四世三公

Chinese

		four	life; age; generation life; age; generation; era; world; lifetime	three highest-ranking civil officials in the imperial court
trad. (四世三公)		四	世	三公
simp. #(四世三公)		四	世	三公

Etymology

For four generations, Yuan Shao's ancestors had occupied one of the 三公 (sāngōng) posts (Three Excellencies: the three highest civil posts in the country):

• great great grandfather: Yuan An was a 司徒 (sītú, “Minister over the Masses”)
• great grandfather: Yuan Chang was a 司空 (sīkōng, “Minister of Works”)
• grandfather: Yuan Tang was a 太尉 (tàiwèi, “Grand Commandant”)
• father: Yuan Feng was a 司空 (sīkōng, “Minister of Works”)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sìshìsāngōng

  (Zhuyin): ㄙˋ ㄕˋ ㄙㄢ ㄍㄨㄥ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sìshìsāngōng
    • Zhuyin: ㄙˋ ㄕˋ ㄙㄢ ㄍㄨㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sìhshìhsangong
    • Wade–Giles: ssŭ⁴-shih⁴-san¹-kung¹
    • Yale: sz̀-shr̀-sān-gūng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: syhshyhsangong
    • Palladius: сышисаньгун (syšisanʹgun)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ sän⁵⁵ kʊŋ⁵⁵/

Noun

四世三公

1. (archaic) occupying the highest civil posts for four generations (a reference to Yuan Shao's family)