King Jie of Xia (夏桀)

Overview

King Jie of Xia was a Legendary final ruler of the Xia dynasty.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Lügui	履癸	Lügui

Life and dates

Death

banished then died 放而死 · At Mingtiao 鳴條
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 256

Attested activity

堯舜之用心
Directly stated · Book of Han 89, passage 26
夏桀
Directly stated · Book of Song 7, passage 149
legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 50, passage 51; Book of Han 22, passage 15; Book of Han 51, passage 42; Book of Han 101, passage 152; Book of Later Han 32, passage 104; Book of Later Han 89, passage 41; History of Liao 78, passage 63; Book of Southern Qi 8, passage 57; Records of the Three Kingdoms 61, passage 222; Records of the Grand Historian 2, passages 252-257; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 401; Records of the Grand Historian 53, passage 99; Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 110; Records of the Grand Historian 82, passage 67; Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 89; Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 12; New Book of Tang 172, passage 211; Book of Zhou 9, passage 18
c. BC 1600 last ruler of Xia
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 48, passage 115
BC 1600 夏桀、殷紂
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 15
BC 1600 夏桀
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 45

Show 1 more source-backed claim

BC 1600 紂負桀暴之累
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 98

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Fa (發)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 252

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

Xia house 夏氏
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passages 409-410

Career and standing

Entered
Exile · At Mingtiao 鳴條
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 256
imprisoned Tang at the Xia tower 囚之夏臺
Imprisoned · With King Tang (湯) · At Xia tower 夏臺
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 254
released Tang 釋之
Released · With King Tang (湯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 254
established as emperor 立
Acceded
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 252

Places and affiliations

Polity Xia 夏 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 61, passage 222; Records of the Grand Historian 2, passages 253, 255; Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 15; Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 89
At Xia tower 夏臺 · Relation Held captive at · With King Tang (湯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passages 254, 257
At Mingtiao 鳴條 · Relation Fled to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 256

Works and attributed material

I rue not killing Tang in the Xia tower when I could—now I am brought to this pass. 吾悔不遂殺湯於夏臺，使至此。
Speech · Speaker · Mode quotation Speaker King Jie of Xia (夏桀)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 257

Events and relationships

Accepted evil counsel
Political · Ruler · With Yuxin (于莘), Marquis of Chong (崇侯)
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 15
Executed
Legal · Ruler · With Long Feng (龍逢) · Outcome Good counsel rejected
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 15
Faced rebellions
Political · Ruler · [object Object] · With Kong Jia (孔甲)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 253
Fled
Military · Defeated ruler · At Mingtiao 鳴條 · With King Tang (湯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 256
Fled
Military · Defeated · At Mingtiao 鳴條
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 62
Wrestled beasts and chased horses
Military · Participant
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 15

Assessments and attributes

Assessment brave-but-authority-failed · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passages 15-16, 19
Assessment caused-fall-of-Xia · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 8, passage 57
Assessment did not cultivate virtue but injured the people by force · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 253
Assessment insufficient comparison for Ziye's cruelty · Mode quotation Speaker Grand Empress Dowager (太皇太后)
Directly stated · Book of Song 7, passage 149
Assessment lost his state and is cursed by later generations · Mode quotation Speaker Lu Kai (陸凱)
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 61, passage 222
Assessment utter folly: can join in evil but not in good · Mode named-source-report Source Work the Tradition 傳
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passages 15-16

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Records of the Three Kingdoms 61, passage 222; Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 45; Records of the Grand Historian 82, passage 67; Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 89; Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 15; Book of Song 7, passage 149; New Book of Tang 172, passage 211
Historicity legendary
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 252
seventeen generations from Yu to Jie; twenty from Yellow Emperor to Jie
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 409

References in the histories

Search passages

History

34 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 50Volume 50 Biographies 42: Favored by Nobles · 1 passage

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至說世祖云：「自古帝王，盡為灰燼，堯、舜、桀、紂，竟復何異？ He even told Shizu, "Every emperor since antiquity ends as ashes—what difference between Yao, Shun, Jie, and Zhou?

