Overview
Er Kuan was an official and One of the Three Dukes.
PeriodQin and Han
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Death
- died in office 以官卒 · Date Source Date: Text: 以官卒 · Western Year: BC 103Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passage 252
- BC 141 to BC 87 九年而以官卒Died in officeDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 149
Attested activity
- BC 140 to BC 104 Western Han career recalled in Xu Luqing comparisonStrongly inferred · History of Song 410, passage 261
- BC 141 to BC 87 今上Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passages 138, 143, 148
- BC 116 to BC 111 元鼎中Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passages 192, 195
- BC 112 to BC 107 元鼎五年至元封Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 55, passages 56, 59
- BC 111 元鼎六年Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 38, passage 97
- BC 112 元鼎至太初Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 62
Show 3 more source-backed claims
- BC 141 to BC 87 孝武之世Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 101, passage 7
- BC 141 to BC 87 漢興六十餘載Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passages 253-254, 258; Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 276-277, 282
- BC 110 與寬議封禪於上前Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passage 250
Key source chapters
- Book of Han, Chapter 68 Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan 24 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 121 Biographies of Confucian Scholars 8 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 101 Volume 89: Upright Officials 2 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 112 Biographies of the Marquis of Pingjin and Zhufu 2 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 38 Volume 29: Treatise on Rivers and Canals 1 passage
Career and standing
- Confucian scholarship 儒雅Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
- disciples' cook 弟子都養Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 200
- Assistant (yuan) to the Imperial Secretary 掾BC 141 to BC 87 今上 · AppointedDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 146
- Assistant for memorials and judicial cases 奏讞掾BC 141 to BC 87 今上 · AppointedDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 143
- Clerk under the Commandant of Justice 廷尉史BC 141 to BC 87 今上 · AppointedDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 142
- Imperial Secretary 御史大夫BC 141 to BC 87 張湯死后六年 · AppointedDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 148
Show 11 more source-backed claims
- clerk for memorials and judgments 奏讞掾AppointedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 214
- imperial counselor 御史大夫AppointedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passages 195, 235
- literary clerk to the commandant of justice 廷尉文學卒史AppointedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 202
- palm antiquarian 掌故AppointedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 202
- imperial counselor 御史大夫Held · From Source Date: Text: 寬為御史大夫 · Western Year: BC 110 · Until Source Date: Text: 以官卒 · Western Year: BC 103Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passages 251-252
- Left Inner Historian 左內史HeldDirectly stated · Book of Han 38, passage 97
- grand counsellor of the palace 中大夫PromotedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 217
- attendant censor 侍御史RecommendedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 215
- Left Metropolitan Superintendent 左內史TransferredDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 217
- one of the Three Excellencies 三公Three excellencies · HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 150
- had the great swan's pinions yet trapped among sparrows, tracks among sheep and pigs 鴻漸之翼困於燕爵,遠跡羊豕之間Rose from humble circumstancesDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 253
Places and affiliations
- Han 漢Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 195
- Western Han 漢Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passages 251, 253, 258
- Polity Han 漢 · Relation ServedStrongly inferred · Book of Han 38, passage 97
- Polity Han 漢 · Relation ServedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 276-277, 282
- Polity Western Han 漢 · Relation ServedStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 148
- Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation ServedStrongly inferred · History of Song 410, passage 261
Show 2 more source-backed claims
- At Qiansheng 千乘Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 197; Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 138
- At Beidi 北地 · Relation Posted toDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 204
Learning and skills
- Subject Book of Documents 尚書 · Relation StudiedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 198
- Subject Documents 尚書 · Relation StudiedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passages 138-139
- EarnedCredential examination ranking 試第次Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 142
- Skill drafting books and memorials 著書、書奏 · Level excelledDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 144
Works and attributed material
- Grand Inception calendar 太初曆Relation CompilerDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 245
- Six Auxiliary Canals 六輔渠Relation ProposedDirectly stated · Book of Han 38, passage 97
- Speech · Speaker · Direct quotationDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passages 227-233
- Toast · Speaker · Direct quotationDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passages 236-242
Events and relationships
- Carried and recited classics while travelingStudy · StudentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 141
- Commandery literary recommendationBC 141 to BC 87 今上 · Recommendation · Recommended candidateDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 139
- DebatedDated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passage 250
- Followed emperor to feng on Mount Tai and Bright HallRitual · AttendantDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 235
- Listed among Confucian scholars of the eraDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
- Opened Six Auxiliary Canals and fixed water regulationsInfrastructure · SponsorDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 220
Show 9 more source-backed claims
- Petitioned to excavate the Six Auxiliary CanalsHydraulic · Project sponsorDirectly stated · Book of Han 38, passages 97, 102
- Pushed literary learningScholarly · AdvocateDirectly stated · Book of Han 55, passage 59
- Questioned and pleased emperorDated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 147
- Rose to high office after humble beginningsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 276
- Relation Student of · Person Kong Anguo (孔安國)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 139
- Relation Subordinate of · Person Zhang Tang (張湯)Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passages 204, 208
- Relation Student of · Person Ouyang Sheng (歐陽生)Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 198; Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 138
- Relation Student of · Person Chu Da (褚大)Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 247
- Relation Student of · Person Kong Anguo (孔安國)Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 199
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment Confucian elegance (儒雅) · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 258
- Assessment held office long by mild accommodating temperament; never remonstrated; subordinates took him lightly · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passages 150-151
- Assessment paragon of classical learning in Xu Luqings comparison of Yingling · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Xu Luqing (徐鹿卿)Directly stated · History of Song 410, passage 261
- Assessment pleased the emperor in office and long offered no remonstrance; subordinates looked down on him · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 251
- Assessment possessed the wings of the great wild goose but languished among sparrows until meeting the right time · Mode quotation Speaker Ban Gu (班固)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 276
- Assessment second rank beside later famous ministers · With Gongsun Hong (公孫弘), Bu Shi (卜式) · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 261
Show 3 more source-backed claims
- mild, frugal, skilled writer, weak in martial speechCharacterDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 203
- mild and virtuous; integrity and wisdom; self-disciplined; gifted in writing but not speech 溫良,有廉智,自持,而善著書、書奏,敏於文,口不能發明也CharacterDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 144
- poor; cooked for students and did hired labor for food and clothing 貧無資用,常為弟子都養,及時時閒行傭賃,以給衣食PovertyDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 140
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · History of Song 410, passage 261
- Value historicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 276, 282
References in the histories
41 passages
No matching passages.