Zengzi (曾子) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zengzi was a scholar and Philosopher.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Zeng Shen	曾參	Zēng Shēn
Temple name	Sage of the Zeng clan	宗聖
Alternate name	Zeng clan	曾氏	Zēng shì

Life and dates

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · History of Yuan 171, passage 115
BC 505 to BC 436 Zeng Shen (traditionally BC 505-436)
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 73, passage 87
BC 505 to BC 436 大戴禮
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 26, passages 61-63
BC 520 to BC 480 孔門弟子之世
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 75, passage 283
BC 505 to BC 436 宗聖 / 曾參
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 284, passages 161, 163
BC 500 故曾子曰
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 104, passage 18

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BC 450 to BC 435 昔曾參之處費
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 66
BC 500 春秋之時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 151
BC 500 春秋時期約
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 101, passage 36
c. BC 505 曾、閔
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 37, passage 221
BC 505 to BC 436 曾參
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 194, passage 209
BC 505 to BC 436 曾子 / 曾參
Directly stated · Book of Liang 47, passages 258, 274
BC 505 to BC 436 曾子侍
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 21, passage 84
BC 505 to BC 435 曾子問
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 93, passage 328
BC 505 to BC 436 曾子曰
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 38, passage 99
BC 505 to BC 436 曾氏之義
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 102
BC 505 to BC 436 縣名勝母而曾子不入
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 233
BC 505 to BC 436 郕伯（曾參）
Strongly inferred · History of Jin 35, passage 49
c. BC 436 量交
Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 14, passage 242

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Zeng Zhicui (曾質粹)
clan sage ancestor 宗聖 · paternal line · 59 generations
Directly stated · History of Ming 284, passage 161
Ancestor of Marquis Ju of Duxiang (都鄉侯據)
ancestor 其先 · paternal line
Strongly inferred · History of Ming 284, passages 161-162
Ancestor of Unnamed Zeng descendant in Jiaxiang
descendant of Zengzi 曾子之後
Directly stated · History of Ming 284, passage 165
Child of Mother of Zeng Shen (曾參之母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 66

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

At Fei 費 · Relation Dwelt at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 66
At Shengmu 勝母 · Relation Refused to enter
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 233

Works and attributed material

Zengzi Asked (Book of Rites) 曾子問
Relation Speaker in
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 93, passage 328
Advice · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Yang Fu (陽膚) · Topic compassionate adjudication
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 151-152
Cited authority · Exemplar · Mode named-person-report Speaker Song Zhong (宋忠)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 102
Dialogue · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Zengzi (曾子) Source Work Great Dai Rites 大戴禮
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 26, passages 62-63
Saying · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Zengzi (曾子)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 38, passage 99
asked about the bride changing to mourning dress if the bridegroom’s parents die on the way to fetch her 問親迎在途而婿之父母死女改服趨喪
Speech · Speaker · Speaker Zengzi (曾子) · Mode quotation Speaker Zengzi (曾子) Source Work Zengzi Asked 曾子問
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 93, passage 328

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Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Book of Han 104, passage 18

Events and relationships

Cited as a model of filial and disciplined conduct
AD 426 to AD 433 元嘉三年後庭誥引述 · Literary comparison · Exemplar
Dated from the passage context · Book of Song 73, passages 41, 62, 87
Refused to enter
BC 505 to BC 436 縣名勝母而曾子不入 · Travel · Traveler · At Shengmu 勝母
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 233
Tomb discovered and identified
AD 1465 成化初 · Ritual · Commemorated · At eastern slope of Mount Yuanzhai, Jiaxiang 嘉祥縣元寨山東麓 · posthumous discovery of a stele naming his tomb
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 284, passage 163
Relation Student of · Person Confucius (孔子)
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 47, passage 274
Relation Student of · Person Confucius (孔子)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 26, passage 63
Relation Advised · Person Yang Fu (陽膚)
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 151-152

Assessments and attributes

Assessment exemplary filial figure invoked in Household Admonitions · Mode quoted-document Source Person Id Yan Yanzhi (顏延之)
Directly stated · Book of Song 73, passage 87
Assessment paragon of household filiality · Mode named-speaker Speaker Ruan Xiaoxu (阮孝緒)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 47, passage 258
Assessment reverently filial exemplar · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Liang 47, passage 274
Assessment virtuous talent treated as dust when powerless · Mode quoted-source Speaker Liu Jun (劉峻)
Directly stated · Book of Liang 14, passages 242-243
Assessment worthy and trusted by his mother until three reports frightened her · Mode quotation Speaker Gan Mao (甘茂)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 71, passage 69

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 75, passage 283; History of Ming 284, passage 161; Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 233
had seventy-two disciples and brought disaster carrying straw
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 194, passage 209

Later references and commemoration

Elevated from earl to marquis
AD 1197 承安二年 · Posthumous commemoration · Honoree
Dated from the passage context · History of Jin 35, passages 48-49

References in the histories

Search passages

History

34 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

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孟氏使陽膚為士師，問於曾子，亦曰：「上失其道，民散久矣。 When the Meng clan made Yang Fu judicial officer, he asked Zengzi, who likewise said: 'When those above have lost the Way, the people have long since become scattered.

Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

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夫曾參以布衣猶難之，今陛下親以王者修之，過曾參遠矣。 Even Zeng Shen, a commoner, struggled to match such devotion; you did it as heir to a kingdom—you have outdone Zeng Shen by a wide margin.

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 1 passage

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陳涉無千乘之尊、疆土之地，身非王公大人名族之後，無鄉曲之譽，非有孔、曾、墨子之賢，陶朱、猗頓之富也。 Chen She owned no kingdom, no famous name, no village cheering him on—he was no sage and no millionaire.

Book of Han, Chapter 75Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 · 1 passage

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興事父母有曾氏之孝，事師有顏閔之材，榮名聞於四方。 He honors his parents with the devotion of Zeng Shen, serves his teachers with the gifts of Yan Hui and Min Sun, and his good name rings through the realm.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 1 passage

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昔曾子問從令之義，孔子曰：「是何言與！」 When Zengzi asked about blind obedience, Confucius cried, "What talk is that!"

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 1 passage

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故曾子曰：「上失其道，民散久矣。」 Master Zeng warned, "When rulers stray from the Way, the people lose their moorings."

Book of Later Han, Chapter 37Volume 32: Biographies of Fan Hong; Yin Shi · 2 passages

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準字幼陵，宏之族曾孫也。 Fan Zhun, courtesy name Youling, was a great-grandnephew of Fan Hong's line.

輔導朕躬，有周昌之直，在家仁孝，有曾、閔之行，不幸早卒，朕甚傷之。 He guided me with Zhou Chang's integrity, and at home showed the filial devotion of Zeng and Min. His untimely death grieves Us deeply.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 38Volume 33: Biographies of Zhu, Feng, Yu, Zheng, Zhou · 1 passage

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故曾子曰：『君子所貴乎道者三，籩豆之事則有司存。』 As Zengzi said, 'The gentleman honors three things in the Way; the plates and dishes are for petty officers to mind.'

History of Jin, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 1 passage

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上親為贊文，舊封公者升為國公，侯者為國侯，郕伯以下皆封侯。 The emperor personally composed the praise text; former lords were promoted to state lords, marquises to state marquises, and from the Earl of Cheng downward all received marquis titles.

Book of Liang, Chapter 14Volume 14: Jiang Yan; Ren Fang · 1 passage

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若衡不能舉，纊不能飛，雖顏、冉龍翰鳳＜芻鳥＞，曾、史，蘭熏雪白，舒、向金玉，淵海卿、雲，黼黻河漢，視若遊塵。 If the scale cannot lift and the gossamer cannot fly, though Yan and Ran had dragon sinews and phoenix pinions, Zeng and Shi orchid scent and snow-white, Shu and Xiang gold, jade, and the abyss-sea, Qing and Yun embroidery and the Milky Way—they are wandering dust.

Book of Liang, Chapter 47Volume 47: Filial Acts · 2 passages

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舅阮孝緒聞之，歎曰：「此兒在家則曾子之流，事君則藺生之匹。」 His uncle Ruan Xiaoxu sighed, "At home this boy is like Zengzi; in serving a lord he would match young Lan."

高柴、仲由伏膺聖教，曾參、閔損虔恭孝道，或水漿不入口，泣血終年，豈不知創鉅痛深，《蓼莪》慕切？ Gao Chai and Zhong You followed the sage; Zeng Shen and Min Sun were reverently filial—some took no food, some wept blood a year: did they not know wound and longing in "Luxuriant Reeds"?

History of Ming, Chapter 284Volume 284 Biographies 172: Confucian Scholars 3 · 3 passages

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曾質粹，字好古，吉安永豐人，宗聖五十九代孫也。 Zeng Zhicui, styled Haogu, was from Yongfeng in Ji'an and a fifty-ninth-generation descendant of Zengzi, the Sage of the Zeng clan.

成化初，山東守臣上言：「嘉祥縣南武山西南，元寨山之東麓，有漁者陷入穴中，得懸棺，碣曰曾參之墓。」 Early in the Chenghua reign Shandong officials reported: "Southwest of Mount Nanwu in Jiaxiang County, on the eastern slope of Mount Yuanzhai, a fisherman fell into a cave and found a suspended coffin; the stele read 'Tomb of Zeng Shen.'"

正德間，山東僉事錢鋐訪得曾子之後一人於嘉祥山中，未幾而沒。 During the Zhengde reign Shandong Vice Commissioner Qian Hong found a descendant of Zengzi in the Jiaxiang hills, but he died soon afterward.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 21Volume 21 Biographies 2: Crown Prince Wenhui · 3 passages

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儉又諮太子曰：「《孝經》『仲尼居，曾子侍』。 Wang Jian went on to ask the crown prince: "In the Classic of Filial Piety, 'Confucius was at rest and Zengzi attended.'

