
Skill: medicine / 醫術 · Level: supreme
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0129
Skill: astronomy and prognostic texts / 天文圖讖
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0093

Works and attributed material

Work: Laozi / 老子 · Relation: studied
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0068
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Addressee Person Id: Gao Yang (高洋)
Explicit · beiqishu:030:s0108, beiqishu:030:s0109, beiqishu:030:s0110, beiqishu:030:s0111
Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Zhou She (周舍)
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0070
Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0096, beiqishu:033:s0097

Events and relationships

Kind: medical · Role: physician · Action: cured · Other Person Id: Empress Dowager Lou (婁太后) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 皇建二年 · Western Year: AD 561
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0104
Kind: personal · Role: husband · Action: discovered-adultery-and-avoided · Other Person Id: He Shikai (和士開)
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0181, beiqishu:033:s0182
Kind: medical · Role: physician · Action: prognosticated-death · Other Person Id: Empress Dowager Lou (婁太后) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大寧二年 · Western Year: AD 562
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0112, beiqishu:033:s0119
Kind: medical · Role: physician · Action: treated · Other Person Id: Emperor Wucheng (武成帝)
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0132, beiqishu:033:s0133
Kind: political · Role: advocate · Action: urged Xianzu to accept abdication · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 魏武定八年五月 / 天保初 · Western Year: AD 550
Explicit · beiqishu:049:s0053
Kind: political · Role: advocate · Action: urged-abdication
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0096, beiqishu:033:s0097, beiqishu:033:s0098, beiqishu:033:s0100
Relation: treated-by-favor · Person Id: He Shikai (和士開)
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0145
Relation: treated-by-favor · Person Id: Lu Lingxuan (陸令萱)
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0145

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: insolent / indulgent court favorite · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0172, beiqishu:033:s0183
Kind: physical-description · Statement: swallow jaw
Explicit · beiqishu:033:s0075

References in the histories

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

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 30Volume 30 Biographies 22: Cui Xian; Gao Dezheng; Cui Ang · 5 passages

散騎常侍徐之才、館客宋景業先為天文圖讖之學，又陳山提家客楊子術有所援引，並因德政勸顯祖行禪代之事。 Regular attendant Xu Zhicai and retainer Song Jingye were versed first in astronomy and apocrypha; also Chen Shanti's household retainer Yang Zishu had connections—all through Dezheng urged Gao Yang to carry out the abdication and succession.

顯祖入，召弼入與徐之才相告。 Gao Yang went in and summoned Bi to tell Xu Zhicai together.

之才云：「今與王爭天下者，彼意亦欲為帝，譬如逐兔滿市，一人得之，衆心皆定。 Xu Zhicai said, "Whoever contends with you for the realm today wants to be emperor too — like chasing a rabbit through a crowded market: once one man catches it, every heart settles.

徐之才、宋景業等每言卜筮雜占陰陽緯侯，必宜五月應天順人，德政亦勸不已。 Xu Zhicai, Song Jingye, and others kept speaking of divination, mixed auguries, yin and yang, and omens in the weft-texts — that May was the time to answer Heaven and win men; Dezheng urged on without pause.

德政、徐之才苦請帝曰：「山提先去，若為形容，恐其漏泄不果。」 Dezheng and Xu Zhicai pressed Gao Yang hard: "Shanti went ahead — if appearances give it away, I fear the leak will ruin everything."

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 33Volume 33 Biographies 25: Xiao Yuanming; Xiao Zhi (Liang); Xiao Tui; Xiao Fang (Liang); Xu Zhicai · 58 passages

蕭明蕭祗蕭退蕭放徐之才 Xiao Ming; Xiao Zhi; Xiao Tui; Xiao Fang; Xu Zhicai

徐之才，丹陽人也。 Xu Zhicai was a man of Danyang.

之才幼而儁發，五歲誦《孝經》，八歲略通義旨。 Zhicai in childhood was precocious; at five he recited the Classic of Filial Piety, and at eight he had a rough grasp of its meaning.

捨為設食，乃戲之曰：「徐郎不用心思義，而但事食乎？」 She set out food and then teased him, saying, "Master Xu, you do not apply your mind to meaning but only to eating?"

之才答曰：「蓋聞聖人虛其心而實其腹。」 Zhicai answered, "I have heard that the sage empties his mind and fills his belly."

孝綽又云：「徐郎燕頷，有班定遠之相。」 Xiaochuo also said, "Master Xu has a swallow jaw—he has the look of Ban Chao the Distance-Pacifier."

陳郡袁昂領丹陽尹，辟為主簿，人務事宜，皆被顧訪。 Chen commandery Yuan Ang held Danyang prefect; he recruited Zhicai as chief clerk, and whenever men had business affairs they were all referred to him for counsel.

郡廨遭火，之才起望，夜中不著衣，披紅服帕出房，映光為昂所見。 The prefectural offices suffered fire; Zhicai rose to look and in the night wore no clothes, but came out of the room in a red kerchief over his shoulders; the light caught him and Ang saw it.

