Ancient China · Royal Family Member

Dan Zhu 丹朱

Legendary antiquity

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Dan Zhu was a Royal Family Member.

Life and dates

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 86, 147

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Emperor Yao (帝堯)
heir son 嗣子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 86, 147

Assessments and attributes

Assessment unworthy · Mode named-speaker Speaker Emperor Yao (帝堯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 87-88, 147

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 86

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 1Annals of the Five Emperors · 7 passages

放齊曰：「嗣子丹朱開明。」 Fang Qi answered, “Your heir Dan Zhu is bright enough for the task.”

堯知子丹朱之不肖，不足授天下，於是乃權授舜。 Yao knew his son Dan Zhu was unworthy and could not receive the realm, so he weighed the matter and transferred the mandate to Shun.

授舜，則天下得其利而丹朱病； To give the throne to Shun would bless the world yet wound Dan Zhu alone;

授丹朱，則天下病而丹朱得其利。 to give it to Dan Zhu would torment the world while only Dan Zhu profited.

堯崩，三年之喪畢，舜讓辟丹朱於南河之南。 After Yao’s death and the three years’ mourning, Shun yielded the throne to Dan Zhu south of the southern river.

諸侯朝覲者不之丹朱而之舜，獄訟者不之丹朱而之舜，謳歌者不謳歌丹朱而謳歌舜。 Lords who attended court went to Shun, not Dan Zhu; plaintiffs sought Shun, not Dan Zhu; ballad-makers praised Shun, not Dan Zhu.

三年喪畢，讓丹朱，天下歸舜。 After mourning, he yielded to Dan Zhu, but the realm rallied to Shun.