View source for Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

{{Short description|Mythological divine rulers of ancient China}}
{{Infobox former country
| native_name            = {{langn|zh|三皇五帝}}
| conventional_long_name = Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
| government_type        = [[Monarchy]]
| s1                     = Xia dynasty
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| c = {{linktext|三皇五帝}}
| p = Sān huáng wǔ dì
| w = San<sup>1</sup> Huang<sup>2</sup> Wu<sup>3</sup> Ti<sup>4</sup>
| bpmf = ㄙㄢ ㄏㄨㄤˊ ㄨˇ ㄉㄧˋ
| tp = San huáng wǔ dì
}}
{{History of China |BC=1}}

According to [[Chinese mythology]] and traditional [[Chinese historiography]], the '''Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors''' ({{lang-zh|c=三皇五帝|p=Sān huáng wǔ dì}}) were a series of [[Sage (philosophy)|sage]] Chinese emperors, and the first [[Emperor of China|Emperors of China]].<ref name="三皇五帝 – 国学网">{{Cite web |date=2012-08-16 |title=三皇五帝 – 国学网 |trans-title=Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors – Chinese Studies Network |url=http://www.guoxue.com/?p=7594 |access-date=2023-09-18 |language=zh-CN}}</ref> Today, they are considered [[culture heroes]],<ref name="clight2">{{Cite book |last=Hucker|first=Charles |title=China's Imperial Past: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-8047-2353-4 |page=22}}</ref> but they were widely worshipped as divine "ancestral spirits" in ancient times. According to received history, the period they existed in preceded the [[Xia dynasty]],<ref name="Mor">{{Cite book |last=Morton |first=W. Scott |title=China: its history and culture |last2=Lewis |first2=Charlton M. |date=2005 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=978-0-07-141279-7 |edition=4th |location=New York |page=14}}</ref> although they were thought to exist in later periods to an extent<ref name=":423">{{Cite book |last=Scarpari |first=Maurizio |title=Ancient China: Chinese Civilization from the Origins to the Tang Dynasty |publisher=Barnes & Noble |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7607-8379-5 |location=New York |page=28 |translator-last=Milan |translator-first=A.B.A.}}</ref> in incorporeal forms that aided the Chinese people, especially with the stories of [[Nüwa]] existing as a spirit in the [[Shang dynasty]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ni |first=Xueting C. |title=Chinese Myths: From Cosmology and Folklore to Gods and Immortals |publisher=Amber Books |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-83886-263-3 |location=London |pages=76–77}}</ref> and [[Shennong]] being identified as the godly form of [[Hou Ji]] and a founder of the [[Zhou dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Asim |first=Ina |year=2007 |title=Keynotes 2 |url=https://pages.uoregon.edu/inaasim/Hist%20410/Hist%20410%20Keynotes2.htm |access-date=2023-07-18 |publisher=University of Oregon}}</ref>

In myth, the Three Sovereigns were demigods who used their abilities to help create mankind and impart to them essential skills and knowledge. The Five Emperors were exemplary sages who possessed great moral character, and were from a golden age when "communications between the human order and the divine were central to all life" and where the sages embodied the divine, or aided humans in communicating divine forces.<ref name=":10027">{{Cite book |title=World Religions: Eastern Traditions |publisher=Oxford University Press |editor=Willard Gurdon Oxtoby |year=2002 |isbn=0-19-541521-3 |edition=2nd |location=Don Mills, ON |pages=324, 326 |oclc=46661540}}</ref>

In this period the [[abdication system]] was used before [[Qi of Xia]] violently seized power and established a hereditary monarchy.<ref name="Feng2009">Feng, Shi (2009) [http://www.kaogu.cn/en/Research_work/Other_topics/2014/0922/47611.html "A Study of the Pottery Inscription 'Wen Yi 文邑'"]. ''Chinese Archaeology'', Vol. 9 (Issue 1), pp. 170-177. [http://www.kaogu.cn/uploads/soft/Chinese%20Archaeology/9/A%20study%20of%20hte%20Pottery%20Inscription%20Wen%20Yi%20%E6%96%87%E9%82%91.pdf full text]</ref>

== History ==
[[Taoism|Taoist]] [[beliefs]] consist of parables involving [[shamanistic]] themes, which is origin of most ancient stories about the Sovereigns [[Fuxi]], [[Nüwa]], and [[Shennong]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Palmer |first=Martin |author-link=Martin Palmer |title=The Elements of Taoism |publisher=Barnes & Noble |year=1999 |isbn=0-7607-1078-3 |location=United States |page=15}}</ref> The idea of the existence of five emperors appeared in V century BC. Scholars believe the tradition of susception appeared in the early [[Warring States period]] to support the political agenda of the ministers, that frequently overthrew their state rulers.<ref>{{citation|last1=Feng|first1=Li|year=2013|title=Early China: A Social and Cultural History|location=Cambridge|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|page=48|isbn=978-0-521-89552-1}}</ref>

== Variations ==
[[File:Huang_Di.png|thumb|Map of tribes and tribal unions in Ancient China, including the tribes led by the [[Yellow Emperor]], [[Emperor Yan]] and [[Chiyou]].]]
There are six to seven known variations on which people constitute the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors, depending on the source.<ref name="clight1">劉煒/著. (2002) Chinese civilization in a new light. Commercial press publishing.  ISBN 962-07-5314-3, p. 142.</ref> Many of the known sources were written in much later dynasties.

