Yellow Emperor (黃帝)

Overview

Yellow Emperor was a Legendary Ruler.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Yellow Thearch	軒轅	Xuanyuan
Posthumous name	Human Emperor	人帝

Life and dates

Death

At Bridge Mountain 橋山
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 31

Attested activity

legendary antiquity; genealogically invoked in an AD 306 stele
Dated from the passage context · Book of Wei 28, passage 10
黃帝、堯、舜垂衣裳而天下治
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 131, passage 8
黃帝氏
Directly stated · History of Liao 63, passage 7
legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 29, passage 70; Book of Chen 2, passage 37; Book of Chen 24, passages 23, 45; Book of Han 20, passage 234; Book of Han 22, passage 31; Book of Han 25, passage 20; Book of Han 26, passage 7; Book of Han 67, passage 187; Book of Han 117, passage 249; Book of Later Han 30, passage 252; Book of Later Han 32, passage 83; Book of Later Han 94, passage 283; Book of Later Han 108, passage 55; History of Jin 35, passages 62, 64; History of Jin 131, passage 51; Book of Jin 129, passage 222; Book of Jin 130, passage 43; Old Book of Tang 85, passage 49; Old History of the Five Dynasties 10, passage 7; Old History of the Five Dynasties 58, passage 166; Old History of the Five Dynasties 140, passages 6-7; Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passage 43; Book of Liang 25, passage 126; History of Liao 31, passage 4; History of Liao 34, passage 2; History of Liao 55, passage 9; History of Liao 56, passage 109; History of Liao 116, passage 230; History of Ming 57, passage 271; History of Ming 66, passage 108; Draft History of Qing 26, passages 57, 59; Records of the Three Kingdoms 33, passage 173; Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passages 61-62; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 1, 11-12, 26-27, 31, 33, 273, 287; Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 2; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passages 38, 233; Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 8; Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 14; Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 243; Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 22; Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 118; Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 112; History of Song 76, passage 44; History of Song 144, passage 66; History of Song 148, passage 135; Book of Wei 28, passage 227; New Book of Tang 12, passage 159; New Book of Tang 16, passage 126; New Book of Tang 113, passage 48; History of Yuan 171, passage 114; Book of Zhou 4, passage 87; Book of Zhou 9, passage 129
legendary antiquity
Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 49, passage 3; New Book of Tang 184, passage 51
AD 960 to AD 1279 宋則禡祭黃帝
Dated from the passage context · History of Ming 57, passage 30

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Emperor Zhuanxu Gaoyang (顓頊帝高陽氏)
grandson 孫 · paternal line · 2 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 32-33; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 241
Ancestor of Emperor Ku of the Gaoxin clan (帝嚳高辛氏)
great-grandson 曾孫 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 40
Ancestor of Emperor Ku (帝俈)
great-grandson 曾孫 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 249
Ancestor of Gaoxin (高辛)
great-grandson 曾孫 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 89
Ancestor of Yu the Great (大禹)
great-great-grandfather 玄孫之祖 · paternal line · 4 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 3
Ancestor of Yao Hong (姚泓)
descendants 苗裔
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Jin 129, passage 222
Parent of Changyi (昌意)
father 父
fathered 生 · paternal line
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 2; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passages 234, 237-238
Parent of Xuanxiao (玄囂)
father 父
fathered 生 · paternal line
fathered 生
Sources vary in certainty · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 41, 288; Records of the Grand Historian 13, passages 235-236, 239-240
Parent of Changyi (昌意)
fathered 生
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 29, 288
Spouse of Leizu (嫘祖)
married 娶 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 287-288
Child of Shaodian (少典)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 1

Kinship Role sons who received surnames · Count 14
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 27
Kinship Role sons · Count 25
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 27

Key source chapters

Origins and identity

common surname shared down to Shun and Yu 同姓
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 273
claimed ancestor of the Wei
Mode stele-inscription Source Work Wei Cao’s stele
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passage 10

Career and standing

Lord of Youxiong 有熊
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 233
Highest grade: sages 上上聖人
Nine grade table rank · Listed
Directly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 234
Son of Heaven 天子
Replacing Person Id Shennong (神農)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 12

Places and affiliations

Youxiong 有熊
Relation Ruled as
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 274
At Xuanyuan Hill 軒轅之丘 · Relation Resided at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 287
At Zhuolu 涿鹿 · Relation Campaigned at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 8
Organization Five Human Emperors 五人帝 · Relation Member of
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 12, passages 159, 178, 181

Learning and skills

Belief Huang-Lao teachings 黃老 · Relation Source of
Directly stated · Book of Liang 25, passage 126
Skill medical diagnosis and prescriptions 病候治方
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 49, passage 3

Works and attributed material

Cloud Gate 雲門
Relation Music attributed to · Mode quoted-claim Speaker Yang Shou (楊收)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 184, passage 51
teachings of the Yellow Emperor 黃帝之術
Relation Attributed author
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 243
Inner Classic 內經
Relation Attributed speaker
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 26, passage 57
Dialogue · Speaker · With Qibo (岐伯) · Direct quotation · Mode quotation Speaker Yellow Emperor (黃帝) Source Work Inner Classic 內經
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 26, passages 57, 59
Speech · Subject · Paraphrased · praised in edict for calendrical work
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 53

