Emperor Ku of the Gaoxin clan (帝嚳高辛氏)

Overview

Emperor Ku of the Gaoxin clan was a ruler.

PeriodAncient China

IdentityLegendary · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 55

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 540; History of Jin 35, passages 62-64; Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passages 61-62; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passages 39-40, 52-53, 55; Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 1

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Descendant of Yellow Emperor (黃帝)
great-grandson 曾孫 · paternal line · 3 generations
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 40
Child of Jiaoji (蟜極)
father 父
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 41
Parent of Qi (契)
father 父
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 1
Parent of Emperor Yao (帝堯)
fathered 生
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 53
Parent of Zhi (摯)
fathered 生
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 54
Spouse of Zouzi consort of Emperor Ku (娵訾氏女)
married 娶 · Marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 54
Spouse of Chenfeng consort of Emperor Ku (陳鋒氏女)
married 娶 · Marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 53
Spouse of Jiandi (簡狄)
secondary consort 次妃 · Secondary marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 1
Kin of Emperor Zhuanxu Gaoyang (顓頊帝高陽氏)
younger clansman 族子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 43

Eight Pures 八元
Kinship Role talented sons · Count 8
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 193

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Highest grade: sages 上上聖人
Nine grade table rank · Listed
Directly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 540
Emperor 帝
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 39

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · History of Jin 35, passage 62; Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passage 62; Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 39; Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 1
From Gaoxin 高辛 · To Emperor Ku 帝嚳
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 1, passage 39

References in the histories

Search passages

History

16 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 20Table of Ancient and Modern Persons · 1 passage

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帝嚳高辛氏 Emperor Ku of the Gaoxin clan

History of Jin, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 3 passages

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三年一祭，于仲春之月祭伏犧于陳州，神農於亳州，軒轅於坊州，少昊於兗州，顓頊於開州，高辛於歸德府，陶唐於平陽府，虞舜、夏禹、成湯於河中府，周文王、武王於京兆府。 Sacrifices were held once every three years: in mid-spring Fuxi was honored at Chen Prefecture, Shennong at Bozhou, the Yellow Emperor at Fang Prefecture, Shaohao at Yan Prefecture, Zhuanxu at Kai Prefecture, Gaoxin at Guide Prefecture, Emperor Yao at Pingyang Prefecture, Shun, Yu, and Tang at Hezhong Prefecture, and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou at Jingzhao Prefecture.

泰和三年、尚書省奏：「太常寺言：'《開元禮》祭帝嚳、堯、舜、禹、湯、文、武、漢祖祝版請禦署。 In Taihe 3 the Secretariat memorialized: "The Court of Imperial Sacrifices reports that under the Kaiyuan Rites, prayer boards for sacrifices to Di Ku, Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Kings Wen and Wu, and the Han Founder require imperial endorsement.

《開寶禮》犧、軒、顓頊、帝嚳、陶唐、女媧、成湯、文、武請禦署，自漢高祖以下二十七帝不署。 The Kaibao Rites require imperial endorsement for Fu Xi, the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Di Ku, Emperor Yao, Nüwa, Tang, and Kings Wen and Wu; from Han Gaozu downward twenty-seven emperors are not endorsed.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 62Volume 62: Book of Wu 17: Biographies of Shi Yi and Hu Zong · 1 passage

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高辛誅共，舜征有苗，啟有甘師，湯有鳴條。 Emperor Ku slew Gonggong; Shun chastised the Miao; Qi mustered the host of Gan; Tang struck at Mingtiao.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 1Annals of the Five Emperors · 10 passages

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顓頊崩，而玄囂之孫高辛立，是為帝嚳。 When Zhuanxu died, Gaoxin, grandson of Xuanxiao, came to the throne—Emperor Ku.

帝嚳高辛者，黃帝之曾孫也。 Emperor Ku, styled Gaoxin, was the Yellow Emperor’s great-grandson.

高辛父曰蟜極，蟜極父曰玄囂，玄囂父曰黃帝。 Gaoxin’s father was Jiaoji; Jiaoji’s father was Xuanxiao; Xuanxiao’s father was the Yellow Emperor.