Groupings of the Three Sovereigns consist of some combination of the following: [[Fuxi]], [[Nüwa]], [[Shennong]], [[Suiren]], [[Zhu Rong (god)|Zhu Rong]], [[Gonggong]], the [[Heavenly Sovereign]], the [[Earthly Sovereign]], the [[Human Sovereign]] (in two varieties), and the [[Yellow Emperor]].<ref name="三皇五帝 – 国学网" />

Groupings of the Five Emperors consist of some combination of the following: the Yellow Emperor, [[Zhuanxu]], [[Emperor Ku]], [[Emperor Yao]], [[Emperor Shun]], [[Shaohao]], [[Taihao]], and the [[Yan Emperor]].

===Three Sovereigns===
The Three Sovereigns, sometimes known as the Three August Ones, were said to be [[god-kings]] or [[demigods]] who used their magical powers, divine powers, or being in harmony with the [[Tao]] to improve the lives of their people. Because of their lofty virtue, they lived to a great age and ruled over a period of great peace.

The Sovereigns have elements in common with [[Xian (Taoism)|''xian'']] from the [[Taoism|Taoist]] pantheon, such as the [[Human Sovereign]]'s cloud-chariot and their supernatural abilities. Upon his death, the Yellow Emperor was "said to have become" a ''xian''.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Huangdi |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Huangdi |access-date=2023-05-22 |publisher=[[Encyclopedia Britannica]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Yellow Emperor is supposedly the ancestor of the ''[[Huaxia]]'' people.<ref name="history1">{{Cite book |last=Wang |first=Hengwei |publisher=Zhonghua shuju |year=2006 |isbn=962-8885-24-3 |page=13 |language=zh |script-title=zh:中國歷史講堂 |trans-title=Chinese history lecture hall |orig-date=2005}}</ref> The [[Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor]] was established in [[Shaanxi]] to commemorate the ancestry legend.<ref name="history1" />

The Three Sovereigns are ascribed various identities in different historical texts, as shown in the table below:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
! width=30% | According to source
! width=70% | Three Sovereigns 
|-
| ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'', addition by [[Sima Zhen]] || [[Heavenly Sovereign]], Earthly Sovereign, [[Human Sovereign|Tai Sovereign]]<ref name="clight1" /> or [[Fu Xi]], Nüwa, Shennong
|-
| ''Sovereign series'' (帝王世系) || Fu Xi, Shennong, Yellow Emperor<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''[[Shiben]]''|| Fu Xi, Shennong, Yellow Emperor<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''Baihu Tongyi'' (白虎通義) || (1st variation)<br />Fu Xi, Shennong, [[Zhu Rong (god)|Zhu Rong]]<ref name="clight1" /><br /><br />(2nd variation)<br />Fu Xi, Shennong, Suiren<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''[[Fengsu Tongyi]]'' || Fu Xi, Nüwa, Shennong<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''[[Yiwen Leiju]]'' || [[Heavenly Sovereign]], Earthly Sovereign; [[Human Sovereign]]<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''Tongjian Waiji'' (通鑑外紀) || Fu Xi, Shennong, Gonggong
|-
| ''Chunqiu yundou shu'' (春秋運斗樞)<br />''Chunqiu yuanming bao'' (春秋元命苞) || Fu Xi, Nüwa, Shennong
|-
| ''Shangshu dazhuan'' (尚書大傳) || Fu Xi, Shennong, Suiren
|-
| ''Diwang shiji'' (帝王世紀) || Fu Xi, Shennong, Yellow Emperor
|-
|}

===Five Emperors===
The Five Emperors were traditionally thought to have invented "fire, writing and irrigation".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Clayre |first=Alasdair |title=The Heart of the Dragon |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=1985 |isbn=978-0-395-35336-3 |edition=First American |location=Boston |page=37 |author-link=Alasdair Clayre}}</ref> Like the Three Sovereigns, they are ascribed different identities depending on historical source, as shown in the table below:
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! width=30% | According to source
! width=70% | Five Emperors
|-
| ''[[Records of the Grand Historian]]'' || Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Ku, Yao, Shun<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''Sovereign Series'' (帝王世紀) || Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Ku, Yao, Shun<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''[[I Ching]]'' || Taihao (太昊), Yan Emperor, Yellow Emperor, Yao, Shun<ref name="clight1" />
|-
| ''Comments of a Recluse'', Qianfulun (潛夫論) || Taihao, Yan, Yellow Emperor, Shaohao, Zhuanxu<ref name="cn1">[http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Myth/wudi-rulers.html "CHINAKNOWLEDGE"], Chinese History - The Three Augusts and Five Emperors 三皇五帝</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2024}}
|-
| ''Zizhi tongjian waiji'', (資治通鑒外紀) || Yellow Emperor, Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Ku, Yao<ref name="cn1"/>
|-
|}

