Yao (搖) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Yao as a ruler and tribal leader. This record brings together 5 passages from 2 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Yao	搖	Yao
Title	King of Dong'ou	東甌王
Title	King of Donghai	東海王
Title	King of Eastern Sea Yue	越東海王
Title	King of the Eastern Sea	東海王
Title	lord of Min	閩君
Title	Lord of Minyue	閩越君
Title	Lord Yao of Minyue	閩越君搖
Personal name	Yao	搖	Yao
Personal name	Yao	搖	Yáo
Surname	Zou	騶

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:003:s0035, shiji:114:s0001

Roles

Ruler
Tribal Leader

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 三年夏五月 · Western Year: BC 192
Explicit · hanshu:003:s0035
Source Date: Text: 孝惠三年 · Western Year: BC 192
Explicit · shiji:114:s0007
Source Date: Text: 秦已并天下 · Western Interval: Start: BC 221 · End: BC 209
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:114:s0002, shiji:114:s0001

Family

Descendant of Goujian (勾踐)
Kinship Term: descendant / 後 · Line: paternal

Origins and identity

Ethnicity: Yue / 越
Explicit · shiji:114:s0001
Lineage: Zou clan / 騶氏
Explicit · shiji:114:s0001

Career and standing

Title: King of Donghai / 東海王 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 三年夏五月 · Western Year: BC 192
Explicit · hanshu:003:s0035
Title: King of the Eastern Sea / 東海王 · Action: appointed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 孝惠三年 · Western Year: BC 192
Explicit · shiji:114:s0007
Title: King of Dong'ou / 東甌王 · Action: commonly-called
Explicit · shiji:114:s0007
Status: lord-of-minyue · Label: Lord of Minyue / 閩越君 · Action: held
Explicit · hanshu:003:s0035
Status: chieftain · Action: reduced-to · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秦已并天下 · Western Interval: Start: BC 221 · End: BC 209
Explicit · shiji:114:s0002

Places and affiliations

Polity: Minyue / 閩越 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · hanshu:003:s0035
Polity Name: Dong'ou / 東甌 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:114:s0007
Place: Dong'ou / 東甌 · Relation: capital-at · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 孝惠三年 · Western Year: BC 192
Explicit · shiji:114:s0007

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: ally · Action: assisted-Han-against-Xiang-Yu · Other Person Id: Xiang Yu (項羽) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 漢擊項籍 · Western Interval: Start: BC 206 · End: BC 202
Explicit · shiji:114:s0005
Kind: military · Role: ally · Action: joined-rebellion-against-Qin · Other Person Id: Wu Rui (吳芮) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 諸侯畔秦 · Western Interval: Start: BC 209 · End: BC 206
Explicit · shiji:114:s0003

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 3Volume 2: Annals of Emperor Hui · 1 passage

Open chapter

夏五月，立閩越君搖為東海王。 In summer, fifth month, he established Lord Yao of Minyue as King of Donghai.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 114Treatise on the Eastern Yue · 4 passages

Open chapter

閩越王無諸及越東海王搖者，其先皆越王句踐之後也，姓騶氏。 Wuzhu, the King of Minyue, and Yao, the King of Eastern Sea Yue, were both descendants of King Goujian of Yue and bore the clan name Zou.

及諸侯畔秦，無諸、搖率越歸鄱陽令吳芮，所謂鄱君者也，從諸侯滅秦。 When the lords rose against Qin, Wuzhu and Yao led their Yue followers to join Wu Rui, the magistrate of Poyang—known as Lord Po—and fought alongside the other lords to bring down the Qin dynasty.

漢擊項籍，無諸、搖率越人佐漢。 When the Han forces campaigned against Xiang Yu, Wuzhu and Yao led their Yue warriors to fight on the side of Han.

孝惠三年，舉高帝時越功，曰閩君搖功多，其民便附，乃立搖為東海王，都東甌，世俗號為東甌王。 In the third year of Emperor Hui's reign, the court reviewed the wartime contributions of the Yue dating back to Emperor Gao's era. It was noted that Yao, the lord of Min, had distinguished himself through exceptional service and commanded the loyal devotion of his people. He was therefore made the King of the Eastern Sea, with his capital at Dong'ou—and so the people came to call him the King of Dong'ou.