Qin and Han · Retainer of the King of Zhao

Meng Shu 孟舒

Attested BC 200 - BC 157

Passages: 23
Chapters: 4
Histories: 2

Overview

Meng Shu was a Retainer of the King of Zhao.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 180 to BC 157 孝文帝初立…復召以為雲中守
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passages 106, 117
BC 200 to BC 198 孟舒…隨王至長安
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 46, passage 101
BC 200 漢七年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 7, 17
BC 198 漢九年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234
BC 180 立孝文帝
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 20, 24

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Governor of Yunzhong 雲中守
Dismissed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 25
governor of Yunzhong 雲中守
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passages 109, 111
Governor of Yunzhong 雲中守
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 24, 26
governor of Yunzhong 雲中守
Reappointed
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 117
Governor of Yunzhong 雲中守
Restored
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 37
Became household slave
BC 198 漢九年 · Enslavement disguise
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Entered
Dismissal
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 110

Places and affiliations

BC 198 漢九年
Polity Zhao 趙 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234
At Yunzhong 雲中 · Relation Posted to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 24

Events and relationships

Followed Zhang Ao to Chang'an in convict dress
Political · Follower · With Zhang Ao (張敖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 17, 31
Followed in bonds
Loyalty · Follower · With Zhang Ao (張敖)
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passages 101, 113
Shaved and collared to follow the king
BC 198 漢九年 · Loyalty · Follower · With Zhang Ao (張敖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234
Relation Retainer of · Person Zhang Ao (張敖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234
Relation Companion of · Person Guan Gao (貫高)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 89, passage 234

Assessments and attributes

Assessment worthy elder · Mode named-person-judgment Speaker Tian Shu (田叔)
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passages 109, 115
Assessment worthy man (長者) · Mode named-person Speaker Tian Shu (田叔)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 24, 35
Assessment worthy · Mode named-person Speaker Emperor Wen of Han (漢文帝)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 36
Assessment 賢哉孟舒 · Mode named-person-judgment Speaker Emperor Wen of Han (漢文帝)
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 116

References in the histories

Search passages

History

23 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 2 passages

郎中田叔、孟舒等十人自髡鉗為王家奴，從王就獄。 Palace gentlemen Tian Shu, Meng Shu, and ten others shaved their heads and wore cangues, making themselves the king's household slaves and following him to prison.

賢趙臣田叔、孟舒等十人，召見與語，漢廷臣無能出其右者。 He regarded the worthy Zhao ministers Tian Shu, Meng Shu, and ten others highly, summoned them to audience, and spoke with them. Among the Han court ministers, none could surpass them.

Book of Han, Chapter 46Volume 37: Ji Bu, Luan Bu and Tian Shu · 8 passages

唯田叔、孟舒等十餘人赭衣自髡鉗，隨王至長安。 Only Tian Shu, Meng Shu, and a dozen others shaved their heads, donned the convict's collar and crimson robes, and followed their king to Chang'an.

叔頓首曰：「故雲中守孟舒，長者也。」 Tian Shu kowtowed and said, "The former governor of Yunzhong, Meng Shu, is such a man."

是時孟舒坐虜大入雲中免。 Meng Shu had just been dismissed because the Xiongnu had overrun Yunzhong in force.

上曰：「先帝置孟舒雲中十餘年矣，虜常一入，孟舒不能堅守，無故士卒戰死者數百人。 The emperor said, "The late emperor kept Meng Shu at Yunzhong for more than ten years, yet when the raiders broke in he failed to hold the line, and hundreds of soldiers died for no good reason.

叔叩頭曰：「夫貫高等謀反，天子下明詔，趙有敢隨張王者罪三族，然孟舒自髡鉗，隨張王，以身死之，豈自知為雲中守哉！ Tian Shu kowtowed and said, "When Guan Gao and his fellow plotters rose against the throne, the Son of Heaven decreed death for three generations of any Zhao official who followed King Zhang—yet Meng Shu shaved his head, took the collar, and followed his lord to the grave. How could he have dreamed he would one day govern Yunzhong?

