Suikua (眭誇) | 24 Histories

Overview

Suikua was a Hermit and Scholar.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	Xu	旭	Xu

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 62

Age

Years 30 · Reckoning Sui
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 37

Attested activity

AD 450 及浩沒
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 57
AD 430 to AD 450 少與崔浩為莫逆之交
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 41

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Mai (邁)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 33
Child of Sui (邃)
father 父
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 34
Spouse of Wife of Suikua
wife 婦
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 59

Kinship Role sons · Count 0 · Negated true
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 63

Career and standing

Palace Gentleman 中郎
Refused
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 42
Hermit
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 38

Places and affiliations

At Gaoyi, Zhao Commandery 趙郡高邑
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 32

Works and attributed material

On Knowing Fate 知命論
Relation Author
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 61
Speech · Author · With Cui Hao (崔浩)
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passages 47-48
Speech · Author
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 58

Events and relationships

Refused and fled
Refusal of office · Agent
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passages 42, 46, 51
Mourning · Mourner · With Cui Hao (崔浩)
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 57
Relation Friend of · Person Cui Hao (崔浩)
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 41

Assessments and attributes

Assessment 獨行士 — a man who walks his own path · Mode quoted-speech Source Person Id Cui Hao (崔浩)
Directly stated · History of the Northern Dynasties 88, passage 52

References in the histories

Search passages

History

18 passages

History of the Northern Dynasties, Chapter 88Volume 88 Biographies 76: Recluses · 18 passages

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眭誇馮亮鄭修崔廓子賾徐則張文詡 Suikua, Feng Liang, Zheng Xiu, Cui Kuo, Cui Ze, Xu Ze, and Zhang Wenxu

案《魏書》列眭誇、馮亮、李謐、鄭脩為《逸士傳》。 The History of Wei lists Suikua, Feng Liang, Li Mi, and Zheng Xiu in its 'Biographies of Hermits.'

眭誇，一名旭，趙郡高邑人也。 Suikua, also called Xu, was a native of Gaoyi in Zhao Commandery.

誇少有大度，不拘小節，耽好書傳，未曾以世務經心。 From youth Suikua had a generous spirit, cared little for petty conventions, loved books and records, and never let worldly affairs weigh on his mind.

同郡李順願與之交，誇拒而不許。 Li Shun of the same commandery wished to befriend him, but Suikua refused.

浩為司徒，奏徵為中郎，辭疾不赴。 When Hao became Minister Over the Masses, he memorialized to summon Suikua as Palace Gentleman, but Suikua pleaded illness and did not go.

浩後遂投詔書於誇懷，亦不開口。 Later Hao thrust the edict into Suikua's bosom, but Suikua still would not speak.

誇曰：「桃簡，卿已為司徒，何足以此勞國士也？ Suikua said, 'Taojian, you are already Minister Over the Masses—why bother a man of the realm with this?

浩慮誇即還，時乘一騾，更無兼騎，乃以誇騾內之廄中，冀相維縶。 Fearing Suikua would leave at once—he had only one mule and no second mount—Hao stabled Suikua's mule in his own stable, hoping to keep him there.

誇遂托鄉人輸租者，謬為御車，乃得出關。 Suikua then had a fellow townsman who was delivering rent grain pretend to drive the cart, and in that way got out through the pass.

浩知而歎曰：「眭誇獨行士，本不應以小職辱之，又使其人杖策復路，吾當何辭以謝也！」 When Hao learned of it he sighed and said, 'Suikua is a man who walks his own path—I should never have insulted him with a petty post, and now to make him walk staff in hand on the road again—what apology can I possibly offer!'

時朝法甚峻，誇既私還，將有私歸之咎。 The court law was then very strict, and since Suikua had returned without permission he would have faced punishment for unauthorized departure.

浩仍相左右，始得無坐。 Hao continued to support him on every side, and in the end Suikua escaped punishment.

經年，送誇本騾，兼遺以所乘馬，為書謝之。 A year later Hao sent back Suikua's original mule, together with the horse he himself had ridden, and wrote a letter of apology.

誇更不受其騾馬，亦不復書。 Suikua again refused the mule and horse and did not write back.

及浩沒，為之素服，受鄉人弔唁，經一時乃止。 When Hao died, Suikua wore unhemmed mourning and accepted condolences from fellow townspeople, continuing for a time before he stopped.

歎曰：「崔公既死，誰能更容眭誇！」 He sighed and said, 'Now that Lord Cui is dead, who will still tolerate Suikua!'

或人謂誇曰：「吾聞有大才者必居貴仕，子何獨在桑榆乎？」 Someone said to Suikua, 'I have heard that men of great talent inevitably hold high office—why do you alone linger in your declining years?'