King Mu of Zhou (周穆王)

Overview

The translated histories identify King Mu of Zhou as a ruler. This record brings together 5 passages from 5 chapters across 5 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	King Mu of Zhou	周穆王	Zhou Mu Wang
Title	King Mu	穆滿
Personal	King Mu Man	穆王滿	Mu Wang Man
Posthumous	King Mu of Zhou	周穆王	Zhou Mu Wang
Personal name	King Mu of Zhou	穆滿
Title	King Mu of Zhou	周穆
Given	Man	滿	Man
Personal name	Man	滿
Regnal	Mu	穆	Mu

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · jinshi:035:s0110, shiji:013:s141

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · jinshi:035:s0110, nanqishu:047:s0113
Qualitative: Zhou antiquity
Explicit · suishu:005:s0019
Source Date: Text: 周道既衰，穆王時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 976 · End: BC 922
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:025:s0125
Source Date: Text: 大定二十五年 · Western Year: AD 1185
Explicit event contextual date · jinshi:035:s0110
Source Date: Text: 穆王 · Western Interval: Start: BC 976 · End: BC 922
Explicit · shiji:013:s141

Places and affiliations

Polity: Zhou / 周 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:013:s141

Works and attributed material

Work: Punishments of Fu / 甫刑 · Relation: author
Explicit · shiji:013:s141

Events and relationships

Kind: legislation · Role: commissioner · Action: ordered Marquis Fu to devise punishments · Other Person Id: Marquis Fu (甫侯)
Explicit · hanshu:025:s0125

Source notes

Historicity: legendary
Explicit · jinshi:035:s0110, suishu:005:s0019
Statement: The remote regions did not come / 荒服不至
Explicit · shiji:013:s141

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

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周道既衰，穆王眊荒，命甫侯度時作刑，以詰四方。 As Zhou weakened, punitive legislation was expanded under King Mu through the code associated with Marquis Fu.

History of Jin, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 1 passage

Open chapter

其冊文雲：「昔我太祖武元皇帝，受天明命，掃遼季荒茀，成師以出，至於大江，浩浩洪流，不舟而濟，雖穆滿渡江面黿粱，光武濟河而水冰，自今觀之無足言矣！ The enfeoffment text reads: "In former days our Grand Ancestor, the Martial Origin Emperor, received Heaven's bright mandate, swept away the Liao dynasty's wild wasteland, and led his army forth to the great river—a vast torrent, yet he crossed without boats. Though King Mu of Zhou crossed the river on a turtle bridge and Emperor Guangwu crossed the Yellow River on ice, viewed from today these are hardly worth mentioning!

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 47Volume 47 Biographies 28: Wang Rong, Xie Tiao · 1 passage

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融曰：「周穆馬迹徧於天下，若騏驥之性，因地而遷，則造父之策，有時而躓。」 Rong said, "King Mu of Zhou's horses ranged over all the world; if fine steeds change with the land, then even Zaofu's skill would sometimes fail."

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

Open chapter

穆王滿。作甫刑。荒服不至。 King Mu Man. Made the Punishments of Fu. The remote regions did not come.

Book of Sui, Chapter 5Volume 5 Annals 5: Emperor Gong · 1 passage

Open chapter

丙寅，詔曰：「朕惟孺子，未出深宮，太上遠巡，追蹤穆滿。 On bingyin day an edict proclaimed: "I am but a child who has never left the inner palace; the Retired Emperor roams far abroad, following in the footsteps of King Mu of Zhou.