Book of Han, Chapter 22Volume 20: Prominent People from the Past Until the Present · 1 passage

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桀紂，龍逢、比干欲與之為善則誅，于莘、崇侯與之為惡則行。 By contrast, with Jie and Zhou, Long Feng and Bi Gan were executed for trying to do what was right with them, while Yuxin and the Marquis of Chong were followed when they proposed evil.

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 1 passage

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相國為民請吾苑不許，我不過為桀紂主，而相國為賢相。 Had I refused your plea for the people, I would have ranked with Jie and Zhou, while you stood as the good minister.

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 1 passage

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昌仰曰：「陛下即桀、紂之主也。」 Zhou Chang looked him in the eye and said, "You are a sovereign in the mold of Jie or Zhou—the last kings of Xia and Shang."

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 1 passage

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於是王謝曰：「雖湯伐桀，文王伐崇，誠不過此。 Liu An bowed and said: "Tang's war on Jie and King Wen's strike at Chong were no finer than this.

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 1 passage

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先生對曰：「昔者關龍逢深諫於桀，而王子比干直言於紂，此二臣者，皆極慮盡忠，閔王澤不下流，而萬民騷動，故直言其失，切諫其邪者，將以為君之榮，除主之禍也。 The gentleman replied, saying: "Formerly Guan Longpeng remonstrated deeply with Jie, and Prince Bigan spoke straight with Zhou—these two ministers both exhausted thought and fulfilled loyalty, pitied that the king's grace did not flow downward while the myriad people were restless; therefore they spoke straight of his faults and cut remonstrance of his wickedness, intending thereby to be the lord's glory and remove the ruler's disaster.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 2 passages

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雖桀在上，不能去民好義之心，而能令其好義不勝其欲利也。 even under Jie you could not stamp out regard for right, yet there gain drowned duty.

故堯、桀之分，在於義利而已，道民不可不慎也。 The gulf between Yao and Jie is simply righteousness against profit—governing the people demands care.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 1 passage

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曰：「臣聞膠西王有諛臣侯得，王所為擬於桀、紂也，得以為堯、舜也。 Gong Sui explained: "He kept a flatterer named Hou De who masked conduct worthy of Jie and Zhou with praise fit for Yao and Shun.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage

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吊夏桀於南巢兮，哭殷紂於牧野。 I mourn Jie of Xia besieged at Southern Nest and Zhou of Yin defeated at Muye.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 89Volume 80a: Biographies of Writers 1 · 1 passage

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昔在强秦，爰初开畔，霸自岐、雍，国富人衍，卒以并兼，桀虐作乱。 When all-powerful Qin first carved its realm, dominance sprang from Qi and Yong; wealth and population swelled until conquest unified the land—yet cruelty like Jie's invited revolt.

History of Liao, Chapter 78Volume 78 Biographies 8: Yelu Yilage, Xiao Haili, Xiao Husi, Xiao Siwen, Xiao Jixian · 1 passage

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湯之伐桀也，數其罪曰「並告無辜於上下神祇」； When Tang attacked Jie, he recited his crimes: "You have together reported the innocent to the spirits above and below";

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 8Volume 8 Annals 8: Emperor He of Southern Qi · 1 passage

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史臣曰：夏以桀亡，殷隨紂滅，郊天改朔，理無延世。 The historian says: Xia perished through Jie; Yin fell with Zhou of Shang; when sacrifices to Heaven were changed and the calendar revised, dynastic rule could not be prolonged.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 61Volume 61: Book of Wu 16: Biographies of Pan Jun and Lu Kai · 1 passage

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臣常忿亡国之人夏桀、殷纣，亦不可使后人复忿陛下也。 I have always hated how men curse Jie and Zhou of the lost dynasties—I cannot bear to hear posterity curse you in the same breath.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 2Annals of Xia · 5 passages

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帝發崩，子帝履癸立，是為桀。 Fa died and his son Lügui was established; this was Jie.

