CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Houji后稷
Ancestor of the Zhou dynasty, ancient agricultural deity, taught people to sow all grains.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 11
- RELATION RECORDS
- 11
- SOURCE WORKS
- 14
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Houji, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01KINSHIPKinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
6 figures · 6 records＋
Kinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
Houji—King Wu of Zhoudistant ancestor
Di JunisHouji’s father
Houji—King Wen of Zhouancestor
Source record
Houji—King Wen of Zhouancestor
Houji—Shu Jungrandparent-grandchild
Houji—Taixibrothers
02ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
2 figures · 2 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Emperor Shun→Houjiappointment
Emperor Yao (Tang)—Houjiruler-subject
03CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
1 figure · 1 record＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
Houji→Dan Zhuexile
04THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
2 figures · 2 records＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
Wang Mang→Houjishare offering
Duke of Zhou→Houjijoint sacrifice
11 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In history · Records of the Grand Historian · History of Song · Old Book of Tang
Founding ancestor of Zhou, skilled in farming, appointed as agricultural minister by Yao, enfeoffed at Tai by Shun.
In fiction · Records of Myriad Things · Book of the Later Han · Discourses of the States · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era · Classic of Mountains and Seas · New Book of Tang · Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition · Songs of Chu · Book of Han
Son of Emperor Jun, brought down all grains, buried in the wilds of Duguang, sowed all grains.
Across source works
How this figure changes across texts
Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.
- Literature / legend2 profile notes
Records of Myriad Things
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Songs of Chu
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history3 profile notes
Discourses of the States
1 relations1 verified quotations- Houji→ ancestor →King Wen of Zhou
Verified original text · 1
自后稷之始基靖民，十五王而文始平之
ancestor · Discourses of the States, 周语下
- Official history4 profile notes
Book of Han
2 relations2 verified quotations- Wang Mang→ share offering →Houji
- Duke of Zhou→ joint sacrifice →Houji
Verified original text · 2
后稷配食官稷
share offering · Book of Han, 郊祀志_ch. 25上
周公郊祀后稷以配天
joint sacrifice · Book of Han, 郊祀志_ch. 25上
- Official history5 profile notes
Book of the Later Han
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend2 profile notes
Huainanzi
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history6 profile notes
Old Book of Tang
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend2 profile notes
Classic of Mountains and Seas
3 relations3 verified quotations- Di Jun→ father-son →Houji
- Houji→ grandparent-grandchild →Shu Jun
- Houji→ brothers →Taixi
Verified original text · 3
帝俊生后稷
father-son · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒西經
稷之孙曰叔均
grandparent-grandchild · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 海內經
1 more verified quotation in the relationship records below.
- Official history7 profile notes
Records of the Grand Historian
3 relations2 verified quotations- Houji→ ancestor →King Wen of Zhou
- Houji→ distant ancestor →King Wu of Zhou
- Emperor Shun→ appointment →Houji
Verified original text · 2
其后世且千岁，至文王而有天下。
distant ancestor · Records of the Grand Historian, 三代世表
汝后稷
appointment · Records of the Grand Historian, 五帝本纪
- Official history5 profile notes
History of Song
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Extensive Records of the Taiping Era
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history6 profile notes
New Book of Tang
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history3 profile notes
Yi Zhou Shu
1 relations1 verified quotations- Houji→ distant ancestor →King Wu of Zhou
Verified original text · 1
在昔后稷，惟上帝之言
ancestor · Yi Zhou Shu, 商誓
- Official history3 profile notes
Bamboo Annals
2 relations2 verified quotations- Emperor Yao (Tang)→ ruler-subject →Houji
- Houji→ exile →Dan Zhu
Verified original text · 2
帝使后稷放帝子朱于丹水
ruler-subject · Bamboo Annals, 今本-五帝纪
后稷放帝朱於丹水
exile · Bamboo Annals, 古本辑校
- Official history2 profile notes
Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition
0 relations0 verified quotations
History vs. fiction
The ancestors of the Zhou people, as recorded in both official history and folk legends, include the story of conception by stepping on a giant's footprint and teaching agriculture.
- based on factConception by footprint and teaching agriculture
According to the "Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of Zhou, Part One": "姜原出野，见巨人迹，心忻然说，欲践之，践之而身动如孕者。居期而生子，以为不祥，弃之隘巷……初欲弃之，因名曰弃。" Both the "Records of the Grand Historian" and the "Book of Songs, Major Court Hymns, Birth of the People" record that Jiang Yuan stepped on a giant's footprint and gave birth to Qi, who later became an official in charge of agriculture, teaching the people to farm, and was revered as Houji. The novel follows this mythological account of the ancestor's official history.
Relationship network
Original text (1)
后稷配食官稷
- distant ancestorHouji → King Wu of Zhouhist × litRecords of the Grand Historian, 三代世表Yi Zhou Shu, 商誓
Original text (2)
其后世且千岁，至文王而有天下。
在昔后稷，惟上帝之言
Original relation: ancestor · Yi Zhou Shu, 商誓
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
周公郊祀后稷以配天
Original text (1)
自后稷之始基靖民，十五王而文始平之
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
帝使后稷放帝子朱于丹水
Original text (1)
后稷放帝朱於丹水
Original text (1)
Original text (1)