Ancient China · King of Wu

Helü 闔廬

First attested BC 519; died BC 496

Passages: 18
Chapters: 7
Histories: 2

Overview

Helü was a king of Wu.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Guang	光	Guāng

Life and dates

Death

BC 496 元年
Cause Arrow wound received at Zuili
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 9-10

Attested activity

BC 506 伍子胥說聽於闔閭，而吳王遠跡至郢
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 74
BC 496 元年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 7, 10
BC 514 to BC 496 吳王闔廬
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 2, 34
BC 506 平公十八年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 58
BC 506 惠公二十八年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 129
BC 519 惠公十五年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 128

Show 2 more source-backed claims

BC 514 to BC 496 楚昭王遭闔廬之禍
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 89
BC 514 闔廬、春申、王濞
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 162

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Fuchai (夫差)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 10

Kinship Role favorite consorts · Count 2
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 8

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Wu
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 74
Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 89; Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 58; Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 162
Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 5
Polity Wu · Relation Ruled or served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 129

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Sun Tzu (孫子)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 65, passages 3, 5, 24-25, 31
Speech · Speaker · With Fuchai (夫差)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 10

Events and relationships

Attacked Chen
BC 519 惠公十五年 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 128
Attracted wandering youths to Wu
Political · Recruiter
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 162
Brought disaster on King Zhao of Chu
Military · Attacker · With King Zhao of Chu (楚昭王)
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 89
Defeated and entered
Military · Conqueror · At Ying 郢
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 58
Defeated Chu entered Ying
BC 506 惠公二十八年 · Military · Commander
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 129
Invaded Yue and was defeated and wounded at Zuili
BC 496 元年 · Military · King and commander · With Goujian (勾踐)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 7-9

References in the histories

Search passages

History

18 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

楚昭王遭闔廬之禍，國滅出亡，父老送之。 Even after catastrophic defeat under Wu pressure, King Zhao entered exile with popular support.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 34House of Yan Shaogong · 1 passage

平公十八年，吳王闔閭破楚入郢。 In the eighteenth year of Duke Ping's reign, King Helu of Wu defeated Chu and entered Ying.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 36Houses of Chen and Qi · 2 passages

十五年，吳王僚使公子光伐陳，取胡、沈而去。 In the fifteenth year, King Liao of Wu sent Prince Guang to attack Chen; he took Hu and Shen and withdrew.

二十八年，吳王闔閭與子胥敗楚入郢。 In the twenty-eighth year, King Helu of Wu together with Zixu defeated Chu and entered Ying.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 41House of King Goujian of Yue · 4 passages

允常之時，與吳王闔廬戰而相怨伐。 In Yunchang’s time, he fought King Helü of Wu, and the two states repeatedly attacked each other out of mutual resentment.

元年，吳王闔廬聞允常死，乃興師伐越。 In the first year, King Helü of Wu heard that Yunchang had died and raised troops to attack Yue.

吳師觀之，越因襲擊吳師，吳師敗於檇李，射傷吳王闔廬。 While the Wu army stared at them, Yue seized the moment to launch a surprise attack. Wu was defeated at Zuili, and King Helü of Wu was struck by an arrow.

闔廬且死，告其子夫差曰：「必毋忘越。」 As Helü neared death, he told his son Fuchai, “You must never forget Yue.”

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 65Biographies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi · 8 passages

以兵法見於吳王闔廬。 He presented his military strategies to King Helü of Wu.

闔廬曰：「子之十三篇，吾盡觀之矣，可以小試勒兵乎？」 King Helü said, “I have read all thirteen of your chapters. May we try drilling the troops on a small scale?”

闔廬曰：「可試以婦人乎？」 King Helü said, “May we try it with the palace women?”

吳王從臺上觀，見且斬愛姬，大駭。 King Helü watched from the terrace above. When he saw that his beloved consorts were about to be executed, he was badly alarmed.

於是孫子使使報王曰：「兵既整齊，王可試下觀之，唯王所欲用之，雖赴水火猶可也。」 Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to report to the king, saying: “The troops are now well-ordered. Your Majesty can come down to observe them. Whatever you wish to use them for—even charging into water or fire—they will do it.”

吳王曰：「將軍罷休就舍，寡人不願下觀。」 King Helü said, “General, please retire to your quarters. I do not wish to come down and observe.”

孫子曰：「王徒好其言，不能用其實。」 Sun Tzu said, “The king only enjoys the theory but cannot put it into practice.”

於是闔廬知孫子能用兵，卒以為將。 Thus, Helü knew that Sun Tzu could command troops, and at last he appointed him general.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 1 passage

昔伍子胥說聽於闔閭，而吳王遠跡至郢； Formerly Wu Zixu's counsel was heeded by Helü, and the king of Wu pushed as far as Ying;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 129Biographies of Money-Makers · 1 passage

夫吳自闔廬、春申、王濞三人招致天下之喜游子弟，東有海鹽之饒，章山之銅，三江、五湖之利，亦江東一都會也。 Ever since Helü, Lord Chunshen, and King Bi attracted ambitious young men from across the realm, Wu has enjoyed the riches of seaside salt to the east, the copper of Mount Zhang, and the profits of the Three Rivers and Five Lakes. It, too, is a great commercial hub east of the Yangtze.