Gou Jian

Also known as Si Goujian · Tan Zhi · Jiu Qian

Goujian, of the Si clan, was the son of King Yunchang of Yue; bronze inscriptions write his name as Jiuqian. In 496 BC, the year he succeeded, King Helu of Wu invaded and was defeated at Zuili, dying of a wounded toe; three years later Helu's son Fuchai crushed Yue at Fujiao, and Goujian, besieged on Mount Kuaiji, sent Wen Zhong to sue for peace. The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) says that back home he kept a gall bladder by his seat and tasted it before meals, while Fan Li and Wen Zhong restored the state; sleeping on brushwood was added by later writers. In 482 BC he struck Wu while Fuchai was at Huangchi, and in 473 BC he destroyed Wu, Fuchai killing himself. He then met Qi, Jin and other states at Xuzhou, and King Yuan of Zhou named him hegemon. Goujian died in 465 BC. A sword inscribed for King Jiuqian of Yue was excavated from a Chu tomb at Jiangling, Hubei in 1965.