Overview
Emperor Shun was a Legendary sage ruler of Chinese antiquity.
PeriodAncient China
IdentityLegendary · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal name | Yu Shun | 虞舜 | Yu Shun |
| Courtesy name | Chonghua | 重華 | Chonghua |
| Regnal name | Yu | 虞 |
Life and dates
Age
- 20As of when famed for filial pietyDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 167
- 30As of when Yao sought officialsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 168
Attested activity
- 堯舜之用心Directly stated · Book of Han 89, passage 26
- 昔者虞舜窘於井廩Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
- 虞舜Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 68, passage 133
- 黃帝、堯、舜垂衣裳而天下治Directly stated · Book of Later Han 131, passage 8
- legendary antiquityDirectly stated · Book of Chen 2, passages 6, 10; Book of Han 22, passages 3, 13; Book of Han 98, passage 39; Book of Later Han 30, passage 275; Book of Later Han 32, passage 56; Book of Later Han 33, passage 223; Book of Later Han 37, passage 91; Book of Later Han 108, passage 117; History of Jin 32, passage 12; History of Jin 35, passage 24; Book of Jin 128, passages 61, 106; History of Liao 40, passage 3; History of Liao 44, passage 31; History of Liao 58, passage 10; History of Liao 111, passage 70; History of Liao 117, passage 33; History of Ming 66, passage 108; Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 205; Book of Southern Qi 60, passages 8-9; Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14; Records of the Three Kingdoms 34, passage 73; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 102; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 265; Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 3, 32; Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 105; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 30; Book of Sui 5, passage 49; New Book of Tang 178, passage 77; New History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 9; New History of the Five Dynasties 71, passage 1; History of Yuan 171, passage 110; Book of Zhou 3, passage 12; Book of Zhou 4, passage 59; Book of Zhou 26, passage 101
- legendary antiquityDated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 353, passage 126; History of Song 497, passage 41; Book of Wei 27, passage 189
Show 1 more source-backed claim
- c. BC 2300 to c. BC 2200 舜Strongly inferred · Book of Han 70, passage 126
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Ancestor of Hu Gong Man (胡公滿)descendant 之後Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 113
- Child of Gusou (瞽叟)father 父
fathered 生 · paternal line - Child of Gu Sou (瞽叟)father 父Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 155, 157
- Parent of Son of Shun (舜子)father 父
son 子Sources vary in certainty · Book of Chen 2, passage 44 - Spouse of Elder daughter of Yao (堯長女)married to 妻 · MarriageDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 108, 169
- Spouse of Younger daughter of Yao (堯次女)married to 妻 · MarriageDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 108, 169
- Child of Birth mother of Shun (舜生母)mother 母Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 157
- Kin of Yao (尧)yielded to 让与Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 117
- Sibling of Xiang (象)younger brother 弟 · Paternal half siblingsDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 106, 157
- Kinship Role stern father · Count 0 · Negated trueDirectly stated · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 205
Key source chapters
- History of Jin, Chapter 35 Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple 3 passages
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 1 Annals of the Five Emperors 70 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 98 Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 8 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo 4 passages
- Book of Later Han, Chapter 32 Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan 4 passages
Career and standing
- sage-king who danced with shields and axes 舞幹之聖王Directly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 77
- tested in office 試之於位HeldDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 3
- AppointedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 119, 143
- Emperor Shun 帝舜Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 153
Places and affiliations
- Polity Yu (legendary) 虞 · Relation RuledDirectly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 77
- At Ji region 冀州Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 161
Works and attributed material
- Saying · Speaker · Direct quotation · Mode named-source-report Speaker Zhao Liang (趙良)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 68, passage 133
- When the four seas are impoverished, Heaven's mandate is cut off forever. 四海困窮,天祿永終Speech · Speaker · With Yu the Great (大禹) · Direct quotation · Mode named-source-report Speaker Emperor Shun (帝舜)Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14
- Speech · Speaker
- Speech · Subject of speech · Speaker Wang Tong (王通)Directly stated · History of Liao 58, passage 10
Events and relationships
- Accepted good counselDirectly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 13
- AidedDirectly stated · Book of Later Han 33, passage 223
- Became himself without a stern fatherMoral exemplum · SubjectDirectly stated · Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 205
- ChargedDirectly stated · Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14
- his age was cited as the origin of the twelve-emblem robe system 自黃、虞以來Later reference · Historical exemplar · Cited as precedentDirectly stated · History of Ming 66, passage 108
- Danced with shields and axes as civilizing modelRitual · ExemplarDirectly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 77
Show 16 more source-backed claims
- Divided territoryAdministrative · Ruler · At Youzhou 幽州Directly stated · History of Liao 40, passage 3
- Established spare commands and complete laws as the foundation of governingPolitical · RulerDirectly stated · Book of Southern Qi 60, passage 9
- ExecutedDirectly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 13
- ExiledDirectly stated · History of Liao 111, passage 70
- Held duties decades then received administrationDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 3
- Let robes hang down and realm governedCultural · RulerDirectly stated · Book of Later Han 131, passage 8
- Received chargeDirectly stated · Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14
- Survived granary fireDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 178-179
- Survived well burialDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 180-181
- Trapped in well and granaryPersonal · VictimDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
- Yielded toward XiaPolitical · ExemplarDirectly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 10
- Relation Successor of · Person Emperor Yao (帝堯)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 3
- Relation Instructor of · Person Yu the Great (大禹)Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14
- Relation Predecessor of · Person Yu the Great (大禹)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 3
- Relation Appointing superior of · Person Gao Yao (皋陶)Directly stated · Book of Jin 128, passage 61
- Relation Minister of · Person Yao (堯)Directly stated · Book of Later Han 33, passage 223
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment dancing with shields and axes surpasses what Shuzi makes his task · Mode speaker-judgment Speaker Liu Fen (劉蕡)Directly stated · New Book of Tang 178, passage 77
- Assessment filial and able to harmonize a wicked household · Mode named-speaker Speaker Emperor Yao (帝堯)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 106
- Assessment highest wisdom: can join in good but not in evil · Mode named-source-report Source Work the Tradition 傳Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passages 13-14
- possessed a divine nature and subtle virtueCharacterDirectly stated · Book of Southern Qi 60, passage 8
- Item sighting instrument 璣 · Relation Associated withDirectly stated · History of Liao 44, passage 31
Source notes
- Historicity legendaryDirectly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 6; Book of Later Han 30, passage 275; Book of Later Han 33, passage 223; Book of Later Han 108, passage 117; History of Jin 35, passage 24; Book of Jin 128, passages 61, 106; History of Liao 40, passage 3; History of Liao 44, passage 31; History of Liao 58, passage 10; History of Liao 111, passage 70; History of Liao 117, passage 33; Book of Southern Qi 33, passage 205; Draft History of Qing 120, passage 14; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 102; Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 3; History of Song 497, passage 41; Book of Sui 5, passage 49; New History of the Five Dynasties 20, passage 9; New History of the Five Dynasties 71, passage 1
- Value legendaryDirectly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 3; New Book of Tang 178, passage 77
- From Chonghua 重華 · To Emperor Shun 帝舜Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 153-154
References in the histories
151 passages
No matching passages.