Ancient China · Legendary Ruler

Yao 尧

Yáo

Legendary antiquity

Passages: 11
Chapters: 5
Histories: 1

Overview

Yao was a Legendary Ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

古
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 266
legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 94, passages 3, 290; Book of Later Han 108, passage 37; Book of Later Han 110, passage 66; Book of Later Han 122, passages 155, 158

Family

Kin of Emperor Shun (帝舜)
yielded to 让与
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 117

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

At Tao/Dingtao 陶 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 122, passage 155

Events and relationships

Yielded to shun
Political · Ruler · With Emperor Shun (帝舜) · Mode quotation
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 117
tested Shun at the four gates 试舜宾于四门
Relation Superior of · Person Shun (舜)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 126, passage 266

Assessments and attributes

Item Yao's burial mound 尧冢 · Relation Buried at · At Chengyang 成阳
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 122, passage 158

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 37; Book of Later Han 110, passage 66

References in the histories

Search passages

History

11 passages

Book of Later Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Biographies of Hermits · 4 passages

是以尧称则天，不屈颍阳之高； So Yao could mirror Heaven and still leave the recluses of Yingyang untroubled in their height;

博士范升奏毁党曰：“臣闻尧不须许由、巢父，而建号天下； Erudite Fan Sheng attacked him: "Yao needed neither Xu You nor Chao Father to rule the world;

光又眠不应，良久，乃张目熟视，曰：“昔唐尧著德，巢父洗耳。 Yan kept his eyes shut, then opened them slowly: "When Yao shone with virtue, Chao Father still washed the taint from his ears.

昔伊尹不怀道以待尧、舜之君。 Yi Yin did not clutch the Way waiting for a Yao or Shun.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 108Volume 97: Rituals and Worship Part One · 3 passages

至七年五月，詔三公曰：「漢當郊尧。 In the fifth month of the seventh year, he issued an edict to the Three Excellencies, saying, “Han ought to sacrifice to Yao at the suburbs.

時侍御史杜林上疏，以爲「漢起不因缘尧，与殷、周異宜，而舊制以高帝配。 At that time Attendant Censor Du Lin presented a memorial, holding that “Han’s rise did not follow a line from Yao; its proper observances differ from those of Yin and Zhou, whereas the old arrangement matches Emperor Gao.

昔在帝尧，聪明密微，让与舜庶，后裔握机。 Formerly under Emperor Yao, intelligence was subtle and profound; he yielded to Shun the common people, and his descendants grasped the pivot.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 1 passage

烈山氏之子曰柱，能植百谷疏，自夏以上祀以为稷，至殷以柱久远，而尧时弃为后稷，亦植百谷，故废柱，祀弃为稷。 Lie Mountain’s son Zhu, who grew every crop, had been Ji until Yin times; then Qi, Yao’s Minister of Millet, replaced the obsolete Zhu.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 122Volume 111: Commanderies and States Part Three · 2 passages

〖定陶〗本曹国，郭璞曰：「城中有陶丘。」皇覽曰：「伯樂冢縣東南一里所，髙四五丈。」古陶，尧所居。帝王世記曰：「舜陶河濱，縣西南陶丘亭是。」 Dingtao had been the state of Cao. Guo Pu says, “Inside the city was Taoqiu,” and the Huanglan says, “Bo Le's tomb was about one li southeast of the county, four or five zhang high.” This was ancient Tao, where Yao lived. The Diwang shiji says, “Shun made pottery by the riverbank; Taoqiu Pavilion southwest of the county is this place.”

〖成阳〗有尧冢、灵台，有雷泽。禹貢曰：「雷夏旣澤。」帝王世記曰：「舜耕歴山，漁雷澤，濟陰有歴山。」 Chengyang held Yao's burial mound, the Spirit Terrace, and Lei Marsh. The Yugong says, “Leixia had become a marsh,” and the Diwang shiji says, “Shun plowed at Mount Li and fished at Lei Marsh; Jiyin has Mount Li.”

Book of Later Han, Chapter 126Volume 115: Officials Part Two · 1 passage

明帝诏曰：『谒者乃尧之尊官，所以试舜宾于四门，四门穆穆者也。』 Emperor Ming called the post one of Yao's great offices, the office that tested Shun at the four gates.