Qin and Han · Diviner and Impostor

Zhang Yannian 張延年

Zhāng Yánnián

Died BC 82

Passages: 5
Chapters: 3
Histories: 2

Overview

Zhang Yannian was a Diviner and Impostor.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Cheng Fangsu	成方遂	Chéng Fāngsuì

Life and dates

Death

BC 82 始元五年
Waist cut execution
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 53

Attested activity

BC 82 始元五年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 8, passage 53
BC 82 始元五年
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passages 17, 35
BC 82 成方遂詐稱衛太子
Strongly inferred · Book of Jin 128, passage 41

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Practiced
Occupation diviner / fortuneteller 卜筮
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 35

Places and affiliations

Polity Han · Relation Subject of
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 35
At Xiayang 夏陽
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 53; Book of Han 82, passage 35

Events and relationships

Falsely claimed to be Crown Prince Wei
BC 82 始元五年 · Legal · Offender
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 53
Falsely claimed to be
Imposture · Impostor · With Crown Prince Wei (衛太子)
Directly stated · Book of Jin 128, passage 41

Source notes

Named Cheng Fangsu in most records, but Zhang Yannian in some accounts
Field name
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 38

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 8Volume 7: Annals of Emperor Zhao · 1 passage

夏陽男子張延年詣北闕，自稱衛太子，誣罔，要斬。 A man of Xiayang named Zhang Yannian went to the north gate and claimed to be Crown Prince Wei. For this deception, he was executed by decapitation at the waist.

Book of Han, Chapter 82Volume 71: Jun, Shu, Yu, Xue, Ping and Peng · 3 passages

本夏陽人，姓成名方遂，居湖，以卜筮為事。 He was a native of Xiayang named Cheng Fangsu, who lived at Hu and earned his living as a diviner.

方遂心利其言，幾得以富貴，即詐自稱詣闕，廷尉逮召鄉里知識者張宗祿等，方遂坐誣罔不道，要斬東市。 Fangsu seized on the idea, hoping for rank and riches, and presented himself at the palace gates under a false name. The commandant of justice rounded up witnesses such as Zhang Zonglu; Fangsu was convicted of outrageous imposture and beheaded in the eastern market.

一雲姓張名延年。 Another tradition gives his name as Zhang Yannian.

Book of Jin, Chapter 128Volume 128 Records 28: Murong Chao · 1 passage

法曰：「昔成方遂詐稱衛太子，人莫辯之，此復天族乎？」 Fa said: “Anciently Cheng Fangsui falsely claimed to be Crown Prince Wei—no one could tell; is this again the celestial clan?”