Xiedie (頡跌氏) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Xiedie as a merchant. This record brings together 5 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Xiedie	頡跌氏	Xiedie
Surname	Xiedie	頡跌
Alternate	Xiedie	頡跌氏

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Uncertain

Roles

Merchant

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 世宗在民間 · Western Interval: Start: AD 940 · End: AD 953
Strongly inferred · jiuwudaishi:119:s0111

Career and standing

Label: merchant / 大商
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:119:s0111
Label: capital tax bureau post / 京洛稅院 · Action: granted
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:119:s0120

Places and affiliations

Place: Ye / 鄴
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:119:s0111

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Other Person Id: Shizong (世宗)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:119:s0117, jiuwudaishi:119:s0118

Events and relationships

Relation: travel-companion-of · Person Id: Shizong (世宗)
Explicit · jiuwudaishi:119:s0111

References in the histories

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

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 119Volume 119 Book of Later Zhou 21: Shizong Annals 6 · 5 passages

Open chapter

〈（《五代史補》：世宗在民間，嘗與鄴中大商頡跌氏，忘其名，往江陵販賣茶貨。 (Supplement to the History of the Five Dynasties: while still a commoner, Shizong once traveled with a wealthy merchant of Ye surnamed Xiedie, whose personal name is lost, to Jiangling to trade in tea.

至江陵，見有卜者王處士，其術如神，世宗因頡跌氏同往問焉。 At Jiangling they met a diviner, Recluse Wang, whose skill seemed supernatural; Shizong went with Xiedie to consult him.

於逆旅中夜置酒，與頡跌氏半酣，戲曰：「王處士以我當為天子，若一旦到此，足下要何官，請言之。」 At an inn that night he set out wine and, half drunk with Xiedie, jested: "Recluse Wang says I am destined to be emperor. If that day comes, what office would you want? Tell me plainly."

頡跌氏曰：「某三十年作估來，未有不由京洛者，每見稅官坐而獲利，一日所入，可以敵商賈數月，私心羨之。 Xiedie said: "I have traded for thirty years and every route passed through the capital. I have seen how tax officers sit and profit—a single day's take equals a merchant's months. I have long envied that.

及承郭氏之後踐祚，頡跌猶在，召見，竟如初言以與之。 When he succeeded the Guo house and took the throne, Xiedie was still alive; summoned to court, he received exactly what had been promised in jest.