Qin and Han · Chu Grand Marshal

Zhou Yin 周殷

Attested BC 202 - BC 201

Passages: 7
Chapters: 4
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Zhou Yin as a general, military officer, official, and rebel. This record brings together 7 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	Zhou Yin	周殷	Zhou Yin
Title	Grand Marshal	大司馬	Da Sima
Title	Grand Marshal	大司馬	Dà Sīmǎ
Title	Grand Marshal of Chu	楚大司馬
Personal name	Zhou Yin	周殷	Zhou Yin
Personal name	Zhou Yin	周殷	Zhōu Yīn

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:051:s0006

Roles

General
Military Officer
Official
Rebel

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 六年 · Western Year: BC 201
Explicit · shiji:091:s0087
Source Date: Text: 漢五年 · Western Year: BC 202
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:051:s0006, shiji:051:s0007

Career and standing

Label: Grand Marshal of Chu / 楚大司馬 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:051:s0006
Label: Grand Marshal / 大司馬 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:091:s0087

Places and affiliations

Polity: Chu / 楚 · Relation: served
Explicit · shiji:051:s0006

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: defector · Action: turned-against-Chu · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 漢五年 · Western Year: BC 202
Explicit · shiji:051:s0007

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 2 passages

漢亦遣人誘楚大司馬周殷。 Han also sent people to entice Chu grand marshal Zhou Yin.

殷畔楚，以舒屠六，舉九江兵迎黥布，並行屠城父，隨劉賈皆會。 Zhou Yin rebelled against Chu, used troops from Shu to sack Liu, raised the forces of Jiujiang to welcome Qing Bu, and together they sacked Chengfu. They followed Liu Jia, and all the forces converged.

Book of Han, Chapter 44Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu · 2 passages

還至，使人間招楚大司馬周殷。 When he came back he dispatched agents to sound out Zhou Yin, Chu’s grand marshal, in private.

周殷反楚，佐賈舉九江，迎英布兵，皆會垓下，誅項籍。 Zhou Yin rebelled against Chu, helped Liu Jia secure Jiujiang, joined with Ying Bu’s army, and the allied hosts met at Gaixia to destroy Xiang Yu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 51Houses of Jing and Yan · 2 passages

還至，使人閒招楚大司馬周殷。 Upon his return, he sent agents to covertly win over Zhou Yin, the Grand Marshal of Chu.

周殷反楚，佐劉賈舉九江，迎武王黥布兵，皆會垓下，共擊項籍。 Zhou Yin turned against Chu and helped Liu Jia seize the Jiujiang region. They then welcomed the forces of King Wu, Ying Bu, and all their armies converged at Gaixia to strike against Xiang Ji.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 91Biography of Qing Bu · 1 passage

六年，布與劉賈入九江，誘大司馬周殷，周殷反楚，遂舉九江兵與漢擊楚，破之垓下。 In the sixth year, Bu and Liu Jia entered Jiujiang and won over the Grand Marshal Zhou Yin to their cause. Zhou Yin defected from Chu, and together they raised the entire Jiujiang army to join Han in the final assault on Chu, crushing them at Gaixia.