Zhao Yao (趙堯) | 24 Histories

Overview

Zhao Yao was an Early Han official and Marquis of Jiangyi.

Life and dates

Age

young 年少
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 48

Attested activity

BC 186 後五歲...抵堯罪
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 81
BC 196 從擊陳豨有功，封為江邑侯
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 72
BC 195 漢十二年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 97
BC 196 to BC 195 遂拜趙堯為御史大夫
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 71
BC 206 to BC 195 高帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 85, passages 80-81, 84
BC 195 高祖崩
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 51, passages 70, 81

Show 1 more source-backed claim

BC 202 to BC 195 高祖時
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 48, 54

Key source chapters

Career and standing

clerk with brush and knife 刀筆吏
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 51
Censor Grand Master 御史大夫
BC 196 to BC 195 遂拜趙堯為御史大夫 · Appointed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 71
imperial counsellor 御史大夫
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Han 51, passage 68
Censor in Charge of Tallies and Seals 符璽御史
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 48
Palace usher 中謁者
Held
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 84
Censor Grand Master 御史大夫
BC 186 乃抵堯罪 · Removed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 81

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Marquis of Jiangyi 江邑侯
BC 196 封為江邑侯 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 72
Marquis of Jiangyi 江邑侯
Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Han 51, passage 69
Charged
BC 186 乃抵堯罪 · Charged with crime · Authority Empress Lü (呂后)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 81

Places and affiliations

Han 漢
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 81
Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 48, 71

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation · Addressed to Gaozu (高祖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 54-55, 58, 61-62

Events and relationships

Advised Zhao chancellor plan
BC 202 to BC 195 高祖時 · Court · Counselor · With Gaozu (高祖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 54, 58, 61
Campaigned against
BC 196 從擊陳豨 · Military · Officer · With Chen Xi (陳豨)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 72
Devised protection plan
BC 196 to BC 195 高祖時定趙王如意之畫 · Political · Planner · With Ruyi (如意)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 81
Relation Subordinate of · Person Zhou Chang (周昌)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 49
Relation Advisor to · Person Gaozu (高祖)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passages 54, 58, 61

Assessments and attributes

Assessment exceptional talent who will replace Zhou Chang · Mode speech Speaker Fang Yugong (方與公)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 49
Assessment mere young clerk · Mode speech Speaker Zhou Chang (周昌)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 51

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 70
Previously had military merit and a food fief
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 96, passage 72

References in the histories

Search passages

History

24 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 11 passages

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趙堯為符璽御史，趙人方與公謂御史大夫周昌曰：「君之史趙堯年雖少，然奇士，君必異之，是且代君之位。」 Zhao Yao served as clerk of tallies and seals. A Zhao native known as the lord of Fangyu said to Imperial Counsellor Zhou Chang, "That clerk of yours, Zhao Yao, is young, but he is no ordinary man. Mark my words—he will one day take your chair."

昌笑曰：「堯年少，刀筆吏耳，何至是乎！」 Zhou Chang laughed. "Zhao Yao is a youngster—a mere scribal clerk. How could he rise that high?"

居頃之，堯侍高祖，高祖獨心不樂，悲歌，群臣不知上所以然。 Not long afterward Zhao Yao was attending the High Ancestor, who sat alone in gloom, humming a mournful tune while his ministers wondered what troubled him.

堯進請問曰：「陛下所為不樂，非以趙王年少，而戚夫人與呂後有隙，備萬歲之後而趙王不能自全乎？」 Zhao Yao stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty's sorrow—is it not because the king of Zhao is still a child, because Lady Qi and the empress are at odds, and because you fear for his life once you are gone?"

堯曰：「陛下獨為趙王置貴強相，及呂後、太子、群臣素所敬憚者乃可。」 Zhao Yao said, "Then invest Zhao with a chancellor who is both weighty and formidable—someone the empress, the heir, and the whole court already fear and respect."

堯曰：「御史大夫昌，其人堅忍伉直，自呂後、太子及大臣皆素嚴憚之。 Zhao Yao answered, "Imperial Counsellor Zhou Chang is stubborn, plain-spoken, and unbending. The empress, the heir, and every senior minister already tread softly around him.

