Bao Shengzhi 暴勝之

Bao Shengzhi 暴勝之 (died 91 BCE), courtesy name Gongzi 公子, was a high minister of the mid-Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE). He hailed from Hedong 河東 (modern Xiaxian 夏縣, Shanxi) and was sent out as *investigating censorial commissioner (zhizhi shizhe 直指使者) to suppress peasant uprisings in the commanderies of Taishan 泰山 and Langya 琅琊 in eastern China during the late years of Emperor Wu 漢武帝 (r. 141-87 BCE).

He was such a ruthless commander that he even executed state officials of the region where uprisings had taken place. His surname was therefore used in the literal sence and he was called Baojun 暴君 "Lord Cruelty". In 94 BCE he was appointed Censor-in-chief (yushi dafu 御史大夫), but three years later he was involved in the sorcery affair around Prince Li 戾太子 and was put into jail, where he committed suicide.