Ancient China · Cook and courtier to Duke Huan of Qi, remembered for cooking his own son

Yi Ya 易牙

Yì Yá

Attested BC 685 - BC 643

Passages: 2
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

Yi Ya was a Cook and courtier to Duke Huan of Qi, remembered for cooking his own son.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 685 to BC 643 食子放鹿
Strongly inferred · Book of Song 73, passage 322

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo 1 passage
Book of Song, Chapter 73 Volume 73 Biographies 33: Yan Yanzhi 1 passage

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 1 passage

故淫亂之漸，其變為篡，是以豎貂為淫而易牙作患，慶父死而魯國全，管、蔡誅而周室安。」 When debauchery and disorder are allowed to spread, they end in usurpation. Shu Diao's corruption enabled Yi Ya's treachery; Lu was preserved only after Qingfu died, and the Zhou house was secure only after Guan Shu and Cai Shu were executed."

Book of Song, Chapter 73Volume 73 Biographies 33: Yan Yanzhi · 1 passage

夫自忍其親，必將忍人之親，自忘其孝，期以申人之孝，食子放鹿，斷可識矣。 He who can harden himself against his own parent will harden himself against others' parents; he who forgets his own filial duty expects to fulfill others'—as with Yi Ya who cooked his son, or Duke Huan who freed the deer, the pattern is plain.