Xie

Predynastic ancestor of the Shang dynasty; son of Diku by the consort Jiandi of the Yousong clan, conceived (in the Shijing 'Xuanniao' ode) when she swallowed the egg dropped by the black bird — 'Heaven bade the dark bird descend and bear the Shang.' For his aid to Yu in the flood-control he was made Shun's Minister of Instruction (Situ), enfeoffed at Shang and given the surname Zi. Half-brother of Yao, Houji, and Zhi. The name is written 偰 / 契 (here read qi), distinct from chinese_qi_of_xia (啟). Named in chinese_diku's notes ('Xie, the legendary ancestor of the Shang dynasty') until materialized here as a paternal-line son of Diku.

Parentage

• paternal: Diku

Powers

• Teach the people the five social relations

Relations

• child of: DikuSon of Diku by the consort Jiandi of the Yousong clan (with the parallel black-bird-egg conception tradition). Half-brother of Yao, Houji, and Zhi.Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 3 (Xie son of Diku by Jiandi) (primary)
• half sibling: HoujiHalf-brother of Houji, the Zhou progenitor; shared father Diku, different mothers.Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 1 (sons of Diku by different consorts) (primary)
• half sibling: ZhiHalf-brother of Zhi, Diku's short-reigning successor; shared father Diku, different mothers.Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 1 (sons of Diku by different consorts) (primary)
• half sibling: YaoHalf-brother of the sage-king Yao; shared father Diku, different mothers (Jiandi vs. Qingdu).Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 1 (sons of Diku by different consorts) (primary)

Sources

• existence: Shijing, 'Xuanniao' (Hymns of Shang, Mao 303) (primary); Sima Qian, Shiji Ch. 3 (Yin benji) and Ch. 1 (Wudi benji) (primary)