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Feng Tang 馮唐

Sep 16, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald

Feng Tang 馮唐 was an official during the early Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE).

He hailed from Anling 安陵 (near modern Xianyang 咸陽, Shaanxi). During the reign of Emperor Wen 漢文帝 (r. 180-157 BCE) he was appointed office chief of the inner gentleman (zhonglang shuzhang 中郎署長). He dared criticizing the Emperor for not using competent persons for the highest officials and quoted the example of the governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery of Yunzhong 雲中, Wei Shang 魏尚, who had been deposed inspite of his great merits. The emperor, Feng Tang said, rewarded not sufficiently and punished too heavy. Emperor Wen acknowledged his fault and ordered Feng Tang to personally invite Wei Shang to be reinstated into office. Feng Tang himself was appointed commander of the chariots and cavalry (cheji duwei 車騎都尉).

When Emperor Jing 漢景帝 (r. 157-141 BCE), acceeded to the throne he was made counsellor (xiang 相) to the Prince of Chu 楚. He still served the dynasty with the age of over ninety.

Source:
Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1996). Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 759.