CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Emperor Zhuanxu帝颛顼

Archaic BeingsHistory × Fiction

Buried on the sunny side of Fuyu Mountain.

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Emperor Zhuanxu, and the people around them.

Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.

KINSHIP

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

6 figures · 6 records

the Yellow Emperor
the Yellow Emperor—Emperor Zhuanxugrandfather
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黄帝之孙而昌意之子也
Records of the Grand Historian, 五帝本纪
Changyi
Emperor Zhuanxu—Changyifather-son
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颛顼之父曰昌意
Records of the Grand Historian, 夏本纪
Han Liu
Han Liu—Emperor Zhuanxufather-son
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生帝颛顼
Classic of Mountains and Seas, 海內經
Nine Consorts
Emperor Zhuanxu—Nine Consortsspouse
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帝颛顼葬于阳，九嫔葬于阴
Classic of Mountains and Seas, 海內東經
Chang Pu
Chang Pu—Emperor Zhuanxubirth
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生高阳
Records of the Grand Historian, 五帝本纪
Qiongchan
Emperor Zhuanxu—Qiongchanbirth
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帝颛顼生子曰穷蝉
Records of the Grand Historian, 五帝本纪

THE UNSEEN

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

1 figure · 1 record

Four Snakes
Four Snakes→Emperor Zhuanxuguard
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四蛇卫之
Classic of Mountains and Seas, 海內東經

7 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

Grandson of the Yellow Emperor, son of Changyi, succeeded the Yellow Emperor.；Grandson of the Yellow Emperor, father of Gun, grandfather of Yu.

Buried on the sunny side of Fuyu Mountain.；Son of Hanliu, became emperor.

Across source works

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

The official histories record him as one of the Five Emperors; the novel adds a mysterious abyss bathing and nine concubines buried with him.

novel inventionWhether there exists an abyss where Zhuanxu bathed and a tomb where he was buried with nine concubines
The Records of the Grand Historian, in the 'Annals of the Five Emperors', gives a very concise account of his deeds: 'His grandson, Changyi's son Gaoyang, was established, and this was Emperor Zhuanxu.' There is no supernatural description. But the plot in the novel is entirely unique. The Classic of Mountains and Seas, in the 'Great Wilderness North' chapter, not only assigns him a private bath: 'West of the mound there is the Deep Abyss, where Zhuanxu bathed.' It also vividly records his burial: 'At Fuyu Mountain, Emperor Zhuanxu and his nine concubines were buried.' Such deeds are completely absent from the official histories.

8 figures · 11 links

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