Ancient China · King of Wu

Fuchai 夫差

Fūchāi

First attested BC 496; died BC 473

Passages: 60
Chapters: 5
Histories: 1

Overview

Fuchai was a king of Wu.

Life and dates

Death

BC 473 吳亡
Suicide · At Wu 吳
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 110-111
Killed · Killed by Goujian (勾踐)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 188

Attested activity

BC 495 to BC 473 吳王夫差
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 132, 188
BC 484 吳王夫差時
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 70
BC 484 夫差...賜之鴟夷而浮之江
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passages 75-76
BC 495 to BC 473 夫差
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 190
BC 496 to BC 473 自闔廬卒至吳亡
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 10, 110
BC 484 賜子胥屬鏤劍
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 169

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Crown prince of Wu (太子)
crown prince 太子
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 86, 89
Child of King Helü of Wu (吳王闔廬)
father 父
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 123, 129
Parent of Crown Prince of Wu under Fuchai (吳太子)
father 父
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 186
Child of Helü (闔廬)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 10

Key source chapters

Career and standing

King of Wu 王
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 132

Places and affiliations

Wu
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 75
Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 132
Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 70
Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 12

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Goujian (勾踐) · Speech Act refusal
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 109
Speech · Speaker · Speech Act final lament · Referenced Person Id Wu Zixu (伍子胥)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 111

Events and relationships

Defeated Qi at Ai Ling and captured Gao and Guo
BC 484 艾陵之戰 · Military · King and commander
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 66
Defeated Qi at Ailing
Military · Commander
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 144
Defeated Yue at Fujiao and besieged Goujian at Kuaiji
BC 494 三年 · Military · King and commander · With Goujian (勾踐)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 12, 18, 20
Executed
Legal · Authority · With Wu Zixu (伍子胥)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passages 75-76
Met the feudal lords at Huangchi
BC 482 黃池之會 · Diplomatic · Covenant participant
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 86, 90-91
Pardoned Yue over Wu Zixu's objection
Political · King
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 39

References in the histories

Search passages

History

60 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 41House of King Goujian of Yue · 36 passages

闔廬且死，告其子夫差曰：「必毋忘越。」 As Helü neared death, he told his son Fuchai, “You must never forget Yue.”

三年，句踐聞吳王夫差日夜勒兵，且以報越，越欲先吳未發往伐之。 In the third year, Goujian heard that King Fuchai of Wu was drilling troops day and night, intending to avenge himself on Yue. Yue wanted to strike Wu first, before Wu set out.

吳王聞之，悉發精兵擊越，敗之夫椒。 When the king of Wu heard of it, he sent all his elite troops against Yue and defeated them at Fujiao.

吳王追而圍之。 The Wu king pursued and surrounded them.

卑辭厚禮以遺之，不許，而身與之市。」 Send them humble words and generous gifts. If they do not permit it, then you yourself must go and bargain with the Wu king in person.”

乃令大夫種行成於吳，膝行頓首曰：「君王亡臣句踐使陪臣種敢告下執事：句踐請為臣，妻為妾。」 He then ordered Grandee Zhong to go and make peace with Wu. Zhong walked on his knees, kowtowed, and said: “Goujian, fugitive servant of Your Majesty, sends his attendant minister Zhong to address those below you: Goujian asks to become your minister, and his wife your concubine.”

吳王將許之。 The Wu king was about to permit it.

子胥言於吳王曰：「天以越賜吳，勿許也。」 Zixu spoke to the Wu king, saying: “Heaven grants Yue to Wu. Do not permit it.”

嚭受，乃見大夫種於吳王。 Pi accepted and then presented Grandee Zhong to the Wu king.

種頓首言曰：「願大王赦句踐之罪，盡入其寶器。 Zhong kowtowed and said: “I hope Your Majesty will pardon Goujian’s offense and accept all his precious vessels.

嚭因說吳王曰：「越以服為臣，若將赦之，此國之利也。」 Pi then persuaded the king of Wu, saying, “Yue has submitted as your minister. If you pardon it, the state will profit.”

吳王將許之。 The Wu king was about to permit it.

吳王弗聽，卒赦越，罷兵而歸。 The Wu king did not listen. He finally pardoned Yue, dismissed the troops, and returned.

居二年，吳王將伐齊。 After two years, the Wu king was about to attack Qi.

