Qin and Han · Official

Zhufu Yan 主父偃

Attested BC 141 - BC 87

Passages
32
Chapters
9
Histories
3

Overview

The translated histories identify Zhufu Yan as a named individual, official, scholar, and statesman. This record brings together 32 passages from 9 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal Zhufu Yan 主父偃 Zhufu Yan
Given Yan 偃 Yan
Surname Zhufu 主父 Zhufu
Personal name Zhufu Yan 主父
Personal name Zhufu Yan 主父 Zhufu Yan
Personal Zhufu Yan 主父 Zhufu Yan
Personal Zhufu Yan 主父偃 Zhǔfù Yǎn
Personal name Zhufu Yan 主父偃 Zhufu Yan
Surname 主父 Zhufu

Identity

Historicity
Historical
Identification
Named
Sex
Male

Roles

  • Named Individual
  • Official
  • Scholar
  • Statesman

Life and dates

Death

Attested activity

  • Source Date: Text: 主父偃讀樂毅之報燕王書 · Western Year: BC 130
    Explicit event contextual date · shiji:080:s0119
  • Source Date: Text: 主父從戮 · Western Year: BC 127
    Explicit · chenshu:032:s0132
  • Source Date: Text: 元朔中 · Western Interval: Start: BC 128 · End: BC 123
    Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:068:s0110, hanshu:068:s0119
  • Source Date: Text: 及主父偃言之 · Western Year: BC 127
    Explicit · shiji:011:s0120
  • Source Date: Text: 漢興六十餘載 · Western Interval: Start: BC 141 · End: BC 87
    Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:068:s0254, hanshu:068:s0255

Career and standing

Places and affiliations

Events and relationships

Assessments and attributes

References in the histories

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

Book of Chen, Chapter 32Volume 32: Filial Piety · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 65Volume 56: Dong Zhongshu · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 68Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan · 2 passages
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Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 21 passages
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Book of Han, Chapter 75Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 · 3 passages
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世稱公孫弘排主父，張湯陷嚴助，石顯譖捐之，察其行跡，主父求欲鼎亨而得族，嚴、賈出入禁門招權利，死皆其所也，亦何排陷之恨哉！ Posterity blames Gongsun Hong for sidelining Zhufu Yan, Zhang Tang for ruining Yan Zhu, and Shi Xian for destroying Jia Juanzhi—yet examine how these men lived. Zhufu Yan clawed after the honors of the high minister's tripod and instead won the execution of his entire kin; Yan Zhu and Jia Juanzhi used their passes through the forbidden gates to peddle influence and line their pockets. Each fell by his own doing; there is little cause to nurse a grudge against those who merely 'squeezed' or 'framed' them.
Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 1 passage
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是時，朝廷多賢材，上復問朔：「方今公孫丞相，兒大夫、董仲舒、夏侯始昌、司馬相如、吾丘壽王、主父偃、硃買臣、嚴助、汲黯、膠倉、終軍、嚴安、徐樂、司馬遷之倫，皆辯知閎達，溢於文辭，先生自視，何與比哉？」 The court at that time teemed with talent, and the emperor pressed Shuo again: "Consider Chancellor Gongsun Hong, Censor-in-Chief Er Kuan, Dong Zhongshu, Xiahou Shichang, Sima Xiangru, Wuqiu Shouwang, Zhufu Yan, Zhu Maichen, Yan Zhu, Ji An, Jiao Cang, Zhong Jun, Yan An, Xu Le, Sima Qian, and men of that stamp. They are learned, articulate, and prolific writers. How do you measure yourself against such company?"
Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 11Annals of the Xiaojing Emperor · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 1 passage
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