豫章王綜出鎮江都，復除豫章王國左常侍，又轉綜鎮北主簿。 Prince of Yuzhang Zong went out to garrison Jiangdu; Zhicai was again made left regular attendant of the Yuzhang kingdom, then transferred to Zong's northern campaign chief clerk.

及綜入魏，三軍散走，之才退至呂梁，橋斷路絕，遂為魏統軍石茂孫所止。 When Zong entered Wei the three armies scattered and fled; Zhicai retreated to Lüliang; the bridge was cut and the road gone, and he was stopped by Wei commanding general Shi Maosun.

魏聽綜收斂僚屬，乃訪之才在彭泗，啟魏帝云：「之才大善醫術，兼有機辯。」 Wei allowed Zong to gather his staff; he then inquired after Zhicai at Peng and Si and reported to the Wei emperor, "Zhicai is greatly skilled in medicine and also has ready wit."

詔徵之才。 An edict summoned Zhicai.

從祖謇子踐啟求之才還宅。 Cousin Zhan's son Jian memorialized asking that Zhicai return home.

之才藥石多效，又闚涉經史，發言辯捷，朝賢競相要引，為之延譽。 Zhicai's medicines were often effective; he also dipped into the classics and histories; when he spoke he was sharp and quick; court worthies vied to invite him and spread his fame.

武帝時，封昌安縣侯。 In the time of Emperor Wu he was enfeoffed Marquis of Chang'an county.

之才甚怏怏不平。 Zhicai was very resentful and displeased.

之才少解天文，兼圖讖之學，共館客宋景業參校吉兇，知午年必有革易，因高德政啟之。 Zhicai from youth understood astronomy and also the learning of prognostic texts; with lodge companion Song Jingye he compared auspice and ill omen and knew that in the wu year there would surely be change; he therefore reported this through Gao Dezheng.

之才獨云：「千人逐免，一人得之，諸人咸息。 Zhicai alone said, "A thousand men chase a hare; when one man gets it, all the rest cease.

之才非唯醫術自進，亦為首唱禪代，又戲謔滑稽，言無不至，於是大被狎昵。 Zhicai advanced not only through medical skill; he was also foremost in urging the abdication, and again he jested with wit and buffoonery, speaking without reserve—therefore he was greatly favored and familiar.

尋除侍中，封池陽縣伯。 Before long he was appointed palace attendant and enfeoffed as earl of Chiyang county.

未之官，武明皇太后不豫，之才療之，應手便愈，孝昭賜采帛千段、錦四百疋。 He had not yet gone to his post when Empress Dowager Wuming fell ill. Zhicai treated her and she recovered at once. Emperor Xiaozhao rewarded him with a thousand rolls of silk and four hundred bolts of brocade.

之才旣善醫術，雖有外授，頃卽徵還。 Because his medical skill was outstanding, though he was granted an outside post he was recalled within a short time.

之才弟之範為尚藥典御，勑令診候。 Zhicai's younger brother Zhifan was director of the imperial pharmacy and was ordered to examine and treat her.

之範出告之才曰：「童謠雲：『周裏跂求伽，豹祠嫁石婆，斬冢作媒人，唯得一量紫綖靴。』 Zhifan came out and told Zhicai, "A children's rhyme says: 'Within Zhou, Qiqiu Jia; at Leopard Shrine they wed Stone Granny; Cut-grave serves as matchmaker—you get only a measure of purple silk boots.'

之才曰：「跂求伽，胡言去已。 Zhicai said, "Qiqiu Jia is Hu speech for already gone.

之才曰：「靴者革旁化，寧是久物？」 Zhicai said, "Boots: beside 'leather' stands 'transform.' How could that be something that lasts?"

之才曰：「蛤精疾也，由乘船入海，垂腳水中。」 Zhicai said, "This is clam-spirit sickness, contracted by sailing the sea and dangling his feet in the water."

之才為剖得蛤子二，大如榆莢。 Zhicai cut him open and took out two clam embryos, each as large as an elm pod.

之才曰：「此人瘤也。」 Zhicai said, "This man has a tumor."

之才醫術最高，偏被命召。 Zhicai's medical skill stood above all others, and he alone was repeatedly summoned by imperial order.

之才云：「此色欲多，大虛所致。」 Zhicai said, "This comes from excessive lust and great depletion of the vital principle."

帝每發動，輒遣騎追之，針藥所加，應時必效，故頻有端執之舉。 Whenever the emperor's illness flared he sent riders to fetch Zhicai; needles and drugs applied on the spot always worked at once, so Zhicai was often kept in attendance at the bedside.

和士開欲依次轉進，以之才附籍兗州，卽是本屬，遂奏附除刺史，以胡長仁為左僕射，士開為右僕射。 He Shikai wished to advance in regular order. Because Zhicai's household register was attached to Yan province, which was his home jurisdiction, he memorialized that Zhicai be sent out as inspector there, with Hu Changren as left vice director and He Shikai as right vice director.

