Danzhu
Chinese · mortal · mythic prehistory · Recorded classification
Eldest son of the sage-king Yao and the heir he passed over. Judged unworthy by the Shiji, Danzhu is the foil whose unfitness motivates Yao's abdication to the meritorious commoner Shun — the foundational case-study of merit-over-bloodline succession in Confucian political theory (Mencius 5A.5-6). After Yao's death Shun ritually yielded to Danzhu, but the people turned to Shun, confirming Heaven's choice. A later tradition (Bowuzhi) credits Yao with inventing weiqi to instruct him. Named in chinese_yao's lifecycle ('abdicated to Shun rather than to his own son Danzhu') until materialized here as the paternal-line son.
Parentage
- paternal: Yao
Powers
- Associated with the invention of weiqi (Go)
- Reputed inventor of weiqi (the game of Go)
Relations
- child of: YaoEldest son of Yao, passed over for Shun in the canonical abdication narrative.Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 1 (primary)
Sources
- existence: Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 1 (Wudi benji) (primary); Mencius / Mengzi 5A.5-6 (primary)