Qin and Han · Western Han general, regent, and conspirator against Emperor Zhao

Shangguan Jie 上官桀

Shàngguān Jié

First attested BC 104; died BC 80

Passages: 25
Chapters: 10
Histories: 3

Overview

Shangguan Jie was a Western Han general, regent, and conspirator against Emperor Zhao.

Life and dates

Death

BC 80 historical identification
Cause Executed
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 70, passage 31
BC 80 元鳳元年九月
Execution
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passages 83, 92
Executed for plotting rebellion
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 199
Executed
Directly stated · Book of Han 90, passage 102

Attested activity

BC 87 to BC 80 上官桀
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 121, passage 123
BC 80 上官桀與蓋主謀殺光
Directly stated · Book of Han 89, passage 7
BC 80 上官桀謀逆
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 70, passage 28
BC 104 to BC 101 伐宛再反，凡四歲
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 184, 203
BC 80 元鳳元年九月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 8, passage 83
BC 80 左將軍上官桀
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 199

Show 5 more source-backed claims

BC 87 後元二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 8, passage 9
BC 80 旦復與左將軍上官桀等謀反
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 60, passage 246
BC 87 to BC 74 昭帝時
Directly stated · Book of Han 90, passage 102
BC 87 to BC 74 昭帝立
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 101, passage 52
BC 80 遂與上官桀等謀反，誅滅
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passage 273

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Empress Shangguan (上官皇后)
granddaughter 孫女 · paternal line · 2 generations
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 8, passages 55, 83
Parent of Shangguan An (上官安)
father 父
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passages 83-84
Parent of Son of Shangguan Jie (上官桀子)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 199

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 8 Volume 7: Annals of Emperor Zhao 11 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 71 Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli 5 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 70 Volume 60: Du Zhou 2 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 27 Volume 24b: Treatise on Trade 2 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 69 Volume 59: Zhang Tang 1 passage

Career and standing

privy treasurer 少府
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 203
General of the Left 左將軍
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 60, passage 246
search-grain commandant 搜粟都尉
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 184
left general 左將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 70, passage 28
Left General 左將軍
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 199
Marquis of Anyang 安陽侯
BC 85 始元二年春正月 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 33

Places and affiliations

Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passage 273
Polity Han 漢
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 199
Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 60, passage 246

Events and relationships

Plotted rebellion
BC 80 元鳳元年九月 · Political · Conspirator
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 83
Plotted rebellion
BC 80 遂與上官桀等謀反，誅滅 · Rebellion · Conspirator · With Sang Hongyang (桑弘羊)
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passage 273
Stormed yucheng
Military · Commander
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 184
Rebellion · Conspirator · With Prince of Yan (燕王)
Directly stated · Book of Han 101, passage 52

Assessments and attributes

Assessment dared to press deep into enemy country · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 203

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passage 273; Records of the Grand Historian 60, passage 246

References in the histories

Search passages

History

25 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 8Volume 7: Annals of Emperor Zhao · 11 passages

大將軍光秉政，領尚書事，車騎將軍金日磾、左將軍上官桀副焉。 Grand General Guang held the government, led the Secretariat affairs, with Chariot Cavalry General Jin Midi and Left General Shangguan Jie as his assistants.

發軍屯西河，左將軍桀行北邊。 Troops were dispatched to garrison Xihe commandery, and General of the Left Shangguan Jie inspected the northern frontier.

二年春正月，大將軍光、左將軍桀皆以前捕斬反虜重合侯馬通功封，光為博陸侯，桀為安陽侯。 In the first month of spring of the second year, Grand General Huo Guang and Left General Shangguan Jie were both enfeoffed for their previous merit in capturing and executing the rebel bandit Marquis Ma Tong of Chonghe. Guang became Marquis of Bolu, Jie became Marquis of Anyang.

九月，鄂邑長公主、燕王旦與左將軍上官桀、桀子票騎將軍安、御史大夫桑弘羊皆謀反，伏誅。 In the ninth month, the Elder Princess of Eyi, King Dan of Yan, Left General Shangguan Jie, Jie's son Flying Cavalry General An, and Imperial Secretary Sang Hongyang all plotted rebellion and were executed.

初，桀、安父子與大將軍光爭權，欲害之，詐使人為燕王旦上書言光罪。 Initially, Shangguan Jie and his son An contended for power with Grand General Huo Guang and wished to harm him. They falsely had someone submit a memorial in the name of King Dan of Yan accusing Guang of crimes.

冬十月，詔曰：「左將軍安陽侯桀、票騎將軍桑樂侯安、御史大夫弘羊皆數以邪枉干輔政，大將軍不聽，而懷怨望，與燕王通謀，置驛往來相約結。 In the tenth month of winter, an edict stated: 'Left General Marquis Jie of Anyang, Flying Cavalry General Marquis An of Sang Le, and Imperial Secretary Hongyang all repeatedly interfered in the auxiliary government with crooked and perverse actions. The Grand General would not listen, so they harbored resentment and communicated with King Yan in plotting, establishing post stations for coming and going and mutually agreeing to join together.

丞相徵事任宮手捕斬桀，丞相少史王壽誘將安入府門，皆已伏誅，吏民得以安。 The Chancellor's investigator Ren Gong personally captured and beheaded Jie. The Chancellor's junior secretary Wang Shou lured An to enter the office gate. They all suffered execution, and officials and people were thereby able to live in peace.

