Qin and Han · Official and Royal Family Member

Yin Xing 陰興

c. AD 9 - AD 47

Passages: 22
Chapters: 3
Histories: 1

Overview

Yin Xing was an official and Royal Family Member.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Junling	君陵	Junling
Posthumous name	Marquis of Yi	翼侯

Life and dates

Death

AD 47 建武二十三年
Age Value: 39 · Reckoning: Sui
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 212

Attested activity

AD 25 to AD 56 光武之世
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 31, passage 223
AD 25 to AD 56 建武
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 32, passages 1, 8
AD 47 建武二十三年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 37, passage 212
AD 26 建武二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 37, passage 175

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Yin Song (陰嵩)
cousin-brother 從兄
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 213
Parent of Yin Dan (陰丹)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 224
Parent of Yin Bo (陰博)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 223
Parent of Yin Qing (陰慶)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 223
Parent of Yin Yuan (陰員)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 224
Spouse of Wife of Yin Xing (陰興夫人)
wife 夫人
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 227
Sibling of Empress Yin Lihua (陰麗華)
younger brother by the same mother 母弟 · Maternal half siblings
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 174
Sibling of Yin Shi (陰識)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 173
Sibling of Yin Jiu (陰就)
younger brother 弟
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 196

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Palace Attendant 侍中
Appointed · From Source Date: Text: 建武九年 · Western Year: AD 33
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 182
Superintendent of the Guards 衛尉
Appointed · From Source Date: Text: 建武十九年 · Western Year: AD 43
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 191
Yellow Gate Gentleman Attendant 黃門侍郎
Appointed · From Source Date: Text: 建武二年 · Western Year: AD 26
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 175
Commandant of the Guards 衛尉
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 31, passage 223; Book of Later Han 32, passage 8
Marquis Within the Passes 關內侯
Granted · From Source Date: Text: 建武九年 · Western Year: AD 33
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 182
Marquis of Yi 翼侯
Posthumously enfeoffed · From Source Date: Text: 建初五年 · Western Year: AD 80
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 227

Places and affiliations

Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 32, passage 8

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passages 183-184, 186-189, 194, 215-216

Events and relationships

Relation Associate of · Person Feng Yan (馮衍)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 32, passage 8
Relation Patron of · Person Feng Yan (馮衍)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 31, passage 223

References in the histories

Search passages

History

22 passages

Book of Later Han, Chapter 31Volume 28a: Biographies of Huan Tan; Feng Yan · 1 passage

後衛尉陰興、新陽侯陰就以外戚貴顯，深敬重衍，衍遂與之交結，是由為諸王所聘請，尋為司隸從事。 Later Yin Xing and Yin Jiu, powerful in-laws, befriended him; he entered the princes' service and became a clerk under the metropolitan commandant.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 2 passages

衛尉陰興，敬慎周密，內自修敕，外遠嫌疑，故敢與交通。 Yin Xing, the Commandant of the Guards, was careful and discreet; he cultivated himself within and avoided every shadow of scandal abroad—so I deemed it safe to deal with him.

興知臣之貧，數欲本業之。 He knew I was poor and more than once tried to set me up with land and a livelihood of my own.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 37Volume 32: Biographies of Fan Hong; Yin Shi · 19 passages

及光武皇帝受命中興，群雄崩擾，旌旗亂野，東西誅戰，不遑啟處，然猶投戈講藝，息馬論道。 Emperor Guangwu raised the Han amid chaos and war, yet still laid down arms to teach the classics and dismounted to discuss the Way.

識弟興。 Yin Shi's younger brother Yin Xing.

興字君陵，光烈皇后母弟也，為人有膂力。 Yin Xing, courtesy name Junling, was Empress Yin's younger brother and a man of great physical strength.

興每從出入，常操持小蓋，障翳風雨，躬履塗泥，率先期門。 On every outing he carried an umbrella over the emperor, waded mud, and led the palace guards.

友人張汜、杜禽與興厚善，以為華而少實，但私之以財，終不為言：是以世稱其忠平。 Friends Zhang Fan and Du Qin were close, but he thought them flashy and shallow—he gave them money privately but never recommended them. The world called him loyal and fair.

帝後召興，欲封之，置印綬於前，興固讓曰：『臣未有先登陷陣之功，而一家數人並蒙爵士，令天下觖望，誠為盈溢。 The emperor offered a fief; Yin Xing refused: 'I have never stormed the enemy first, yet our family already holds many titles—the empire would resent further reward.'

帝嘉興之讓，不奪其志。 The emperor respected his refusal and did not force the title on him.

貴人問其故，興曰：『貴人不讀書心邪？ His sister asked why. He said, 'Have you not read the Book of Changes?'

明年夏，帝風眩疾甚，後以興領侍中，受顧命於雲臺廣室。 The next summer Guangwu's vertigo grew severe; Yin Xing was named chief palace attendant and received the deathbed charge in the Cloud Terrace hall.

會疾廖，召見興，欲以代吳漢為大司馬。 When the emperor recovered, he wished to replace Wu Han with Yin Xing as grand marshal.

興叩頭流涕，固讓曰：『臣不敢惜身，誠虧損聖德，不可茍冒。』 Yin Xing kowtowed in tears: 'I do not cling to life, but accepting would harm your reputation—I cannot.'

興素與從兄嵩不相能，然敬其威重。 Yin Xing had long been at odds with his cousin Yin Song, yet he respected Song's authority.

興疾病，帝親臨，問以政事以群臣能不。 When Yin Xing fell ill, the emperor visited him in person and asked about state affairs and the competence of his ministers.

興頓首曰：『臣愚不足以知之。 Yin Xing kowtowed and said: 'I am too foolish to judge this.

興沒後，帝思其言，遂擢廣為光祿勛； After Yin Xing's death the emperor heeded his advice and promoted Xi Guang to Director of the Imperial Household;

永平元年詔曰：『故侍中衛尉關內侯興，典領禁兵，從平天下，當以軍功顯受封爵，又諸舅比例，應蒙恩澤，興皆固讓，安乎裏巷。 In Yongping 1 an edict proclaimed: 'The late Secretariat Director and Commandant of the Guard, Marquis Within the Passes Yin Xing, commanded the palace guards and helped pacify the realm—by military merit he deserved an open fief, and as imperial in-laws his kin were due proportional honors, yet he steadfastly refused and lived quietly in his lane.

其以汝南之鲖陽封興子慶為鯛陽侯，慶弟博為㶏強侯。』 Let his son Qing be enfeoffed as marquis of Diaoyang in Runan, and Qing's younger brother Bo as marquis of Ruqiang.'

建初五年，興夫人卒，肅宗使五官中郎將持節即墓賜策，追謚興曰翼侯。 In Jianchu 5, when Yin Xing's wife died, Emperor Zhang sent the General of the Five Offices with imperial credentials to the tomb to grant an edict posthumously enfeoffing Yin Xing as marquis of Yi.

興弟就，嗣父封宣恩侯，後改封為新陽侯。 Yin Jiu inherited their father's fief as marquis of Xuan'en, later transferred to Xinyang.