漢與楚相距，士卒罷敝，而匈奴冒頓新服北夷，來為邊寇，孟舒知士卒罷敝，不忍出言，士爭臨城死敵，如子為父，以故死者數百人，孟舒豈敺之哉！ Han and Chu were deadlocked and the army was on its last legs, while Modun had just bent the northern tribes to his will and unleashed them on the frontier. Meng Shu knew his men were too spent to bear another order to battle—yet they stormed the walls like sons defending a father, and hundreds died. That was not Meng Shu driving them to their deaths.

是乃孟舒所以為長者。」 That is precisely the mark of a true elder statesman."

於是上曰：「賢哉孟舒！」 The emperor exclaimed, "Meng Shu is a remarkable man!"

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 89Biographies of Zhang Er and Chen Yu · 1 passage

貫高與客孟舒等十餘人，皆自髡鉗，為王家奴，從來。 Guan Gao, along with Meng Shu and more than ten other retainers, shaved their heads and clamped iron collars around their necks, disguising themselves as the king's household slaves in order to follow him.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 104Biography of Tian Shu · 12 passages

唯孟舒、田叔等十餘人赭衣自髡鉗，稱王家奴，隨趙王敖至長安。 Only Meng Shu, Tian Shu, and some ten others donned the red garments of convicts, shaved their heads and clamped iron collars around their own necks. Calling themselves slaves of the royal household, they followed King Ao of Zhao all the way to Chang'an.

叔頓首曰：「故雲中守孟舒，長者也。」 Tian Shu pressed his forehead to the ground and said: "The former Governor of Yunzhong, Meng Shu—he is truly a man of worth."

是時孟舒坐虜大入塞盜劫，雲中尤甚，免。 At that time, Meng Shu had been dismissed from office because barbarian raiders had broken through the frontier defenses on a massive scale, with the Yunzhong commandery suffering the worst of it.

上曰：「先帝置孟舒雲中十餘年矣，虜曾一人，孟舒不能堅守，毋故士卒戰死者數百人。 The emperor said: "The late emperor posted Meng Shu at Yunzhong for more than ten years. When the barbarians once raided in force, Meng Shu failed to hold his ground, and several hundred soldiers died in battle without cause.

公何以言孟舒為長者也？」 On what basis do you call Meng Shu a man of worth?"

叔叩頭對曰：「是乃孟舒所以為長者也。 Tian Shu kowtowed and replied: "This is precisely the reason Meng Shu is a man of worth.

然孟舒自髡鉗，隨張王敖之所在，欲以身死之，豈自知為雲中守哉！ Yet Meng Shu shaved his head and clamped an iron collar around his own neck, following King Zhang Ao wherever he went, willing to lay down his life for his lord—how could he have foreseen that he would one day become Governor of Yunzhong!

匈奴冒頓新服北夷，來為邊害，孟舒知士卒罷敝，不忍出言，士爭臨城死敵，如子為父，弟為兄，以故死者數百人。 The Xiongnu under Modu Chanyu, having recently subjugated the northern tribes, came to raid the frontier. Meng Shu knew his soldiers were utterly spent and could not bring himself to order them out to battle. Yet the men fought of their own accord, mounting the walls and throwing themselves at the enemy as sons would for their fathers and younger brothers for their elders. For this reason several hundred perished.

孟舒豈故驅戰之哉！ How could Meng Shu have willfully driven them to fight!

是乃孟舒所以為長者也。」 This is precisely what makes Meng Shu a man of worth."

於是上曰：「賢哉孟舒！」 At this, the emperor exclaimed: "What a worthy man Meng Shu is!"

復召孟舒以為雲中守。 He summoned Meng Shu back and reappointed him as Governor of Yunzhong.