CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Xia Jie夏桀
The last monarch of the Xia dynasty, tyrannical and unjust, defeated by Cheng Tang.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 2
- RELATION RECORDS
- 2
- SOURCE WORKS
- 12
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Xia Jie, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
2 figures · 2 records＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
Cheng Tang→Xia Jieattack
Xia Jie→Guan Longfengkill
2 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In history · Records of the Grand Historian · Old Book of Tang
The last monarch of the Xia dynasty, tyrannical, defeated by Tang.
In fiction · Liezi · Records of Myriad Things · Book of the Later Han · Discourses of the States · Investiture of the Gods · Classic of Mountains and Seas · In Search of the Supernatural · Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition · Songs of Chu · Book of Han
The last monarch of the Xia dynasty, tyrannical and unjust, defeated by Cheng Tang.
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 / legend1 profile notes
Records of Myriad Things
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend2 profile notes
Songs of Chu
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Investiture of the Gods
2 relations2 verified quotations- Cheng Tang→ attack →Xia Jie
- Xia Jie→ kill →Guan Longfeng
Verified original text · 2
放桀于南巢
attack · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 1
杀直臣关龙逢
kill · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 1
- Official history1 profile notes
Discourses of the States
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Book of Han
1 relations1 verified quotations- Cheng Tang→ attack →Xia Jie
Verified original text · 1
汤伐夏桀
attack · Book of Han, 律历志
- Official history2 profile notes
Book of the Later Han
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Huainanzi
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Old Book of Tang
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Liezi
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Classic of Mountains and Seas
1 relations1 verified quotations- Cheng Tang→ attack →Xia Jie
Verified original text · 1
成汤伐夏桀于章山
attack · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒西經
- Official history5 profile notes
Records of the Grand Historian
1 relations2 verified quotations- Cheng Tang→ attack →Xia Jie
Verified original text · 2
成汤有南巣之伐，以殄夏乱
attack · Records of the Grand Historian, 律书
汤乃兴师率诸侯，伊尹从汤，汤自把钺以伐昆吾，遂伐桀
attack · Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of Yin
- Literature / legend1 profile notes
In Search of the Supernatural
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Yi Zhou Shu
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history2 profile notes
Bamboo Annals
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition
0 relations0 verified quotations
History vs. fiction
In official histories, he is the last tyrant of the Xia dynasty, while in novels he often serves as a typical example of a fatuous ruler who lost his kingdom.
According to the Guoyu (Discourses of the States) and the Records of the Grand Historian (Basic Annals of Xia), Jie did not cultivate virtue and harmed the people with violence. He doted on Mo Xi in his harem and was eventually defeated by Tang of Shang and exiled to Nanchao.
- based on factHe created a pond of wine and a forest of meat, and used cruel punishments to oppress his subjects.
Later texts such as the 「Han Feizi」 attribute the wine pool and meat forest to Xia Jie, and later the 「Records of the Grand Historian」 shifts it to Di Xin; in official histories, Jie's tyranny mainly involves harming loyal officials and heavy taxation. The original text says: “桀不务德而武伤百姓，百姓弗堪。”（《史记·夏本纪》）
Relationship network
- attack← Cheng Tang → Xia Jiehist × litRecords of the Grand Historian, 律书Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of YinInvestiture of the Gods, ch. 1Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒西經Book of Han, 律历志
Original text (5)
放桀于南巢
汤伐夏桀
Original relation: attack · Book of Han, 律历志
成汤伐夏桀于章山
Original relation: attack · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒西經
成汤有南巣之伐，以殄夏乱
汤乃兴师率诸侯，伊尹从汤，汤自把钺以伐昆吾，遂伐桀
Original text (1)