Five Dynasties · Merchant

Xiedie 頡跌氏

Attested AD 940 - AD 953

Passages: 5
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Xiedie was a Merchant.

Life and dates

Attested activity

AD 940 to AD 953 世宗在民間
Strongly inferred · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passage 111

Career and standing

merchant 大商
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passage 111
capital tax bureau post 京洛稅院
Granted
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passage 120

Places and affiliations

At Ye 鄴
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passage 111

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passages 117-118

Events and relationships

Relation Travel companion of · Person Shizong (世宗)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 119, passage 111

References in the histories

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 119Volume 119 Book of Later Zhou 21: Shizong Annals 6 · 5 passages

〈（《五代史補》：世宗在民間，嘗與鄴中大商頡跌氏，忘其名，往江陵販賣茶貨。 (Supplement to the History of the Five Dynasties: while still a commoner, Shizong once traveled with a wealthy merchant of Ye surnamed Xiedie, whose personal name is lost, to Jiangling to trade in tea.

至江陵，見有卜者王處士，其術如神，世宗因頡跌氏同往問焉。 At Jiangling they met a diviner, Recluse Wang, whose skill seemed supernatural; Shizong went with Xiedie to consult him.

於逆旅中夜置酒，與頡跌氏半酣，戲曰：「王處士以我當為天子，若一旦到此，足下要何官，請言之。」 At an inn that night he set out wine and, half drunk with Xiedie, jested: "Recluse Wang says I am destined to be emperor. If that day comes, what office would you want? Tell me plainly."

頡跌氏曰：「某三十年作估來，未有不由京洛者，每見稅官坐而獲利，一日所入，可以敵商賈數月，私心羨之。 Xiedie said: "I have traded for thirty years and every route passed through the capital. I have seen how tax officers sit and profit—a single day's take equals a merchant's months. I have long envied that.

及承郭氏之後踐祚，頡跌猶在，召見，竟如初言以與之。 When he succeeded the Guo house and took the throne, Xiedie was still alive; summoned to court, he received exactly what had been promised in jest.