Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties · Official and Courtier

Zheng Zimo 鄭子默

Zhèng Zǐmò

First attested AD 550; died AD 560

Passages: 21
Chapters: 5
Histories: 1

Overview

Zheng Zimo was an official and Courtier.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Zheng Yi	鄭頤	Zheng Yi

Life and dates

Death

AD 560 乾明元年
Execution
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passages 166-167
AD 560 乾明元年三月甲戌
Beheaded · At Imperial Treasury 御府
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 50
executed 誅
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 199

Attested activity

AD 560 乾明元年二月乙巳
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 38
AD 560 乾明元年
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passages 44, 50
AD 560 乾明初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 209; Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 198
AD 550 to AD 559 天保中
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 31, passages 44, 46
AD 559 文宣大漸
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 112

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Bi Yiyun's paternal aunt (畢義雲姑)
grandmother 祖母 · 2 generations
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 198
Descendant of Zheng Ju (鄭據)
high ancestor 高祖
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 203
Child of Mother of Zheng Zimo (鄭子默母)
mother 母
Strongly inferred · Book of Northern Qi 47, passage 198
Sibling of Zheng Kang (鄭抗)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 213

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Attendant Cavalier in Regular Attendance 散騎常侍
Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 209
Attendant of the scattered cavalry 散騎常侍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 38
Eastern-Pavilion Libationer 太原公東閣祭酒
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 205
Regular Attendant 散騎常侍
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passage 50
Yellow Gate Vice Director 黃門侍郎
Held
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 112
Inspector of Guangzhou 廣州刺史
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 212

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Palace Secretary 殿中尚書
Posthumously granted
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 212
Suffered
AD 560 乾明元年二月乙巳 · Execution · Authority Emperor Xiaozhao (孝昭帝)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 5, passage 38
Suffered
Mutilation · Authority Prince of Changgung (長廣王)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 167

Places and affiliations

Polity Northern Qi 北齊 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 209
At Pengcheng 彭城
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 202

Works and attributed material

Report · Speaker · With Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi (文宣帝) · Mode allegation Speaker Zheng Zimo (鄭子默)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 46
Speech · Speaker · With Wang Xin (王昕)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 44
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passages 130, 141

Events and relationships

Received deathbed testament
Political · Regent
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 112
Seized and executed in coup
Political · Victim
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 6, passages 49-50
Tongue and hands cut
Legal · Victim · With Prince of Changgung (長廣王)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 167
Relation Teacher of · Person Song Qindao (宋欽道)
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 34, passage 205

References in the histories

Search passages

History

21 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 5Volume 5 Annals 5: Emperor Fei · 1 passage

乙巳，太師、常山王演矯詔誅尚書令楊愔、尚書右僕射燕子獻、領軍大將軍可朱渾天和、侍中宋欽道、散騎常侍鄭子默。 On the yisi day Prince Yan of Changshan, grand preceptor, forged an edict and had executed Yang Yin, director of the Masters of Writing; Yanzi Xian, right vice-director; Kezhuhun Tianhe, commanding general of the palace guards; Song Qindao, palace attendant; and Zheng Zimo, attendant of the scattered cavalry.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 6Volume 6 Annals 6: Emperor Xiaozhao · 2 passages

時楊愔、燕子獻、可朱渾天和、宋欽道、鄭子默等以帝威望旣重，內懼權逼，請以帝為太師、司州牧、錄尚書事； At the time Yang Yin, Yanzi Xian, Kezhuhun Tianhe, Song Qindao, Zheng Zimo, and the others saw how great his prestige had become and secretly feared the pressure of his authority. They asked that he be made grand preceptor, governor of Sizhou, and recorder of the Masters of Writing;

帝戎服與平原王段韶、平秦王高歸彥、領軍劉洪徽入自雲龍門，於中書省前遇散騎常侍鄭子默，又執之，同斬於御府之內。 In armor, with Prince Duan Shao of Pingyuan, Prince Gao Guiyan of Pingqin, and Commander-in-Chief Liu Honghui, he entered through the Cloud Dragon Gate. Before the Secretariat he met Regular Attendant Zheng Zimo, seized him too, and had them all beheaded inside the Imperial Treasury.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 31Volume 31 Biographies 23: Wang Xin; Wang Xi · 2 passages

鄭子默私謂昕曰：「自古無朝士作奴。」 Zheng Zimo said privately to Xin, "From antiquity there have been no court gentlemen made slaves."

子默遂以昕言啟顯祖，仍曰：「王元景比陛下於殷紂。」 Zimo then reported Xin's words to Gao Yang, adding, "Wang Yuanjing compares Your Majesty to King Zhou of Shang."

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 34Volume 34 Biographies 26: Yang Yin; Yan Zixian; Song Qindao; Zheng Yi · 14 passages

楊愔燕子獻宋欽道鄭頤 Yang Yin; Yan Zixian; Song Qindao; Zheng Yi

愔與尚書左僕射平秦王歸彥、侍中燕子獻、黃門侍郎鄭子默受遺詔輔政，並以二王威望先重，咸有猜忌之心。 Yang Yin with left vice director Prince Guiyan of Pingqin, palace attendant Yan Zixian, and yellow gate vice director Zheng Zimo received the deathbed testament to govern as regents; because the two princes already carried such weight, all harbored suspicion.

子默止之，云：「事不可量，不可輕脫。」 Zimo restrained them, saying, "The outcome cannot be foreseen; do not go unprepared."

使薛孤延、康買執子默於尚藥局。 They sent Xue Guyan and Kang Mai to seize Zimo at the imperial pharmacy bureau.

子默曰：「不用智者言，以至於此，豈非命也！」 Zimo said, "By not heeding the wise man's counsel we have come to this—is it not fate?"

長廣王以子默昔讒己作詔書，故先拔其舌，截其手。 The prince of Changgung, because Zimo had once slandered him in an edict, first tore out his tongue and cut off his hands.

時鄭子默以文學見知，亦備親寵。 At that time Zheng Zimo was known for his learning and shared intimate favor at court.

欽道本文法吏，不甚諳識古今，凡有疑事，必詢於子默。 Qindao was by training a legal clerk, not deeply versed in history; whenever he was unsure he asked Zimo.

鄭頤，字子默，彭城人。 Zheng Yi, style Zimo, was a man of Pengcheng.

頤聰敏，頗涉文義。 Yi was clever and well read in the literary tradition.

俄而自結人主，與參顧命。 Before long Zheng Yi bound himself to the ruler and joined the regency.

乾明初，拜散騎常侍。 At the beginning of Qianming Zheng Yi was made attendant cavalier in regular attendance.

頤後與愔同詔追贈殿中尚書、廣州刺史。 Later, by the same edict as Yin, Yi was posthumously made palace secretary and inspector of Guangzhou.

頤弟抗，字子信，頗有文學。 Yi's younger brother Kang, styled Zixin, was well versed in letters.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 47Volume 47 Biographies 39: Cruel Officials · 2 passages

鄭子默正被任用，義雲之姑卽子默祖母，遂除度支尚書，攝左丞。 Zheng Zimo was then in favor; Yiyun's aunt was Zimo's grandmother, so he was made minister of revenue and acting left vice director.

子默誅後，左丞便解。 After Zimo was killed, he gave up the acting left vice director post at once.