Events and relationships

Blew nine inch tube for yellow bell
Legendary music · Originator
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passage 43
canopy made because cloud vapor took flower-blossom form in the Yellow Emperor era
Legendary origin · Time setting · Canopy origin attributed to era
Directly stated · History of Song 148, passage 135
Captured and killed
Military · Commander · With Chiyou (蚩尤) · At Zhuolu 涿鹿
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 11
his age was cited as the origin of the twelve-emblem robe system 自黃、虞以來
Later reference · Historical exemplar · Cited as precedent
Directly stated · History of Ming 66, passage 108
Claimed ancestor of Liao by Yelü Yan
Lineage · Participant
Directly stated · History of Liao 63, passage 7
Defeated
Military · Commander · With Flame Emperor (炎帝) · At Banquan 阪泉
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 8-9

Show 19 more source-backed claims

Established five officials
Administrative · Founder
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 14
Examined and fixed stellar calendar
Calendrical · Reformer
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 14
Executed
Military · Commander · With Chiyou (蚩尤) · At Zhuolu 涿鹿
Directly stated · History of Liao 31, passage 4
Feng shan then became transcendent
Ritual · Officiant · Mode named-source-report
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 55
First used xinmao calendar
Scholarly · Adopter
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 140, passage 7
Fought the battle of Zhuolu to settle the fire calamity
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 20
Fought
Military · Commander · At Zhuolu 涿鹿
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 8
Grasped mandate and governed
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 68
Instituted regalia crown and patterned garments
Ritual · Ruler
Directly stated · History of Liao 56, passage 109
Let robes hang down and realm governed
Cultural · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 131, passage 8
Met the turn of the Five Agents
Political · Exemplar
Directly stated · Book of Chen 2, passage 37
Moved without fixed seat
Migration · Ruler · Qualitative Chronology more than twenty years · Speaker his officers 諸將
Directly stated · Book of Jin 130, passage 43
Paired with
Ritual · Associated deity · Other Yellow Emperor 黃帝 · Occasion Earth-king day in late summer 季夏土王之日
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 12, passage 159
Placed chiyou image on ridge
Ritual architecture · Builder · With Chiyou (蚩尤)
Directly stated · History of Liao 116, passage 230
campaign-site prayer offering on bear skins 禡于所征之地以熊席祀
Ritual · Recipient · Received sacrifice
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 16, passage 126
Relied on camp guards
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 66
Resorted to battle when unavoidable
Military · Legendary ruler · Mode edict-historical-exemplum Speaker Later Liang Last Emperor (末帝)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 10, passages 5, 7
Shared sacrifice
Ritual · Recipient · At Bright Hall 明堂 · Organization Five Human Emperors 五人帝
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 12, passage 181
Used arms against non tributaries
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · History of Ming 57, passage 271

Assessments and attributes

Assessment accounts often inelegant and hard for gentlemen to repeat · Mode historian-judgment Speaker Sima Qian (司馬遷)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 280
Assessment ancient sovereign; traditions before his age conflict and lack a single authoritative account · Mode commentator-judgment Speaker Yan Shigu (顏師古)
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 31
Assessment attained unity and did not die · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Emperor Wu of Han (漢武帝)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 53
Assessment divine merit and sagely virtue · Mode quotation Speaker Song Xiang (宋庠)
Directly stated · History of Song 144, passage 66
Assessment virtue rewarded by heaven through descendants becoming sons of heaven · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 68

Source notes

Historicity legendary · Speaker his officers 諸將
Directly stated · Book of Jin 130, passage 43
Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 29, passage 70; Book of Chen 2, passage 37; Book of Chen 24, passage 23; Book of Han 1, passage 84; Book of Han 26, passage 7; Book of Later Han 30, passage 252; Book of Later Han 108, passage 55; Book of Later Han 131, passage 8; History of Jin 35, passage 62; Old History of the Five Dynasties 58, passage 166; Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passage 43; Book of Liang 25, passage 126; History of Liao 31, passages 3-4; History of Liao 34, passage 2; History of Liao 55, passage 9; History of Liao 56, passage 109; Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passage 61; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 1; Records of the Grand Historian 2, passage 2; Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 8; Records of the Grand Historian 56, passage 243; History of Song 76, passage 44; History of Song 144, passage 66; History of Song 148, passage 135; Book of Wei 28, passage 227; New Book of Tang 12, passage 159; New Book of Tang 16, passage 126
Historicity legendary
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 117, passage 249; Draft History of Qing 26, passage 57
Value legendary
Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 31; Book of Jin 129, passage 222; Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 22
Named in stele opening as ancestral Yellow Emperor (軒轅) of Wei; Qian notes anachronistic Wei designation
Directly stated · Book of Wei 28, passages 227-228
From Xuanyuan 軒轅 · To Yellow Emperor 黃帝 · Reason earth virtue omen
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 12, 26

References in the histories

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History

117 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 29Volume 29 Biographies 21: Li Hun; Zi Zhan; Hun Dihui; Zuzi Gongxu; Li Yu; Di Jin; Zu Dixiao; Zheng Shuzu; Zi Yuande · 1 passage

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與梁人泛言氏族，袁狎曰：「未若我本出自黃帝，姓在十四之限。」 With the men of Liang he spoke at large on clans; Yuan Xia said, "Still not as good as my house — we issue from the Yellow Emperor and our surname stands within the fourteen."