及十月，帝又病動，語士開云：「恨用之才外任，使我辛苦。」 In the tenth month the emperor's illness flared again. He told He Shikai, "I regret sending Zhicai out to a provincial post—it has made me suffer."

其月八日，勑驛追之才。 On the eighth day of that month an edict went out by post relay to recall Zhicai.

帝以十日崩，之才十一日方到。 The emperor died on the tenth; Zhicai did not arrive until the eleventh.

五年冬，後王徵之才。 In the winter of the fifth year the last ruler summoned Zhicai.

尋左僕射闕，之才曰：「自可復禹之績。」 Soon the left vice directorship fell vacant. Zhicai said, "Surely I can repeat Yu's achievement."

之才於和士開、陸令萱母子曲盡卑狎，二家苦疾，救護百端。 Toward He Shikai and Lu Lingxuan, mother and son, Zhicai was utterly obsequious and familiar; when the two households fell gravely ill he contrived a hundred ways to save them.

由是遷尚書令，封西陽郡王。 On that account he was promoted to director of the imperial secretariat and enfeoffed as prince of Xiyang commandery.

祖珽執政，除之才侍中、太子太師。 When Zu Ting held power he appointed Zhicai attendant-in-ordinary and grand tutor of the heir apparent.

之才恨曰：「子野沙汰我。」 Zhicai said resentfully, "Ziye has winnowed me out."

珽目疾，故以師曠比之。 Ting suffered from an eye ailment, so Zhicai compared him to Music Master Kuang.

之才聰辨強識，有兼人之敏，尤好劇談謔語，公私言聚，多相嘲戲。 Zhicai was clever in debate and had a strong memory, with more than ordinary quickness. He especially loved witty talk and raillery; at public and private gatherings people often mocked one another in sport.

鄭道育常戲之才為師公。 Zheng Daoyu often jested that Zhicai was "Master-and-Duke."

之才曰：「旣為汝師，又為汝公，在三之義，頓居其兩。」 Zhicai said, "Since I am your teacher and also your duke, among the Three Bonds I suddenly hold two of the roles."

盧元明因戲之才云：「卿姓是未入人，名是字之誤，『之』當為『乏』也。」 Lu Yuanming jested with Zhicai, "Your surname means not yet entered among men; your given name is a mistaken character, for zhi should be fa, lack."

之才卽應聲云：「為是宋鵲，為是韓盧，為逐李斯東走，為負帝女南徂。」 The others asked him to name them on sight. Zhicai answered at once, "Are they Song Que or Han Lu—or chasing Li Si eastward, or carrying the Emperor's Daughter south?"

之才曰：「平平耳。」 Zhicai said, "So-so."

之才謂坐者曰：「箇人諱底？」 Zhicai said to those seated, "Whose taboo is it?"

之才曰：「生不為人所知，死不為人所諱，此何足問？」 Zhicai said, "Alive he was unknown to others; dead he is not tabooed to others—why is that worth asking?"

之才蔑之。 Zhicai despised them.

後以問之才，拜賀曰：「此是智牙，生智牙者聰明長壽。」 Later he asked Zhicai, who bowed in congratulation and said, "These are wisdom teeth; one who grows wisdom teeth is clever and long-lived."

之才妻魏廣陽王妹，之才從文襄求得為妻。 Zhicai's wife was a sister of the prince of Guangyang of Wei; Zhicai had obtained her as wife through Gao Cheng.

之才遇見而避之，退曰：「妨少年戲笑。」 Zhicai happened upon them and avoided them. He withdrew and said, "I am hindering the young man's sport."

贈司徒公、錄尚書事，諡曰文明。 He was posthumously made duke of the state of Situ and recorder of affairs of the imperial secretariat, with the posthumous title Civil and Bright.

次子同卿，太子庶子，之才以其無學術，每嘆云雲：「終恐同《廣陵散》矣。」 The second son Tongqing was a household attendant of the heir apparent. Because Tongqing had no learning, Zhicai often sighed and said, "In the end I fear he will share the fate of the Guangling melody."

弟之範，亦醫術見知，位太常卿，特聽襲之才爵西陽王。 His younger brother Zhifan was also known for medical skill. He reached minister of ceremonies and was specially permitted to inherit Zhicai's title as prince of Xiyang.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 49Volume 49 Biographies 41: Arts · 1 passage

高德政、徐之才並勸顯祖應天受禪，乃之鄴。 Gao Dezheng and Xu Zhicai urged Xianzu to take the throne, and he marched on Ye.

Book of Wei, Chapter 110Volume 104: Author's Preface · 1 passage

時齊將受禪，楊愔奏收置之別館，令撰禪代詔冊諸文，遣徐之才守門不聽出。 As Qi prepared to receive the abdication, Yang Yin memorialized to confine Shou in a separate lodge, ordering him to draft the abdication proclamations and related documents, and sent Xu Zhicai to guard the door and keep him from leaving.