Qin and Han · Rebel and Warlord

Yuan Zeng 爰曾

Died AD 23

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Yuan Zeng was a rebel and Warlord.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Zilu	子路	Zilu
Nickname	Chengtou Zilu	城頭子路	Chengtou Zilu

Life and dates

Death

AD 23 是歲
Killed by his general
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 27

Attested activity

AD 23 to AD 24 更始前後
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 24, passages 12, 24, 26-27

Career and standing

governor of Donglai 東萊郡太守
AD 23 更始立 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 26
acting grand general 行大將軍事
AD 23 更始立 · Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 26
chief clerk 都從事
Self styled
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 25

Places and affiliations

At Dongping 東平
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 24

Events and relationships

Plundered
Military · Raider · At between He and Ji 河、濟間
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 25
Raised troops
Military · Leader · At Lucheng wall-head 盧城頭 · With Liu Xu (劉詡)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 24
Surrendered by envoy
AD 23 更始立 · Political · Submitter · With Gengshi Emperor (更始)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 26
Relation Ally of · Person Liu Xu (劉詡)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passages 24-25

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 24, passage 24

References in the histories

Book of Later Han, Chapter 24Volume 21: Biographies of Ren, Li, Wan, Pi, Liu, Geng · 6 passages

世祖入傳舍，謂光曰：『伯卿，今勢力虛弱，欲俱入城頭子路、力子都兵中，何如邪？』 Emperor Guangwu went to the post station and said to Ren Guang, "Boqing, we are weak now. I am considering whether we should join the forces of Chengtou Zilu and Lizi Du. What do you think?"

光乃多作檄文曰：『大司馬劉公將城頭子路、力子都兵百萬眾從東方來，擊諸反虜。』 Ren Guang then had broadsheets forged in large numbers: "Grand Marshal Liu is leading Chengtou Zilu's and Lizi Du's hosts—a million men—from the east to crush the rebels."

城頭子路者，東平人，姓爰，名曾，字子路，與肥城劉詡起兵盧城頭，故號其兵為『城頭子路』。 Chengtou Zilu was a Dongping man, surname Yuan, personal name Zeng, courtesy Zilu. He and Liu Xu of Feicheng had risen at the ramparts of Lucheng, which is how his band got the nickname Chengtou Zilu.

曾自稱『都從事』，詡稱『校三老』，寇掠河、濟間，眾至二十餘萬。 Yuan Zeng called himself chief clerk and Liu Xu called himself elder of the third rank; they plundered the country between the Yellow and Ji rivers until their following topped two hundred thousand.

更始立，曾遣使降，拜曾東萊郡太守，詡濟南太守，皆行大將軍事。 When the Gengshi regime took power, Yuan Zeng sent envoys to surrender and was named governor of Donglai; Liu Xu became governor of Jinan, each with the powers of a grand general.

是歲，曾為其將所殺，眾推詡為主，更始封詡助國侯，令罷兵歸本郡。 That same year one of Yuan Zeng's officers murdered him, and the army chose Liu Xu as leader. The Gengshi Emperor enfeoffed Liu Xu as marquis of Zhuguo and told him to demobilize and go home to Jinan.