Tian Sheng (田生) | 24 Histories

Overview

Tian Sheng was a Strategist from Qi.

PeriodQin and Han

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 186 二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 44, passages 17, 37-38; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passages 26, 47, 49
BC 187 to BC 180 高后時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 44, passage 14; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 23
BC 186 to BC 181 高后時至劉澤封琅邪王
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 44, passages 14, 38

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Tian Sheng's son (田生子)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 18; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 27

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 44 Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu 11 passages
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 51 Houses of Jing and Yan 11 passages

Career and standing

itinerant strategist 游
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 14; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 23

Places and affiliations

Qi 齊
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 14
At Qi 齊
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 14; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 23
At Chang'an 長安 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 18; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 27
At Qi 齊 · Relation Returned to
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 16; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 25

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Zhang Qing (張卿)
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passages 22-28, 33-35; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passages 32-38, 43-45

Events and relationships

Urged fast departure
BC 186 二年 · Political · Advisor · With Liu Ze (劉澤)
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 38; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 49
Relation Client of · Person Liu Ze (劉澤)
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passages 14-15; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passages 23-24

Assessments and attributes

Item half of a thousand jin of gold 半 · Relation Offered · With Zhang Qing (張卿) · Negated true
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passages 32-33; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passages 42-43
Item two hundred jin of gold 金二百斤 · Relation Received · With Liu Ze (劉澤)
Directly stated · Book of Han 44, passage 15; Records of the Grand Historian 51, passage 24

References in the histories

Search passages

History

22 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 44Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu · 11 passages

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高后時，齊人田生游乏資，以畫奸澤。 Under Empress Dowager Lü, the Qi native Tian Sheng wandered the capital in want of money and approached Liu Ze with a subtle plan.

澤大說之，用金二百斤為田生壽。 Delighted, Liu Ze gave him two hundred catties of gold to toast his longevity.

田生已得金，即歸齊。 Tian Sheng pocketed the gold and went home to Qi.

二歲，澤使人謂田生曰：「弗與矣。」 Two years later Liu Ze sent Tian Sheng word: “There will be no more gifts.”

田生如長安，不見澤，而假大宅，令其子求事呂后所幸大謁者張卿。 Tian Sheng traveled to Chang’an, never called on Liu Ze, rented a large house, and arranged for his son to enter service under Zhang Qing, the great usher in the empress dowager’s intimate circle.

張卿往，見田生帷帳具置如列侯。 When Zhang Qing arrived he found hangings and service fit for a marquis of the first rank.

酒酣，乃屏人說張卿曰：「臣觀諸侯邸第百餘，皆高帝一切功臣。 When they were deep in their cups, Tian Sheng sent the servants away and said, “I have walked the lanes of over a hundred noble houses. Every one belongs to the merit ministers whom Gaozu enfeoffed wholesale at the founding.

太后賜張卿千金，張卿以其半進田生。 She bestowed a thousand catties of gold on Zhang Qing, who forwarded half to Tian Sheng.

田生弗受，因說之曰：「呂產王也，諸大臣未大服。 Tian Sheng declined the gold and argued, “Lü Chan’s kingship will not yet win the full submission of the great ministers.

琅邪王與田生之國，急行毋留。 The king of Langye and Tian Sheng galloped for their fief and did not linger.

劉澤發於田生，權激呂氏，然卒南面稱孤者三世。 Liu Ze rose through Tian Sheng, whose stratagem spurred the Lü clan into action; his line nevertheless ruled as kings for three generations.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 51Houses of Jing and Yan · 11 passages

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高后時，齊人田生游乏資，以畫干營陵侯澤。 During the reign of Empress Dowager Gao, a man from Qi named Tian Sheng, who had exhausted his travel funds, approached the Marquis of Yingling with his stratagems.

澤大說之，用金二百斤為田生壽。 Liu Ze was greatly delighted with him and presented Tian Sheng with two hundred jin of gold as a gift.

田生已得金，即歸齊。 Once Tian Sheng had the gold in hand, he promptly returned to Qi.

二年，澤使人謂田生曰：「弗與矣。」 In the second year, Liu Ze sent a messenger to tell Tian Sheng: 'I will not help you anymore.'

田生如長安，不見澤，而假大宅，令其子求事呂后所幸大謁者張子卿。 Tian Sheng traveled to Chang'an but did not call upon Liu Ze. Instead, he rented a grand residence and had his son seek a position under Zhang Ziqing, the Grand Usher who enjoyed the special favor of Empress Lü.

田生盛帷帳共具，譬如列侯。 Tian Sheng laid out sumptuous curtains and furnishings rivaling those of a marquis's household.

酒酣，乃屏人說張卿曰：「臣觀諸侯王邸弟百餘，皆高祖一切功臣。 When the wine was flowing freely, Tian Sheng dismissed the attendants and spoke to Zhang Qing in confidence: 'I have observed that more than a hundred youths lodged at the feudal kings' mansions in the capital are all descendants of Emperor Gaozu's meritorious officials.

太后賜張卿千斤金，張卿以其半與田生。 The Empress Dowager rewarded Zhang Qing with a thousand jin of gold, and Zhang Qing gave half of it to Tian Sheng.

田生弗受，因說之曰：「呂產王也，諸大臣未大服。 Tian Sheng declined the gift and counseled him: 'Although Lü Chan has been made king, the great ministers are not yet fully won over.

瑯邪王乃與田生之國。 The King of Langya then set out for his kingdom, taking Tian Sheng with him.

田生勸澤急行，毋留。 Tian Sheng urged Liu Ze to travel with all haste and make no stops along the way.