Zixian (子顯) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zixian was a historian and Official.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Jingyang	景陽	Jingyang

Life and dates

Age

7
Reckoning Sui · Circumstance enfeoffed Marquis of Ningdu
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 94

Attested activity

AD 531 三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passages 110-113
AD 530 中大通二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passages 105-109
AD 533 五年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 114
AD 502 天監初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passages 96-104
AD 499 to AD 501 永元末
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passages 92-95

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Zike (子恪)
eighth younger brother 第八弟 · Full siblings
elder brother 兄 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 92
Child of Literary and Cultivated Prince (文獻王)
sons 諸子
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 93

Career and standing

Palace Attendant 侍中
AD 531 其年 · Added
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 113
Attendant at the Imperial Gates 給事中
AD 499 to AD 501 永元末 · Appointed · by the rule for princes' sons
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 95
Gentleman of the Yellow Gate 黃門郎
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 104
Internal Governor of Linchuan 臨川內史
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 104
Erudite of the Imperial University 國子博士
AD 531 三年 · Concurrent
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 110
Acting Director of the Imperial Clan 守宗正卿
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103

Show 16 more source-backed claims

Assistant Magistrate of Danyang 丹陽尹丞
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
Attendant to the Heir Apparent 太子中舍人
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
Chief Clerk of the Minister of State 司徒主簿
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 97
External Army Aide of the Pacifying West 安西外兵
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 97
Friend to the Prince of Shaoling 邵陵王友
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
Magistrate of Jiankang 建康令
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
Palace Secretariat Gentleman 中書郎
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
Recorder of Renwei 仁威記室參軍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 97
Recorder of the Grand Marshal 太尉錄事
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 97
Senior Palace Attendant with concurrent appointment 長兼侍中
AD 530 中大通二年 · Promoted
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 105
Libationer of the Imperial University 國子祭酒
AD 531 其年 · Promoted
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 113
Palace Attendant 侍中
AD 533 五年 · Retained
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 114
Director of the Ministry of Personnel 吏部尚書
AD 533 五年 · Transferred
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 114
Marquis of Ningdu 寧都縣侯
Enfeoffed · Age Value: 7 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 94
Marquis of Ningdu 寧都縣侯
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 94
viscount 子
AD 502 天監初 · Reduced to
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 96

Places and affiliations

Polity Liang 梁 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passages 96, 105
Polity Southern Qi 南齊 · Relation Princes son
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 95
At Danyang 丹陽 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
At Jiankang 建康 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 103
At Linchuan 臨川 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 104
AD 531 三年
Organization Imperial University 國子 · Relation Served in
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passages 110, 113

Learning and skills

loved learning
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 99
Skill literary composition 屬文 · Level skilled
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 99

Works and attributed material

An Ode on the Wild Goose's Preface 鴻序賦
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 100
History of Qi 齊史
Relation Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 102
Later Han histories compiled into one work 後漢一家之書
Relation Compiler
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 101
Record of the Putong Northern Campaign 普通北伐記
Relation Proposed compiler
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 112
the Emperor's collected writings 高祖集
Relation Proposed compiler
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 112
Speech · Addressee · With Gaozu (高祖) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 107

Show 1 more source-backed claim

仲尼贊《易》道，黜《八索》，述職方，除《九丘》，聖制符同，復在茲日。
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 108

Events and relationships

Lectured on Gaozu Exegeses of the Five Classics
AD 531 其年 · Scholarly · Lecturer
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 113
Memorialized to appoint one teaching assistant and ten students for Gaozu exegeses
AD 531 三年 · Institutional · Petitioner
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 111
Sat at imperial banquets and received special inquiry
AD 530 to AD 533 中大通二年 · Court · Attendant · With Gaozu (高祖)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 35, passage 106
Submitted History of Qi deposited in secret archive
Scholarly · Author
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 102

Assessments and attributes

Assessment famous reply · Mode contemporary-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 109
Assessment talent loved; bearing and speech admired · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 106
imposing appearance, eight chi tall
Physical description
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 98

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Liang 35, passage 92

References in the histories

Book of Liang, Chapter 35Volume 35: Xiao Zike; Xiao Zifan; Xiao Zixian; Xiao Ziyun · 7 passages

Open chapter

子顯字景陽，子恪第八弟也。 Zixian, style name Jingyang, was Zike's eighth younger brother.

七歲，封寧都縣侯。 At age seven he was enfeoffed Marquis of Ningdu.

子顯偉容貌，身長八尺。 Zixian had an imposing appearance and stood eight chi tall.

高祖雅愛子顯才，又嘉其容止吐納，每御筵侍坐，偏顧訪焉。 The Emperor greatly loved Zixian's talent and also admired his bearing and speech. Whenever he held a banquet Zixian sat in attendance and received special attention and inquiry.

嘗從容謂子顯曰：「我造《通史》，此書若成，衆史可廢。」 He once said at ease to Zixian, "I am composing the Comprehensive History. If this book is completed, the various histories may be discarded."

子顯對曰：「仲尼贊《易》道，黜《八索》，述職方，除《九丘》，聖制符同，復在茲日。」 Zixian replied, "Confucius praised the Way of the Changes, dismissed the Eight Canons, expounded the Regional Officers, and removed the Nine Mounds—sage standards match; again on this day."

高祖所制經義，未列學官，子顯在職，表置助教一人，生十人。 The classical exegeses composed by the Emperor had not been listed among the academic officers. Zixian while in office memorialized to appoint one teaching assistant and ten students.