Overview
Tian Yannian was an official.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|
| Courtesy name |
Zibin |
子賓 |
Zibin |
Life and dates
Death
Attested activity
Career and standing
大司農
Text En Excellency of Agriculture
河東太守
Text En Hedong grand administrator
長史
Text En chief clerk
陽成侯
Text En Marquis of Yangcheng
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 16 passages
田延年
Tian Yannian.
田延年字子賓，先齊諸田也，徙陽陵。
Tian Yannian, courtesy name Zibin, came from the Qi Tian clan and moved to Yangling.
延年以材略給事大將軍莫府，霍光重之，遷為長史。
By ability he served on Huo Guang's staff, won his trust, and rose to chief clerk.
以選入為大司農。
Selected for court, he became Excellency of Agriculture.
延年按劍，延叱群臣，即日議決，語在光傳。
Drawing his sword, Yannian rebuked the assembled ministers until they resolved the matter that day; details appear in Huo Guang's biography.
宣帝即位，延年以決疑定策封陽成侯。
Emperor Xuan enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yangcheng for his decisive role in the succession crisis.
昭帝大行時，方上事暴起，用度未辦，延年奏言：「商賈或豫收方上不祥器物，冀其疾用，欲以求利，非民臣所當為。
When Emperor Zhao died, the imperial tomb works suddenly expanded before funds were ready. Tian Yannian memorialized, "Some merchants have stockpiled ominous burial goods in advance, hoping urgent need will let them profit. This is not conduct proper to subjects.
富人亡財者皆怨，出錢求延年罪。
Ruined plutocrats pooled silver hunting his scalp.
初，大司農取民牛車三萬兩為僦，載沙便橋下，送致方上，車直千錢，延年上簿詐增僦直車二千，凡六千萬，盜取其半。
As Excellency of Agriculture he inflated ox-cart hire from one thousand to two thousand cash per cart on thirty thousand vehicles—embezzling thirty million.
丞相議奏延年「主守盜三千萬，不道」。
The chancellor deliberated and memorialized: "Tian Yannian, as the official in charge, stole thirty million and acted impiously."
霍將軍召問延年，欲為道地，延年抵曰：「本出將軍之門，蒙此爵位，無有是事。」
General Huo summoned Tian Yannian for questioning and wanted to make room for an explanation. Yannian denied the charge, saying, "I came from your household and received these ranks through you; there was no such affair."
當廢昌邑王時，非田子賓之言大事不成。
Without Tian Zibin's advice we could never have deposed the Prince of Changyi.
謝田大夫曉大司農，通往就獄，得公議之。」
Tell Tian Guangming to urge Tian Yannian to surrender so the matter may be tried openly."
田大夫使人語延年，延年曰：「幸縣官寬我耳，何面目入牢獄，使眾人指笑我，卒徒唾吾背乎！」
When Tian Guangming's messenger urged surrender, Tian Yannian said: "If the court merely spares me, how could I bear to enter a prison while people point and laugh and guards spit on my back!"
數日，使者召延年詣廷尉。
Days later the summons to the commandant of justice arrived.
延年後復劾大司農田延年持兵干屬車，大司農自訟不干屬車。
He later charged Tian Yannian with brandishing arms near the imperial escort—countered by Tian's denial.