Ancient China · Ruler

King Kaolie of Chu 楚考烈王

Chu Kaolie Wang

First attested BC 266; died BC 238

Passages: 31
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

King Kaolie of Chu was a ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Wan	完	Wan

Life and dates

Death

BC 238 楚考烈王卒
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 164

Attested activity

BC 266 to BC 263 太子完入質於秦
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 76
BC 263 to BC 238 太子完立，是為考烈王
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passages 99, 164

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of King Qingxiang of Chu (楚頃襄王)
crown prince 太子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passages 76, 99
Parent of King You of Chu (楚幽王)
crown prince 太子 · Claimed parentage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passages 146, 167
Spouse of Younger Sister of Li Yuan (李園女弟)
queen 王后
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 146

Kinship Role sons · Count 0 · Negated true
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 129

Career and standing

Entered
Hostage · At Qin 秦
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 76
King Kaolie 考烈王
BC 263 太子完立
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 99

Assessments and attributes

Assessment blamed for alliance defeat and grew estranged · Mode narrative-report
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 78, passage 119

References in the histories

Search passages

History

31 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 78Biography of Lord Chunshen · 31 passages

黃歇受約歸楚，楚使歇與太子完入質於秦，秦留之數年。 Huang Xie accepted the treaty and returned to Chu. Chu sent Xie along with Crown Prince Wan as hostages to Qin. Qin held them for several years.

楚頃襄王病，太子不得歸。 King Qingxiang of Chu fell gravely ill, preventing the crown prince's return.

而楚太子與秦相應侯善，於是黃歇乃說應侯曰：「相國誠善楚太子乎？」 The Chu crown prince was friendly with Qin's prime minister Lord Ying. Thus, Huang Xie counseled Lord Ying: 'Prime Minister, do you genuinely befriend the Chu crown prince?'

歇曰：「今楚王恐不起疾，秦不如歸其太子。 Xie said: 'The King of Chu now fears he will not survive his illness. Qin should send the crown prince back.

太子得立，其事秦必重而德相國無窮，是親與國而得儲萬乘也。 If the crown prince ascends the throne, he will certainly honor Qin greatly and show the prime minister infinite gratitude. This gains us an ally and secures a state of ten thousand chariots.

楚更立太子，必不事秦。 Chu will install a different crown prince who will certainly not serve Qin.

秦王曰：「令楚太子之傅先往問楚王之疾，返而後圖之。」 The King of Qin said: 'Send the Chu crown prince's tutor first to inquire about the King of Chu's illness, then we can decide what to do.'

黃歇為楚太子計曰：「秦之留太子也，欲以求利也。 Huang Xie devised a plan for the Chu crown prince: 'Qin's keeping of the crown prince is meant to gain leverage.

今太子力未能有以利秦也，歇憂之甚。 Now the crown prince lacks the power to benefit Qin. I worry about this terribly.

而陽文君子二人在中，王若卒大命，太子不在，陽文君子必立為後，太子不得奉宗廟矣。 Lord Yangwen and his two sons are at court. If the king should die and the crown prince is absent, Lord Yangwen and his sons will certainly be installed as heirs, and the crown prince will lose his right to serve the ancestral temples.

楚太子因變衣服為楚使者御以出關，而黃歇守舍，常為謝病。 The Chu crown prince disguised himself as a Chu envoy's chariot driver and slipped through the pass. Huang Xie stayed at the residence, continually pleading illness.

度太子已遠，秦不能追，歇乃自言秦昭王曰：「楚太子已歸，出遠矣。 When he judged the crown prince was safely distant and Qin could not catch him, Xie went to King Zhao of Qin and said: 'The Chu crown prince has gone home. He is far away by now.

應侯曰：「歇為人臣，出身以徇其主，太子立，必用歇，故不如無罪而歸之，以親楚。」 Lord Ying said: 'Xie serves as a minister, staking his life to follow his lord. If the crown prince ascends the throne, he will certainly appoint Xie. Better to release him guilt-free and win Chu's friendship.'

