Xia Yun 夏惲 was a eunuch greatly favoured by Emperor Ling and Empress-Dowager Dong. In the 180's he was made Regular Palace Attendant and enfeoffed as full marquis. He made false reports against the "good" eunuch Lü Qiang 呂強 which Emperor Ling believed to be true.
Biography[]
In April, of the year 184 A.D. Xia Yun is first mentioned when he and his fellow Attendants had all been enfeoffed as marquises and treated with great favour. His leader Zhang Rang and colleague Zhao Zhong 趙忠 were even referred to as father and mother by Emperor Ling. The eunuchs grew very confident from this. They build themselves great houses that rivalled the Imperial Palace. Later, fellow members Feng Xu 封諝 and Xu Feng 徐奉 however, were discovered and the Emperor became furious at them. The eunuchs kowtowed and blamed Wang Fu and Hou Lang. Xia Yun, together with Zhao Zhong and some others made false reports against Lü Qiang. When Lü Qiang was summoned to the court by Emperor Ling, he grew angry and killed himself.
Xia Yun and Zhao Zhong slandered Lü Qiang, saying:
- "When Lü Qiang was called to court, he had no idea what questions would be put to him, but he went straight outside and killed himself. It's only too clear that he was guilty".
After this, Lü Qiang's family was sent to prison and their properties were confiscated.
Xia Yun was later mentioned in a memorial from He Jin in which he mentioned the Empress-Dowager Dong instructing Xia Yun and others to communicate with provincial and commandery governments and that they should send the proceeds of all taxes to the Western Apartments.
After this, Xia Yun is not mentioned anymore. He was probably killed in the eunuch massacre in 189 A.D.
Notes[]
References[]
Sources[]
- Fan Ye 范曄 (398–445). Hou Han shu 後漢書 "History of the Later Han".