Ancient China · Ruler

King Liao of Wu 吳王僚

Wu Wang Liao

First attested BC 518; died BC 515

Passages: 7
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

King Liao of Wu was a ruler.

Life and dates

Death

BC 515 四月丙子
Assassination · Cause Stabbed with a dagger hidden in roasted fish · Killed by Zhuan Zhu (專諸) · At Guang's house 光之家
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 177-178

Attested activity

BC 515 四月丙子
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 175, 178
BC 518 to BC 516 after 九年, before 十二年冬
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 157, 163

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Mother of King Liao (王僚之母)
mother 母
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 172
Parent of Son of King Liao (王僚之子)
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 172

attendants at gates, steps, and mats were King Liao's own kin
Kinship Role kin · Quantity unspecified
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 176

Career and standing

assassination 弒
BC 515 四月丙子 · Suffered · Authority King Helu of Wu (吳王闔廬)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 178, 186

Places and affiliations

Polity Wu 吳 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passages 157, 175
BC 515 十三年
At Liao's tomb 僚墓 · Relation Buried
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 185

Events and relationships

Deployed troops from palace to Guang house
BC 515 四月丙子 · Military · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 176
Invited to drink
BC 515 四月丙子 · Ritual · Guest · With King Helu of Wu (吳王闔廬)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 175
Sent Gaiyu and Zhuyong against Chu
BC 515 十三年春 · Military · Ruler · With Gongzi Gaiyu (公子蓋餘), Zhuyong (燭庸)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 164

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 31, passage 157

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 31Genealogies: House of Wu Taibo · 7 passages

伍子胥之初奔吳，說吳王僚以伐楚之利。 When Wu Zixu first fled to Wu, he told King Liao of the benefits of attacking Chu.

專諸曰：「王僚可殺也。 Zhuan Zhu said: “King Liao can be killed.

四月丙子，光伏甲士於窟室，而謁王僚飲。 On Bingzi day of the fourth month, Guang hid armored men in a cave room and invited King Liao to drink.

王僚使兵陳於道，自王宮至光之家，門階戶席，皆王僚之親也，人夾持鈹。 King Liao deployed troops along the road from the palace to Guang’s house, and all the attendants at the gates, steps, and mats were King Liao’s own kin, holding halberds on either side.

手匕首刺王僚，鈹交於匈，遂弒王僚。 He seized the dagger and stabbed King Liao. The halberds crossed at his chest, and King Liao was assassinated.

復命，哭僚墓，復位而待。 He completed the mission, mourned at Liao’s tomb, returned to his post, and waited.

吳公子燭庸、蓋餘二人將兵遇圍於楚者，聞公子光弒王僚自立，乃以其兵降楚，楚封之於舒。 The two Wu princes Zhuyong and Gaiyu, who had been leading troops and were trapped by Chu, heard that Gongzi Guang had assassinated King Liao and taken the throne, so they surrendered to Chu with their armies, and Chu enfeoffed them at Shu.