Qin and Han · Last ruler of Qin, installed by Zhao Gao and later surrendered to Liu Bang.

Ziying 子嬰

Zǐyīng

Attested BC 210 - BC 207

Passages: 11
Chapters: 5
Histories: 4

Overview

Ziying was a Last ruler of Qin, installed by Zhao Gao and later surrendered to Liu Bang.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 210 二世
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 49
BC 207 子嬰以上漢高祖
Dated from the passage context · History of Liao 57, passage 4
BC 207 to BC 207 獲子嬰
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 41, passage 221
BC 207 秦王子嬰降沛公
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64

Key source chapters

Career and standing

King of Qin 秦王
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64

Places and affiliations

Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · History of Liao 57, passage 4; Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64
Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 49
At Xianyang 咸陽 · Relation Surrendered at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Qin Ershi (秦二世)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passages 49-53

Events and relationships

Surrendered seal
Diplomatic · Surrenderer · With Liu Bang (劉邦)
Directly stated · History of Liao 57, passage 4
Surrendered to
Political · Surrenderer · With Duke of Pei (沛公) · At Xianyang 咸陽
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64
Relation Nephew of · Person Key Qin Ershi (秦二世)
Directly stated · Book of Han 1, passage 205

Assessments and attributes

Item imperial transmission seal 傳國寶 · Relation Surrendered
Directly stated · History of Liao 57, passage 4

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 64

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 1Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 · 7 passages

九月，趙高立二世兄子子嬰為秦王。 In the ninth month, Zhao Gao installed the Second Emperor's nephew Zi Ying as King of Qin.

子嬰誅滅趙高，遣將將兵距嶢關。 Zi Ying executed Zhao Gao and sent generals leading troops to defend Yao Pass.

秦王子嬰素車白馬，係頸以組，封皇帝璽符節，降枳道旁。 Ziying, King of Qin, came with a plain carriage and white horses, bound his neck with a cord, sealed up the emperor's seals, tallies, and credentials, and surrendered beside Zhidao.

諸將或言誅秦王，沛公曰：「始懷王遣我，固以能寬容，且人已服降，殺之不祥。」 Some of the generals said that the King of Qin should be executed. The Duke of Pei said, "When King Huai first sent me, it was precisely because I was able to be lenient. Moreover, the man has already submitted and surrendered; to kill him would be inauspicious."

沛公左司馬曹毋傷聞羽怒，欲攻沛公，使人言羽曰：「沛公欲王關中，令子嬰相，珍寶盡有之。」 Cao Wushang, Pei Gong's Left Marshal, heard that Xiang Yu was angry and wanted to attack Pei Gong. He sent someone to tell Xiang Yu, "Pei Gong wants to become king of Guanzhong, make Zi Ying his chancellor, and keep all the precious treasures."

沛公歸數日，羽引兵西屠咸陽，殺秦降王子嬰，燒秦宮室，所過無不殘滅。 Several days after Pei Gong returned, Xiang Yu led his troops west, slaughtered Xianyang, killed Zi Ying, the surrendered prince of Qin, and burned the Qin palaces. Wherever he passed, everything was devastated.

又彊殺秦降王子嬰，罪五也。 He also forcibly killed the Qin surrender prince Zi Ying. This is crime five.

History of Liao, Chapter 57Volume 57 Treatises 27: Ceremonial Guards 3 · 1 passage

傳國寶，秦始皇作，用藍玉，螭紐，六面，其正面文「受命於天，既壽永昌」，魚鳥篆，子嬰以上漢高祖。 The imperial jade seal of dynastic transmission was fashioned by the First Emperor of Qin from blue jade, with a chilong knob and six faces. On its front was inscribed, "Having received the mandate from Heaven, may you enjoy long life and enduring prosperity," in fish-and-bird seal script. Ziying of Qin surrendered it to Emperor Gaozu of Han.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 41Volume 41: Book of Shu 11: Biographies of Huo, Wang, Xiang, Zhang, Yang, and Fei · 1 passage

及屠咸陽，獲子嬰，猶懷推讓，況今殿下未出門庭，便欲自立邪！ Even after taking Xianyang and capturing Ying Ziying, Gaozu had hesitated to claim the throne; how could Liu Bei, who had not yet left his own threshold, rush to declare himself?

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 55House of Marquis of Liu · 1 passage

遂至咸陽，秦王子嬰降沛公。 They pressed on to Xianyang, where Ziying, King of Qin, surrendered to the Duke of Pei.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88Biography of Meng Tian · 1 passage

子嬰進諫曰：「臣聞故趙王遷殺其良臣李牧而用顏聚，燕王喜陰用荊軻之謀而倍秦之約，齊王建殺其故世忠臣而用后勝之議。 Ziying came forward to remonstrate: "Your servant has heard that King Qian of Zhao executed his able minister Li Mu and relied instead on the mediocre Yan Ju; that King Xi of Yan secretly adopted Jing Ke's assassination plot and thereby violated his treaty with Qin; and that King Jian of Qi executed his loyal ministers of many generations and followed the counsel of the treacherous Hou Sheng.