又曰：「燕王迷惑失道，前與齊王子劉澤等為逆，抑而不揚，望王反道自新，今乃與長公主及左將軍桀等謀危宗廟。 The edict continued: 'The King of Yan was confused and lost his way. He had previously joined Prince Liu Ze of Qi and others in rebellion. Though this was suppressed and not widely publicized in the hope that the king would reform and return to the proper path, he has now conspired with the Long Princess and General of the Left Jie to endanger the ancestral temples.

其赦王太子建、公主子文信及宗室子與燕王、上官桀等謀反父母同產當坐者，皆免為庶人。 The king's heir apparent Jian, the princess's son Wenxin, and the imperial clansmen who had plotted rebellion with the King of Yan and Shangguan Jie, together with their parents and full siblings who would normally be implicated, were all pardoned and reduced to commoner status.

其吏為桀等所詿誤，未發覺在吏者，除其罪。」 The officials who had been deceived and misled by Jie and his confederates, and whose involvement had not yet been discovered while they remained in office, were pardoned of their crimes."

孝昭幼年即位，亦有燕、盍、上官逆亂之謀。 When Emperor Zhao the Filial ascended the throne in his youth, there were likewise conspiracies of rebellion involving King Yan, the Elder Princess, and the Shangguan faction.

Book of Han, Chapter 27Volume 24b: Treatise on Trade 2 · 1 passage

弘羊自以為國興大利，伐其功，欲為子弟得官，怨望大將軍霍光，遂與上官桀等謀反，誅滅。 Hongyang believed that he had brought great profit to the state and boasted of his achievements. He sought offices for his sons and younger kin, resented General-in-Chief Huo Guang, and then plotted rebellion with Shangguan Jie and others; he and his clan were exterminated.

Book of Han, Chapter 69Volume 59: Zhang Tang · 1 passage

會左將軍上官桀父子及御史大夫桑弘羊皆與燕王、蓋主謀反誅，光以朝無舊臣，白用安世為右將軍光祿勳，以自副焉。 When Left General Shangguan Jie and his son, together with Grand Minister of Finance Sang Hongyang, were executed for plotting with the King of Yan and the Princess of Gai, Huo Guang—finding the court bereft of senior ministers—recommended Anshi as general of the right and superintendent of the masters of writing to serve as his deputy.

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 2 passages

左將軍上官桀父子與蓋主、燕王謀為逆亂。 Left General Shangguan Jie and his son conspired with the Princess of Gai and the king of Yan to overturn the government.

延年以聞，桀等伏辜。 Yannian laid the matter before the throne, and the conspirators were executed.

Book of Han, Chapter 71Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli · 5 passages

貳師令搜粟都尉上官桀往攻破郁成，郁成降。 Ershi sent Search-Grain commandant Shangguan Jie, who stormed Yucheng into submission.

其王亡走康居，桀追至康居。 Its king fled to Kangju, and Jie followed him there.

康居聞漢已破宛，出郁成王與桀，桀令四騎士縛守詣大將軍。 Learning that Han had taken Ferghana, Kangju handed over the king of Yucheng; Jie assigned four horsemen to bind him and escort him to the grand general.

桀等遂追及大將軍。 Jie and his party then rejoined the grand general's column.

上官桀敢深入，為少府； Shangguan Jie, commended for pressing deep into enemy country, was named privy treasurer;

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 1 passage

先是，左將軍上官桀與蓋主謀殺光，光既誅桀等，後出入自備。 Earlier, Left General Shangguan Jie and the princess regent had conspired against Huo Guang; once Guang had put them to death, he went about heavily guarded.

Book of Han, Chapter 90Volume 79: Feng Fengshi · 1 passage

奮武將軍任千秋者，其父宮，昭帝時以丞相征事捕斬反者左將軍上官桀，封侯，宣帝時為太常，薨。 Ren Qianqiu's father Ren Gong had served Emperor Zhao's chancellor as investigator, cut down mutineer Shangguan Jie, taken a marquisate, and ended as Grand Master of ceremonies under Xuan.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 1 passage

昭帝立，幼，大將軍霍光秉政，大臣爭權，上官桀等與燕王謀作亂，光既誅之，遂遵武帝法度，以刑罰痛繩群下，由是俗吏上嚴酷以為能，而霸獨用寬和為名。 Emperor Zhao came to the throne as a child while Huo Guang held power. Court factions clashed until Huo executed Shangguan Jie and his allies in the plot with the Prince of Yan. Thereafter the regime clung to Emperor Wu's harsh precedents, and petty bureaucrats climbed by proving how cruel they could be—except Huang Ba, who made his name with lenience.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 60House of the Three Kings · 1 passage

其後旦復與左將軍上官桀等謀反，宣言曰「我次太子，太子不在，我當立，大臣共抑我」云云。 Later, Dan again plotted rebellion, this time with the General of the Left, Shangguan Jie, and others. He declared: "I am next in line after the Crown Prince. Since the Crown Prince is no longer alive, I should be on the throne. The ministers are all conspiring to keep me down"—and so on.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 121Volume 121 Biographies 46: Liu, Zhong, Cui, and the Two Kings · 1 passage

琚曰：「昔漢蓋主供養昭帝，其後與上官桀謀殺霍光，不及天子，而帝猶以大義去之。 Ju said, "Under Han, Princess Gai raised Emperor Zhao, then plotted with Shangguan Jie against Huo Guang; though she never touched the throne, the emperor removed her on principle.