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 49Volume 49 Biographies 41: Arts · 1 passage

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又神農、桐君論《本草》藥性，黃帝、岐伯說病候治方，皆聖人之所重也。 Shennong and Lord Tong classified herbs in the Root Canon; the Yellow Emperor and Qibo set forth disease and cure—all arts the sages held dear.

Book of Chen, Chapter 2Volume 2: Emperor Wu 2 · 1 passage

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己卯，分遣大使宣勞四方，下璽書敕州郡曰：「夫四王革代，商、周所以應天，五勝相推，軒、羲所以當運。 On jimao day he sent great envoys to proclaim comfort to the four quarters, issuing sealed letters of instruction to the provinces and commanderies: "The four kings changed the age—Shang and Zhou thus answered Heaven; the Five Agents succeeded one another—Xuanyuan and Fuxi thus met their destined turn.

Book of Chen, Chapter 24Volume 24: Zhou Hongzheng; Yuan Xian · 2 passages

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竊聞撝謙之象，起於羲、軒爻畫，揖讓之源，生於堯、舜禪受，其來尚矣，可得而詳焉。 I have heard that the image of yielding and modesty arose with the trigrams of Xi and Xuan, and that bowing and yielding began with the abdications of Yao and Shun. The tradition is ancient and can be traced in detail.

而宣尼比之桎梏，絕韋編於漆字，軒轅之所聽瑩，遺玄珠於赤水。 Yet Confucius called it fetters and broke the leather cords at the lacquered text; what the Yellow Emperor polished, he left as the dark pearl in Red Water.

Book of Han, Chapter 1Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 · 1 passage

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祠黃帝，祭蚩尤於沛廷，而釁鼓旗。 He sacrificed to the Yellow Emperor and made offerings to Chiyou in the Pei court, and smeared blood on the drums and flags.

Book of Han, Chapter 20Table of Ancient and Modern Persons · 1 passage

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黃帝軒轅氏 Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan

Book of Han, Chapter 22Volume 20: Prominent People from the Past Until the Present · 1 passage

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自女媧以下，帝鴻以前，諸子傳記，互有舛駮，敘說不同，無所取正，大要知其古帝之號而已。 From Nüwa down through the age before the Yellow Emperor, the various textual traditions and biographies conflict with one another and offer no single authoritative account; at most, we can preserve the names of those ancient sovereigns.

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

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自黃帝有涿鹿之戰以定火災，顓頊有共工之陳以定水害。 From the Yellow Emperor there was the battle of Zhuolu to settle the calamity of fire, and Zhuanxu had the campaign against Gonggong to settle the harm of water.

Book of Han, Chapter 26Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 · 1 passage

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黃帝以下「通其變，使民不倦」。 From the Yellow Emperor onward, rulers 'adapted to change so the people would not weary.'

Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

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平陽侯臣窋、汝陰侯臣灶、潁陰侯臣何、廷尉臣宜昌、隴西太守臣昆邪所選賢良太子家令臣錯昧死再拜言：臣竊聞古之賢主莫不求賢以為輔翼，故黃帝得力牧而為五帝先，大禹得咎繇而為三王祖，齊桓得管子而為五伯長。 The men who recommended me as Worthy and Good were your servants the Marquis of Pingyang, Cao Zhu; the Marquis of Ruyin, Xiahou Zao; the Marquis of Yingyin, Guan He; the Commandant of Justice, Yichang; and the Administrator of Longxi, Kunxie. Your servant Chao Cuo bows twice and, risking death, states: I have heard that every worthy ruler of antiquity sought worthy men as his wings and helpers. Thus the Yellow Emperor obtained Limu and became foremost of the Five Thearchs; Great Yu obtained Gao Yao and became progenitor of the Three Kings; and Duke Huan of Qi obtained Guan Zhong and became leader of the Five Hegemons.

Book of Han, Chapter 67Volume 57b: Sima Xiangru · 1 passage

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軒轅之前，遐哉邈乎，其詳不可得聞已。 Before the Yellow Thearch the past is too dim; no trustworthy detail survives.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage

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方今大漢洒埽群穢，夷險芟荒，廓帝紘，恢皇綱，基隆於羲、農，規廣於黃、唐； Great Han has cleansed the mire, cut the brambles, stretched the emperor's net wider than Fu Xi or Shen Nong, vaster than Huangdi or Yao;

Book of Later Han, Chapter 30Volume 27: Biographies of Xuan, Zang, Two Wangs, Du, Guo, Wu, Cheng, Zheng, Zhao · 1 passage

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少好黃、老書。 In youth he studied the Yellow Emperor and Laozi.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage

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修神農之本業兮，采軒轅之奇策； I return to Shennong's husbandry and borrow the Yellow Emperor's craft;

Book of Later Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Biographies of Hermits · 2 passages

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少好黄、老，隐遁山谷，因穴为室，仰慕松、乔导引之术。 In youth he loved Huang-Lao, lived in a cave, and studied the breath arts of the immortals Chisong and Wangzi.