帝桀之時，自孔甲以來而諸侯多畔夏，桀不務德而武傷百姓，百姓弗堪。 Under Jie, lords had rebelled since Kongjia's day; Jie cultivated force, not virtue, until the people could bear no more.

湯修德，諸侯皆歸湯，湯遂率兵以伐夏桀。 Tang built up his virtue until the lords rallied to him, then led an army against Jie.

桀走鳴條，遂放而死。 Jie fled to Mingtiao, was driven out, and died.

桀謂人曰：「吾悔不遂殺湯於夏臺，使至此。」 Jie said to those about him, "I rue not killing Tang in the Xia tower when I could—now I am brought to this pass."

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

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當是時，夏桀為虐政淫荒，而諸侯昆吾氏為亂。 At this time Jie of Xia governed with cruelty and excess, and the lords of Kunwu raised disorder.

湯乃興師率諸侯，伊尹從湯，湯自把鉞以伐昆吾，遂伐桀。 Tang then raised an army of the lords, yiyin at his side, and himself wielded the axe against Kunwu before marching on Jie.

桀敗於有娀之虛，桀奔於鳴條，夏師敗績。 Jie was beaten at Yousong, fled to Mingtiao, and his army was routed.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 13Genealogical Tables of the Three Dynasties · 2 passages

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帝履癸，是為桀。 Emperor Lugui was Jie

從禹至桀十七世，從黃帝至桀二十世。 Seventeen generations from Yu to Jie; twenty generations from the Yellow Emperor to Jie.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 25Treatise on the Pitch-Pipes · 1 passage

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夏桀、殷紂手搏豺狼，足追四馬，勇非微也； Xia Jie and Yin Zhou wrestled the jackals and wolves with their hands, chased the four horses with their feet—their bravery was not small.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 53House of Chancellor Xiao · 1 passage

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相國為民請苑，吾不許，我不過為桀紂主，而相國為賢相。 You petitioned for the park on behalf of the people, and I refused. That only makes me a tyrant like Jie or Zhou, while you are a worthy minister.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 65Biographies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi · 1 passage

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夏桀之居，左河濟，右泰華，伊闕在其南，羊腸在其北，修政不仁，湯放之。 Xia Jie resided with the Yellow River on the left and Mount Tai on the right, Yique Pass to the south and Yangchang to the north. He practiced unbenevolent government, so Tang exiled him.

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

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故紂負桀暴之累，二子不失忠聖之名。 Thus, Zhou carried the infamy of Jie's tyranny, while those two men kept their reputations as loyal sages.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 82Biography of Tian Dan · 1 passage

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今又劫之以兵為君將，是助桀為暴也。 Now you would coerce me with armed force to serve as your general — that would be to aid a tyrant in his violence.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88Biography of Meng Tian · 1 passage

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桀殺關龍逢，紂殺王子比干而不悔，身死則國亡。 The tyrant Jie killed the loyal Guan Longfeng, and the tyrant Zhou killed Prince Bigan without remorse. Both perished, and their kingdoms fell with them.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 99Biographies of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong · 1 passage

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公劉避桀居豳。 Duke Liu fled from Jie and settled at Bin.

Book of Song, Chapter 7Volume 7 Annals 7: Emperor Fei I · 1 passage

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苛罰酷令，終無紀極，夏桀、殷辛，未足以譬。 Harsh punishments and cruel ordinances knew no limit; even Jie of Xia and Xin of Yin would not suffice for comparison.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 172Volume 172 Biographies 97: Yu, Wang, Two Du's, Fan · 1 passage

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隴西李衡在坐，曰：「使桀、紂為之，不是過也！」 Li Heng of Longxi, who was present, remarked, "Jie and Zhou could hardly have outdone this!"

Book of Zhou, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses · 1 passage

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雖辛、癸之荒淫，趙、李之傾惑，曾未足比其髣髴也。 Even the debauchery of Kings Zhou and Li of old and the seductive sway of Zhao Feiyan and Lady Li of Han barely approach this in likeness.