Ancient China · Rebel

Gonggong 共工

Gònggōng

Dates uncertain

Passages: 3
Chapters: 3
Histories: 3

Overview

Gonggong was a rebel.

Life and dates

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 65; History of Liao 111, passage 70; Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 9

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Goulong (句龙)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 65

Key source chapters

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110 Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three 1 passage
History of Liao, Chapter 111 Volume 111 Biographies 41: Treacherous Ministers 2 1 passage
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 25 Treatise on the Pitch-Pipes 1 passage

Events and relationships

Fought
Military · Opponent · With Zhuanxu (顓頊)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 9

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 65; History of Liao 111, passage 70; Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 9

References in the histories

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 1 passage

《礼记》及《国语》皆谓共工氏之子曰句龙，为后土官，能平九土，故祀以为社。 The Rites and Guoyu name Goulong, son of Gonggong, earth officer who levelled the nine domains, and therefore deified as She.

History of Liao, Chapter 111Volume 111 Biographies 41: Treacherous Ministers 2 · 1 passage

論曰：舜流共工，孔子誅少正卯，治奸之法嚴矣。 The commentary says: Shun exiled Gong Gong, and Confucius executed Shaozheng Mao—the standards for dealing with traitors were severe indeed.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 25Treatise on the Pitch-Pipes · 1 passage

顓頊有共工之陳，以平水害； Zhuanxu had the battle array of Gonggong, to pacify the water harm.