=== Five Emperors family tree ===
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | Hud | Hud=<sup>(1)</sup> '''[[Yellow Emperor]]'''<ref>''Records of the Grand Historian''</ref>}}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| }}
{{familytree | Sha | | | | | | | | | | Chy | Sha=<sup>(2)</sup> '''Shaohao'''|Chy= [[Changyi]] }}
{{familytree | |!| | | | | | | | | | | |!| }}
{{familytree | Jij | | | | | | | | | | Zhx | Jij= [[Jiaoji]] |Zhx=<sup>(3)</sup> '''Zhuanxu''' }}
{{familytree | |!| | | | | | | | | | | |)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.| }}
{{familytree | Ku  | | | | | | | | | | Qio | | | | | | Mou |Ku=<sup>(4)</sup> '''Ku''' |Qio= [[:zh:窮蟬|Qiongchan]] |Mou=Sb. }}
{{familytree | |)|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | | | | | |!| }}
{{familytree | Zhi | | Yao| |Hou | | Jin | | | | | | Mou |Zhi=<sup>(5)</sup> '''Zhi''' |Yao=<sup>(6)</sup> '''Yao''' |Hou=[[Houji]]|Jin= Jingkang 敬康 |Mou=Sb. }}
{{familytree | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|!|-|-|-|.| | | |!|}}
{{familytree | Dan | | |!| | | | | | | Juw | | |!| | | Mou |Dan=''[[Danzhu]]'' |Juw= Juwang|Mou=Sb. }}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | |!| | | |!| | | | Luo |Luo= [[Luoming]] 罗名}}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | Qia | | |!| || Gun | Qia= Qiaoniu 橋牛|Gun= [[Gun (Chinese mythology)|Gun]]  }}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | |!| | | |!|}}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | Gus | | |!| | | Yu | Gus= [[Gusou]]|Yu=<sup>(8)</sup> '''[[Yu the Great|Yu]]''' }}
{{familytree | | | | | |!| | | | | | | |!| | | |!|}}
{{familytree | | | | | Ehu|-|-|-|-|-| Shu |v| Nvy | Shu=<sup>(7)</sup> '''Shun '''|Ehu=[[:zh:娥皇|Ehuang]]|Nvy=[[:zh:女英|Nuying]] }}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| }}
{{familytree | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Shj | Shj=''[[Shangjun]]''}}
{{familytree/end}}

== Creation myth ==
There is the legend of the Four Clans (四氏) who took part in creating the world, [[Youchao]]-shi (有巢氏), [[Suiren]]-shi (燧人氏), [[Fu Xi]]-shi (伏羲氏), and [[Shennong]]-shi (神農氏).{{sfn|Wang|2006|pp=4–7}}

== Legacy ==
These Sovereigns and Emperors are said to have helped introduce the use of fire, taught people how to build houses, and invented farming. The Yellow Emperor's wife is credited with the invention of [[silk culture]]. The discovery of [[Traditional Chinese medicine|medicine]] and invention of the [[Chinese calendar|calendar]] and [[Chinese script]] are also credited to the kings. After their era, [[Yu the Great]] founded the [[Xia dynasty]], traditionally considered the first dynasty in [[Chinese historiography]].<ref name="Mor" />

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Changchun-Temple-Jiazi-Dian-0330.jpg|The Hall of the Three Sovereigns in Changchun Si ({{zhi|c=长春寺}}), a [[Taoism|Taoist]] temple in [[Wuhan]]
File:Shennong3.jpg|Shennong tasting herbs to discover their qualities 
Image:Yellow Emperor.jpg|Historian's depiction of the Yellow Emperor
File:Yellowemperor.jpg|Another depiction of the Yellow Emperor
File:Shaohao - tumulus with a Shaohao Ling stele in front of it - P1050742.JPG|[[Shaohao Tomb]] near [[Qufu]], [[Shandong]]
</gallery>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite journal
  | title = Ssŭma Ch'ien's ''Historical Records'', Introductory Chapter
  | translator-first = Herbert J. | translator-last = Allen
  | journal = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society | volume = 26 | number = 2 | year = 1894 | pages = 269–295
  | doi = 10.1017/S0035869X00143916
  | url = http://www.sacred-texts.com/journals/jras/1894-10.htm
  }}
* {{Cite book
  | chapter = The Annals of the Bamboo Books: The reigns of Huang-te, Che, Chuen-heuh and Hëen-Yuen; The reigns of Yaou and Shun
  | chapter-url = https://archive.org/stream/chineseclassics07legggoog#page/n126/mode/2up
  | pages = 108–116
  | title = The Chinese Classics, volume 3, part 1
  | translator-first = James | translator-last = Legge | translator-link = James Legge
  | year = 1865
  | url = http://www.archive.org/details/chineseclassics07legggoog
  }}

{{Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors footer}}
{{Chinese mythology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Three Sovereigns And Five Emperors}}
[[Category:Ancient China]]
[[Category:Chinese mythology]]
[[Category:Legendary monarchs]]
[[Category:3rd millennium BC]]
[[Category:Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors| ]]