Overview
Li Yannian was an eunuch and Musician.
PeriodQin and Han
IdentityHistorical · Male
Life and dates
Death
- BC 100 to BC 87 李夫人卒後，其愛弛，上遂誅延年兄弟宗族Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 68
- arrested and executed after Lady Li's death cooled imperial favor 禽誅Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 65
Attested activity
- BC 141 to BC 87 今天子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passages 38, 55
- BC 141 to BC 87 孝武時Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passages 7, 59
- BC 113 to BC 87 是時，上方興天地祠Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passages 60, 64
- BC 100 to BC 87 李夫人卒後Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 68
- BC 120 李延年增之Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 144, passage 91
- BC 141 to BC 87 漢武帝以李延年典樂府Directly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 135
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- BC 141 to BC 87 漢興六十餘載Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 68, passages 254, 258; Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 277, 282
Family
- Sibling of Li Ji (李季)younger brother 弟Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 67
- Sibling of Lady Li (李夫人)younger sister 女弟 · Full siblingsDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 62
- Sibling of Lady Li (李夫人)younger sister 女弟 · Full siblingsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passages 58, 65
- Kinship Role brothers · brothers formerly entertainers; later arrested and executed with him · Count 2Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passages 56, 65
- Kinship Role parents · Count 2 · parents were formerly entertainersDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 56
- Kinship Role sisters · sisters formerly entertainers; one younger sister individuated as Lady Li · Count 2Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 56
- Kinship Role brothers · Quantity unspecifiedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 60
- Kinship Role parents · Quantity unspecifiedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 60
Key source chapters
- Book of Han, Chapter 105 Volume 93: Flatterers 8 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 125 Biographies of Flatterers 8 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 68 Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan 1 passage
- Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 144 Volume 144: Treatises 6 Music 1 1 passage
- History of Liao, Chapter 54 Volume 54 Treatises 24: Music 1 passage
Career and standing
- entertainer 倡Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 56
- eunuch favorite 宦者Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 7
- harmonizing music 協律Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
- musician 樂人Strongly inferred · History of Liao 54, passage 135
- professional entertainer 倡Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 60
- service in the dog kennels 給事狗中Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 57
Show 12 more source-backed claims
- Director of Harmony 協律都尉BC 113 to BC 87 李夫人產昌邑王 · AppointedDated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 66
- service in the imperial dog kennel 狗監AppointedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 61
- Director of the Music Bureau 典樂府HeldDirectly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 135
- Harmonizer of Tones and Pitches 協聲律HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 62
- EnteredEunuchDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 61; Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 57
- seal and ribbon of two thousand piculs 二千石印綬Two thousand picul rank · HeldDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 66
- HeldImperial favoriteDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passages 58, 63
- HeldTwo thousand bushel sealDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 62
- execution of brothers and clan 誅延年兄弟宗族Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 68
- arrested and executed with brothers 禽誅延年昆弟ExecutedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 65
- castration for a crime 坐法腐PunishedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 57
- castration 腐刑SentencedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 61
Places and affiliations
- BC 141 to BC 87 孝武時Polity Han 漢 · Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passages 7, 59
- Western Han 漢Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 258
- Polity Han 漢 · Relation ServedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 277, 282
- Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation ServedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passages 60, 66
- At Zhongshan 中山Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 60; Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 55
Learning and skills
- Skill harmonizing music 協律 · Level renowned · Mode quotation Speaker Ban Gu (班固)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
- Skill singing 歌 · Level renownedDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 63
- Skill singing and composing new melodies 善歌，為變新聲 · Level skilledDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 59
Works and attributed material
- newly composed ceremonial poems set to music 初詩Relation ComposerDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passages 59-60
- Mahadoule 摩訶兜勒Relation ExpandedDirectly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 144, passage 91
Events and relationships
- Created new vocal stylesCultural · ComposerDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 63
- Executed with clanLegal · VictimDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 68
- Expanded Mahadoule into twenty eight piecesCultural · MusicianDirectly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 144, passage 91
- Illicit affairs with palace womenPersonal · OffenderDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 125, passage 64
- Listed among Han talents of the eraDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
- Set hymns to new musicDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 65
Show 3 more source-backed claims
- Shared sleeping and risingDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 66
- Took charge of music bureauAdministrative · AppointeeDirectly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 135
- Relation Favorite of · Person Emperor Wu (武帝)Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 66
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment favor rivaled Han Yan · With Han Yan (韓嫣) · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 66
- Assessment harmonizing pitch (協律) · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 258
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 7
- Value historicalDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
References in the histories
20 passages
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