盖闻黄、老之言，乘虚入冥，藏身远遁，亦有理国养人，施于为政。 Huang-Lao speak of mounting void and hiding far away—yet their teaching can also order states and nurture the people.

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

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青帝位在甲寅之地，赤帝位在丙巳之地，黄帝位在丁未之地，白帝位在庚申之地，黑帝位在壬亥之地。 The Green Thearch stood at the jiayin compass point, the Red at bingsi, the Yellow at dingwei, the White at gengshen, and the Black at renhai.

天、地、高帝、黄帝各用犢一头，青帝、赤帝共用犢一头，白帝、黑帝共用犢一头，凡用犢六头。 Heaven, Earth, Emperor Gao, and the Yellow Thearch each received a calf; the Green and Red Thearchs shared one, as did the White and Black Thearchs—six calves in all.

初，孝武帝欲求神仙，以扶方者言黄帝由封禅而後仙，于是欲封禅。 Earlier, Emperor Wu had sought immortality; his fangshi advisers claimed the Yellow Thearch had ascended only after performing the feng and shan rites on Mount Tai, which fired the emperor’s own ambition to do the same.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 131Volume 120: Treatise on Carriages and Dress, Part Two · 1 passage

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黃帝、堯、舜垂衣裳而天下治，蓋取諸乾巛。 The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun are said to have “let robe and skirt fall straight,” and good government followed—an image drawn, tradition holds, from the trigrams Qian and Kun.

History of Jin, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 3 passages

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三年一祭，于仲春之月祭伏犧于陳州，神農於亳州，軒轅於坊州，少昊於兗州，顓頊於開州，高辛於歸德府，陶唐於平陽府，虞舜、夏禹、成湯於河中府，周文王、武王於京兆府。 Sacrifices were held once every three years: in mid-spring Fuxi was honored at Chen Prefecture, Shennong at Bozhou, the Yellow Emperor at Fang Prefecture, Shaohao at Yan Prefecture, Zhuanxu at Kai Prefecture, Gaoxin at Guide Prefecture, Emperor Yao at Pingyang Prefecture, Shun, Yu, and Tang at Hezhong Prefecture, and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou at Jingzhao Prefecture.

《開寶禮》犧、軒、顓頊、帝嚳、陶唐、女媧、成湯、文、武請禦署，自漢高祖以下二十七帝不署。 The Kaibao Rites require imperial endorsement for Fu Xi, the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Di Ku, Emperor Yao, Nüwa, Tang, and Kings Wen and Wu; from Han Gaozu downward twenty-seven emperors are not endorsed.

軒皇之世，神靈所奉者七千。 In the age of the Yellow Emperor, seven thousand were received in spirit worship.

History of Jin, Chapter 131Volume 131 Biographies 69: Huan Zhe, Liang Chong, Song Gui, Pan Shouheng, Fang Ji, Liu Wansu, Zhang Congzheng, Li Qingsi, Ji Tianxi, Zhang Yuansu, Ma Guizhong, Wu Zhen Son: Kang, Li Mao, Hu Dexin · 2 passages

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或曰《素問》、《內經》言天道消長、氣運贏縮，假醫術，托岐黃，以傳其秘奧耳。 Some hold that the Plain Questions and Inner Canon really speak of Heaven's waxing and waning and the ebb and flow of cosmic breath, using medicine and the names of Qi Bo and the Yellow Emperor only as vehicles for hidden doctrine.

古醫書有《汗下吐法》，亦有不當汗者汗之則死，不當下者下之則死，不當吐者吐之則死，各有經絡脈理，世傳黃帝、岐伯所為書也。 Ancient medical texts teach the methods of sweating, purging, and emesis — yet the wrong patient sweated, purged, or vomited will die. Each case has its proper channels and pulse logic. Tradition attributes these books to the Yellow Emperor and Qi Bo.

Book of Jin, Chapter 129Volume 129 Records 29: Juqu Mengxun · 1 passage

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姚氏舜後，軒轅之苗裔也。 The Yao clan are Shun's line and the blood of the Yellow Thearch.

Book of Jin, Chapter 130Volume 130 Records 30: Helian Bobo · 1 passage

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昔軒轅氏亦遷居無常二十餘年，豈獨我乎！」 Even the Yellow Emperor wandered without a fixed seat for more than twenty years—why should I alone be blamed for it!"

