Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Court Favorite

Ruan Tianfu 阮佃夫

First attested AD 465; died AD 477

Passages: 7
Chapters: 5
Histories: 2

Overview

Ruan Tianfu was a Court Favorite.

Life and dates

Death

AD 477 佃夫死
Directly stated · Book of Song 65, passage 116

Attested activity

AD 477 佃夫死
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 65, passage 116
AD 465 to AD 472 宋明帝世
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 21
AD 473 to AD 477 廢帝元徽初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 63, passage 303
AD 465 景和元年十一月
Directly stated · Book of Song 7, passage 122
AD 472 to AD 477 桂陽賊後
Dated from the passage context · Book of Southern Qi 24, passage 178

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Polity Liu Song 宋 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 24, passage 178
Polity Id liu-song · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 21; Book of Song 7, passage 122
Polity Id liu-song · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 63, passage 303

Events and relationships

Sought to punish
Legal · Accuser · With Zhang Yong (張永)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 24, passage 178
Relation Patron of · Person Shen Bo (沈勃)
Directly stated · Book of Song 63, passage 303

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Song 7, passage 122

References in the histories

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 24Volume 24 Biographies 5: Liu Shilong, Zhang Gui · 1 passage

初，永拒桂陽賊於白下，潰散，阮佃夫等欲加罪，太祖固申明之，瓌由此感恩自結。 Earlier Yong had held the Guiyang rebels at Baixia and been routed; Ruan Tianfu and others wanted him punished, but the Founding Emperor spoke firmly in his defense—Gui bound himself to the throne in gratitude.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 37: Trusted Officials · 2 passages

及明帝世，胡母顥、阮佃夫之徒，專爲佞倖矣。 By Emperor Ming's reign, men such as Humu Hao and Ruan Tianfu had turned the post wholly to sycophancy and private favor.

明帝初，罷道，結事阮佃夫，用爲兖州刺史孟次陽典籤。 At the start of Emperor Ming's reign he left the religious life, attached himself to Ruan Tianfu, and was appointed chief clerk to Meng Ciyang, governor of Yanzhou.

Book of Song, Chapter 7Volume 7 Annals 7: Emperor Fei I · 1 passage

太宗與左右阮佃夫、王道隆、李道兒密結帝左右壽寂之、姜產之等十一人，謀共廢帝。 The future Ming Emperor secretly allied with his close attendants Ruan Tianfu, Wang Daolong, and Li Dao'er and with eleven of the emperor's own attendants, including Shou Jizhi and Jiang Chanzi, to depose him together.

Book of Song, Chapter 63Volume 63 Biographies 23: Wang Hua, Wang Tanshou, Yin Jingren, Shen Yanzhi · 1 passage

結事阮佃夫、王道隆等，復為司徒左長史。 He allied himself with Ruan Tiantian, Wang Daolong, and others and again became left chief clerk of the minister over the masses.

Book of Song, Chapter 65Volume 65 Biographies 25: Ji Han, Liu Daochan, Du Ji, Shen Tian · 2 passages

幼文所蒞貪橫，家累千金，女伎數十人，絲竹晝夜不絕，與沈勃、孫超之居止接近，常相從，又竝與阮佃夫厚善。 In every office Youwen was greedy and domineering; his household amassed great wealth; he kept dozens of female performers and music never ceased day or night; he lived near Shen Bo and Sun Chaozhi and kept their company constantly; he was also intimate with Ruan Dianfu.

佃夫死，廢帝深疾之。 After Dianfu's death, the Deposed Emperor came to hate them deeply.