夫孝理弘深，大賢方盡其致，何故不授顏子，而寄曾生？」 Filial piety runs wide and deep; only a great sage can reach its limit. Why not give it to Yan Hui, but lodge it with Master Zeng?"

太子曰：「曾生雖德慚體二，而色養盡禮，去物尚近，接引非隔，弘宣規教，義在於此。」 The crown prince said: "Master Zeng's virtue did not match the Sage in body, yet he nourished his parents' looks to the full of ritual; he was still close to things, with no break in the line—to spread the teaching's rule, the reason is here."

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 26Volume 26 Treatises 1: Astronomy 1, Celestial Phenomena, Earth Shape, and Terrestrial Distances · 3 passages

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大戴禮：「單居離問於曾子曰：『天圓而地方，誠有之乎？』 The Great Dai Rites records: "Danju Li asked Zengzi, 'Heaven is round and earth square — is that true?'

曾子曰：『如誠天圓而地方，則是四角之不掩也。 Zengzi replied, 'If heaven were truly round and earth square, the corners would not meet.

參嘗聞諸夫子曰：「天道曰圓，地道曰方。」』」 I once heard from the Master: "Heaven's Way is called round; earth's Way is called square."'"

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 93Volume 93 Treatises 68: Rites 12, Xiong Li Er · 1 passage

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曾子問：「親迎在途而婿之父母死，女改服布深衣、縞總以趨喪。」 Zengzi asked: "If the bridegroom's parents die while he is fetching the bride, the woman changes to deep hemp and white headband to hurry to mourning."

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 71Biographies of Shu Lizi and Gan Mao · 5 passages

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昔曾參之處費，魯人有與曾參同姓名者殺人，人告其母曰『曾參殺人』，其母織自若也。 In former times, when Zeng Shen dwelt in Fei, a man from Lu with the same name as Zeng Shen committed murder. Someone told his mother, "Zeng Shen has killed a man," but his mother continued weaving undisturbed.

頃之，一人又告之曰『曾參殺人』，其母尚織自若也。 Shortly after, another person told her, "Zeng Shen has killed a man," and his mother still continued weaving undisturbed.

頃又一人告之曰『曾參殺人』，其母投杼下機，踰墻而走。 Shortly after, yet another person told her, "Zeng Shen has killed a man," whereupon his mother threw down her shuttle, left her loom, climbed over the wall, and fled.

夫以曾參之賢與其母信之也，三人疑之，其母懼焉。 Though Zeng Shen was worthy and fully trusted by his mother, once three men cast doubt on him, she grew fearful.

今臣之賢不若曾參，王之信臣又不如曾參之母信曾參也，疑臣者非特三人，臣恐大王之投杼也。 Now your minister's worthiness does not equal Zeng Shen's, and Your Majesty's trust in your minister does not equal Zeng Shen's mother's trust in Zeng Shen. Those who doubt your minister are not merely three men—I fear Your Majesty will throw down the shuttle.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 83Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang · 1 passage

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臣聞盛飾入朝者不以利汙義，砥厲名號者不以欲傷行，故縣名勝母而曾子不入，邑號朝歌而墨子回車。 Your servant has heard that those who enter court in splendid attire do not let profit stain their righteousness, and those who sharpen their reputations do not let desire corrupt their conduct. This is why Zengzi refused to enter a county called Shengmu, and Mozi turned his chariot away from a town named Zhaoge.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

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夫曾參以布衣猶難之，今陛下親以王者修之，過曾參孝遠矣。 Even Zeng Shen, a commoner, found such devotion difficult to sustain. Yet Your Majesty practiced it as a king, far surpassing the filial piety of Zeng Shen.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 127Biographies of Soothsayers · 1 passage

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彼久而愈安，雖曾氏之義未有以異也。」 The man who endures grows ever more secure with time—even the righteousness of Master Zeng could not improve upon this."

Book of Song, Chapter 73Volume 73 Biographies 33: Yan Yanzhi · 1 passage

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儻知恩意相生，情理相出，可使家有參、柴，人皆由、損。 If you grasp that kindness and intent breed one another and that principle and feeling arise together, your household may hold men like Zeng Shen and Gao Chai, and every man be a Zhong You or Min Sun.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 194Volume 194 Biographies 119: Outstanding Conduct · 1 passage

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曾參徒七十二人，致禍負芻； Zeng Shen had seventy-two disciples and brought disaster carrying straw;

History of Yuan, Chapter 171Volume 171 Biographies 58: Liu Yin, Wu Cheng · 1 passage

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中古之統：仲尼其元，顏、曾其亨乎，子思其利，孟子其貞乎！ The lineage of middle antiquity: Confucius is the Origin, Yan Hui and Zeng Shen perhaps the Flourishing, Zisi the Advantage, Mencius the Steadfastness!