Zheng Dangshi 鄭當時

Other names

Family

• Descendant of Lord Zheng (鄭君)
  forebear 先
  his forebear 其先
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 125; Book of Han 59, passage 243

• Kinship Role brothers, sons, and grandsons · Count 6 · Count Max 7 · six or seven to two-thousand-bushel rank
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 158
• Kinship Role cousins and brothers · Count 7 · Count Qualifier six or seven · reached two-thousand-picul rank because of him
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 270

Career and standing

• advancing the worthy 推賢
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
• knight-errant 任俠
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 247
• Gentleman of the Crown Prince's Household 太子舍人
  BC 157 to BC 141 孝景時 · Appointed
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 131
• gentleman-attendant to the crown prince 太子舍人
  BC 157 to BC 141 孝景時 · Appointed
  Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 59, passage 248
• chancellor of Jiangdu 江都相
  BC 141 to BC 87 武帝即位 · Appointed
  Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 59, passage 286
• commandant of Lu 魯中尉
  BC 141 to BC 87 武帝即位 · Appointed
  Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 59, passage 286

Places and affiliations

• Western Han 漢
  Relation Served
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 243, 286; Book of Han 68, passage 258
• Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
  Strongly inferred · Book of Han 38, passage 34
• Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 26; Records of the Grand Historian 112, passages 277, 282; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 131
• Polity Western Han 西漢 · Relation Served
  Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 30, passage 69
• At Chen commandery 陳
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 242
• At Chen 陳
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 124

Learning and skills

• Belief Huang-Lao 黃老 · Relation Adherent of
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 250; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 133
• Skill recommending gentlemen 推轂士 · Level renowned
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 257, 278

Works and attributed material

• Recommendation · Speaker · With Dongguo Xianyang (東郭咸陽)
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 30, passage 98
• 客至，亡貴賤亡留門下者。
  Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 252
• Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passages 32-34; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 137

Events and relationships

• Blocked Huzi breach unsuccessfully
  Disaster response · Commissioner · At Huzi 瓠子
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 26
• Cut straight canal
  Engineering · Sponsor · At from Chang'an to Huayin 自長安至華陰 · Outcome Employed tens of thousands; unfinished after two or three periods
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 30, passages 69-70
• Demoted in Wu'an–Weiqi factional disputes
  Political · Official · With Wu'an (武安), Weiqi (魏其)
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 287
• Fell into crime over hire contract arrears as grand minister of agriculture
  Legal · Accused · With Sima An (司馬安)
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 266-267
• Hosted guests with relay horses around Chang'an on leave days
  Social · Host · At Chang'an 長安
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 249
• Inspected breach
  Administrative · Inspector · At Yellow River 河
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 146

Assessments and attributes

• Assessment advancing the worthy (推賢) · Mode historian-judgment
  Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 258
• Assessment at court hurried to agree with the emperor and dared not sharply judge right and wrong · Mode historian-judgment
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passage 264
• Assessment incorruptible; humble toward guests; praised by scholars east of the mountains · Mode historian-judgment
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passages 139, 145
• Assessment recommended gentlemen with conviction; praised them as worthier than himself · Mode historian-judgment
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 257-258, 278
• incorrupt; did not manage estates; spent salary and gifts on gentlemen
  Character
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 254-255
• Item no surplus household property 家亡余財 · Relation Lacked · Negated true
  Directly stated · Book of Han 59, passages 254, 273

Source notes

• Value historical
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 112, passage 282
• After mid-career fall and death in commandery post, household left without surplus wealth
  Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passages 156-157