孰視堯曰：「無以易堯。」 He fixed his gaze on Zhao Yao and said, "No one else will do."

遂拜堯為御史大夫。 Zhao Yao was appointed imperial counsellor on the spot.

堯亦前有軍功食邑，及以御史大夫從擊陳豨有功，封為江邑侯。 Zhao Yao already held a fief for earlier military service; as imperial counsellor he campaigned against Chen Xi with distinction and was enfeoffed as marquis of Jiangyi.

初，趙堯既代周昌為御史大夫，高祖崩，事惠帝終世。 Zhao Yao had succeeded Zhou Chang as imperial counsellor before the High Ancestor died, and he served out Emperor Hui's entire reign.

高後元年，怨堯前定趙王如意之畫，乃抵堯罪，以廣阿侯任敖為御史大夫。 In the first year of Empress Gao's reign she remembered how Zhao Yao had engineered the plan to protect Prince Ruyi as king of Zhao, found a charge against him, and replaced him with Ren Ao, marquis of Guang'a, as imperial counsellor.

Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 1 passage

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中謁者趙堯舉春，李舜舉夏，□湯舉秋，貢禹舉冬，四人各職一時。』 Palace usher Zhao Yao was assigned spring, Li Shun summer, a certain Tang autumn, and Gong Yu winter, each man responsible for one season.’

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 93Biographies of Han Xin (King of Han) and Lu Wan · 1 passage

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上又使辟陽侯審食其、御史大夫趙堯往迎燕王，因驗問左右。 The Emperor then sent the Marquis of Biyang, Shen Shiqi, and the Grand Censor Zhao Yao to receive the King of Yan and to investigate and interrogate his attendants.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 96Biography of Chancellor Zhang · 11 passages

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趙堯年少，為符璽御史。 Zhao Yao, though young, was serving as the Censor in Charge of Tallies and Seals.

趙人方與公謂御史大夫周昌曰：「君之史趙堯，年雖少，然奇才也，君必異之，是且代君之位。」 A man of Zhao named Fang Yugong said to Censor-in-Chief Zhou Chang, "Your secretary Zhao Yao, though still young, is nevertheless a man of exceptional talent. You must treat him differently—he will one day take your place."

「堯年少，刀筆吏耳，何能至是乎！」 "Yao is young—a mere clerk. How could he rise so high!"

居頃之，趙堯侍高祖。 Before long, Zhao Yao was attending upon Gaozu.

趙堯進請問曰：「陛下所為不樂，非為趙王年少而戚夫人與呂后有卻邪？ Zhao Yao stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty is unhappy—is it not because the King of Zhao is still young, and because Consort Qi and Empress Lü are estranged?

堯曰：「陛下獨宜為趙王置貴彊相，及呂后、太子、群臣素所敬憚乃可。」 Yao said, "Your Majesty should establish for the King of Zhao a noble and powerful chancellor, one whom Empress Lu, the crown prince, and the ministers have always revered and feared. Only then will it be possible."

堯曰：「御史大夫周昌，其人堅忍質直，且自呂后、太子及大臣皆素敬憚之。 Yao said, "Censor Grand Master Zhou Chang is firm, enduring, simple, and upright. Empress Lu, the crown prince, and the great ministers have all always revered and feared him.

孰視趙堯，曰：「無以易堯。」 He looked closely at Zhao Yao and said, "No one can take Yao's place."

遂拜趙堯為御史大夫。 He then appointed Zhao Yao as the new Censor Grand Master.

堯亦前有軍功食邑，及以御史大夫從擊陳豨有功，封為江邑侯。 Yao had already earned military merit and a fief, and for his meritorious service accompanying the campaign against Chen Xi as Censor Grand Master, he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Jiangyi.

後五歲，高后聞御史大夫江邑侯趙堯高祖時定趙王如意之畫，乃抵堯罪，以廣阿侯任敖為御史大夫。 Five years later, Empress Dowager Gao learned that Censor Grand Master Zhao Yao, the Marquis of Jiangyi, had been the one who devised the plan to protect King Ruyi of Zhao during Gaozu's reign. She had Yao charged with a crime and replaced him with Ren Ao, the Marquis of Guang'a, as Censor Grand Master.