Dates uncertain · Literary Speaker

Mr. Nonexistence 烏有先生

Wūyǒu xiānsheng

Attested BC 179 - BC 117

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Mr. Nonexistence was a Literary Speaker.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 179 to BC 117 composition context: Sima Xiangru's lifetime
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 66, passages 42, 49

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Within Work 子虛賦
Directly stated · Book of Han 66, passages 50, 54, 56, 103-115

Events and relationships

Blanched and accepted instruction
Dialogue · Participant · With Lord No-such-person (亡是公)
Directly stated · Book of Han 66, passage 189

Source notes

Historicity literary
Directly stated · Book of Han 66, passages 42, 44

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 66Volume 57a: Sima Xiangru · 6 passages

「烏有先生」者，烏有此事也，為齊難； that “Mr. Nonexistence” meant “there is no such thing,” voicing Qi’s counter;

田罷，子虛過奼烏有先生，亡是公存焉。 When the hunt broke up, Sir Vacuity called on Mr. Nonexistence—Lord No-such-person was there too. (The received text is damaged at one character.)

坐定，烏有先生問曰：「今日田樂乎？」 When they were seated, Mr. Nonexistence asked, “Was today’s hunt enjoyable?”

「然則何樂？」 Mr. Nonexistence said, “Then what pleased you?”

曰：「可得聞乎？」 Mr. Nonexistence said, “May we hear that tale?”

烏有先生曰：「是何言之過也！ Mr. Nonexistence broke in: “That is carrying the argument much too far!