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 10Volume 10 Book of Later Liang 10: Later Emperors Annals 3 · 1 passage

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而炎、黃有戰伐之師，堯、舜有干戈之用，諒不獲已，其猶病諸。 Even the Yellow and Flame emperors and Yao and Shun resorted to arms when they had no choice, though war grieved them.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 58Volume 58 Book of Later Tang 34: Biographies 10: Zhao Guangfeng, Zheng Jue, Cui Xie, Li Qi, Xiao Qing · 1 passage

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軒黃已前，不可詳記。 Before the eras of Xuanyuan and Huangdi the record cannot be traced in detail.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 140Volume 140: Treatises 2 Calendars · 2 passages

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粵自軒黃，肇正天統，歲躔辛卯，曆法時成。 From the age of the Yellow Emperor, the celestial order was first set right; when the year reached xinmao, the calendar was brought to completion.

故黃帝始用《辛卯曆》，顓頊次用《乙卯曆》，虞用《戊午曆》，夏用《丙寅曆》，商用《甲寅曆》，周用《丁巳曆》，魯用《庚子曆》，秦用《乙卯曆》。 The Yellow Emperor first adopted the Xinmao Calendar; Zhuanxu next the Yimao; the Yu dynasty the Wuwu; Xia the Bingyin; Shang the Jiayin; Zhou the Dingsi; Lu the Gengzi; and Qin the Yimao.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 145Volume 145: Treatises 7 Music 2 · 1 passage

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九者，成數也，是以黃帝吹九寸之管，得黃鐘之聲，為樂之端也。 Nine is the number of completion; the Yellow Emperor therefore blew a nine-inch tube, obtained the yellow-bell pitch, and thereby established the foundation of music.

History of Liao, Chapter 31Volume 31 Treatises 1: Management of Guards 1 · 1 passage

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軒轅氏作，戮之涿鹿之阿。 When the Yellow Emperor arose, he slew him at the foot of Zhuolu.

History of Liao, Chapter 34Volume 34 Treatises 4: Military 1 · 1 passage

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軒轅氏合符東海，邑於涿鹿之阿，遷徙往來無常處，以兵為營衛。 The Yellow Emperor united tally-signs at the Eastern Sea and settled at Zhuolu; the people moved without fixed homes and took the army as camp and guard.

History of Liao, Chapter 55Volume 55 Treatises 25: Ceremonial Guards 1 · 1 passage

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自黃帝而降，輿服之制，其來遠矣。 Since the time of the Yellow Emperor, the institutions governing chariots and ceremonial dress reach far back into antiquity.

History of Liao, Chapter 56Volume 56 Treatises 26: Ceremonial Guards 2 · 1 passage

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漢服黃帝始制冕冠章服，後王以祀以祭以享。 For Han ritual dress, the Yellow Emperor first instituted the full regalia crown and patterned garments; later kings used them in sacrifice, worship, and feasting.

History of Liao, Chapter 63Volume 63 Tables 1: Lineage · 2 passages

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庖犧氏降，炎帝氏、黃帝氏子孫眾多，王畿之封建有限，王政之布濩無窮，故君四方者，多二帝子孫，而自服土中者本同出也。 After Fuxi came down to rule, the lines of the Flame and Yellow Emperors multiplied. Royal fiefs within the heartland were finite, yet royal authority spread without limit; so most who held sway over the four directions were kin of those two emperors, and those who acknowledged rule within the central realm shared the same ancestry.

考之宇文周之書，遼本炎帝之後，而耶律儼稱遼為軒轅後。 Consulting the histories of Northern Zhou, Liao was originally a line of the Flame Emperor, whereas Yelü Yan in his chronicle called Liao a line of the Yellow Emperor.

History of Liao, Chapter 116Volume 116: Explanation of State Language · 1 passage

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象吻黃帝治宮室，陶蚩尤象置棟上，名曰蚩吻。 Xiangwen: when the Yellow Emperor built palaces, he cast Chiyou's image and set it on the roof ridge — called Chiwen.

History of Ming, Chapter 57Volume 57 Treatises 33: Rites 11 · 2 passages

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自黃帝習用干戈以徵不享，此其始也。 From the time of the Yellow Emperor, arms were used to campaign against those who failed to offer tribute—this was where the practice began.

宋則授旌節於朝堂，次告廟社，又禡祭黃帝。 Under the Song, banners and credentials were bestowed in the audience hall; next came announcement at the temples of the ancestral spirits and of the soil and grain, and a ma sacrifice to the Yellow Emperor.

History of Ming, Chapter 66Volume 66 Treatises 42: Carriages and Clothing 2 · 1 passage

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於是楊一清等詳議：「袞冕之服，自黃、虞以來，玄衣黃裳，為十二章。 Thereupon Yang Yiqing and others submitted a detailed memorial: "From the age of the Yellow Emperor and Shun onward, the sacrificial crown and robe consisted of a dark upper garment and yellow skirt bearing twelve emblems.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 26Volume 26 Treatises 1: Astronomy 1, Celestial Phenomena, Earth Shape, and Terrestrial Distances · 1 passage

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地體渾天家謂天包地如卵裹黃，內經：「黃帝曰：『地之為下否乎？』 On earth's form: armillary cosmologists say heaven encloses earth like a shell around a yolk. The Inner Classic records: "The Yellow Emperor asked, 'Is earth truly below?'

