Marquess Xian of Zhao
Chinese noble
Marquess Xian of Zhao (died 409 BCE) (simplified Chinese: 赵献侯; traditional Chinese: 趙獻侯; pinyin: Zhào Xiàn Hóu) or Zhao Xianzi was a ruler of the State of Zhao from 423 BCE to 409 BCE during the Warring States period of ancient China.
Born Zhào Huàn (simplified Chinese: 赵浣; traditional Chinese: 趙浣), he was the son of Zhao Zhou (simplified Chinese: 赵周; traditional Chinese: 趙周), grandson of Zhao Bolu (simplified Chinese: 赵伯鲁; traditional Chinese: 趙伯魯) and the eldest brother of Zhao Xiangzi (simplified Chinese: 赵襄子; traditional Chinese: 趙襄子) (or Zhao Wuxu (Chinese: 趙毋卹)).
Zhào Xiāngzĭ believed that it was illegal for him to be the successor to Zhào Bólŭ and wanted to return his inheritance so that Zhào Huàn would become heir apparent.
After Zhào Huàn became leader he was banished from the Zhao capitals of Zhongmu County (Chinese: 中牟) (in modern-day Henan) and Dai Commandery (near modern-day Yuzhou in Hebei) by Zhao Huanzi (simplified Chinese: 赵桓子; traditional Chinese: 趙桓子), who usurped Zhào Huàn's position and installed himself as ruler.
A year later, Zhào Huánzĭ died and the local people killed all his sons. As a result, Zhào Huàn once more became leader of Zhao. After he died he was awarded the posthumous title of Zhào Xiànzĭ whilst his son became Marquess Lie of Zhao (simplified Chinese: 赵烈侯; traditional Chinese: 趙烈侯; pinyin: Zhào Liè Hóu) who subsequently altered his father's posthumous title to Marquess Xian of Zhao.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Marquess Xian of Zhao” is chinese noble. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Marquess, Xian and Zhao, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “chinese noble” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 9, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3454841. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Marquess Xian of Zhao”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Marquess Xian of Zhao primary sources, Marquess Xian of Zhao archive and Marquess research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Marquess Xian of Zhao”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Marquess Xian of Zhao” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.