願王釋齊先越。」 I hope the king will set Qi aside and deal with Yue first.”

吳王弗聽，遂伐齊，敗之艾陵，虜齊高、國以歸。 The Wu king did not listen. He then attacked Qi, defeated them at Ai Ling, captured Gao and Guo of Qi, and returned.

子胥曰：「王毋喜！」 Zixu said: “King, do not rejoice!”

王怒，子胥欲自殺，王聞而止之。 The king was angered. Zi Xu desired to commit suicide. The king heard and stopped him.

越大夫種曰：「臣觀吳王政驕矣，請試嘗之貸粟，以卜其事。」 Grandee Zhong of Yue said: “I observe that the king of Wu’s government has grown arrogant. Let us test him by asking to borrow grain, and thereby read how matters stand.”

請貸，吳王欲與，子胥諫勿與，王遂與之，越乃私喜。 They requested to borrow. The Wu king desired to give. Zi Xu admonished not to give. The king then gave it. Yue then privately rejoiced.

子胥言曰：「王不聽諫，後三年吳其墟乎！」 Wu Zixu said, “If the king does not listen to remonstrance, within three years Wu may lie in ruins!”

太宰嚭聞之，乃數與子胥爭越議，因讒子胥曰：「伍員貌忠而實忍人，其父兄不顧，安能顧王？ The Grand Administrator Pi heard this and repeatedly argued with Wu Zixu over Yue policy. He then slandered Wu Zixu, saying, “Wu Yuan appears loyal, but in truth he is cruel. He disregarded his own father and elder brother; how can he care for Your Majesty?

王前欲伐齊，員彊諫，已而有功，用是反怨王。 Earlier, when the king wished to attack Qi, Wu Yuan forcefully remonstrated. After the campaign succeeded, he took this as a reason to resent the king.

王不備伍員，員必為亂。」 If the king does not guard against Wu Yuan, Yuan will certainly rebel.”

與逢同共謀，讒之王。 Together with Feng Tong they plotted and slandered to the king.

王始不從，乃使子胥於齊，聞其託子於鮑氏，王乃大怒，曰：「伍員果欺寡人！」 The king at first did not follow this advice, and later sent Zixu to Qi. When he heard that Zixu had entrusted his son to the Bao clan, the king became furious and said: “Wu Yuan has indeed deceived me!”

居三年，句踐召范蠡曰：「吳已殺子胥，導諛者眾，可乎？」 After three years, Goujian summoned Fan Li and said, “Wu has already killed Zixu, and many men are leading the king astray with flattery. Is the time right?”

至明年春，吳王北會諸侯於黃池，吳國精兵從王，惟獨老弱與太子留守。 By the next spring, the king of Wu went north to meet the feudal lords at Huangchi. Wu’s elite troops accompanied the king, leaving only the old, the weak, and the crown prince to defend the state.

吳告急於王，王方會諸侯於黃池，懼天下聞之，乃祕之。 Wu sent urgent word to its king, but the king was then meeting the feudal lords at Huangchi. Fearing that the realm would hear of it, he kept the news secret.

吳王已盟黃池，乃使人厚禮以請成越。 After the king of Wu concluded the covenant at Huangchi, he sent someone with generous gifts to request peace from Yue.

而越大破吳，因而留圍之三年，吳師敗，越遂復棲吳王於姑蘇之山。 Yue then inflicted a great defeat on Wu and remained there to besiege it for three years. After defeating the Wu army, Yue once again confined the king of Wu on Mount Gusu.

吳王使公孫雄肉袒膝行而前，請成越王曰：「孤臣夫差敢布腹心，異日嘗得罪於會稽，夫差不敢逆命，得與君王成以歸。 The king of Wu sent Gongsun Xiong, who bared his upper body and advanced on his knees, to ask the king of Yue for peace, saying: “Your isolated servant Fuchai dares to lay bare his innermost thoughts. On a former day I offended you at Kuaiji, but Fuchai did not dare defy your command and was allowed to make peace with Your Majesty and return.

句踐憐之，乃使人謂吳王曰：「吾置王甬東，君百家。」 Goujian pitied him and sent someone to tell the king of Wu: “I will settle the king at Yongdong and let him rule a hundred households.”

吳王謝曰：「吾老矣，不能事君王！」 The king of Wu declined, saying, “I am old. I cannot serve Your Majesty!”

