Qin and Han · Official

Li Wen 李文

Lǐ Wén

Attested BC 116

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Li Wen was an official.

Life and dates

Death

Execution
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 67

Attested activity

BC 116 河東人李文
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 66

Career and standing

vice director of the imperial secretariat 御史中丞
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 66

Places and affiliations

At Hedong 河東
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 66

Events and relationships

Executed
Death · Subject · With Zhang Tang (張湯)
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 67

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 69Volume 59: Zhang Tang · 4 passages

河東人李文，故嘗與湯有隙，已而為御史中丞，薦數從中文事有可以傷湯者，不能為地。 Li Wen of Hedong had long been Tang's enemy. When Wen became vice director of the imperial secretariat, he combed the palace files for anything that might incriminate Tang and showed him no quarter.

湯有所愛史魯謁居，知湯弗平，使人上飛變告文奸事，事下湯，湯治論殺文，而湯心知謁居為之。 Tang kept a favorite clerk, Lu Yéju, who saw how Tang brooded on the grudge. Yéju arranged for a sealed denunciation accusing Wen of misconduct; when the case landed in Tang's hands, he tried Wen and had him executed, all the while knowing Yéju was the author of the charge.

湯陽驚曰：「此殆文故人怨之。」 Tang put on a show of surprise. "Probably one of Wen's old acquaintances with a grudge against him," he said.

謁居弟不知而怨湯，使人上書，告湯與謁居謀，共變李文。 The brother did not understand and blamed Tang; he had someone memorialize that Tang and Yéju had conspired to frame Li Wen.