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 33Volume 33: Book of Shu 3: Biography of the Later Lord · 1 passage

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聖上明哲，宰相忠賢，將比隆黃軒，侔功往代。 Our sage emperor is lucid and wise, his ministers loyal and able; their work will rival the golden age of the Yellow Emperor and match the finest dynasties of old.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 62Volume 62: Book of Wu 17: Biographies of Shi Yi and Hu Zong · 2 passages

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黃、農創代，拓定皇基，上順天心，下息民災。 The Yellow Emperor and Shennong opened new eras, widened the royal foundation, matched heaven's will above, and stilled the people's woes below.

乃自在昔，黃、虞是祖，越歷五代，繼世在下。 From high antiquity, claiming the Yellow Emperor and Shun as forebears, your house endured five ages of exile before rising again.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 1Annals of the Five Emperors · 20 passages

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黃帝者，少典之子，姓公孫，名曰軒轅。 The Yellow Emperor was a son of the house of Shaodian; his clan name was Gongsun, and he was called Xuanyuan.

軒轅之時，神農氏世衰。 In Xuanyuan’s day the Shennong lineage had waned for many generations.

於是軒轅乃習用干戈，以征不享，諸侯咸來賓從。 Then Xuanyuan trained his forces in weapons and armour to chastise those who withheld tribute, and the lords came in homage and submitted to him.

炎帝欲侵陵諸侯，諸侯咸歸軒轅。 The Flame Emperor tried to bully the regional lords, and they all rallied to Xuanyuan.

軒轅乃修德振兵，治五氣，藝五種，撫萬民，度四方，教熊羆貔貅貙虎，以與炎帝戰於阪泉之野。 Xuanyuan then cultivated his virtue and mobilized his hosts, set in order the five phases, sowed the five grains, soothed the myriad peoples, surveyed the four quarters, and trained bears, brown bears, leopard-cats, lynxes, and tigers for war, meeting the Flame Emperor on the field of Banquan.

於是黃帝乃徵師諸侯，與蚩尤戰於涿鹿之野，遂禽殺蚩尤。 The Yellow Emperor then called up the armies of the lords, met Chiyou in the wilderness of Zhuolu, captured him, and put him to death.

而諸侯咸尊軒轅為天子，代神農氏，是為黃帝。 The lords acclaimed Xuanyuan Son of Heaven in Shennong’s place—this ruler is called the Yellow Emperor.

天下有不順者，黃帝從而征之，平者去之，披山通道，未嘗寧居。 He campaigned against every corner of the realm that refused submission; once pacified he moved on, cutting passes through hills and carving roads, never settling long in one place.

有土德之瑞，故號黃帝。 An omen of earth’s virtue appeared, so he took the style Yellow Emperor.

黃帝二十五子，其得姓者十四人。 The Yellow Emperor fathered twenty-five sons, fourteen of whom founded separate surnames.

黃帝崩，葬橋山。 When the Yellow Emperor died he was interred at Bridge Mountain.

黃帝居軒轅之丘，而娶於西陵之女，是爲嫘祖。 The Yellow Emperor lived on Xuanyuan Hill and married a daughter of Xiling; she was Leizu.

嫘祖爲黃帝正妃，生二子，其後皆有天下：其一曰玄囂，是爲青陽，青陽降居江水； Leizu was the Yellow Emperor's chief consort. She bore two sons, both of whose lines later ruled: the elder was Xuanxiao, also called Qingyang, who was sent down to live by the Jiang River.

帝顓頊高陽者，黃帝之孫而昌意之子也。 Emperor Zhuanxu, whose dynastic name was Gaoyang, was grandson to the Yellow Emperor and son of Changyi.

帝嚳高辛者，黃帝之曾孫也。 Emperor Ku, styled Gaoxin, was the Yellow Emperor’s great-grandson.

高辛父曰蟜極，蟜極父曰玄囂，玄囂父曰黃帝。 Gaoxin’s father was Jiaoji; Jiaoji’s father was Xuanxiao; Xuanxiao’s father was the Yellow Emperor.

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.

而百家言黃帝，其文不雅馴，薦紳先生難言之。 The hundred philosophers tell of the Yellow Emperor, yet their language is coarse and doubtful, which gentlemen seldom repeat.

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.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 2Annals of Xia · 2 passages

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禹之父曰鯀，鯀之父曰帝顓頊，顓頊之父曰昌意，昌意之父曰黃帝。 Yu's father was Gun; Gun's father was Emperor Zhuanxu; Zhuanxu's father was Changyi; Changyi's father was the Yellow Emperor.

禹者，黃帝之玄孫而帝顓頊之孫也。 Yu was a great-great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor and a grandson of Emperor Zhuanxu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 13Genealogical Tables of the Three Dynasties · 28 passages

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余讀諜記，黃帝以來皆有年數。 I have read the genealogical records, and from the Yellow Emperor onward they all have chronological dates.