越王乃葬吳王而誅太宰嚭。 The king of Yue then gave the king of Wu burial and executed the Grand Administrator Pi.

人或讒種且作亂，越王乃賜種劍曰：「子教寡人伐吳七術，寡人用其三而敗吳，其四在子，子為我從先王試之。」 Someone slandered Zhong, saying that he was about to rebel. The king of Yue then bestowed a sword on Zhong and said, “You taught me seven strategies for attacking Wu. I used three of them and defeated Wu; the remaining four are still with you. Follow the former king and test them for me.”

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 66Biography of Wu Zixu · 20 passages

後二歲，闔廬使太子夫差將兵伐楚，取番。 After two years, Helü made Crown Prince Fu Chai lead troops to attack Chu and took Fan.

闔廬病創將死，謂太子夫差曰：「爾忘句踐殺爾父乎？」 Helü, ill from his wound and about to die, told Crown Prince Fu Chai: 'Do you forget that Goujian killed your father?'

夫差對曰：「不敢忘。」 Fu Chai replied: 'I dare not forget.'

夫差既立為王，以伯嚭為太宰，習戰射。 After Fuchai became king, he made Bo Pi grand steward and drilled his troops in warfare and archery.

吳王將許之。 The Wu king was about to agree.

吳王不聽，用太宰嚭計，與越平。 The Wu king did not listen and used Grand Steward Pi's plan to make peace with Yue.

其後五年，而吳王聞齊景公死而大臣爭寵，新君弱，乃興師北伐齊。 Five years later, the Wu king heard that Duke Jing of Qi had died and ministers were contending for favor, with the new ruler weak. He raised troops and attacked Qi to the north.

吳王不聽，伐齊，大敗齊師於艾陵，遂威鄒魯之君以歸。 The Wu king did not listen and attacked Qi. He greatly defeated the Qi troops at Ailing, then awed the rulers of Zou and Lu and returned.

其後四年，吳王將北伐齊，越王句踐用子貢之謀，乃率其眾以助吳，而重寶以獻遺太宰嚭。 Four years later, when the Wu king was about to attack Qi to the north, King Goujian of Yue used Zi Gong's strategy. He led his multitudes to help Wu and offered heavy treasures to Grand Steward Pi.

太宰嚭既數受越賂，其愛信越殊甚，日夜為言於吳王。 Grand Steward Pi, having several times received Yue's bribes, loved and trusted Yue extremely. Day and night he spoke on their behalf to the Wu king.

吳王信用嚭之計。 The Wu king trusted and used Pi's plans.

而吳王不聽，使子胥於齊。 The Wu king did not listen and sent Wu Zixu to Qi.

吳王曰：「微子之言，吾亦疑之。」 The king of Wu said: "Had you not spoken, I too would have remained doubtful."

吳王聞之大怒，乃取子胥尸盛以鴟夷革，浮之江中。 When the Wu king heard this, he was furious. He took Wu Zixu's corpse, sealed it in a leather wineskin, and cast it into the Jiang.

吳王既誅伍子胥，遂伐齊。 After executing Wu Zixu, the Wu king attacked Qi.

吳王欲討其賊，不勝而去。 The Wu king wished to punish the killers, but he failed to win and withdrew.

其後二年，吳王召魯衛之君會之橐皋。 Two years later, the Wu king summoned the rulers of Lu and Wei to assemble at Tuo Gao.

吳王聞之，乃歸，使使厚幣與越平。 When the Wu king heard this, he returned and sent an envoy with generous gifts to make peace with Yue.

後九年，越王句踐遂滅吳，殺王夫差； Nine years later, King Goujian of Yue destroyed Wu and killed King Fuchai;

吳王夫差之時，楚惠王欲召勝歸楚。 During the time of King Fuchai of Wu, King Hui of Chu wished to summon Sheng back to Chu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 2 passages

夫差弗是也，賜之鴟夷而浮之江。 Fu Cha was not like this, granted him a leather bag and floated him on the river.

吳王不寤先論之可以立功，故沈子胥而不悔； King Fuchai of Wu failed to understand that earlier counsel could have secured his achievement, and so he drowned Zixu without remorse;

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

彼吳彊大兮，夫差以敗； The state of Wu was mighty and strong, yet Fu Chai met defeat;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88Biography of Meng Tian · 1 passage

吳王夫差殺伍子胥。 King Fuchai of Wu forced Wu Zixu to take his own life.