Ancient China · Ruler

Shun 舜

Legendary antiquity

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Shun was a ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Posthumous name	Emperor Shun of Yu	虞帝

Life and dates

Death

At wilds of Cangwu 蒼梧之野 · Died on southern tour · After Years On Throne 39
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 262
died seventeen years after recommending Yu 十七年而崩
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 267

Age

20
Label famed for filial piety
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
30
Label raised by Yao
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
50
Label acted as regent
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
58
Label Yao died
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
61
Label succeeded Yao
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 258

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Gu Sou (瞽叟)
father 父
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 264
Parent of Shangjun (商均)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 266
Sibling of Xiang (象)
younger brother 弟 · Uncertain siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 265

Origins and identity

same surname line from Huangdi 同姓
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 273

Career and standing

regent acting as Son of Heaven 攝行天子事
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
feudal lord 諸侯
Bestowed · With Xiang (象)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 265
mounted the imperial seat 踐帝位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261

Places and affiliations

Youyu 有虞
Relation Ruled as
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 274
At Cangwu 蒼梧 · Relation Died at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 262
At Jiuyi / Lingling 九疑 / 零陵 · Relation Buried at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 263

Events and relationships

Commended Yu to Heaven
Political · Recommender
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 266
Paid court to father as emperor
Filial · Son
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 264
Virtue began bright rule
Political · Subject
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 260
Relation Selected by · Person Yao (堯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261
Relation Successor of · Person Yao (堯)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 261

Assessments and attributes

Assessment virtue praised within the four seas · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 258

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 1Annals of the Five Emperors · 9 passages

南撫交阯、北發，西戎、析枝、渠廋、氐、羌，北山戎、發、息慎，東長、鳥夷，四海之內咸戴帝舜之功。 South to Jiaozhi and Beifa, west to the Rong tribes, north to Mount Rong, Fa, and Sushen, east to the long coast and bird Yi—all within the seas praised Shun’s virtue.

天下明德皆自虞帝始。 The luminous virtue that spread through the realm began with Emperor Shun of Yu.

舜年二十以孝聞，年三十堯舉之，年五十攝行天子事，年五十八堯崩，年六十一代堯踐帝位。 Famed for filial piety at twenty, chosen at thirty, regent at fifty, he mourned Yao’s death at fifty-eight, and at sixty-one inherited the throne.

舜之踐帝位，載天子旗，往朝父瞽叟，夔夔唯謹，如子道。 On taking the throne he rode with imperial pennons to visit blind Gu Sou, trembling with the awe a son owes a father.

舜子商均亦不肖，舜乃豫薦禹於天。 His son Shangjun proved unworthy, so Shun long before had commended Yu to heaven.

三年喪畢，禹亦乃讓舜子，如舜讓堯子。 After mourning Yu yielded to Shun’s son as Shun had once yielded to Yao’s son.

自黃帝至舜、禹，皆同姓而異其國號，以章明德。 From Huangdi through Shun and Yu the line shared one surname yet changed dynastic titles to mark their shining virtue.

故黃帝為有熊，帝顓頊為高陽，帝嚳為高辛，帝堯為陶唐，帝舜為有虞。 Thus, Huangdi styled his house Youxiong, Zhuanxu Gaoyang, Ku Gaoxin, Yao Taotang, Shun Youyu.

余嘗西至空桐，北過涿鹿，東漸於海，南浮江淮矣，至長老皆各往往稱黃帝、堯、舜之處，風教固殊焉，總之不離古文者近是。 I have traveled west to Kongtong, north beyond Zhuolu, east to the sea, and south along the Yangzi and Huai; everywhere elders still pointed out where Huangdi, Yao, and Shun dwelt, though local lore varied. In the end, what agrees with the old documents is nearest the truth.