Overview
Shun was a ruler.
Life and dates
Death
Attested activity
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Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
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Events and relationships
Executed
Presented as successor
Raised
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 2Annals of Xia · 23 passages
於是帝堯乃求人，更得舜。
Emperor Yao began looking again and found Shun.
舜登用，攝行天子之政，巡狩。
Shun was raised to high office, administered affairs in the Son of Heaven's name, and toured the realm.
天下皆以舜之誅為是。
Throughout the realm people judged Shun's sentence just.
於是舜舉鯀子禹，而使續鯀之業。
Shun then promoted Gun's son Yu to carry on his father's work.
堯崩，帝舜問四嶽曰：「有能成美堯之事者使居官？」
When Yao died, Emperor Shun asked the Four Peaks, "Is there anyone who can complete Yao's work and take office?"
舜曰：「嗟，然！」
Shun exclaimed, "Well said—it shall be so."
舜曰：「女其往視爾事矣。」
Shun told him, "Go and attend to your task."
於是帝錫禹玄圭，以告成功于天下。
The Emperor gave Yu a black scepter to proclaim the work finished to the realm.
帝舜朝，禹、伯夷、皋陶相與語帝前。
At Shun's audience Yu, Boyi, and Gao Yao debated policy before the throne.
皆若是，惟帝其難之。
If everyone did that, even a sage on the throne would find it hard.
帝舜謂禹曰：「女亦昌言。」
Emperor Shun said to Yu, "You speak plainly in your turn."
帝曰：「吁，臣哉，臣哉！
The Emperor said, "Alas, my ministers, my ministers!
帝即不時，布同善惡則毋功。」
If the Son of Heaven is out of step and spreads the same measure to good and evil alike, we shall accomplish nothing."
帝曰：「毋若丹朱傲，維慢游是好，毋水行舟，朋淫于家，用絕其世。
The Emperor said: "Do not be like Danzhu, proud and idle, who boated for pleasure, debauched his household, and lost his line.
苗頑不即功，帝其念哉。」
Only the Miao remained stubborn—think of them, my lord."
帝曰：「道吾德，乃女功序之也。」
The Emperor answered, "It is your ordering of merit that spreads my virtue."
舜德大明。
Shun's virtue shone the brighter for it.
帝用此作歌曰：「陟天之命，維時維幾。」
The Emperor made a song: "Heaven's charge is high—mind the seasons and the perilous moments."
（舜）又歌曰：「元首叢脞哉，股肱惰哉，萬事墮哉！」
Shun sang again, "If the head is muddled, the limbs grow slack, and every task collapses!"
帝拜曰：「然，往欽哉！」
The Emperor bowed and said, "Yes—go and be reverent!"
帝舜薦禹於天，為嗣。
Emperor Shun presented Yu to Heaven as successor.
十七年而帝舜崩。
Seventeen years later Emperor Shun died.
三年喪畢，禹辭辟舜之子商均於陽城。
When the three years' mourning ended, Yu withdrew to Yangcheng to yield to Shun's son Shangjun.