Taibo (太伯) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Taibo as an aristocrat, named individual, royal family member, and ruler. This record brings together 7 passages from 5 chapters across 4 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Taibo	太伯	Taibo
Title	Duke Tai of Wu	太伯
Personal	Tai Bo	太伯	Tai Bo
Personal name	Taibo	太伯	Taibo
Personal	Taibo	泰伯
Title	Taibo of Wu	太伯	Tài bó
Personal	Wu Taibo	吳太伯
Personal name	Wu Taibo	吳太伯	Wú Tài bó

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · chenshu:004:s0118, liaoshi:072:s0028, shiji:061:s0009
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:013:s0065

Roles

Aristocrat
Named Individual
Royal Family Member
Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · chenshu:004:s0118, liaoshi:072:s0028, shiji:061:s0009
Source Date: Text: 太伯之吳 · Western Year: BC 1120
Explicit · shiji:013:s0065

Places and affiliations

Place: Wu / 吳 · Relation: traveled-to
Explicit · shiji:013:s0065

Events and relationships

Kind: travel · Role: actor · Action: went-to-Wu · Place: Wu / 吳
Explicit · shiji:013:s0065

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: ancient benevolent sage and worthy man · Provenance: Mode: quoted-source · Source Person Id: Confucius (孔子)
Explicit · shiji:061:s0009
Assessment: model of yielding and going abroad · Provenance: Mode: quotation · Speaker Person Id: Yelü Bei (耶律倍)
Explicit · liaoshi:072:s0028

Source notes

Historicity: legendary
Explicit · shiji:061:s0009

References in the histories

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

Book of Chen, Chapter 4Volume 4: Emperor Fei · 2 passages

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文皇知子之鑒，事甚帝堯，傳弟之懷，又符太伯。 Emperor Wen knew which son could bear the charge, as Yao did; his wish to pass the throne to his younger brother matched the Duke of Wu.

及疾將大漸，召高宗謂曰「吾欲遵太伯之事」，高宗初未達旨，後寤，乃拜伏涕泣，固辭。 As his illness deepened he called Emperor Xuan and said, "I mean to follow the Duke of Wu's example of yielding the throne." At first Emperor Xuan did not understand; when he did, he prostrated himself, wept, and refused.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 1 passage

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宜深辭職，自陳淺薄不足以固城門之守，收太伯之讓，保謙謙之路，闔門高枕，為知者首。 You ought deeply to decline, saying yourself too shallow to secure the gates, take Taibo's example of yielding, keep to humility, shut your gates and rest easy, and be foremost among the wise.

History of Liao, Chapter 72Volume 72 Biographies 2: Imperial Family: Yi Zongbei, the Foreign Emperor Zhang Su, Shun Zongjun, Jin Wangaoluwo · 2 passages

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不如適他國，以成吳太伯之名。」 better to go abroad and earn a name like Wu Taibo's."

觀其始慕泰伯之賢而為遠適之謀，終疾陳恒之惡而有請討之舉，誌趣之卓，蓋已見於早歲先祀孔子之言歟。 See how early on he admired Taibo's virtue and planned exile abroad, and in the end loathed Chen Heng's crime and urged his ruler to punish it—his high purpose was already plain in youth, when he argued to honor Confucius first.

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

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太伯之吳，遂生源也。』 Tai Bo went to Wu, and thus originated the source.'

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 61Biographies: Biography of Bo Yi · 1 passage

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孔子序列古之仁聖賢人，如吳太伯、伯夷之倫詳矣。 Confucius arranged and set forth the ancient benevolent sages and worthy men, including figures such as Wu Taibo and Bo Yi, in detail.