Qin and Han · Official and Courtier

Wang Hong 王閎

Attested BC 2 - BC 1

Passages: 6
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Wang Hong was an official and Courtier.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 1 後上置酒麒麟殿
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 233
BC 2 to BC 1 是時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 105, passage 226

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Spouse of Wife of Wang Hong (王閎妻)
wife 妻
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 226
Sibling of Wang Quji (王去疾)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 226
Child of Wang Tan (王譚)
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 105, passage 226

Career and standing

Regular Palace Attendant 中常侍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 226

Places and affiliations

Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 226

Works and attributed material

Remonstrance · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Emperor Ai of Han (漢哀帝)
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passages 235-237

Events and relationships

Barred from later feasts
Political · Dismissed attendant
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 239
Sought daughter of Xiao Xian for Kuanxin
Political · Intermediary · With Xiao Xian (蕭咸)
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 228

Assessments and attributes

Assessment had native shrewdness · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 230

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 105, passage 226

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 6 passages

上以王氏亡在位者，遂用舊恩親近去疾，復進其弟閎為中常侍，閎妻父蕭咸，前將軍望之子也，久為郡守，病免，為中郎將。 Seeing no Wang in power, Ai favored Quji out of old affection and promoted his brother Wang Hong to regular palace attendant; Hong's father-in-law Xiao Xian—Xiao Wangzhi's son—had been a long-serving governor, left office for illness, and now served as general of the household.

閎為賢弟駙馬都尉寬信求咸女為婦，咸惶恐不敢當，私謂閎曰：「董公為大司馬，冊文言『允執其中』，此乃堯禪舜之文，非三公故事，長老見者，莫不心懼。 Wang Hong asked Xiao Xian for his daughter as wife for Dong Kuanxin; Xiao Xian panicked and whispered back, "The grand marshal's patent cited 'hold the mean'—words from the Yao-Shun abdication, not a normal appointment for one of the three excellencies. Elders who read it were inwardly afraid.

閎性有知略，聞咸言，心亦悟，乃還報恭，深達咸自謙薄之意。 Wang Hong took the point, went back to Dong Gong, and relayed Xiao Xian's polite refusal in full.

後上置酒麒麟殿，賢父子親屬宴飲，王閎兄弟侍中、中常侍皆在側。 Later Ai held a banquet in the Qilin Hall for the Dong clan; Wang Hong and his brothers, on duty as attendants, flanked the party.

閎進曰：「天下乃高皇帝天下，非陛下之有也。 Wang Hong stepped in: "The empire belongs to Gaozu's line, not to Your Majesty alone to give away.

於是遣閎出，後不得復侍宴。 He sent Wang Hong away and never again let him join the drinking parties.