ChinaKnowledge.de -
An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art

Tian Shu 田叔

Aug 25, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald

Tian Shu 田叔 was an official during the early years of the Former Han period 前漢 (206 BC-8 CE).

He hailed from Jingcheng 陘城 (modern Quwo 曲沃, Shanxi) and was an expert in the Huang-Lao religion 黄老. He became a follower of the king of Zhao 趙, Zhang Ao 張敖, and accompanied him into imprisonment to the capital Chang'an 長安 (modern Xi'an 西安, Shaanxi).

When Zhang Ao was released in 188, Tian Shu was appointed governor (taishou 太守) of the commandery of Hanzhong 漢中.

During the reign of Emperor Jing 漢景帝 (r. 157-141), he was entrusted with the investigation of the assassination of Yuan Ang 袁盎 that was probably ordered by Liu Wu 劉武, Prince of Liang 梁. Tian Shu neglected the involement of the Prince and instead laid the focus on his inquiry on Yang Sheng 羊勝 and Gongsun Gui 公孫詭. The emperor therefore appointed him counsellor to the Prince of Lu 魯. In this position, he admonished the Prince not to indulge in hunts in order to relief the people of his estate.

Source:
Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1996). Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 190.