Shi Chong () (249–300),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theob ...

Jilun (季倫), was a Chinese politician of the

Western Jin Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

Dynasty. He was a son of situ Shi Bao (石苞). He was known for his luxurious lifestyle.

Biography

Shi Chong was the sixth son of situ Shi Bao (石苞). At a young age, he showed great intelligence and courage. As a result, his father decided to leave no property for him, as he was confident that Shi Chong could make a fortune on his own. Shi Chong first served as magistrate of

Xiuwu County Xiuwu County () is a county in the northwest of Henan province, China, bordering Shanxi province to the north. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Jiaozuo Jiaozuo ( ; postal: Tsiaotso) is a prefecture-level city in th ...

and Governor of Chengyang Commandery (a

commandery In the Middle Ages, a commandery (rarely commandry) was the smallest administrative division of the European landed properties of a military order. It was also the name of the house where the knights of the commandery lived.Anthony Luttrell and G ...

in Jiaodong Peninsula, centered in Ju County). He became Marquis of Anyang Xiang due to his participance in

Conquest of Wu by Jin The conquest of Wu by Jin was a military campaign launched by the Western Jin dynasty against the Eastern Wu dynasty in 280 at the end of the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. The campaign concluded with the fall of Eastern Wu and ...

. Later, his rose to Shizhong (侍中, an attendant and consultant in the imperial court) position. In the first year of Yuankang (291), Yang Jun became regent. As a dissident, Shi Chong left the capital and became Governor of

Jingzhou Jingzhou () is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the 2020 census, 1,068,291 of whom resided in the built-up (''or metro' ...

. Later, he was appointed as Dasinong (大司农, in charge of finance). However, the appointment was cancelled because he left his post before the official announcement. Shortly after, he was appointed as Zhenglu General, guarding the

Xuzhou Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area ma ...

region. Soon, he was removed after an incident where he became drunk and fought with Gao Dan, Governor of Xuzhou. After Queen Regent Jia Nanfeng gained power, he became a friend of Jia's nephew,

Jia Mi Jia Mi (died 7 May 300), courtesy name Changyuan, originally named Han Mi, was a Chinese politician of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was the grandson of the Jin minister Jia Chong and nephew of Jin's ''de facto'' ruler between 291 and 300, J ...

, by flattering the latter. It was recorded that whenever

Guo Huai Guo Huai (died 23 February 255), courtesy name Boji, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei (or Wei) during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He started his career towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao ...

, Jia Nanfeng's mother passed by, Shi would stop and prostrate himself before her. In the first year of Yongkang (300), the Prince of Zhao,

Sima Lun Sima Lun ( sim. ch. 司马伦, trad. ch. 司馬倫, py. Sīmǎ Lún, wg. Ssu-ma Lun) (before 250 - poisoned June 5, 301), courtesy name Ziyi (子彛), was titled the Prince of Zhao (pinyin: zhào wáng, simplified Chinese: 赵王, tradition ...

, exterminated the Jia family. Shi Chong was removed from his post as an ally of the family.

Sun Xiu Sun Xiu (235 – 3 September 264), courtesy name Zilie, formally known as Emperor Jing of Wu, was the third emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Early life Sun Xiu was born in 235 to Wu's founding emper ...

, a favorite of Sima Lun, hated Shi Chong over the beauty of Shi's concubine, Lüzhu (绿珠), and framed Shi that he had conspired with Prince of Huainan, Sima Yun, who rebelled against Sima Lun. Shi Chong was subsequently executed along with his family.《晋书·石苞传》(

Book of Jin The ''Book of Jin'' is an official Chinese historical text covering the history of the Jin dynasty from 266 to 420. It was compiled in 648 by a number of officials commissioned by the imperial court of the Tang dynasty, with chancellor Fang ...

, Volume 33, Biography of Shi Bao)

Notable anecdotes

Shi Chong was best known for his extravagant lifestyle. On the position as Governor of Jingzhou, Shi accumulated huge wealth by engaging in highway robbery, often murdering merchants passing by for their properties. Shi Chong and Wang Kai (王恺), a

consort kin The consort kin ({{zh, c=外戚, p=wàiqì) was the kin or a group of people related to an empress dowager or a consort of a monarch or a warlord in the Sinosphere. The leading figure of the clan was either a (usually male) sibling, cousin, or ...

, loathed each other. After learning that Wang Kai's family used sugar water to clean their dishes and pots, Shi ordered his servants to burn candles instead of firewood. On the road to his manor, Wang decorated the roadside barriers with purple silk for 40 '' li (ca. 15 km). On learning this, Shi covered 50 li with more expensive multicolored silk.

Emperor Wu of Jin Emperor Wu of Jin (; 236 – 16 May 290), personal name Sima Yan (), courtesy name Anshi (安世), was the grandson of Sima Yi, nephew of Sima Shi and son of Sima Zhao. He became the first emperor of the Jin dynasty after forcing Cao Huan, ...

once sent Wang Kai a coral tree two '' chi'' (ca. 50 cm) in height as a gift. Shi Chong visited him, smashed it with an iron '' ruyi'', and offered him several corals 3-4 ''chi'' in height in return.《世说新语·汰侈篇》 (

Shishuo Xinyu ''A New Account of the Tales of the World'', also known as ''Shishuo Xinyu'' (), was compiled and edited by Liu Yiqing (Liu I-ching; 劉義慶; 403–444) during the Liu Song dynasty (420–479) of the Northern and Southern dynasties (420–589 ...

, Volume 30: Sybaritism)

References

{{reflist 249 births 300 deaths 3rd-century executions Executed Jin dynasty (266–420) people Jin dynasty (266–420) politicians People executed by the Jin dynasty (266–420)