King Huai (懷王) | 24 Histories

Overview

King Huai was a king Huai of Chu.

PeriodAncient China

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

At Qin 秦 · Detained until death
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 7
At Qin 秦 · died as captive abroad 客死於秦
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passages 54, 62

Attested activity

BC 328 to BC 299 懷王孫心
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 48, passage 132
BC 296 楚懷王...留死於秦
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 7
BC 328 to BC 299 楚懷王
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 2
BC 300 to BC 223 楚王時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 93, passage 109
BC 296 竟死於秦
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 54

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Xin (心)
grandson 孫 · 2 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 48, passage 132
Child of Lord Chunshen (春申君)
biological father in the reported account 有身 · Claimed parentage
Uncertain · Book of Han 93, passage 109
Child of Presented Wife of Lord Chunshen (春申君所獻妻)
bore 產
Directly stated · Book of Han 93, passage 109
Parent of King Qingxiang of Chu (楚頃襄王)
eldest son 長子
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 55; Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 8
Spouse of Zheng Xiu (鄭袖)
favored consort 寵姬 · Concubinage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 42
Parent of Zi Lan (子蘭)
youngest son 稚子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 49
Parent of Parent of Xin
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 48, passage 132

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Chu
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 2
At Qin 秦 · Relation Died at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 54

Events and relationships

Detained
Diplomatic · Detainee · At Wu Pass 武關 · With King Zhaoxiang of Qin (秦昭王)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 51

Assessments and attributes

Assessment failed to know loyal ministers · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passages 61, 63

References in the histories

Search passages

History

24 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 93Volume 82: Wang Shang, Shi Dan and Fu Xi · 1 passage

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及楚相春申君亦見王無子，心利楚國，即獻有身妻而產懷王。 Chu's chancellor Lord Chunshen did the same when he saw the king had no heir, scheming for Chu's advantage by presenting a pregnant wife who bore King Huai of Chu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 48House of Chen She · 1 passage

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會項梁立懷王孫心為楚王。 At this juncture, Xiang Liang installed Xin, a grandson of King Huai of Chu, as the new King of Chu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 78Biography of Lord Chunshen · 1 passage

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黃歇見楚懷王之為秦所誘而入朝，遂見欺，留死於秦。 Huang Xie witnessed King Huai of Chu being lured by Qin into attending their court, only to be deceived, detained, and die in Qin.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 84Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master Jia · 21 passages

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為楚懷王左徒。 He served as Left Minister to King Huai of Chu.

懷王使屈原造為憲令，屈平屬草槁未定。 King Huai charged Qu Yuan with drafting a new code of laws. Qu Ping had composed a rough draft but had not yet finalized it.

楚懷王貪而信張儀，遂絕齊，使使如秦受地。 King Huai of Chu, blinded by greed, believed Zhang Yi. He severed relations with Qi and sent an envoy to Qin to claim the promised territory.

楚使怒去，歸告懷王。 The Chu envoy departed in fury and returned to report to King Huai.

懷王怒，大興師伐秦。 King Huai was enraged and raised a great army to attack Qin.

懷王乃悉發國中兵以深入擊秦，戰於藍田。 King Huai then mobilized every soldier in the realm for a deep thrust into Qin, and the two sides clashed at Lantian.

楚王曰：「不願得地，願得張儀而甘心焉。」 The king of Chu declared: 'I do not want the land. I want Zhang Yi — only then will my heart be satisfied.'

如楚，又因厚幣用事者臣靳尚，而設詭辯於懷王之寵姬鄭袖。 He went to Chu and bribed the powerful minister Jin Shang with lavish gifts, then contrived through cunning arguments to win over King Huai's favored consort, Zheng Xiu.

懷王竟聽鄭袖，復釋去張儀。 In the end, King Huai heeded Zheng Xiu and released Zhang Yi once again.

是時屈平既疏，不復在位，使於齊，顧反，諫懷王曰：「何不殺張儀？」 At that time, Qu Ping had already been estranged and was no longer in office. He had been sent on a mission to Qi, and upon his return, he remonstrated with King Huai: 'Why not execute Zhang Yi?'

懷王悔，追張儀不及。 King Huai was filled with regret and sent men to pursue Zhang Yi, but they could not catch him.

時秦昭王與楚婚，欲與懷王會。 At that time, King Zhao of Qin had formed a marriage alliance with Chu and wished to meet with King Huai.

懷王欲行，屈平曰：「秦虎狼之國，不可信，不如毋行。」 King Huai intended to go, but Qu Ping warned him: 'Qin is a land of tigers and wolves. It cannot be trusted. Better not to go.'

懷王稚子子蘭勸王行：「柰何絕秦歡！」 But King Huai's youngest son, Zi Lan, urged the king to go: 'How can we sever our friendship with Qin!'

懷王卒行。 In the end, King Huai went.

入武關，秦伏兵絕其後，因留懷王，以求割地。 When he entered the Wu Pass, Qin troops sprang from ambush and cut off his retreat. They detained King Huai and demanded that he cede territory.

懷王怒，不聽。 King Huai was furious and refused.

楚人既咎子蘭以勸懷王入秦而不反也。 The people of Chu already blamed Zi Lan for having urged King Huai to enter Qin, whence he never returned.

屈平既嫉之，雖放流，睠顧楚國，系心懷王，不忘欲反，冀幸君之一悟，俗之一改也。 Qu Ping loathed Zi Lan. Though banished, he remained devoted to the state of Chu. His heart was bound to King Huai, and he never ceased longing for his return to court, hoping that the king might one day awaken to the truth and that the corruption of the age might be reformed.

然終無可柰何，故不可以反，卒以此見懷王之終不悟也。 Yet in the end, nothing could be done. He could not return to court, and so he came to see at last that King Huai would never awaken.

懷王以不知忠臣之分，故內惑於鄭袖，外欺於張儀，疏屈平而信上官大夫、令尹子蘭。 Because King Huai could not distinguish a loyal minister from a false one, he was beguiled within by Zheng Xiu and deceived without by Zhang Yi. He cast aside Qu Ping and placed his trust in Grand Master Shangguan and the Prime Minister Zi Lan.