Shaohao
Shaohao | |
---|---|
Predecessor | Yellow Emperor |
Successor | Zhuanxu |
Issue | Jiaoji |
Father | Yellow Emperor |
Mother | Leizu |
Shaohao (Chinese: 少皞; pinyin: Shàohào; lit. 'Lesser brightness'[a]), also known as Jin Tian (金天), was a legendary Chinese sovereign, usually identified as a son of the Yellow Emperor. According to some traditions, such as that within the Book of Documents, Shaohao is one of the Five Emperors. His place in the mythical lineage of the Yellow Emperor has been subject to controversy. Members of the 19th–20th century Doubting Antiquity School of historians posited that Shaohao was added to the orthodox succession legend by Liu Xin as part of a politically motivated campaign revising ancient texts c. 1 AD.
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Standard legend
Though its provenance can only be reliably traced from the 1st century AD onwards, the traditional story of Shaohao posits him as a son of the Yellow Emperor.,[1] Furthermore, he ruled as the leader of the Dongyi for 84 years, during which he moved the capital to Qufu. He was succeeded by his nephew Zhuanxu, the son of his brother Changyi.
However, the
The site traditionally claimed to be
Alternative legends
In the Bamboo Annals, it is stated that Shaohao was not the Yellow Emperor's son but the son of a certain Lady Jie (女節), who miraculously conceived him after seeing a rainbow-like star flowing downwards onto Hua Islet (華渚).
Another legend says that his mother—the Weaver Woman, a star goddess—was a beautiful fairy named Huang'e, who fell in love with
According to this telling, Shaohao created a kingdom in the five mountains of the Eastern Paradise inhabited by different types of birds. As ruler of this land, he captured the identity of a vulture, and other birds worked below him: a phoenix was his Lord Chancellor, a hawk delegated the law, and a pigeon was in charge of education. He deigned that the four seasons of the year would watch over the remaining birds.
Although his kingdom was successful for many years, he moved back to the west and left his kingdom of birds to his son Chong. With a different son, Ru Shou, he made his home on Changliu Mountain, where he could rule over the Western Heavens. In union as father and son, they were responsible for the daily setting of the sun. In addition, Shaohao was thought to have introduced China to the twenty-five string lute.
Historicity and historiography
While no modern scholarship accepts any part of the Yellow Emperor body of myth as describing historical events, traditional
There is debate whether that Shaohao was a real or legendary ruler of the
Outside China
In the Korean
Notes
References
- ISBN 0415288231. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
- ISBN 9781139095419.
- ^ Chinese Wikisource has original text related to this article: 三國史記/卷41『三國史記』列傳 第一:金庾信 上
- 金庾信 王京人也 十二世祖首露 不知何許人也 以後漢建武十八年壬寅 登龜峯 望駕洛九村 遂至其地 開國 號曰加耶 後改爲金官國 其子孫相承 至九世孫仇亥 或云仇次休 於庾信爲曾祖 羅人自謂少昊金天氏之後 故姓金 庾信碑亦云 軒轅之裔 少昊之胤 則南加耶始祖首露 與新羅同姓也