CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Zhuanxu颛顼
An ancient emperor, son of Hanliu, buried at Fuyu Mountain.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 16
- RELATION RECORDS
- 16
- SOURCE WORKS
- 5
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Zhuanxu, 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
11 figures · 11 records＋
Kinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
the Yellow Emperor—Zhuanxuancestor
Source record
ZhuanxuisZhurong’s grandparent
Source record
ZhuanxuisHuantou’s father
ZhuanxuisLao Tong’s father
ZhuanxuisZhong Bian’s father
ZhuanxuisBo Fu’s father
ZhuanxuisShu Chu’s father
02ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
2 figures · 2 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Zuo Che→Zhuanxusupport enthronement
Zhuanxu→Xuanmingassist
03CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
2 figures · 2 records＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
Gong Gong→Zhuanxucontend emperor
Meng Yi→Zhuanxuattack
04THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
1 figure · 1 record＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
Zhuanxu→Fish Womantransform
12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In history ·
After Shaohao, he possessed sage virtue, created the calendar, and fathered Bo Gun.
In fiction · Liezi · Classic of Mountains and Seas · In Search of the Supernatural · Huainanzi · Bamboo Annals
An ancient emperor, son of Hanliu, raised by Shaohao in his youth, later ascended the throne. He fathered Laotong, Jiyu, Shushi, and others, and revived after death. After his death, he was buried on the sunny side of Fuyu Mountain, and his nine consorts were also buried on the shady side of that mountain.
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
Huainanzi
2 relations2 verified quotations- Gong Gong→ contend emperor →Zhuanxu
- Zhuanxu→ assist →Xuanming
Verified original text · 2
昔者共工与颛顼争为帝
contend emperor · Huainanzi, 天文训
其帝颛顼，其佐玄冥
assist · Huainanzi, 天文训
- Literature / legend1 profile notes
Liezi
1 relations1 verified quotations- Gong Gong→ contend emperor →Zhuanxu
Verified original text · 1
共工氏与颛顼争为帝
contend emperor · Liezi, 汤问篇
- Literature / legend5 profile notes
Classic of Mountains and Seas
12 relations10 verified quotations- the Yellow Emperor→ ancestor →Zhuanxu
- Shaohao→ nurture →Zhuanxu
- Zhuanxu→ grandparent-grandchild →Zhurong
- Zhuanxu→ father-son →Huantou
Verified original text · 10
少昊孺帝颛顼于此
nurture · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒東經
颛顼生驩头
father-son · Classic of Mountains and Seas, 大荒北經
8 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
- Literature / legend1 profile notes
In Search of the Supernatural
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Bamboo Annals
2 relations3 verified quotations- Zuo Che→ support enthronement →Zhuanxu
- Zhuanxu→ father-son →Bo Gun
Verified original text · 3
其臣左彻乃立颛顼
support enthronement · Bamboo Annals, 古本辑校
三十年，帝产伯鲧
father-son · Bamboo Annals, 今本-五帝纪
1 more verified quotation in the relationship records below.
History vs. fiction
A variant myth of Zhuanxu dying and then reviving.
- based on factZhuanxu turned into a fish and revived after death
Regarding the ancient sovereign Zhuanxu, the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Chapter 'Great Wilderness Western Classic', preserves a strange resurrection myth: 'There is a fish half-dry, named Yufu. Zhuanxu died and then revived.' It says that after his death, with the help of a snake, he transformed into Yufu and was thus resurrected. However, in orthodox historical records such as the Records of the Grand Historian, 'Annals of the Five Emperors', Zhuanxu is merely an ordinary ancient sage king who reigned for seventy-eight years before passing away, with no such miraculous posthumous revival. This is a notable discrepancy between myth and historical accounts.
Relationship network
Original text (2)
昔者共工与颛顼争为帝
共工氏与颛顼争为帝
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
其臣左彻乃立颛顼
Original text (1)
Original text (2)
三十年，帝产伯鲧
颛顼产伯鲧
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
有国曰中䡢，颛顼之子
Original text (1)
有叔歜国，颛顼之子
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
有国名曰淑士，颛顼之子
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
其帝颛顼，其佐玄冥