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Persons in Chinese History - Xi Fugong 息夫躬

Xi Fugong 息夫躬 (died 1 BCE), courtesy name Xi Ziwei 息子微, was a high minister of the late Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE). He came from Heyang 河陽 (modern Mengxian 孟縣, Henan) and was a professor (boshi 博士 "erudite") for the Confucian Classic Chunqiu 春秋 "Spring and Autumn Annals". Xi Fugong was a friend of Empress Fu's 傅后 father, the Marquis of Kongxiang 孔鄉侯, and therefored gained access to the court. He was an excellent advisor and reveiled the rebellious plot of the Prince of Dongping 東平, Liu Yun 劉雲. For this merit he was appointed Grand Master for Splendid Happiness (guanglu dafu 光祿大夫) and head of the left section of the palace stewards (zuocao jishizhong 左曹給事中) and later enfeoffed as Marquis of Yiling 宜陵侯. He was from then on regularly given audiences with Emperor Ai 漢哀帝 (r. 7-1 BCE), where he often slandered other high ministers. His suggestion to built a transport canal directly into the capital, passing the city walls and reaching to the capital granary was not accepted. In 2 BCE he was dismissed because he had a confrontation with Emperor Ai's most favourite minister Dong Xian 董賢. From his Marquisate he continued denigrating other officials and was finally put into jail where he died.

Sources: Cang Xiuliang 倉修良 (1996). Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典, p. 270. Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe.

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September 16, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald · Mail