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Bing Ji 丙吉

Feb 2, 2012 © Ulrich Theobald

Bing Ji 丙吉, also written 邴吉, courtesy name Shaoqing 少卿, was a high minister of the mid-Former Han period 前漢 (206 BCE-8 CE). He hailed from Lu 魯 (modern Qufu 曲阜, Shandong) and was a jail guard in his young years.

Bing's career brougth him the posts of Right Inspector of Law Enforcement (tingwei youjian 廷尉右監), general of chariots and cavalry (cheji jiangjun 車騎將軍), and finally General-in-chief (da jiangjun 大將軍) of Huo Guang 霍光. Huo Guang boosted his career so that he was made Palace Steward Grand Master of Splendid Happiness (guanglu dafu jishizhong 光錄大夫給事中).

Under Emperor Xuan 漢宣帝 (r. 74-49 BCE), he was given the title of Marquis within the passes (guanneihou 關内侯) and was appointed Grand Mentor of the Heir Apparent (taizi taifu 太子太傅), then Censor-in-chief (yushi dafu 御史大夫). He finally became Wei Xiang's 魏相 successor as Counsellor-in-chief (chengxiang 丞相) and was concurrently made Marquis of Boyang 博陽侯.

Bing Ji was known as a fair and sincere person. His posthumous title is Marquis Ding 定侯.

Source:
Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1996). Hanshu cidian 漢書辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 1066.