Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Second emperor of the Chen dynasty

Emperor Wen of Chen 文帝

Wéndì

First attested AD 549; died AD 566 to AD 567

Passages
158
Chapters
21
Histories
3

Overview

Emperor Wen of Chen was a Second emperor of the Chen dynasty.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Other names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal name Chen Qian 蒨 Qian
Posthumous name Literary Emperor 文皇帝
Temple name Shizu 世祖 Shizu

Life and dates

Death

Attested activity

Show 28 more source-backed claims

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Key source chapters

  1. Book of Chen, Chapter 22 Volume 22: Lu Zilong, Qian Daoji, Luo Ya 10 passages
  2. Book of Chen, Chapter 36 Volume 36: Chen Shuling, Prince of Shixing; Chen Bogu, Prince of Xin'an 1 passage
  3. Book of Chen, Chapter 20 Volume 20: Dao Zhongju; Han Zigao; Hua Jiao 32 passages
  4. Book of Chen, Chapter 11 Volume 11: Huang Faqu; Chunyu Liang; Zhang Zhaoda 17 passages
  5. Book of Chen, Chapter 19 Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu 16 passages

Career and standing

Show 4 more source-backed claims

Places and affiliations

Show 2 more source-backed claims

Works and attributed material

Events and relationships

Show 5 more source-backed claims

Assessments and attributes

  • Assessment chose talent without regard to pedigree; entrusted Han Zigao and Hua Jiao · Mode historian-judgment
    Directly stated · Book of Chen 20, passage 162
  • Assessment 知神器之重，弗傳寶祚 · Assessment En knew the throne's weight and did not pass the mandate to Bozong · Mode historian-judgment
    Directly stated · Book of Chen 4, passage 129

