Xie of Shang
| Xie 契 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Qing dynasty illustration | |||||
| Ruler of Predynastic Shang | |||||
| Reign | c. 2070 B.C. – ? BC | ||||
| Predecessor | Emperor Ku | ||||
| Successor | Zhao Ming | ||||
| Issue | |||||
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| Father | Emperor Ku | ||||
| Mother | Jian Di[1] | ||||
| Xie of Shang | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 契 or 偰 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 閼伯 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Xie (Chinese: 契)[a] family name Zi (子), was an ancient Chinese nobleman and ancestor of the kings of the Shang dynasty.[1] He is the first known Shang ancestor and ruler of the Predynastic Shang. However, he is only mentioned in texts from after the Shang dynasty: He is not attested in oracle bone inscriptions.
Names
In Records of the Grand Historian, he is given the family name Zi (子), matching those of Shang rulers in oracle bone inscriptions. In Guoyu, he is referred to by a leader of the State of Lu as the "Dark King" (玄王),[2] referring to a legend in which he was born from a "Dark Bird" to found Predynastic Shang.[1]
Later generations post-Zhou refer to Xie as E Bo (閼伯). Additionally, some transmitted texts will use the character (契) for his name, which can be read as qì, appearing in some translations.
Family
Xie's consort(s) is unknown, but it is known he was a father of Zhao Ming of Shang and grandfather of Xiang Tu.[1]
Xie's father was Emperor Ku,[3] and Xie’s brothers were Houji, Emperor Zhi and Emperor Yao.[4] Xie’s mother was one of Ku’s consorts ‒ Jiang Yuan, Jiandi, Qingdu, or Changyi.[5][6][1]
Reign
Xie allegedly served as Minister of Instruction (司徒) under Emperor Shun during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, who said the following:[1]
帝舜乃命契曰：「百姓不親，五品不訓，汝為司徒而敬敷五教，五教在寬。」[1]
Emperor Shun gave the order to Xie, saying: "The people are wanting in affection for one another, and do not observe the five orders of relationship. You, as Minister of Instruction, should reverently inculcate the lessons of duty belonging to those five orders, but do so with gentleness."[1]
As Minister of Instruction, Xie was tasked with upholding the five teachings (五品 or 五教). While these were not mentioned in Sima Qian's records, they are attested in other texts. In Zuo Zhuan, specifically the 18th Year of Duke Wen, Zuo Qiuming states they are the following:[7]
- 父義 - Righteousness and justice in the father.
- 母慈 - Kindness in the mother.
- 兄友 - Friendliness in the older brother.
- 弟恭 - Respect in the younger brother.
- 子孝 - Filial conduct in the son.
Additionally, as Minister of Instruction, Xie was enfeoffed with the Principality of Shang, which flourished under the rule of Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun.[1]
After he died, Xie was succeeded by his son, Zhao Ming.[1]
Xuanniao myth
Xie is said to have been born as a result of Jian Di, the daughter of Yousong (有娀) and one of three sisters, consuming an egg from a dark bird (Xuánniǎo 玄鳥). After consuming the egg, Jian Di became pregnant with Qi, gave birth to him, and raised him. When he grew up, he became the Minister of Instruction of Emperor Shun.[1]
The myth of the dark bird is mentioned in an eponymous myth amongst the Sacrificial Odes of Shang (商頌) in the Classic of Poetry, opening as follows:
天命玄鳥，降而生商，宅殷土芒芒。
Heaven ordained a dark bird, which descended upon and birthed the Shang, settling in our desolate yet vast land of Yin.
Great flood myth
Much of what is known about Xie comes from the Great flood involving Yu the Great, mentioned in myriad works after the Shang dynasty fell, most predominantly Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian. However, as there is little archaeological evidence for the flood as described, and the closest thing to the Xia dynasty it is associated with is the Erlitou culture, the story's legitimacy is questionable.
In the 20th year of Emperor Yao's reign, the Yellow River blew its banks, causing a massive flood that engulfed much of China, swelling over hills and forcing the common man to flee to higher ground. Yao sought individuals who could assist with the flood. Gun failed, and so the task fell to Yu the Great, his son. He succeeded, and so Emperor Yao offered him office; he wanted to refuse in favour of either Xie, Hou Ji, or Gao Yao, but Yao was set and told him to attend to his duties.[8]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Sima, Qian. "殷本紀". In Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). 史記 [Records of the Grand Historian] (in Literary Chinese and English). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
殷契，母曰簡狄，有娀氏之女，為帝嚳次妃。三人行浴，見玄鳥墮其卵，簡狄取吞之，因孕生契。契長而佐禹治水有功。帝舜乃命契曰：「百姓不親，五品不訓，汝為司徒而敬敷五教，五教在寬。」封于商，賜姓子氏。契興於唐、虞、大禹之際，功業著於百姓，百姓以平。
- ^ Zuo, Qiuming. "魯語上". In Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). 國語 [Discourses of the States] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
今將先明而後祖，自玄王以及主癸莫如湯，自稷以及王季莫如文、武，商、周之蒸也，未嘗躋湯與文、武，為不逾也。
- ^ "According to the Han imperial scribe Sima (c. 145 BC-86 BC), the legendary founder of Shang, “Hsieh [Xie] of Yin,” was a son of the Xia emperor Ku."
- ^ Wu, K. C. (1982). The Chinese Heritage. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 0-517-54475X.
- ^ Yang, 99
- ^ Wu, 64
- ^ Zuo, Qiuming. "文公十八年". In Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). 春秋左傳 [Zuo Tradition] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
舜臣堯，舉八愷，使主后土，以揆百事，莫不時序，地平天成，舉八元，使布五教于四方，父義，母慈，兄友，弟共，子孝，內平，外成，昔帝鴻氏有不才子，掩義隱賊，好行凶德，
- ^ Sima, Qian. "夏本紀". In Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). 史記 [Records of the Grand Historian] (in Literary Chinese and English). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
堯崩，帝舜問四嶽曰：「有能成美堯之事者使居官？」皆曰：「伯禹為司空，可成美堯之功。」舜曰：「嗟，然！」命禹：「女平水土，維是勉之。」禹拜稽首，讓於契、后稷、皋陶。舜曰：「女其往視爾事矣。」