Qin and Han · Late Han Warlord

Yuan Shu 袁術

Attested AD 189 - AD 220

Passages: 12
Chapters: 3
Histories: 3

Overview

Yuan Shu was a Late Han Warlord.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	the two Yuans	二袁

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 189 八月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 76, passage 204
AD 189 六年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 76, passage 133
AD 190 to AD 199 東漢末
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passage 128
AD 190 to AD 220 漢末
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passages 14, 21
AD 190 to AD 199 袁術
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 108, passage 132
AD 191 to AD 199 追二袁之蹤
Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 117, passage 13

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Sibling of Yuan Yin (袁胤)
cousin (younger) 從弟 · paternal line
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passage 58
Kin of Yuan Shao (袁紹)
cousin 從弟
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 133
Parent of Lady Yuan (袁夫人)
daughter 女
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passage 128

Key source chapters

Career and standing

tiger guard leader 虎賁中郎將
Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 133
Declared
Usurped imperial title
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passage 21

Places and affiliations

Eastern Han 東漢
Relation Associated with
Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 50, passage 128
Polity Eastern Han 東漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 190

Events and relationships

Burned Southern Palace Nine Dragon Gate and east west palaces
Military · Commander · At Nine Dragon Gate 九龍門 · With Zhang Rang (張讓)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 205
Hacked at palace gates with Wu Kuang
Military · Attacker · With Wu Kuang (吳匡)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 204

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 76, passage 186

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Book of Later Han, Chapter 76Volume 69: Biographies of Dou, He · 3 passages

又以袁氏累世寵貴，海內所歸，而紹素善養士，能得豪傑用，其從弟虎賁中郎將術亦尚氣俠，故並厚待之。 The Yuan house had been honored for generations and commanded loyalty across the empire; Yuan Shao knew how to gather fighting men, and his cousin Yuan Shu, another tiger guard leader, was a man of bravado—so He Jin treated both with lavish favor.

袁術與匡共斫攻之，中黃門持兵守閤。 Yuan Shu joined Wu Kuang in hewing at the gates while eunuch guards held the line with arms.

會日暮，術因燒南宮九龍門及東西宮，欲以脅出讓等。 At dusk Yuan Shu set fire to the Nine Dragon Gate of the Southern Palace and to the eastern and western annexes, hoping to smoke Zhang Rang and his party out.

Book of Jin, Chapter 108Volume 108 Records 8: Murong Hui · 1 passage

王郎、袁術雖自詐偽，皆基淺根微，禍不旋踵，此皆君侯之所聞見者矣。 Pseudo-emperors fell quickly before true mandate.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 50Volume 50: Book of Wu 5: Biographies of Concubines and Ladies · 8 passages

袁術上景領丹楊太守，討故太守周昕，遂據其郡。 Yuan Shu named Wu Jing acting Grand Administrator of Danyang to oust Zhou Xin; Wu Jing held the commandery.

會為劉繇所迫，景復北依術，術以為督軍中郎將，與孫賁共討樊能、於麋於橫江，又擊笮融、薛禮於秣陵。 Hard pressed by Liu Yao, Wu Jing went north to Yuan Shu, who made him Supervising General of the Household; with Sun Ben he fought Fan Neng and Yu Mi at Hengjiang, then Ze Rong and Xue Li at Moling.

從討劉繇，繇奔豫章，策遣景、賁到壽春報術。 After the drive against Liu Yao, who fled to Yuzhang, Sun Ce sent Wu Jing and Sun Ben east to brief Yuan Shu at Shouchun.

術方與劉備爭徐州，以景為為廣陵太守。 Yuan Shu, busy wrestling Xu Province from Liu Bei, named Wu Jing Grand Administrator of Guangling.

術後僭號。 Yuan Shu later declared himself emperor.

策以書喻術，術不納，便絕江津，不與通，使人告景。 Sun Ce wrote Yuan Shu a stern letter; when it was ignored, he sealed the river and sent word to Wu Jing.

〈《江表傳》曰：初，袁術遣從弟胤為丹楊，策令琨討而代之。〈The Jiang biao zhuan says Yuan Shu first planted his cousin in Danyang until Sun Ce sent Xu Kun to oust him.

〈《吳錄》曰：袁夫人者，袁術女也，有節行而無子。〈The Wu lu identifies Lady Yuan as Yuan Shu's daughter—virtuous and childless.