Ancient China · Minister to King Wu Ding

Fu Yue 傅說

Attested BC 1250 - BC 1192

Passages: 12
Chapters: 9
Histories: 5

Overview

Fu Yue was a minister to King Wu Ding.

Life and dates

Attested activity

傅說匿於傅險
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Han 98, passage 47; Book of Later Han 92, passage 163; Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 193
c. BC 1250 to c. BC 1192 傅說
Strongly inferred · Book of Zhou 23, passage 138
BC 1250 to BC 1192 傅說
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passages 141, 147
BC 1250 to BC 1192 傅說告商高宗
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 304
BC 1250 得傅說
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 431

Show 1 more source-backed claim

BC 1250 to BC 1200 殷说梦发于傅岩
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 117, passage 257

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Polity Shang Yin 殷 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 257
Polity Shang 商 · Relation Served
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 304
At cliffs of Fu 傅險 · Relation Hid at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
At Fuyan 傅岩 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 257

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With King Gaozong of Shang (商高宗) · Direct quotation
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 304

Events and relationships

Cited as model or warning
AD 544 大統十年 · Political · Exemplar · Mode document Source Person Id Su Chuo (蘇綽)
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 23, passage 138
Revealed in a dream at Fuyan and rose to serve Yin
Political · Actor
Directly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 257
Relation Minister of · Person Wu Ding (武丁)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 193
Relation Adviser of · Person King Gaozong of Shang (商高宗)
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 304

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 117, passage 257
Historicity legendary
Directly stated · History of Song 256, passage 304
From Yue 說 · To Fu Yue 傅說 · Reason named from Fu ravine
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 147

References in the histories

Search passages

History

12 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 1 passage

累既攀夫傅說兮，奚不信而遂行？ Once you had climbed to Fu Yue in dream— why not trust the sign and press on?

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage

殷說夢發於傅巖，周望兆動於渭濱，齊甯激聲於康衢，漢良受書於邳沂，皆俟命而神交，匪詞言之所信，故能建必然之策，展無窮之勳也。 Fu Yue was revealed in a dream at Fuyan; Lü Wang's omen stirred on the banks of the Wei; Ning Qi's song rang out at the crossroads; and Zhang Liang received the book at the bridge at Xiapi. All awaited their appointed time and communed in spirit, relying on more than words; thus they could devise certain strategies and achieve immeasurable merit.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 92Volume 82a: Biographies of Alchemists 1 · 1 passage

舜用皋陶，政致雍熙、殷、周雖有高宗、昌、發之君，猶賴傅說、呂望之策，故能克崇其業，允協大中。 Shun used Gao Yao and harmony followed. Yin and Zhou boasted kings like Gaozong, Wen, and Wu, yet even they leaned on Fu Yue and Lü Wang—only thus could they magnify their work and hit the great mean.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3Annals of Yin · 4 passages

武丁夜夢得聖人，名曰說。 One night Wuding dreamed of a sage named Yue.

於是乃使百工營求之野，得說於傅險中。 He sent artisans to search the wilds and found Yue at Fu ravine.

是時說為胥靡，筑於傅險。 At that time Yue was a corvée laborer, building at Fu ravine.

故遂以傅險姓之，號曰傅說。 He took his name from Fu ravine and was called Fu Yue.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 13Genealogical Tables of the Three Dynasties · 1 passage

帝武丁。雉升鼎耳雊。得傅說。稱高宗。 Emperor Wuding. A pheasant perched on the tripod ear and crowed; he obtained Fuyue and was called Gaozong.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 84Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master Jia · 1 passage

傅說胥靡兮，乃相武丁。 Fu Yue toiled as a convict laborer, yet rose to become chief minister to King Wu Ding.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 124Biographies of Knight-errants · 1 passage

太史公曰：昔者虞舜窘於井廩，伊尹負於鼎俎，傅說匿於傅險，呂尚困於棘津，夷吾桎梏，百里飯牛，仲尼畏匡，菜色陳、蔡。 The Grand Historian remarks: In the old days, Emperor Shun was nearly killed in a well and a granary. Yi Yin labored among the pots and cutting boards. Fu Yue hid himself at the cliffs of Fu. Lu Shang was reduced to desperate straits at Jijin. Guan Zhong wore fetters. Baili Xi fed cattle for a living. Confucius was besieged at Kuang and went hungry until his face turned sallow between Chen and Cai.

History of Song, Chapter 256Volume 256 Biographies 15: Zhao Pudi and Younger Brother: Anyi · 1 passage

昔傅說告商高宗曰：「學於古訓乃有獲，事不師古，以克永世，匪說攸聞。」 Fu Yue once told King Gaozong of Shang: "Only by learning from the ancients can one gain wisdom. To govern for generations without heeding the past—of that I know nothing."

Book of Zhou, Chapter 23Volume 23 Biographies 15: Su Chuo · 1 passage

苟得其人，自可起塚養而為卿相，伊尹、傅說是也，而況州郡之職乎。 Get the right man and he may rise from tending graves and feeding cattle to minister and chancellor, as with Yi Yin and Fu Yue—how much more so for provincial office!