Source notes

References in the histories

158 passages

Book of Chen, Chapter 4Volume 4: Emperor Fei · 9 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 7Volume 7: Empresses and Consorts · 13 passages
Open chapter
世祖即位，襲爵建城侯，加通直散騎常侍、持節、會稽等九郡諸軍事、明威將軍、會稽太守，入為侍中、左纫將軍、纫尉卿。 When Emperor Wen succeeded, Qin inherited the marquisate of Jiancheng, was made supernumerary regular attendant for direct communication with credentials, area commander of nine commanderies including Kuaiji, bright-prestige general, and Kuaiji administrator, then entered court as palace attendant, left guard general, and guard commandant.
Book of Chen, Chapter 11Volume 11: Huang Faqu; Chunyu Liang; Zhang Zhaoda · 17 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 12Volume 12: Hu Ying; Xu Du; Du Leng; Shen Ke · 11 passages
Open chapter
時內無嫡嗣，外有彊敵，侯瑱、侯安都、徐度等並在軍中，朝廷宿將，唯稜在都，獨典禁兵，乃與蔡景歷等祕不發喪，奉迎世祖，事見景歷傳。 There was no direct heir in the capital and strong enemies outside. Hou Tian, Hou Andu, Xu Du, and the rest were all in the field; of the court's old generals, only Leng was in the capital, commanding the guards. He and Cai Jingli kept the death secret and brought Emperor Wen in, as told in Jingli's biography.
Book of Chen, Chapter 13Volume 13: Xu Shipu; Lu Xida; Zhou Fu; Xun Lang; Zhou Jiong · 7 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 15Volume 15: Imperial Family · 3 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 16Volume 16: Zhao Zhili; Cai Jingli; Liu Shizhi; Xie Qi · 7 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 17Volume 17: Wang Chong; Wang Tong; Yuan Jing · 3 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 18Volume 18: Shen Zhong; Yuan Bi; Liu Zhongwei; Lu Shancai; Wang Zhi; Wei Zai · 4 passages
Open chapter
[5]天嘉二年，泌與琳輔莊至于柵口，琳軍敗，[6]眾皆奔散，唯泌獨乘輕舟送莊達于北境，屬莊於御史中丞劉仲威，令共入齊，然後拜辭而歸，詣闕請罪，文帝深義之。 [5] In Tianjia year 2 (561), Bi and Lin escorted Zhuang to Zhakou. Lin's army was broken; [6] the troops fled in all directions. Bi alone took a light boat, saw Zhuang to the northern frontier, and placed him in the care of censor-in-chief Liu Zhongwei to enter Qi together. Then he bowed farewell, returned, and presented himself to confess fault. Emperor Wen held his conduct in high esteem.
Book of Chen, Chapter 19Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu · 16 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 20Volume 20: Dao Zhongju; Han Zigao; Hua Jiao · 32 passages
Open chapter
及文帝崩，高宗受遺詔為尚書令入輔，仲舉與左丞王暹、中書舍人劉師知、殷不佞等，以朝望有歸，乃遣不佞矯宣旨遣高宗還東府。 When Emperor Wen died, Emperor Xuan took the testament as director of the masters of writing and entered to govern. Zhongju, with the left assistant Wang Xian and secretariat attendants Liu Shizhi and Yin Bujiu, judged where the court’s hopes lay and sent Bujiu to forge an edict ordering Emperor Xuan back to the Eastern Mansion.
初，仲舉子郁尚文帝妹信義長公主，官至中書侍郎，出為宣城太守，文帝配以士馬，是年遷為南康內史，以國哀未之任。 Earlier Zhongju’s son Yu had married Emperor Wen’s sister, the Senior Princess of Xinyi. He rose to attendant gentleman of the secretariat, then went out as administrator of Xuancheng, and Emperor Wen gave him troops and horses. That year he was named interior minister of Nankang but had not yet taken office because of the state mourning.
[1]張彪自剡縣夜還襲城，文帝自北門出，倉卒闇夕，軍人擾亂，文育亦未測文帝所在，唯子高在側，文帝乃遣子高自亂兵中往見文育，反命酬答，於闇中又往慰勞眾軍。 [1] Zhang Biao returned by night from Shan county to storm the city. Emperor Wen slipped out the north gate. In the sudden dark the troops panicked. Wenyü did not know where Emperor Wen was—only Zigao stood beside him. Emperor Wen sent Zigao through the chaos to Wenyü to bring back his orders, then go again in the dark to steady the army.
Book of Chen, Chapter 22Volume 22: Lu Zilong, Qian Daoji, Luo Ya · 10 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 23Volume 23: Shen Junli; Wang Yang; Lu Shan · 5 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 25Volume 25: Pei Ji; Sun Yang · 4 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 29Volume 29: Zong Yuanrao; Sima Shen; Mao Xi; Cai Zheng · 4 passages
Open chapter
世祖崩，廢帝沖昧，高宗錄尚書輔政，僕射到仲舉等知朝望有歸，乃矯太后令遣高宗還東府，當時疑懼，無敢措言。 When Emperor Wen died, the Deposed Emperor was young and ignorant; Emperor Xuan assumed the recorded affairs of the masters of writing as regent; vice director Dao Zhongju and others knew that court expectation had a direction and therefore forged an empress dowager order sending Emperor Xuan back to the eastern palace; at the time there was doubt and fear, and none dared speak.
Book of Chen, Chapter 30Volume 30: Xiao Ji; Lu Qiong; Gu Yewang; Fu Zai · 5 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 32Volume 32: Filial Piety · 2 passages
Open chapter
Book of Chen, Chapter 36Volume 36: Chen Shuling, Prince of Shixing; Chen Bogu, Prince of Xin'an · 1 passage
Open chapter
Book of Liang, Chapter 6Volume 6: Emperor Jing · 2 passages
Open chapter
Book of Liang, Chapter 46Volume 46: Hu Sengyou; Xu Wensheng; Du Ze; Du An; Du You'an; Du Kan; Yin Zichun · 2 passages
Open chapter
Book of Zhou, Chapter 4Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming · 1 passage
Open chapter