Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Cheng 成帝

Chengdi

Attested BC 33 - BC 7

Passages: 5
Chapters: 3
Histories: 2

Overview

Emperor Cheng was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 33 to BC 7 成帝时
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 221
BC 33 to BC 7 成帝時
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 283; Book of Han 90, passage 104
BC 15 永始二年
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 284

Family

Kin of Wang Feng (王鳳)
senior maternal uncle 長舅
Directly stated · Book of Han 90, passage 153

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 90 Volume 79: Feng Fengshi 3 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 26 Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 1 passage
Book of Later Han, Chapter 126 Volume 115: Officials Part Two 1 passage

Places and affiliations

Polity Western Han · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 283
Polity Western Han 西汉 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 221

Works and attributed material

Edict · Author · About Person Id Feng Can (馮參)
Directly stated · Book of Han 90, passages 214-215

Events and relationships

Flood famine dismissals
BC 15 永始二年 · Disaster · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 284
Merged
BC 33 to BC 7 成帝时 · Administrative · Abolisher · Event abolished Office of Dependent States and merged it into the Grand Herald 省并大鸿胪
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 221

Assessments and attributes

Assessment peaceful-but-extravagant · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 283

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 221

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 26Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 · 1 passage

成帝時，天下亡兵革之事，號為安樂，然俗奢侈，不以畜聚為意。 Under Cheng there was peace but high-consumption culture and weak saving behavior.

Book of Han, Chapter 90Volume 79: Feng Fengshi · 3 passages

成帝時，樂昌侯王商代奉世為左將軍，而千秋為右將軍，後亦為左將軍。 Under Cheng, Wang Shang of Lechang succeeded Fengshi as left general while Qianqiu held the right, then moved left in turn.

成帝立，有司奏野王王舅，不宜備九卿，以秩出為上郡太守，加賜黃金百斤。 At Cheng's accession the ministries barred maternal uncles from the nine ministers; Yewang went to Shang commandery with a hundred jin of gold as consolation.

是時，成帝長舅陽平侯王鳳為大司馬大將軍，輔政八九年矣，時數有災異，京兆尹王章譏鳳專權不可任用，薦野王代鳳。 Wang Feng, Cheng's senior uncle, had run the state nearly a decade when capital governor Wang Zhang attacked his monopoly and nominated Yewang to replace him.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 126Volume 115: Officials Part Two · 1 passage

本注曰：承秦有典属国，别主四方夷狄朝贡侍子，成帝时省并大鸿胪。 Qin's office of dependent states once handled foreign tribute and hostage princes until Emperor Cheng folded it into the Grand Herald.