Ancient China · Official and Courtier

Chunyu Kun 淳于髡

Attested BC 370 - BC 280

Passages: 15
Chapters: 3
Histories: 3

Overview

Chunyu Kun was an official and Courtier.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 356 to BC 301 《史記·淳于髡傳》穰田（齊威、宣之世）
Strongly inferred · Book of Chen 2, passage 275
BC 350 俳優淳于髡、優孟
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 99, passage 112
BC 320 to BC 280 淳于髡，齊人也。
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passages 47-48
BC 370 to BC 319 見髡於梁惠王
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 51

Key source chapters

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74 Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing 13 passages
Book of Chen, Chapter 2 Volume 2: Emperor Wu 2 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 99 Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 1 passage

Career and standing

Ranked Grandee 列大夫
Appointed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 73
did not serve in office 終身不仕
Never held office · Lifelong · Negated true
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 66
Refused minister chancellor rank
Declined office
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 64

Places and affiliations

Polity Qi 齊 · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Chen 2, passage 275
At Qi 齊
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 48
Organization Jixia Academy 稷下 · Relation Member of
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 47

Learning and skills

studies having no particular master 學無所主
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 49
Skill broad learning and strong memory 博聞彊記
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 49

Works and attributed material

Biography of Chunyu Kun in the Records of the Grand Historian 史記·淳于髡傳
Relation Subject
Directly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 275
Speech · Speaker · With King Hui of Liang (梁惠王)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passages 56-58

Events and relationships

Prayed over millet fields
Ritual · Officiant · Mode named-source-report Source Work Records of the Grand Historian, Biography of Chunyu Kun 史記·淳于髡傳 Witness Person Id Zhang Yuanji (張元濟)
Directly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 275
Spoke three days and nights without tiring
Audience · Visitor · With King Hui of Liang (梁惠王)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 63
Relation Admired · Person Yan Ying (晏嬰)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 50

Assessments and attributes

Assessment roasts the hub and outdoes them (炙毂过髡) · Mode named-source-report Source Work Qi popular song 齊人頌
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 80

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 275

References in the histories

Search passages

History

15 passages

Book of Chen, Chapter 2Volume 2: Emperor Wu 2 · 1 passage

謂此用《史記·淳于髡傳》穰田之文，應作「呪」。 argues that the line echoes the millet-field prayer in the Biography of Chunyu Kun (Records of the Grand Historian) and should read "prayed."

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 1 passage

又頗似俳優淳于髡、優孟之徒，非法度所存，賢人君子詩賦之正也，於是輟不復為。 It smacked too much of court buffoons like Chunyu Kun or You Meng—far from the norm for poetry and fu that gentlemen should keep—so he gave the genre up.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing · 13 passages

自騶衍與齊之稷下先生，如淳于髡、慎到、環淵、接子、田駢、騶奭之徒，各著書言治亂之事，以干世主，豈可勝道哉！ From Zou Yan and the masters of Qi's Jixia Academy, such as Chunyu Kun, Shen Dao, Huan Yuan, Jie Zi, Tian Pian, and Zou Shi and their kind, each wrote books discussing matters of governance and chaos to seek the world's lords—how could one recount them all!

淳于髡，齊人也。 Chunyu Kun was a man of Qi.

客有見髡於梁惠王，惠王屏左右，獨坐而再見之，終無言也。 A guest introduced Kun to King Hui of Liang. The king dismissed his attendants, sat alone, and received him twice, but in the end Kun said nothing.

惠王怪之，以讓客曰：「子之稱淳于先生，管、晏不及，及見寡人，寡人未有得也。 King Hui was astonished and reproached the guest, saying: "You praised Master Chunyu as surpassing Guan and Yan, but when I met him, I gained nothing from it.

客以謂髡。 The guest told this to Kun.

髡曰：「固也。 Kun replied, "Indeed.

客具以報王，王大駭，曰：「嗟乎，淳于先生誠聖人也！ The guest reported everything to the king, who was greatly astonished and exclaimed, "Alas! Master Chunyu is truly a sage!

前淳于先生之來，人有獻善馬者，寡人未及視，會先生至。 Before Master Chunyu arrived, someone had presented me with a fine horse. I had not yet examined it when the master came.

後淳于髡見，壹語連三日三夜無倦。 After that, when Chunyu Kun was received, he spoke continuously for three days and three nights without tiring.

惠王欲以卿相位待之，髡因謝去。 King Hui wished to honor him with the rank of minister and chancellor, but Kun declined and departed.

於是齊王嘉之，自如淳于髡以下，皆命曰列大夫，為開第康莊之衢，高門大屋，尊寵之。 The King of Qi praised this. From Chunyu Kun on down, all were given the rank of Ranked Grandee. Residences were opened for them on broad, smooth avenues, with high gates and large houses. They were honored and favored.

淳于髡久與處，時有得善言。 Chunyu Kun dwelt with him for a long time, and from time to time obtained good sayings from him.

故齊人頌曰：「談天衍，雕龍奭，炙轂過髡。」 Therefore, the people of Qi sang: "Yan discourses on Heaven, Shi carves dragons, Kun roasts the hub and outdoes them."