Ancient China · Ruler and General

King Helü of Wu 吳王闔廬

Wu Wang Helü

Attested BC 514 - BC 496

Passages: 21
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

King Helü of Wu was a ruler and General.

Life and dates

Death

Wound · Cause Finger wound from Yue battle
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 128, 131

Attested activity

BC 506 九年入郢
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 87, 93
BC 514 to BC 496 吳王闔廬
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 75, 131

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of Fuchai (夫差)
father 父
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 123, 129
Sibling of Fu Gai (夫概)
younger brother 弟 · Full siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 91

Career and standing

King Helü of Wu 吳王闔廬
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 75

Places and affiliations

Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passage 62

Events and relationships

Entered Ying
BC 506 九年 · Military · Commander · At Ying 郢
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 66, passages 87, 93

References in the histories

Search passages

History

21 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 66Biography of Wu Zixu · 21 passages

至於吳，吳王僚方用事，公子光為將。 He arrived in Wu, where King Liao of Wu was in power and Prince Guang was general.

伍胥乃因公子光以求見吳王。 Wu Zixu then sought an audience with the King of Wu through Prince Guang.

吳使公子光伐楚，拔其鐘離、居巢而歸。 Wu sent Prince Guang to attack Chu. He captured Zhongli and Ju Chao, then returned.

願復遣公子光。」 I wish to send Prince Guang again.'

公子光謂吳王曰：「彼伍胥父兄為戮於楚，而勸王伐楚者，欲以自報其讎耳。 Prince Guang told the King of Wu: 'Wu Zixu's father and elder brother were slaughtered by Chu. He advises Your Majesty to attack Chu only because he wants to avenge his private grievance.

伍胥知公子光有內志，欲殺王而自立，未可說以外事，乃進專諸於公子光，退而與太子建之子勝耕於野。 Wu Zixu knew Prince Guang harbored ambitions within Wu and intended to kill the king and establish himself. Since Guang could not yet be persuaded about campaigns abroad, Zixu introduced Zhuan Zhu to him, then withdrew to farm in the fields with Sheng, the son of Crown Prince Jian.

吳國內空，而公子光乃令專諸襲刺吳王僚而自立，是為吳王闔廬。 Wu's interior was empty, so Prince Guang ordered Zhuan Zhu to assassinate King Liao of Wu and establish himself. This was King Helü of Wu.

闔廬既立，得志，乃召伍員以為行人，而與謀國事。 Once Helü had taken the throne and achieved his ambition, he summoned Wu Yuan to serve as envoy and planned state affairs with him.

後聞闔廬弒王僚自立，遂以其兵降楚，楚封之於舒。 Later they heard that Helü had assassinated King Liao and established himself, so they surrendered their troops to Chu. Chu enfeoffed them at Shu.

闔廬立三年，乃興師與伍胥、伯嚭伐楚，拔舒，遂禽故吳反二將軍。 Three years after Helü was established, he raised troops and with Wu Zixu and Bo Pi attacked Chu. He captured Shu and captured the two former Wu generals who had rebelled.

九年，吳王闔廬謂子胥、孫武曰：「始子言郢未可入，今果何如？」 In the ninth year, King Helü of Wu told Wu Zixu and Sun Wu: 'Initially you said Ying could not be entered. Now indeed, how is it?'

闔廬聽之，悉興師與唐、蔡伐楚，與楚夾漢水而陳。 Helü listened to them. He raised all his troops and attacked Chu together with Tang and Cai. They lined up against Chu across the Han River.

吳王之弟夫概將兵請從，王不聽，遂以其屬五千人擊楚將子常。 The Wu king's younger brother Fu Gai led troops and asked to join the campaign. The king refused, so Fu Gai took five thousand of his own followers and attacked the Chu general Zichang.

庚辰，吳王入郢。 On gengchen day, the Wu king entered Ying.

會吳王久留楚求昭王，而闔廬弟夫概乃亡歸，自立為王。 It happened that the Wu king stayed long in Chu seeking King Zhao, while Helü's younger brother Fu Gai fled back and established himself as king.

闔廬聞之，乃釋楚而歸，擊其弟夫概。 When Helü heard this, he abandoned the campaign in Chu and returned to attack his younger brother Fu Gai.

楚復與吳戰，敗吳，吳王乃歸。 Chu again battled Wu, defeated Wu, and the Wu king then returned.

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.

越王句踐迎擊，敗吳於姑蘇，傷闔廬指，軍卻。 King Goujian of Yue met them in battle, defeated Wu at Gusu, wounded Helü's finger, and forced the army to retreat.

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?'

是夕，闔廬死。 That night, Helü died.