Ancient China · Legendary recluse said to have refused Emperor Yao's offer of rule

Xu You 許由

Xǔ Yóu

Legendary antiquity

Passages
15
Chapters
12
Histories
6

Overview

Xu You was a Legendary recluse said to have refused Emperor Yao's offer of rule.

IdentityLegendary · Male

Life and dates

Attested activity

Key source chapters

  1. Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 61 Biographies: Biography of Bo Yi 3 passages
  2. History of Jin, Chapter 127 Volume 127 Biographies 65: Xiao You, Wendihanwolubu, Chen Yan, Liu Yu, Meng Xing, Wang Zhen, Liu Zheng, Yin Yi, Chu Chengliang, Wang Qufei, Zhao Zhi, Du Shisheng, Hao Tianting, Xue Jiyuan, Gao Zhongzhen, Zhang Qian, Wang Rumei, Song Ke, Xin Yuan, Wang Yuke 2 passages
  3. Book of Chen, Chapter 19 Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu 1 passage
  4. Book of Han, Chapter 58 Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo 1 passage
  5. Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo 1 passage

Career and standing

Places and affiliations

Events and relationships

Assessments and attributes

Source notes

References in the histories

15 passages

Book of Chen, Chapter 19Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu · 1 passage
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樞肆志尋覽，殆將周遍，乃喟然歎曰：「吾聞貴爵位者以巢、由為桎梏，愛山林者以伊、呂為管庫，束名實則芻芥柱下之言，翫清虛則糠秕席上之說，稽之篤論，亦各從其好也。 Shu read through them almost entirely and sighed: "I hear that men who prize office take Chao Fu and Xu You as shackles, and men who love the hills take Yi and Lü as storekeepers; those who bind name to fact treat Laozi as straw, and those who play at emptiness treat banquet talk as chaff. In earnest judgment each follows his own bent.
Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage
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Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 1 passage
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「今世之處士，魁然無徒，廓然獨居，上觀許由，下察接輿，計同范蠡，忠合子胥，天下和平，與義相扶，寡耦少徒，固其宜也，子何疑於我哉？ "Today's hermits stand aloof like giants without a retinue, scan the past for Xu You and Jie Yu, compare their schemes to Fan Li and their loyalty to Wu Zixu, yet live in a tranquil age where righteousness needs no loud champion. Of course they walk alone with few companions. Why should you find that strange in me?
Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 1 passage
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Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage
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History of Jin, Chapter 127Volume 127 Biographies 65: Xiao You, Wendihanwolubu, Chen Yan, Liu Yu, Meng Xing, Wang Zhen, Liu Zheng, Yin Yi, Chu Chengliang, Wang Qufei, Zhao Zhi, Du Shisheng, Hao Tianting, Xue Jiyuan, Gao Zhongzhen, Zhang Qian, Wang Rumei, Song Ke, Xin Yuan, Wang Yuke · 2 passages
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Book of Jin, Chapter 80Volume 80 Biographies 50: Wang Xizhi · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 34House of Yan Shaogong · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 61Biographies: Biography of Bo Yi · 3 passages
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 83Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang · 1 passage
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今人主誠能去驕傲之心，懷可報之意，披心腹，見情素，墮肝膽，施德厚，終與之窮達，無愛於士，則桀之狗可使吠堯，而蹠之客可使刺由； If a ruler today could truly cast off his arrogance, harbor the desire to repay loyalty, bare his innermost heart, reveal his true feelings, offer up his very liver and gall in trust, bestow generous virtue, share in his scholars' poverty and success alike, and show no stinginess toward men of talent—then even the dogs of the tyrant Jie could be made to bark at Yao, and even the followers of the bandit Zhi could be sent to assassinate a sage like Xu You.
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 101Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage
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Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 126Biographies of Jesters · 1 passage
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今世之處士，時雖不用，崛然獨立，塊然獨處，上觀許由，下察接輿，策同范蠡，忠合子胥，天下和平，與義相扶，寡偶少徒，固其常也。 The recluse scholars of our age, though the times have no use for them, stand tall and solitary, dwelling apart in their grandeur. They look upward to Xu You for inspiration and downward to Jie Yu; their stratagems rival those of Fan Li, and their loyalty matches that of Wu Zixu. The world is at peace, and they sustain themselves through righteousness. That they have few companions and fewer followers — this is simply their lot.