Emperor Shun

Shun, whose given name was Chonghua and also known as Yu Shun, was one of the sage kings in ancient Chinese legend, a significant figure during the era of the Five Emperors. Together with Yao and Yu, he was renowned as one of the vital rulers among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Shun was famous for his exceptional virtues and governance abilities, embodying the ideal monarch in Confucian culture. Born with double pupils, he was known for his filial piety and brotherly love, and was skilled in pottery making. Recommended by the Four Mountains after passing numerous tests, he gained the approval and the throne from Emperor Yao.

It is said that by the age of 20, Shun was already well-known for his filial conduct. He was celebrated in his youth for adhering to filial piety despite the abusive treatment from his parents. Ten years later, when Yao consulted the Four Mountains—leaders of the feudal lords in all four directions—about his successor, they recommended Shun. The Four Mountains, legendary figures from ancient China, were believed to be four ministers of Emperor Yao: Xi Zhong, Xi Shu, He Zhong, and He Shu, each overseeing feudal lords in one of the four cardinal directions.

Shun was born to a peasant family in Pingyang, with several unusual physical traits: double pupils in each eye, a palm print shaped like the character “褒,” a prominent forehead, raised brow bones, a large round head, a dark square face, and a mouth so large it could fit a fist, displaying a dragon-like visage. He was named Shun, which is a type of flower, and his alias was Hua, ranking second among his siblings, thus called Zhonghua (homophonous with “China”).

Following the death of Shun’s mother, his stepmother was harsh and fierce, especially after the birth of his brother Xiang, making his days even more difficult. Shun often had to watch his half-siblings eat their fill while he went to bed hungry. Regardless of his stepmother’s treatment, he always greeted her with a smile and humble courtesy.

One winter, it was bitterly cold and Shun was only wearing two thin garments, shivering uncontrollably. Old Man Qin from the neighborhood could not bear to see this and intervened, hoping that the Yu family would send Shun to study. However, his family insisted that Shun herd cattle. Fortunately, with the kind-hearted schoolteacher and the help of Old Man Qin, Shun was able to study while herding. By the end of that harsh winter, Shun had turned sixteen and had grown tall, looking every bit the adult. He then began the arduous task of farming. His stepmother demanded that he work from dawn till dusk without even allowing him to come home for lunch. When asked, he replied, “Frugality is fundamental in a farming household. Two meals a day are sufficient; why need three?” Gradually, he earned the local people’s respect and praise, despite being inexplicably driven out of his home three times. Despite the hardships, Shun devoted himself to his studies.

By this time, Emperor Yao had come to deeply appreciate Shun’s character and married his two daughters, Ehuang and Nüying, to him. Shun not only fostered harmony with his wives and family but also demonstrated his talents and noble character in all aspects.

After the wedding, Shun took his two wives to meet his parents, only to be rejected by them. His stepbrother, Xiang, seeing the stunning beauty of his sisters-in-law, harbored indecent thoughts. After marrying Shun, Ehuang and Nüying led a challenging life. Yearning for their beauty, Xiang often visited while Shun was away, attempting to seduce them with flattering words. Ehuang, being intelligent, dared not offend him for fear that he would slander Shun to their parents. The more she resisted, the more obsessed Xiang became, even believing that killing Shun was the only way to have his sisters-in-law for himself. Xiang, through his mother, sent Shun to repair the house and clear the well, then set the house on fire and tried to bury Shun alive in the well, hoping to kill him. However, Shun always managed to turn peril into safety. Despite such unjust treatment, Yu Shun harbored no resentment towards his parents or brother, maintaining his initial filial piety and brotherly love.

Shun’s filial piety and magnanimous heart won Emperor Yao’s admiration, and he was appointed as an official in charge of rituals. Yu Shun promoted the “Five Canons of Teaching” — “righteous father, merciful mother, friendly elder brother, respectful younger brother, filial son” — a Magical Implement he developed from his family experiences, to foster harmony in society.

In this series of events, Yao grew increasingly appreciative of Shun, eventually summoning Shun to the capital and entrusting him with important duties. Shun vigorously recommended talents. After Yao’s death, Shun ascended the throne as the Son of Heaven and established his capital at Puban.

Diligent and caring, Shun strengthened the ties between the central government and the various tribes by mandating that tribal leaders must visit Puban regularly to pay homage to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven, in turn, made it a tradition to inspect the country annually. On these occasions, apart from the ministers, his two beloved consorts, Ehuang and Nüying, also accompanied him, taking care of his daily needs. The trio shared a deep bond of affection, and both consorts were equally cherished by Shun.

Later, in his later years, during a southern inspection tour, Shun passed away in the wilderness of Cangwu.

After Emperor Shun’s death, he was buried in Jiuyi Mountain. However, there are mainly two tombs of Emperor Shun in China, one in Yongzhou, Hunan, and the other in Yuncheng, Shanxi, with the Jiuyi Mountain tomb hailed as the “foremost tomb of China.”

During Emperor Shun’s last southern inspection tour in his later years, his consorts Ehuang and Nüying did not accompany him. When the news of Shun’s death at Jiuyi Mountain reached them, the two consorts were devastated. Overcome with longing for Shun, they set out together to find him. After enduring many hardships, they finally reached the banks of the Xiang River. Looking at Jiuyi Mountain from the Xiang River, reminiscing about their joyful times with Shun, they could not help but weep bitterly.

Their tears fell on the bamboos, marking them with speckles. Thus, these bamboos became known as spotted bamboos, also called Xiangfei Bamboo. Overwhelmed with sorrow, Ehuang and Nüying decided to follow Shun in death. They leapt into the Xiang River, and thereafter, they transformed into the goddesses of the Xiang River, forever accompanying Emperor Shun.