Xie Shang

Xie Shang
謝尚
General Who Maintains the West (安西將軍)
In office
? (?)–352 (352)
MonarchEmperor Mu of Jin
General Who Establishes Might (建威將軍)
In office
352–?
MonarchEmperor Mu of Jin
Inspector of Yuzhou (豫州刺史)
In office
353–357
MonarchEmperor Mu of Jin
Personal details
Born308
Died357
SpouseLady Yuan
RelationsXie Zhenshi[1] (sister)
Xie An (younger cousin)
Chu Pou (brother-in-law)
Chu Suanzi (niece)
ChildrenXie Kang (adopted)
Xie Sengyao
Xie Sengshao
Wang Maozhi's wife
Parent
  • Xie Kun (father)
OccupationMilitary general, poet
Courtesy nameRenzu (仁祖)
Posthumous nameJian (简)

Xie Shang (308[2] – 14 June 357[3]), courtesy name Renzu, was a Chinese military general, musician and writer of the Eastern Jin dynasty. He was a member of the Xie clan of Chen Commandery and was the elder cousin to the Jin prime minister Xie An. In the 350s, he participated in the expeditions to reclaim northern China for the Jin dynasty, his most important contribution being his recovery of the imperial seal, which had been lost in the north decades prior. Although a general, Shang was mostly known for his talents in art and music. He was one of the earlier known players of the pipa and helped popularize bells and stone chimes in southern China.

  1. ^ Lady Xie's name was not recorded in official histories, but was recorded in her father's epitaph, which was discovered in Nanjing on 10 Sep 1964. (《谢鲲墓志》:晋故豫章内史,陈国阳夏,谢鲲幼舆,以泰宁元年十一月廿八亡,假葬建康县石子岗,在阳大家墓东北四丈。妻中山刘氏,息尚仁祖,女真石。弟褒幼儒,弟广幼临,旧墓在荧阳。). Xie Shang's biography in Book of Jin recorded that Chu Suanzi was his niece (时康献皇后临朝,即尚之甥也,....) Jin Shu, vol.79.
  2. ^ According to Xie Shang's biography in Book of Jin, he was 50 (by East Asian reckoning) when he died. (未至,卒于历阳,时年五十。) Jin Shu, vol 79. Thus by calculation, his birth year should be 308.
  3. ^ According to Sima Dan's biography in Book of Jin, Xie Shang died on the gengwu day of the 5th month of the 1st year of the Shengping era of Dan's reign. This corresponds to 14 Jun 357 on the proleptic Gregorian calendar. ([升平元年]夏五月庚午,镇西将军谢尚卒。) Jin Shu, vol 08