Ancient China · Consort

Lady Huayang 華陽夫人

Huáyáng Fūrén

Attested BC 265 - BC 251

Passages: 16
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Lady Huayang was a consort.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 251 秦昭王五十六年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 47
BC 265 秦昭王四十二年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passages 4, 6

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of King Zhuangxiang (莊襄王)
adopted son 子 · Adoptive parentage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passages 37, 51
Sibling of Elder sister of Lady Huayang (華陽夫人姊)
elder sister 姊 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 28
Spouse of King Xiaowen (孝文王)
principal wife 正夫人 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 6

Kinship Role sons · Count 0 · Negated true
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 7

Career and standing

Appointed
BC 251 秦昭王五十六年 · Queen
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 47
Honored
Empress dowager
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 51

Places and affiliations

Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Of
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 6
At Shouling 壽陵 · Relation Buried at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 73

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With King Xiaowen (孝文王) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 85, passage 36

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 85Biography of Master Lü Buwei · 16 passages

安國君有所甚愛姬，立以為正夫人，號曰華陽夫人。 Lord Anguo deeply favored one of his concubines and elevated her to the rank of principal wife, bestowing upon her the title of Lady Huayang.

華陽夫人無子。 Lady Huayang, however, had borne no sons.

竊聞安國君愛幸華陽夫人，華陽夫人無子，能立適嗣者獨華陽夫人耳。 I have heard that Lord Anguo dotes on Lady Huayang, yet Lady Huayang has no sons of her own. She alone has the power to determine who will be named the legitimate heir.

不韋雖貧，請以千金為子西游，事安國君及華陽夫人，立子為適嗣。」 Though I am not a rich man, allow me to spend a thousand catties of gold to travel west to Qin on your behalf. I will attend upon Lord Anguo and Lady Huayang and secure your appointment as the legitimate heir."

而復以五百金買奇物玩好，自奉而西游秦，求見華陽夫人姊，而皆以其物獻華陽夫人。 With the remaining five hundred catties, he purchased rare treasures and curiosities, then traveled west to Qin himself. There he sought an audience with Lady Huayang's elder sister and presented all the objects as gifts to Lady Huayang.

因言子楚賢智，結諸侯賓客遍天下，常曰「楚也以夫人為天，日夜泣思太子及夫人」。 He reported that Zichu was wise and worthy, that he had cultivated guests and retainers throughout the feudal states, and that Zichu always said, "I look upon the Lady as my heaven, and day and night I weep with longing for the crown prince and the Lady."

夫人大喜。 Lady Huayang was overjoyed.

不韋因使其姊說夫人曰：「吾聞之，以色事人者，色衰而愛弛。 Lü Buwei then had the elder sister counsel Lady Huayang, saying, "I have heard it said that she who wins a man's love through beauty will find that love fading when her beauty fades.

今夫人事太子，甚愛而無子，不以此時蚤自結於諸子中賢孝者，舉立以為適而子之，夫在則重尊，夫百歲之後，所子者為王，終不失勢，此所謂一言而萬世之利也。 You now serve the crown prince and enjoy his deep love, yet you have borne him no sons. If you do not seize this moment to choose the worthiest and most filial among his sons, establish him as the legitimate heir, and adopt him as your own, then while your husband lives you will be doubly honored. After he passes, the son you have selected will be king, and you will never lose your position. This is what they call gaining ten thousand generations of benefit through a single word.

今子楚賢，而自知中男也，次不得為適，其母又不得幸，自附夫人，夫人誠以此時拔以為適，夫人則竟世有寵於秦矣。」 Now Zichu is a worthy man who knows full well that as a middle son with no claim to the succession and an unfavored mother, he must depend upon your patronage. If you take this opportunity to elevate him as the legitimate heir, he will be devoted to you, and you will enjoy power and favor in Qin for the rest of your days."

華陽夫人以為然，承太子閒，從容言子楚質於趙者絕賢，來往者皆稱譽之。 Lady Huayang agreed with this counsel. When she found the crown prince at leisure, she brought up the subject of Zichu with studied casualness, remarking that the hostage in Zhao was said to be extraordinarily talented, and that all travelers who had met him spoke highly of his character.

安國君許之，乃與夫人刻玉符，約以為適嗣。 Lord Anguo consented, and he and Lady Huayang carved a jade tally together, sealing the pledge that Zichu would be named the legitimate heir.

安國君及夫人因厚餽遺子楚，而請呂不韋傅之，子楚以此名譽益盛於諸侯。 Lord Anguo and Lady Huayang then sent generous gifts to Zichu and appointed Lü Buwei as his tutor. With this patronage, Zichu's reputation grew ever more distinguished among the feudal lords.

秦昭王五十六年，薨，太子安國君立為王，華陽夫人為王后，子楚為太子。 In the fifty-sixth year of his reign, King Zhao of Qin died. Lord Anguo, the crown prince, ascended the throne. Lady Huayang was made queen, and Zichu was named crown prince.

莊襄王所母華陽后為華陽太后，真母夏姬尊以為夏太后。 King Zhuangxiang elevated his adoptive mother, Queen Huayang, to the title of Empress Dowager Huayang, and his birth mother, Lady Xia, was honored as Empress Dowager Xia.

孝文王后曰華陽太后，與孝文王會葬壽陵。 Empress Dowager Huayang, the queen of King Xiaowen, was buried with King Xiaowen at the Shouling tomb.