於是以五帝繫諜、尚書集世紀黃帝以來訖共和爲世表。 Thereupon I used the Five Emperors' genealogical records and the collected chronicles of the Shangshu to compile a genealogical table from the Yellow Emperor down to the Gonghe era.

黃帝號有熊。 The Yellow Emperor, with the style Lord of Youxiong.

黃帝生昌意。 The Yellow Emperor fathered Changyi.

黃帝生玄囂。 The Yellow Emperor fathered Xuanxiao.

黃帝生昌意。 The Yellow Emperor fathered Changyi.

黃帝生玄囂。 The Yellow Emperor fathered Xuanxiao.

帝顓頊，黃帝孫。起黃帝，至顓頊三世，號高陽。 Emperor Zhuanxu, the Yellow Emperor's grandson. From the Yellow Emperor to Zhuanxu: three generations, with the style Gaoyang.

帝俈，黃帝曾孫。起黃帝，至帝俈四世。號高辛。 Emperor Ku, the Yellow Emperor's great-grandson. From the Yellow Emperor to Emperor Ku: four generations, with the style Gaoxin.

帝堯。起黃帝，至俈子五世。號唐。 Emperor Yao. From the Yellow Emperor to the sons of Ku: five generations, with the style Tang.

帝舜，黃帝玄孫之玄孫，號虞。 Emperor Shun, a great-great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor's great-great-grandson, with the style Yu.

帝禹，黃帝耳孫，號夏。 Emperor Yu, a remote descendant of the Yellow Emperor, with the style Xia.

從禹至桀十七世，從黃帝至桀二十世。 Seventeen generations from Yu to Jie; twenty generations from the Yellow Emperor to Jie.

殷湯代夏氏，從黃帝至湯十七世。 When Tang of Yin replaced the Xia, it was seventeen generations from the Yellow Emperor to Tang.

從湯至紂二十九世，從黃帝至紂四十六世。 Twenty-nine generations from Tang to Zhou; forty-six generations from the Yellow Emperor to Zhou.

周武王代殷，從黃帝至武王十九世。 When King Wu of Zhou replaced Yin, it was nineteen generations from the Yellow Emperor to King Wu.

今案諸傳記咸言有父，父皆黃帝子也，得無與詩謬秋？」 Now when I examine the various biographies they all say they had fathers, and their fathers were all sons of the Yellow Emperor. Could this be at odds with the Poetry?"

舜、禹、契、后稷皆黃帝子孫也。 Shun, Yu, Qi, and Hou Ji were all descendants of the Yellow Emperor.

黃帝策天命而治天下，德澤深後世，故其子孫皆復立為天子，是天之報有德也。 The Yellow Emperor grasped the heavenly mandate, governed the world, and left virtue and grace that deeply benefited later generations; therefore his descendants all again became established as sons of heaven—this is heaven's reward for virtue.

「黃帝後世何王天下之久遠邪？」 "Why did the Yellow Emperor's descendants rule the world so long?"

黃帝是也。 The Yellow Emperor was such a one.

蜀王，黃帝後世也，至今在漢西南五千里，常來朝降，輸獻於漢，非以其先之有德，澤流後世邪？ The King of Shu was also a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. Even now, though he is five thousand li southwest of Han, he regularly comes to court, submits, and presents tribute to Han. Is this not because his ancestor possessed virtue and his grace flowed down to later generations?

漢大將軍霍子孟名光者，亦黃帝後世也。 Huo Zimeng, the Han General-in-Chief whose given name was Guang, was also a descendant of the Yellow Emperor.

高辛，黃帝曾孫。 Gaoxin was the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor.

黃帝終始傳曰：『漢興百有餘年，有人不短不長，出（自）［白］燕之鄉，持天下之政，時有嬰兒主，欲行車。』 The Yellow Emperor's Chronicles of Beginning and End says, "More than a hundred years after the Han arises, there will be a man neither short nor tall, from the region of Baiyan, who holds the government of all under Heaven at a time when there is an infant ruler who wishes to ride in a carriage."

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 25Treatise on the Pitch-Pipes · 1 passage

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昔黃帝有涿鹿之戰，以定火災； Formerly the Yellow Emperor had the battle of Zhuolu, to settle the fire disaster.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 26Treatise on the Calendar · 2 passages

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蓋黃帝考定星歷，建立五行，起消息，正閏餘，於是有天地神祇物類之官，是謂五官。 The Yellow Emperor examined and fixed the stellar calendar, established the five phases, set the cycles of waxing and waning in motion, and corrected intercalary remainders. There were then officials for heaven, earth, spirits, and the categories of things; these were called the five officials.

