Qin and Han · Official and Military Officer

Gan Yanshou 甘延壽

Attested BC 36 - BC 33

Passages: 7
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Gan Yanshou was an official and Military Officer.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 36 奉世死後二年
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 90, passage 106
BC 36 建昭三年秋
Directly stated · Book of Han 10, passage 218
BC 33 竟寧元年夏
Directly stated · Book of Han 10, passage 246

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 90 Volume 79: Feng Fengshi 5 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 10 Volume 9: Annals of Emperor Yuan 2 passages

Career and standing

Protector of the Western Regions and Cavalry Commandant 護西域騎都尉
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 10, passage 218
Marquis 列侯
BC 33 竟寧元年夏 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Han 10, passage 246

Events and relationships

Attacked Zhizhi
BC 36 建昭三年秋 · Military · Commander · With Chanyu Zhizhi (郅支單于)
Directly stated · Book of Han 10, passages 218-219
Executed
Military · Commander · With Zhizhi (郅支)
Directly stated · Book of Han 90, passage 106

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 10Volume 9: Annals of Emperor Yuan · 2 passages

秋，使護西域騎都尉甘延壽、副校尉陳湯撟發戊己校尉屯田吏士及西域胡兵攻郅支單于。 In autumn, Protector of the Western Regions and Cavalry Commandant Gan Yanshou and Vice Commandant Chen Tang were sent to mobilize the Wuji Commandant's garrison farming officials and soldiers, as well as Western Regions Hu troops, to attack Chanyu Zhizhi.

夏，封騎都尉甘延壽為列侯。 In summer, Cavalry Commandant Gan Yanshou was enfeoffed as a marquis.

Book of Han, Chapter 90Volume 79: Feng Fengshi · 5 passages

奉世死後二年，西域都護甘延壽以誅郅支單于封為列侯。 Two years after Fengshi died, Gan Yanshou won a full marquisate for killing Zhizhi.

時，丞相匡衡亦用延壽矯制生事，據蕭望之前議，以為不當封，而議者咸美其功，上從眾而侯之。 Chancellor Kuang Heng echoed Wangzhi's old line that Yanshou had overstepped, yet public praise swayed the throne and Yanshou was ennobled.

令匈奴郅支單于殺漢使者，亡保康居，都護延壽發城郭兵屯田吏士四萬餘人以誅斬之，封為列侯。 Yet Zhizhi murdered an envoy and fled to Kangju; Yanshou led forty thousand colonists and garrison troops to kill him—and took a full marquisate.

臣愚以為比罪則郅支薄，量敵則莎車眾，用師則奉世寡，計勝則奉世為功於邊境安，慮敗則延壽為禍於國家深。 Zhizhi's guilt was slighter, Shache's coalition larger, Fengshi's army smaller; success made Fengshi the border's shield, failure would have made Yanshou a heavier national disaster.

其違命而擅生事同，延壽割地封，而奉世獨不錄。 Both broke orders to act; one was carved a fief, the other erased from the rolls.