歇至楚三月，楚頃襄王卒，太子完立，是為考烈王。 When Xie reached Chu, three months later King Qingxiang died. Crown Prince Wan ascended the throne as King Kaolie.

考烈王元年，以黃歇為相，封為春申君，賜淮北地十二縣。 In the first year of King Kaolie, Huang Xie was appointed prime minister, enfeoffed as Lord Chunshen, and granted twelve counties north of the Huai River.

後十五歲，黃歇言之楚王曰：「淮北地邊齊，其事急，請以為郡便。」 Fifteen years later, Huang Xie said to the King of Chu, “The northern Huai region borders Qi, and affairs there are urgent. Please make it a commandery for convenience.”

考烈王許之。 King Kaolie agreed.

春申君相二十二年，諸侯患秦攻伐無已時，乃相與合從，西伐秦，而楚王為從長，春申君用事。 Lord Chunshen had served as prime minister for twenty-two years. The feudal lords, troubled by Qin’s endless attacks, formed an alliance to attack Qin in the west. The King of Chu served as head of the alliance.

楚考烈王以咎春申君，春申君以此益疏。 King Kaolie of Chu held Lord Chunshen responsible. Lord Chunshen grew increasingly estranged as a result.

楚考烈王無子，春申君患之，求婦人宜子者進之，甚眾，卒無子。 King Kaolie of Chu had no sons. Lord Chunshen worried about this and sought women fit to bear children to present to him; there were very many, but in the end none bore sons.

趙人李園持其女弟，欲進之楚王，聞其不宜子，恐久毋寵。 A Zhao native named Li Yuan brought his younger sister, intending to present her to the King of Chu. Hearing that the king was not producing sons, he feared her favor would not last.

園女弟承閒以說春申君曰：「楚王之貴幸君，雖兄弟不如也。 Li Yuan’s younger sister took advantage of an intimate moment to advise Lord Chunshen, saying, “The King of Chu values and favors Your Lordship more than his own brothers.

妾幸君未久，誠以君之重而進妾於楚王，王必幸妾； I have not long enjoyed Your Lordship’s favor. If you truly use your influence to present me to the King of Chu, the king will certainly favor me.

春申君大然之，乃出李園女弟，謹舍而言之楚王。 Lord Chunshen strongly agreed. He sent Li Yuan’s younger sister away, housed her carefully, and spoke of her to the King of Chu.

楚王召入幸之，遂生子男，立為太子，以李園女弟為王后。 The King of Chu summoned her and favored her. She bore a son, who was established as crown prince, and Li Yuan’s younger sister was made queen.

楚王貴李園，園用事。 The King of Chu favored Li Yuan, who came to wield considerable influence.

春申君相二十五年，楚考烈王病。 Lord Chunshen had served as prime minister for twenty-five years when King Kaolie of Chu fell gravely ill.

今楚王病，旦暮且卒，而君相少主，因而代立當國，如伊尹、周公，王長而反政，不即遂南面稱孤而有楚國？ The King of Chu now lies ill and will die any day. Your Lordship aids the young ruler, seizes control of the government, and ascends the throne like Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou. When the king comes of age, you return power to him. If not, you proclaim yourself ruler facing south and take possession of the kingdom of Chu.

曰：「李園不治國而君之仇也，不為兵而養死士之日久矣，楚王卒，李園必先入據權而殺君以滅口。 'Li Yuan cares nothing for governing the state, but he is Your Lordship's mortal enemy. Instead of raising armies, he has long been cultivating assassins. When the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will surely enter first, seize control, and kill Your Lordship to silence the secret.

對曰：「君置臣郎中，楚王卒，李園必先入，臣為君殺李園。 He replied: 'Appoint me as your aide-de-camp. When the King of Chu dies, Li Yuan will surely enter first. I will kill Li Yuan for you.

後十七日，楚考烈王卒，李園果先入，伏死士於棘門之內。 Seventeen days later, King Kaolie of Chu died. As predicted, Li Yuan entered first, concealing assassins within the Thorn Gate.