蓋聞昔者黃帝合而不死，名察度驗，定清濁，起五部，建氣物分數。 I have heard that in antiquity the Yellow Emperor joined with the Way and did not die; he named, examined, and verified the degrees, fixed the clear and the turbid, established the five divisions, and set up the numerical measures of qi and things.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 56House of Chancellor Chen · 1 passage

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太史公曰：陳丞相平少時，本好黃帝、老子之術。 The Grand Historian remarks: Chancellor Chen Ping in his youth was devoted to the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing · 1 passage

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先序今以上至黃帝，學者所共術，大并世盛衰，因載其禨祥度制，推而遠之，至天地未生，窈冥不可考而原也。 He first arranged the sequence from the present upward to the Yellow Emperor, using the common arts of scholars to draw broad parallels with the world's rises and declines. He recorded their good fortunes and regulatory systems, then pushed them far back to before heaven and earth were born, to the profound darkness that cannot be examined, to find their origins.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 2 passages

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樂臣公善修黃帝、老子之言，顯聞於齊，稱賢師。 Yue Chengong was expert in the teachings of Huangdi and Laozi. He became well known in Qi and was regarded as a worthy teacher.

樂臣公學黃帝、老子，其本師號曰河上丈人，不知其所出。 Yue Chengong studied Huangdi and Laozi. His original teacher was known as the Elder on the River, though his origins are unknown.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 127Biographies of Soothsayers · 1 passage

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夫司馬季主者，楚賢大夫，游學長安，通易經，術黃帝、老子，博聞遠見。 Sima Jizhu was a worthy grandee of Chu who traveled to Chang'an to study. He mastered the Book of Changes, practiced the arts of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and was a man of wide learning and far-reaching insight.

History of Song, Chapter 76Volume 76 Treatises 29: Measures and Calendar 9 · 1 passage

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自黃帝觀漏水，制器取則，三代因以命官，則挈壺氏其職也。 From the Yellow Emperor's observation of dripping water and devising instruments to set standards, the Three Dynasties appointed officials to the task—the Qiehu clan held that charge.

History of Song, Chapter 144Volume 144 Treatises 97: Ceremonial Guards 2 · 1 passage

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且自黃帝以神功盛德，猶假師兵營衛，則防微禦變，古今一體。 Even the Yellow Emperor, for all his divine merit, still relied on troops for camp guards—guarding against small dangers is the same principle in every age.

History of Song, Chapter 148Volume 148 Treatises 101: Ceremonial Guards 6 · 1 passage

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蓋，本黃帝時有雲氣為花蘤之象，因而作也。 The canopy was originally made because in the time of the Yellow Emperor cloud vapor took the form of flower blossoms.

Book of Wei, Chapter 28Volume 23: Wei Cao, Mo Han, Liu Kuren · 2 passages

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桓帝崩後，操立碑於大邗城南，[1]以頌功德，云：「魏，軒轅之苗裔。」 After Emperor Huan's death, Cao set up a monument south of Da Hang and [1], to hymn his achievements, began: "The Wei are offspring of the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan."

篇首云：『魏軒轅之苗裔。』 The opening line runs, 'Scion of the Yellow Emperor of Wei.'

New Book of Tang, Chapter 12Volume 12 Treatises 2: Rites and Music 2 · 1 passage

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季夏土王之日祀黃帝，以軒轅氏配，鎮星、后土氏之位如赤帝。 On the day when Earth is king in late summer, sacrifice to the Yellow Emperor, with Xuanyuan as associated deity; the Queller Star and Queen Earth are positioned as for the Red Emperor.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 16Volume 16 Treatises 6: Rites and Music 6 · 1 passage

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若禡于所征之地，則為壝再重，以熊席祀軒轅氏。 If offering prayers at the place of campaign, a double enclosure is made and sacrifice is offered to the Yellow Thearch on bear skins.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 113Volume 113 Biographies 38: Tang, Zhang, Xu · 1 passage

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紹曰：「鼓吹本軍容，黃帝戰涿鹿，以為警衛，故曲有《靈夔吼》、《雕鶚爭》、《石墜崖》、《壯士怒》之類。 Shao objected: "Martial music was originally military ceremony. When the Yellow Emperor fought at Zhuolu he used it as a guard of honor, which is why the repertoire includes pieces such as 《Spirit Ao Roars》, 《Eagle and Hawk Contend》, 《Stone Falls from the Cliff》, and 《Warrior's Wrath》.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 184Volume 184 Biographies 109: Ma, Yang, Lu, Lu · 1 passage

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而《雲門》，黃帝樂也； Yet the Cloud Gate is the Yellow Emperor's music;

History of Yuan, Chapter 171Volume 171 Biographies 58: Liu Yin, Wu Cheng · 1 passage

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分而言之，上古則羲、黃其元，堯、舜其亨，禹、湯其利，文、武、周公其貞乎！ Speaking in detail: in high antiquity Fuxi and the Yellow Emperor are the Origin, Yao and Shun the Flourishing, Yu and Tang the Advantage, and King Wen, King Wu, and the Duke of Zhou the Steadfastness!

Book of Zhou, Chapter 4Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming · 1 passage

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是以容成創定於軒轅，羲和欽若於唐世，《鴻範》九疇，大弘五法。 Thus Rongcheng first fixed the calendar under the Yellow Emperor, and Xihe reverently kept time in the age of Tang; the nine categories of Great Plan greatly extended the five methods.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses · 1 passage

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軒、嚳繼軌，次妃並四； Xuan and Ku continued the precedent, and secondary consorts numbered four together;