Chen Ji (Yuanfang)
Chen Ji | |
---|---|
陳紀 | |
Minister Herald (大鴻臚) | |
In office 196 –199 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
Chancellor of Pingyuan (平原相) | |
In office 190 –? | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
Palace Attendant (侍中) | |
In office 189 –190 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
General of the Household for All Purposes (五官中郎將) | |
In office 189 –189 | |
Monarch | Emperor Xian of Han |
Personal details | |
Born | 129 Xuchang, Henan |
Died | 199 (aged 70) |
Children | Chen Qun |
Parent |
|
Occupation | Official, scholar |
Courtesy name | Yuanfang (元方) |
Chen Ji (129 – c.July 199
Life
Chen Ji was from Xu County (許縣), Yingchuan Commandery (潁川郡), which is present-day Xuchang, Henan. His father Chen Shi was a notable official who served from the reign of Emperor Huan (r. 146–168) well into the early reign of Emperor Ling (r. 168–189).
Due to the
In 189, the warlord Dong Zhuo took advantage of the political chaos in the aftermath of Emperor Ling's death to lead his troops into the imperial capital Luoyang and seize control of the central government. He also deposed Emperor Shao and replaced him with Emperor Xian, who remained a figurehead ruler under his control. Dong Zhuo then sent an invitation to Chen Ji, requesting him to come to Luoyang to serve as General of the Household for All Purposes (五官中郎將). Fearing that he would be killed if he refused, Chen Ji accepted the invitation. He was later reassigned to be a Palace Attendant (侍中).
In 190, Dong Zhuo appointed Chen Ji as the Chancellor (相) of
In 196, when Emperor Xian appointed Yuan Shao as Grand Commandant, Yuan Shao refused to accept the appointment because Grand Commandant ranked lower than General-in-Chief, the appointment held by his rival Cao Cao. Yuan Shao then offered the appointment of Grand Commandant to Chen Ji instead, but Chen Ji declined. Emperor Xian then appointed Chen Ji as Minister Herald (大鴻臚). Chen Ji died in office in 199 at the age of 71 (by East Asian age reckoning). His son, Chen Qun, served in the Han central government under the premiership of the warlord Cao Cao throughout the final years of the Eastern Han dynasty and later served in the Cao Wei state during the Three Kingdoms period.
See also
References
- ^ According to the "Stele of Master Chen, Minister Herald of Later Han" by Handan Chun (recorded in volume 19 of Gu Wen Yuan), Chen Ji died of illness, aged 71 (by East Asian reckoning), in the 6th month of the 4th year of the Jian'an era of Liu Xie's reign. This corresponds to 11 July to 9 August 199 on the Julian calendar. (《古文苑卷十九·後漢鴻臚陳君碑》邯鄲淳撰:不幸寢疾,年七十有一,建安四年六月卒。)
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Fan, Ye (5th century). Book of the Later Han (Houhanshu).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).