Zhou Yao (周搖) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zhou Yao was a general and Official.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Changed name	Chefei	車非氏	Chefei
Courtesy name	Shi'an	世安	Shi'an
Posthumous name	Gong	恭	Gong

Life and dates

Death

AD 587 to AD 589 開皇初…後六載…歲餘
At home 家
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 147

Age

84
Reckoning Sui · At death
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 147

Attested activity

AD 535 to AD 556 仕魏
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 128
AD 535 to AD 618 出入三代
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 289-290
AD 557 周閔帝受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 129
AD 589 後六載
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 143
AD 577 從帝平齊
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 131
AD 575 to AD 580 時高祖為定州總管
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 133

Show 3 more source-backed claims

AD 587 to AD 589 開皇初…後六載…歲餘
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 146-147
AD 581 to AD 584 開皇初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 140-142
AD 581 高祖受禪
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 139

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Zhou Youliugong (周右六肱)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 125
Descendant of Zhou Baba (周拔拔)
great-grandfather 曾祖 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 125
Child of Zhou Shuyan (周恕延)
father 父 · paternal line
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 126

Origins and identity

same origin as Later Wei; originally Punai, then Zhou 與後魏同源，初為普乃氏，改為周氏
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 124

Career and standing

regional commander of Yuzhou 豫州總管
AD 580 及為丞相 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 138
regional commander of Youzhou with six prefectures and fifty garrisons 幽州總管六州五十鎮諸軍事
AD 581 to AD 584 開皇初 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 140-141
regional commander of Jinzhou 晉州總管
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 132
Pillar of State 柱國
AD 577 從帝平齊 · Exceptionally appointed
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 131
Grand Master with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon 開府儀同三司
Held
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 128
prefect of Su and Chu 夙、楚二州刺史
Served successively
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 130

Show 5 more source-backed claims

Shouzhou command 壽州
AD 589 後六載 · Transferred
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 143
Duke of Kui 夔國公
AD 577 從帝平齊 · Advanced
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 131
Duke of Jinshui Commandery 金水郡公
AD 557 周閔帝受禪 · Granted
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 129
Duke of Jibei Commandery 濟北郡公
AD 580 及為丞相 · Moved fief
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 138
Gong 恭
Posthumous
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 147

Places and affiliations

AD 581 高祖受禪
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passages 139-140
Polity Northern Zhou 周 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 129, 131
Polity Sui 隋 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passage 289
Polity Wei 魏 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 128
AD 589 後六載
At Shouzhou 壽州 · Relation Posted to
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 143
AD 581 to AD 584 開皇初
At Youzhou 幽州 · Relation Posted to
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 141

Show 3 more source-backed claims

At his estate 第 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 146
At Jinzhou 晉州 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 132
At Luoyang 洛陽 · Relation Ancestral settlement
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 124

Learning and skills

Skill martial arts 武藝 · Level skilled
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 127

Works and attributed material

Asked to retire on account of old age
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 144
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Empress Wenxian (文獻皇后)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passages 134-135

Events and relationships

Entered court from youth and served three dynasties
Career · Official
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 290
Followed the emperor in pacifying Qi; merit in every battle
AD 577 從帝平齊 · Military · Officer
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 131
Gave Empress Wenxian a meager reception when she passed through his jurisdiction
Ritual · Host · With Empress Wenxian (文獻皇后)
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 133
Granted cushion and sent home
Court · Honoree
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 146
Repaired fortifications and watch posts; frontier people secured
Military · Frontier commander
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 142
Relation Successor of · Person Li Chong (李崇)
Strongly inferred · Book of Sui 55, passages 140-141

Assessments and attributes

Assessment officials and people were at peace under him · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 130
Assessment plain uprightness; would not spend official funds for private favor · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 136
Assessment resolute, cautious, honest, law-abiding as a youth · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 127
Assessment valued for integrity and plain substance · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 289
Item seat cushion 坐褥 · Relation Bestowed
Directly stated · Book of Sui 55, passage 146

Source notes

Granted surname
AD 557 周閔帝受禪 · From Zhou 周氏 · To Chefei 車非氏
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 129
Resumed surname
AD 581 高祖受禪 · To Zhou 周氏
Dated from the passage context · Book of Sui 55, passage 139

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Book of Sui, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 20: Du Yan, Gao Mai, Er Zhu Chang, Zhou Yao, Du Gukai, Qi Fuhui, Zhang Wei, He Hong, Houmo Chenying · 11 passages

Open chapter

周搖周搖，字世安，其先與後魏同源，初為普乃氏，及居洛陽，改為周氏。 Zhou Yao, courtesy name Shi'an, shared origins with the Northern Wei; his clan was originally Punai, but after settling in Luoyang they took the surname Zhou.

搖少剛果，有武藝，性謹厚，動遵法度。 As a youth Yao was resolute and skilled in arms, cautious and honest by nature, and scrupulous in observing the law.

周閔帝受禪，賜姓車非氏，封金水郡公。 When Zhou Emperor Min took the throne, Yao was granted the surname Chefei and created Duke of Jinshui.

從帝平齊，每戰有功，超授柱國，進封夔國公。 He followed the emperor in the conquest of Qi, distinguished himself in every battle, was made Pillar of State, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Kui.

時高祖為定州總管，文獻皇后自京師詣高祖，路經搖所，主禮甚薄。 Gaozu was then regional commander of Dingzhou; when Empress Wenxian traveled from the capital to visit him and passed through Yao's territory, Yao entertained her very sparingly.

及為丞相，徙封濟北郡公，尋拜豫州總管。 When Gaozu became chief minister, Yao was re-enfeoffed as Duke of Jibei and soon appointed regional commander of Yuzhou.

高祖受禪，複姓周氏。 When Gaozu took the throne, Yao resumed the surname Zhou.

開皇初，突厥寇邊，燕、薊多被其患，前總管李崇為虜所殺，上思所以鎮之，臨朝曰：「無以加周搖者。」 Early in Kaihuang the Turks raided the frontier; Yan and Ji suffered greatly, and the former commander Li Chong was killed. The emperor sought someone to secure the region and declared at court, "No one surpasses Zhou Yao for this."

搖修鄣塞，謹斥候，邊民以安。 Yao repaired the border fortifications and kept watch posts alert, and the frontier people lived in peace.

歲餘，終於家，諡曰恭，時年八十四。 A year later he died at home and was given the posthumous title Gong; he was eighty-four.

周搖以質實見知，獨孤以恤人流譽，乞伏慧能以國讓，侯莫陳所居治理，或知牧人之道，或踐仁義之路，皆有可稱焉。 Zhou Yao was valued for integrity, Dugu Kai for compassion, Qi Fuhui for yielding honors to his brother, and Houmo Chenying for good governance—some knew how to rule the people, others walked the path of benevolence; each had qualities worth praise.