Yuan Xiu (源休) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Yuan Xiu as a diplomat, official, rebel, and statesman. This record brings together 30 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yuan Xiu	源休	Yuan Xiu
Nickname	Marquis of Zan, driven by fire	火迫酂侯
Given	Xiu	休
Surname	Yuan	源
Personal name	Yuan Xiu	源休	Yuán Xiū

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jiutangshu:131:s0022

Roles

Diplomat
Official
Rebel
Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Manner: killed-by-own-troops · Place: Fengxiang / 鳳翔
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0098

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 建中初 · Western Year: AD 780
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0068
Source Date: Text: 建中四年 · Western Year: AD 783
Explicit event contextual date · jiutangshu:131:s0022, jiutangshu:131:s0006

Family

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

Child of Yuan Guangxing (源光輿)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: son · Object Role: father
Spouse of Wife of Yuan Xiu (源休妻)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻 · Union Category: marriage · Subject Role: wife · Object Role: husband · Relationship State: divorced
Sibling of Yuan Pu (源溥)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Shared Parentage: full

Kinship Role: sons · Count: 3
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0099

Career and standing

Label: chancellor in charge of the treasury / 宰相，判度支 · Action: appointed
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0092
Label: exile to Zhen Prefecture / 配流溱州 · Action: exiled
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0066

Places and affiliations

Place: Linzhang in Xiang Prefecture / 相州臨漳
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0062

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0077

Events and relationships

Kind: diplomatic · Role: envoy · Action: embassy-to-uighurs
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0071, jiutangshu:131:s0085

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: worse than the chief villain · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · jiutangshu:131:s0221

References in the histories

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Old Book of Tang, Chapter 131Volume 127 Biographies 77: Yao Lingyan, Zhang Guangcheng, Yuan Xiu, Qiao Lin, Zhang She, Jiang Zhen, Hong Jinglun, Peng Yan · 30 passages

Open chapter

既僭號，乃以令言為侍中，與源休同知賊政事。 Once he had usurped the throne he made Lingyan Director of the Secretariat, sharing rebel administration with Yuan Xiu.

群兇宴樂，既醉，令言與源休論功，令言自此蕭何，源休曰：「帷幄之謀，成秦之業，無出予之右者。 When the ringleaders feasted and were drunk, Lingyan and Yuan Xiu argued over merit. Lingyan styled himself Xiao He; Yuan Xiu said: "In counsel within the curtains and in completing Qin's enterprise, none stands above me.

時朝士在賊廷者，聞之皆笑，謂源休為火迫酂侯。 Court officials then in the rebel court heard this and all laughed, calling Yuan Xiu "Marquis of Zan, driven by fire."

源休，相州臨漳人，京兆尹光輿之子也。 Yuan Xiu was a native of Linzhang in Xiang Prefecture, son of Guangxing, metropolitan governor of Jingzhao.

休以幹局，累授監察御史、殿中侍御史、青苗使判官，遷虞部員外郎，。 For competence in administration he was promoted through Inspector, Palace Inspector, and secretary on the Green Sprouts mission, and transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Works.

因小忿而離，妻族上訴，下御史臺驗理，休遲留不答款狀，除名，配流溱州。 Because of a small quarrel they separated; her clan petitioned the throne; the case was sent to the Censorate for investigation. Xiu delayed and would not answer the indictment; he was removed from office and exiled to Zhen Prefecture.

休與王氏離絕之時，炎風聞休、郢有隙，遂擢休自流人為京兆少尹，俾令伺郢過失。 When Xiu had broken with the Wang family, Yan heard that Xiu and Yi were at odds; he therefore promoted Xiu from exile to Vice Metropolitan Governor of Jingzhao, ordering him to watch for Yi's faults.

休既職久，與郢親善，炎怒之，奏令以本官兼御史中丞，奉使回紇。 After Xiu had long been in office he became close to Yi; Yan was angry and memorialized that he should retain his post while also serving as Vice Censor-in-Chief on an embassy to the Uighurs.

休至振武，軍使張光晟已殺回紇突董等，上初欲遂絕其使，令休還，待命於太原。 When Xiu reached Zhenwu, Military Commissioner Zhang Guangcheng had already killed Tumidu and others. The emperor at first wished to break off relations entirely and ordered Xiu to return, to await orders at Taiyuan.

久之方遣，仍令休歸其突董、翳密施大小梅錄等四屍。 Only after a long delay was he sent on, and he was still ordered to return the bodies of Tumidu, Yimishi, and the greater and lesser Meilu.

其宰相頡於思迦坐大帳，立休等於帳外雪中，詰殺突董等故。 His chief minister Esen Sijia sat in a great tent and made Xiu and the others stand in the snow outside the tent, questioning them on the reason for killing Tumidu and the rest.