Ancient China · Concubine of Lord Pingyuan who laughed at the crippled man

Concubine who laughed 笑躄者美人

Attested BC 298 - BC 266

Passages: 5
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Concubine who laughed was a Concubine of Lord Pingyuan who laughed at the crippled man.

Life and dates

Death

beheaded at Lord Pingyuan's order 斬…美人頭 · Ordered By Person Id Lord of Pingyuan (平原君)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 76, passage 15

Attested activity

BC 298 to BC 266 平原君相趙惠文王及孝成王
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 76, passages 3, 6

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Lord of Pingyuan (平原君)
concubine 美人
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 76, passage 6

Career and standing

Concubine of Lord Pingyuan
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 76, passage 6

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 76Biographies of Lord Pingyuan and Yu Qing · 5 passages

平原君美人居樓上，臨見，大笑之。 One of Lord Pingyuan’s concubines, looking down from the tower, saw him and burst into laughter.

臣不幸有罷癃之病，而君之後宮臨而笑臣，臣願得笑臣者頭。」 It is my misfortune to suffer from this debilitating ailment. Yet one of your lordship's concubines looked down and mocked me. I wish to have the head of the one who laughed at me."

躄者去，平原君笑曰：「觀此豎子，乃欲以一笑之故殺吾美人，不亦甚乎！」 The crippled man departed, and Lord Pingyuan laughed, saying: "Look at this wretch! He wants to kill my beautiful concubine just because of a single laugh. Is this not going too far!"

門下一人前對曰：「以君之不殺笑躄者，以君為愛色而賤士，士即去耳。」 One of his retainers stepped forward and replied: "Because Your Lordship did not kill the concubine who laughed at the cripple, they think you value beauty over worth. The worthy men have departed."

於是平原君乃斬笑躄者美人頭，自造門進躄者，因謝焉。 Thereupon, Lord Pingyuan had the concubine who had laughed at the cripple beheaded. He personally went to the man's door to present the head and offer his apologies.