Xiao Sihua (蕭思話) | 24 Histories

Overview

Xiao Sihua was a Calligrapher and Official.

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Liu Liu	柳	Liǔ

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 445 元嘉二十二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 71, passage 72
AD 447 二十四年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 66, passage 173
AD 421 before 永初二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 56, passages 6, 19
AD 450 to AD 470 劉宋中期
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 31
AD 420 to AD 479 宋征西儀同三司
Directly stated · Book of Liang 52, passage 135
c. AD 440 to c. AD 445 法靜尼南上
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 69, passage 177

Show 2 more source-backed claims

AD 420 to AD 455 蕭思話
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 33, passages 171-172
AD 453 起義討元兇
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 65, passage 181

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Xiao Shisu (蕭眎素)
grandfather 祖 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Liang 52, passage 135
Parent of Xiao Huiming (蕭惠明)
father of Huiming 祖/父
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 52, passages 135-136
Parent of Xiao Huikai (蕭惠開)
son 子
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 31
Sibling of Lady Liu (叔母劉)
younger brother 弟 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · Book of Song 56, passage 6

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Governor of Wu Commandery 吳郡
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Song 56, passage 6
Left Commander of the Heir Apparent's Guard 太子左衛率
AD 447 二十四年 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 66, passage 173
Palace Attendant 侍中
AD 447 二十四年 · Held
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 66, passage 173
General of the West on Equal Terms with the Three Excellencies 征西儀同三司
Held
Directly stated · Book of Liang 52, passage 135

Places and affiliations

Polity Id liu-song · Relation Active in
Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 172
Polity Id liu-song · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 31; Book of Song 65, passage 181
Polity Id liu-song · Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 66, passage 173; Book of Song 71, passage 72

Learning and skills

Skill calligraphy 書 · Level Yang Xin's shadow; taste nearly equal, brush strength weak
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 172

Events and relationships

Agreed with shangzhi
AD 447 二十四年 · Policy debate · Supporter · With He Shangzhi (何尚之)
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 66, passage 173
Rose against usurper
Military · Commander · With The Usurper (元兇)
Directly stated · Book of Song 65, passage 181
Was named by conspirators as a hoped for military ally; the chapter does not say he joined
Political · Prospective recruit
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 69, passages 181-182
Relation Student of · Person Yang Xin (羊欣)
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 171

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Song 71, passage 72

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Book of Liang, Chapter 52Volume 52: The Self-Sufficient · 1 passage

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祖思話，宋征西儀同三司； His grandfather Sihua was Song General of the West on Equal Terms with the Three Excellencies;

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 33Volume 33 Biographies 14: Wang Sengqian, Zhang Xu · 2 passages

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范曅與蕭思話同師羊欣，後小叛，旣失故步，爲復小有意耳。 Fan Ye and Xiao Sihua shared Yang Xin as teacher; later Ye slipped a little from the path, lost his old step, and kept only a trace of purpose.

蕭思話書，羊欣之影，風流趣好，殆當不減，筆力恨弱。 Xiao Sihua's hand is Yang Xin's shadow: in ease and taste he nearly does not fall short, yet his stroke power is painfully thin.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 37: Trusted Officials · 1 passage

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僧真少隨逐征西將軍蕭思話及子惠開，皆被賞遇。 As a youth Sengzhen followed General Who Conquers the West Xiao Sihua and his son Hui Kai, and both men treated him with favor.

Book of Song, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 16: Xie Zhan, Kong Linzhi · 1 passage

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劉弟柳為吳郡，將姊俱行，瞻不能違，解職隨從，為柳建威長史。 When Lady Liu's brother Liu Liu was appointed governor of Wu and took their elder sister along, Zhan could not bring himself to stay behind; he resigned and went with them, serving Liu as chief clerk of the Jianwei command.

Book of Song, Chapter 65Volume 65 Biographies 25: Ji Han, Liu Daochan, Du Ji, Shen Tian · 1 passage

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蕭思話起義討元兇，假坦輔國將軍，為前鋒。 When Xiao Sihua rose to punish the usurper, Tan was provisionally made General Who Supports the State and led the vanguard.

Book of Song, Chapter 66Volume 66 Biographies 26: Wang Jinghong, He Shangzhi · 1 passage

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吏部尚書庾炳之、侍中太子左衛率蕭思話、中護軍趙伯符、御史中丞何承天、太常郗敬叔並同尚之議。 Minister of the Civil Service Yu Bingzhi, Palace Attendant and Left Commander of the Heir Apparent's Guard Xiao Sihua, General of the Central Guard Zhao Bofu, Imperial Censor He Chengtian, and Minister of Ceremonies Xi Jingshu all agreed with Shangzhi's view.

Book of Song, Chapter 69Volume 69 Biographies 29: Liu Zhan, Fan Ye · 4 passages

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承祖南下，申義康意於蕭思話及曄，云：「本欲與蕭結婚，恨始意不果。 Chengzu went south and conveyed Yikang's wishes to Xiao Sihua and Ye, saying, "Yikang had wished to arrange a marriage with Xiao and regrets that the plan failed.

質與蕭思話款密，當仗要之，二人並受大將軍眷遇，必無異同。 Zhi and Xiao Sihua are on intimate terms and must be enlisted; both received the Grand General's favor and will surely not waver.

思話三州義故眾力，亦不減質。 Sihua's followers across three provinces are no fewer in strength than Zhi's.

湛之、曄與行中領軍蕭思話、行護軍將軍臧質、行左衛將軍孔熙先、建威將軍孔休先，忠貫白日，誠著幽顯，義痛其心，事傷其目，投命奮戈，萬殞莫顧，即日斬伯符首，及其黨與。 Zhanzhi, Ye, Acting General of the Center Army Xiao Sihua, Acting General Who Protects the Army Zang Zhi, Acting General of the Left Guard Kong Xixian, and General Who Establishes Might Kong Xiuxian, Xixian's younger brother—loyalty shining like the sun, sincerity manifest in hidden and open realms—were pained in heart and wounded in spirit; they risked their lives and brandished weapons, heedless of ten thousand deaths, and on that day cut off Bofu's head and his faction.

Book of Song, Chapter 71Volume 71 Biographies 31: Xu Zhan, Jiang Zhan, Wang Sengchao · 1 passage

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又令申情范曄，釋中間之憾，致懷蕭思話，恨婚意未申，謂此僥倖，亦不宣達。 He also had me convey his feelings to Fan Ye to settle their quarrel and express regard for Xiao Sihua, regretting that a marriage alliance had not been concluded; I regarded this as trivial and did not report it either.