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Emperor Yao
Traditional ruler of high antiquity, named Fangxun and called a son of Di Ku in the Shiji, who had Xi and He fix the seasons and yielded the throne to Shun
In lantern light and drifting smoke, a row of painted theatrical masks stands on a wooden rail beneath a glowing paper dragon lantern and hanging red lanterns; a folding screen painted with a river, a bridge and hills stands at the right, with a bronze burner and small lamps on the floor.
Also known as Yiqi Fangxun · Taotang Shi · Di Yao
- Roles
- Cultural Persona
Yao is traditionally one of the Five Emperors, named Fangxun and also called Taotang. The Basic Annals of the Five Emperors in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) calls him a son of Di Ku, and the Canon of Yao in the Book of Documents (Shangshu) is the earliest text to say he had the Xi and He observe the heavens and announce the seasons, fixing a year of 366 days with intercalary months, and that the Four Peaks proposed Gun against the flood, which went unchecked for nine years. The Shiji says he found Shun, gave him his two daughters and made him regent. The Analects quotes Confucius on how great Yao was as a ruler. All of this comes from later texts, with no contemporary record.
Life and times
Dates Dates unknown; traditionally one of the Five Emperors