Ancient China · Named Individual

Bride selected for the River God 河伯婦

Attested BC 450 - BC 375

Passages: 3
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Bride selected for the River God was a Named Individual.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Alternate name	This girl	是女子

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 450 to BC 375 至其時，西門豹往會之河上
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passages 302-304

Events and relationships

Presented then rejected as not beautiful
Ritual · Intended bride
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passages 302-304

Assessments and attributes

Assessment not beautiful enough · Mode speech Speaker Ximen Bao (西門豹)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passage 304

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 126Biographies of Jesters · 3 passages

西門豹曰：「呼河伯婦來，視其好醜。」 Ximen Bao said: "Bring out the bride for the River God. Let me take a look at whether she is beautiful enough."

即將女出帷中，來至前。 They led the girl out from behind the curtains and brought her before him.

豹視之，顧謂三老、巫祝、父老曰：「是女子不好，煩大巫嫗為入報河伯，得更求好女，后日送之。」 Bao studied the girl, then turned to the three elders, the shamans, and the village elders: "This girl will not do — she is not beautiful enough. I must trouble the old shaman woman to go into the river and inform the River God that we need more time to find a prettier girl. We will send her along on another day."