Ancient China · Official

Fu Yue 傅說

Attested BC 1250 - BC 1192

Passages: 13
Chapters: 7
Histories: 3

Overview

The translated histories identify Fu Yue as a laborer, named individual, official, and statesman. This record brings together 13 passages from 7 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Fu Yue	傅說	Fu Yue
Personal name	Fu Yue	傅說	Fu Yue
Personal	Fu Yue	說	Yue
Personal	Fu Yue	殷說	Yin Yue
Personal	Fu Yue	傅說
Personal name	Fu Yue	傅說	Fù Yuè
Personal	Fuyue	傅說	Fuyue
Personal	Yue	說
Personal name	Yue	說	Yue

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:098:s0047, shiji:124:s0009, zhoushu:023:s0267
Sex: male
Explicit · shiji:003:s0147, shiji:084:s0193, zhoushu:023:s0138
Value: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:013:s431

Roles

Laborer
Named Individual
Official
Statesman

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 傅說匿於傅險 · Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · shiji:124:s0009
Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · hanshu:098:s0047, shiji:084:s0193
Source Date: Text: 傅說 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1250 · End: BC 1192
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:003:s0141, shiji:003:s0147
Source Date: Text: 大統十年 · Western Year: AD 544
Explicit event contextual date · zhoushu:023:s0042, zhoushu:023:s0138
Source Date: Text: 得傅說 · Western Year: BC 1250
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:013:s431
Source Date: Text: 殷商武丁之世 · Western Year: BC 1250
Strongly inferred · zhoushu:023:s0267

Places and affiliations

Polity: Yin · Unresolved: true
Explicit · hanshu:117:s0257
Place: Fu Cliff / 傅巖 · Unresolved: true
Explicit · hanshu:117:s0257
Place: cliffs of Fu / 傅險 · Relation: hid-at
Explicit · shiji:124:s0009

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: exemplar · Action: cited-as-model-or-warning · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 大統十年 · Western Year: AD 544 · Provenance: Mode: document · Source Person Id: Su Chuo (蘇綽)
Explicit · zhoushu:023:s0138
Kind: allusion · Role: exemplar · Action: recalled as convict-laborer minister archetype
Explicit · zhoushu:023:s0406
Relation: minister-of · Person Id: Wu Ding (武丁)
Explicit · shiji:084:s0193, zhoushu:023:s0267, zhoushu:023:s0294

Source notes

From: Yue / 說 · To: Fu Yue / 傅說 · Reason: named from Fu ravine
Explicit · shiji:003:s0147

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 1 passage

累既攀夫傅說兮，奚不信而遂行？ Once you had climbed to Fu Yue in dream— why not trust the sign and press on?

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage

殷說夢發於傅巖，周望兆動於渭濱，齊甯激聲於康衢，漢良受書於邳沂，皆俟命而神交，匪詞言之所信，故能建必然之策，展無窮之勳也。 Fu Yue was revealed in a dream at Fuyan; Lü Wang's omen stirred on the banks of the Wei; Ning Qi's song rang out at the crossroads; and Zhang Liang received the book at the bridge at Xiapi. All awaited their appointed time and communed in spirit, relying on more than words; thus they could devise certain strategies and achieve immeasurable merit.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3Annals of Yin · 4 passages

武丁夜夢得聖人，名曰說。 One night Wuding dreamed of a sage named Yue.

於是乃使百工營求之野，得說於傅險中。 He sent artisans to search the wilds and found Yue at Fu ravine.

是時說為胥靡，筑於傅險。 At that time Yue was a corvée laborer, building at Fu ravine.

故遂以傅險姓之，號曰傅說。 He took his name from Fu ravine and was called Fu Yue.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 13Genealogical Tables of the Three Dynasties · 1 passage

帝武丁。雉升鼎耳雊。得傅說。稱高宗。 Emperor Wuding. A pheasant perched on the tripod ear and crowed; he obtained Fuyue and was called Gaozong.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 84Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master Jia · 1 passage

傅說胥靡兮，乃相武丁。 Fu Yue toiled as a convict laborer, yet rose to become chief minister to King Wu Ding.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 124Biographies of Knight-errants · 1 passage

太史公曰：昔者虞舜窘於井廩，伊尹負於鼎俎，傅說匿於傅險，呂尚困於棘津，夷吾桎梏，百里飯牛，仲尼畏匡，菜色陳、蔡。 The Grand Historian remarks: In the old days, Emperor Shun was nearly killed in a well and a granary. Yi Yin labored among the pots and cutting boards. Fu Yue hid himself at the cliffs of Fu. Lu Shang was reduced to desperate straits at Jijin. Guan Zhong wore fetters. Baili Xi fed cattle for a living. Confucius was besieged at Kuang and went hungry until his face turned sallow between Chen and Cai.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 23Volume 23 Biographies 15: Su Chuo · 4 passages

苟得其人，自可起塚養而為卿相，伊尹、傅說是也，而況州郡之職乎。 Get the right man and he may rise from tending graves and feeding cattle to minister and chancellor, as with Yi Yin and Fu Yue—how much more so for provincial office!

武丁命說，克號高宗。 Wu Ding charged Yue, and worthily earned the title High Ancestor.

若伊之在商，周之有呂，說之相丁，用保我無疆之祚。」 Like Yi Yin in Shang, Lü Wang in Zhou, and Yue assisting Wu Ding—you preserve our boundless fortune."

若乃庖廚、胥靡、種德、微管之臣，罕聞於世； Men like the cook, the convict laborer, the planter of virtue, and Guan Zhong in humble obscurity are rarely celebrated in their own time;