Sui and Tang · Official and Calligrapher

Yan Zhenqing 顏真卿

Attested AD 766 - AD 805

Passages: 9
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Yan Zhenqing as a calligrapher, envoy, official, and scholar. This record brings together 9 passages from 2 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yan Zhenqing	顏真卿	Yan Zhenqing
Personal name	Yan Zhenqing	顏真卿	Yan Zhenqing
Given	Zhenqing	真卿

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0016, xintangshu:161:s0026

Roles

Calligrapher
Envoy
Official
Scholar

Life and dates

Age

Years: 80 · Reckoning: sui
Explicit · xintangshu:161:s0036

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 大歷中 · Western Interval: Start: AD 766 · End: AD 779
Explicit event contextual date · xintangshu:161:s0026
Source Date: Text: 德宗朝 · Western Interval: Start: AD 780 · End: AD 805
Explicit event contextual date · jiuwudaishi:143:s0016

Family

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

Sibling of Elder brother of Yan Zhenqing (顏真卿兄)
Kinship Term: elder brother / 兄 · Subject Relative Age: younger
Parent of Yan Yun (顏頵)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son

Works and attributed material

Kind: proposal · Role: author
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:143:s0016

Events and relationships

Kind: captivity · Role: captive · Other Person Id: Li Xilie (李希烈)
Explicit · xintangshu:161:s0029

References in the histories

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

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 143Volume 143: Treatises 5 Rites 2 · 1 passage

昔德宗朝，將行禘祫之禮，顏真卿議請奉獻祖居東向之位，景皇帝暫居昭穆之列，考之於貞元，則以為誤，行之於今日，正得其禮。 In Dezong's reign, when di and collective sacrifices were planned, Yan Zhenqing proposed placing Xianzu in the east-facing seat and Emperor Jing temporarily in the zhao-mu ranks; judged by Zhenyuan standards that had been an error, but applied today it would be exactly proper ritual.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 161Volume 161 Biographies 86: Zhang, Zhao, Li, Zheng, Xu, Wang, Feng, Yu · 8 passages

初，為顏真卿嘆賞。 Early on he won Yan Zhenqing's admiration.

真卿為李希烈所拘，遣兄子峴及家仆奏事，五輩皆留內客省，不得出。 Zhenqing, held captive by Li Xilie, sent his elder brother's son Xian and household servants to present memorials; all five delegations were detained at the Internal Guests Office and could not leave.

去正月中，真卿奉使淮西，期不先戒，行無素備。 Last first month, Zhenqing went on mission to Huaixi without prior warning and set out without his usual preparations.

周曾奮發於外，韋清伺應於內，希烈蒼黃窘迫，奔固舊穴，蓋真卿義風所激也。 Zhou Zeng roused himself from without and Wei Qing watched for opportunity within; Xilie, flustered and hard pressed, fled to fortify his old lair—largely stirred by Zhenqing's righteous example.

真卿逮事四朝，為國元老，忠直孝友，羽儀王室。 Zhenqing had served four reigns as a senior statesman of the realm, loyal, upright, filial, and friendly—a model ornament to the royal house.

此三人留之無益，請寘境上以贖真卿，先降詔書，分明諭告。 Keeping these three persons gains nothing; please place them on the border to ransom Zhenqing, first issuing an edict that clearly announces this policy.

且希烈知真卿人望，不敢加害，既無嫌隙，但因循未遣耳。 Moreover Xilie knows Zhenqing's standing among men and dares not harm him; there is no grudge between them, but he has simply procrastinated in not sending him back.

臣又聞真卿所遣兄子峴及家僮從官奉表來者五輩，皆留中，其子頵等拳拳實希一見，望許休澣，告以安否。 I have also heard that Xian, the nephew Zhenqing sent, and the household servants and attending officials who came bearing memorials—five delegations in all—are all held within the palace; his son Yun and others earnestly hope for a single audience; I beg that they be allowed leave days and told whether he is safe.