Regnum Sinense

史记(五:列传)

Shiji V: Biographies

Shiji 史记 · 250 BC · 秦孝文王元年


Introduction

The lines of the Biography of Lü Buwei on the death of King Xiaowen, the accession of King Zhuangxiang and the two Queens Dowager.


Text and Translation

Text: Chinese source

Text: English Translation

Annotations

[§4] 史记(五:列传)

[§4] Shiji V: Biographies

吕不韦列传: 秦王立一年,薨,谥为孝文王。太子子楚代立,是为庄襄王。庄襄王所母华阳后为华阳太后,真母夏姬尊以为夏太后。

Biography of Lü Buwei: The King of Qin had been on the throne one year when he died; his posthumous title was Xiaowen. The Heir Apparent, Zichu, succeeded him; this was King Zhuangxiang. The one King Zhuangxiang had as his mother1, Queen Huayang, became Queen Dowager Huayang, and his real mother, Lady Xia, was honoured as Queen Dowager Xia.

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Terms

posthumous title / 谥n. the title conferred on a ruler after his death, by which he is thereafter named.
Heir Apparent / 太子n. the designated successor of a king.
Queen / 后n. the principal wife of a king.
Queen Dowager / 太后n. the mother of a reigning king.

Persons

King Xiaowen of Qin 秦孝文王King of Qin, reigned 250 BC.
King Zhuangxiang of Qin 秦庄襄王King of Qin, reigned 249–247 BC; personal name Zichu 子楚 (Suoyin).
Queen Dowager Huayang 华阳太后Queen Dowager of Qin, Queen of King Xiaowen and mother by adoption of King Zhuangxiang.
Queen Dowager Xia 夏太后Queen Dowager of Qin, consort of King Xiaowen and mother of King Zhuangxiang; Lady Xia 夏姬.

Notes

1 mother所母: the mother by adoption, Queen Huayang, as against the 真母, the real mother; the Suoyin: Liu's text reads 所生母, with 生 an intrusive character, and the editions it checked have no 生.