Qin and Han · Official

Houshi Wu 侯史吳

Attested BC 80

Passages: 8
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Houshi Wu was an official.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 80 燕王獄
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 70, passage 35

References in the histories

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History

8 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 8 passages

治燕王獄時，御史大夫桑弘羊子遷亡，過父故吏侯史吳。 During the trial of the King of Yan's revolt, Sang Hongyang's son Sang Qian fled the capital and took refuge with his father's former subordinate Houshi Wu.

會赦，侯史吳自出系獄，廷尉王平與少府徐仁雜治反事，皆以為桑遷坐父謀反而侯史吳臧之，非匿反者，乃匿為隨者也。 A general amnesty followed. Houshi Wu surrendered himself. Commandant of Justice Wang Ping and Chamberlain Xu Ren jointly reviewed the treason charges. Both held that while Sang Qian was liable as his father's accomplice, Wu had merely sheltered a follower, not a principal rebel.

即以赦令除吳罪。 They therefore struck Wu's name from the indictment under the amnesty.

侯史吳故三百石吏，首匿遷，不與庶人匿隨從者等，吳不得赦。 while Houshi Wu, as a former official of three hundred piculs who had knowingly concealed Qian, could not be classed with a commoner sheltering a mere retainer and therefore did not merit the amnesty.

少府徐仁即丞相車千秋女婿也，故千秋數為侯史吳言。 Xu Ren was the son-in-law of Chancellor Che Qianqiu, who repeatedly interceded for Houshi Wu.

恐光不聽，千秋即召中二千石、博士會公車門，議問吳法。 Fearing Huo Guang would not relent, Che Qianqiu called a conference at the public carriage gate of every official from two thousand piculs down and the court erudits to debate how Wu should be charged.

議者知大將軍指，皆執吳為不道。 The participants knew which way Huo Guang leaned; one after another they condemned Wu for immoral conduct.

延年乃奏記光爭，以為「吏縱罪人，有常法，今更詆吳為不道，恐於法深。 Yannian then wrote privately to Huo Guang: "There are standing statutes for officials who let criminals escape. To relabel Wu as guilty of 'immoral conduct' stretches the code past breaking.