Chapter 39: The Yellow Emperor — 黃帝 — Huang Di — The Unifier of Tribes
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A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN
As gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
On the Matter of the Yellow Emperor — 黃帝 — Huang Di — The Unifier of Tribes
His name is Huang Di — 黃帝.
Huang — 黃 — means yellow. The color of the central soil. The color of the earth. The color of the emperor.
Di — 帝 — means emperor. Sovereign. The one who rules. The one who holds the mandate.
Together — 黃帝 — the Yellow Emperor. The Emperor of the Central Earth.
He is also called Xuanyuan Shi — 軒轅氏 — the Lord of the Chariot. Xuanyuan — 軒轅 — means the shaft of the chariot. The chariot is attributed to him. He is the one who invented the wheeled vehicle. He is the one who moved armies across the land.
He is also called Youxiong Shi — 有熊氏 — the Lord of the Bears. The bear was his totem. The bear was his clan. The bear was his animal.
He is also called the August Ancestor — 太祖 — Tai Zu — by later dynasties. The emperors of China traced their lineage to him. He is the ancestor of the Chinese people. He is the origin of the Chinese state.
He is the third of the Three August Ones — 三皇 — San Huang — in the most commonly received tradition. Fuxi — 伏羲 — is first. Shennong — 神農 — is second. The Yellow Emperor is third. He is the last of the August Ones. He is the first of the Five Emperors — 五帝 — Wu Di — in other lists. The lists do not agree. In all lists, he is the one who unified the tribes. He is the one who founded Chinese civilization. He is the one from whom all Chinese people descend.
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On the oldest records of the Yellow Emperor.
The name Huang Di appears in the earliest Chinese texts.
The Zuozhuan — 左傳 — the Commentary of Zuo — compiled during the Warring States period — 戰國時代 — Zhanguo Shidai — mentions the Yellow Emperor as the ancestor of the ruling houses of China. It states: The descendants of the Yellow Emperor spread across the land. They established the states. They governed the people. They are the foundation of civilization.
The Guoyu — 國語 — Discourses of the States — compiled during the Warring States period — records: The Yellow Emperor unified the tribes. He brought order to the land. He established the first state. He was the first to rule as emperor.
The Shiji — 史記 — Records of the Grand Historian — by Sima Qian — 司馬遷 — written approximately 100 before the common era — contains the most complete account of the Yellow Emperor. Sima Qian begins his history with the Yellow Emperor. He is the first figure in the historical record. He is the origin of Chinese history. Sima Qian states: The Yellow Emperor was the son of Shaodian — 少典. His surname was Gongsun — 公孫. His name was Xuanyuan — 軒轅. He was born with divine wisdom. He could speak as an infant. He was the first to unite the warring tribes. He was the first to establish the institutions of civilization.
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On his birth.
The accounts of his birth are recorded in the Shiji — 史記.
It states: The Yellow Emperor's mother was named Fubao — 附寶. She was the wife of Shaodian — 少典. She walked to the fields of Qi — 祁. She saw a great flash of lightning — 大電 — da dian — surrounding the celestial pole star — 北斗樞星 — Bei Dou Shu Xing. The light illuminated the fields. She became pregnant. She gave birth to the Yellow Emperor at Shouqiu — 壽丘 — in present-day Shandong province — 山東省 — Shandong Sheng.
Some accounts say she was pregnant for twenty-four months — 二十四個月 — er shi si ge yue — before giving birth. Some accounts say she gave birth in Xinzheng — 新鄭 — in present-day Henan province — 河南省 — Henan Sheng. The details differ across texts. The core account is consistent. His mother saw a flash of lightning from the Pole Star. She conceived. She gave birth to the Yellow Emperor.
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On his appearance.
All sources that describe his form agree on one element.
He had the face of a dragon — 龍顏 — long yan — or the features of a dragon. The dragon is the symbol of imperial power. The dragon is the symbol of heaven. The Yellow Emperor has the face of a dragon because he is the one who holds the Mandate of Heaven — 天命 — Tianming.
His complexion is yellow — 黃色 — huang se — the color of the central earth. He is the Yellow Emperor because he governs the center. The center is the direction of Earth — 土 — tu. The center is the direction of stability. The center is the direction of the emperor.
In some depictions he has four faces — 四面 — si mian — facing the four directions. He sees everything. He knows everything. He governs everything. The four faces represent his universal rule. He sees east, south, west, and north simultaneously. Nothing escapes his vision.
In some depictions he holds a sword — 劍 — jian — in his hand. The sword represents his military power. He unified the tribes through war. He defeated Chi You — 蚩尤 — at the Battle of Zhuolu — 涿鹿之戰 — Zhuolu Zhi Zhan. He established peace through strength.
In some depictions he holds a compass — 指南車 — zhi nan che — the South-Pointing Chariot. The compass represents his wisdom. He invented the compass to navigate through the fog of Chi You. He found his way when others were lost. He led his people through confusion to clarity.
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On his reign.
The Shiji records that the Yellow Emperor reigned for 100 years — 一百年 — yi bai nian.
Some texts say 110 years. Some say 120 years. The number differs across texts. The length of his reign is long. He ruled for a century. He established the institutions that would last for millennia.
During his reign, he unified the tribes. He defeated Chi You. He established the first Chinese state. He established the first capital at Youxiong — 有熊 — in present-day Henan province. He established the first government. He established the first bureaucracy. He established the first laws.
During his reign, he invented the calendar — 曆法 — lifa. He divided the year into seasons. He divided the seasons into months. He divided the months into days. He taught the people when to plant and when to harvest.
He invented the compass — 指南車 — zhi nan che. He used it to navigate through the fog of battle. He used it to find his way when the world was confused. He used it to lead his people to order.
He invented the wheel — 車輪 — che lun. He built the first chariot. He used it to move his armies. He used it to transport goods. He used it to unify the land.
He invented writing — 文字 — wen zi. Some texts credit him with the invention of writing. Other texts credit Cangjie — 倉頡 — the four-eyed scribe — as the inventor. Cangjie was his minister. The Yellow Emperor commanded Cangjie to invent writing. The command came from him. The invention is attributed to his reign.
He established the system of government. He appointed ministers to oversee the five elements. He appointed ministers to oversee the four directions. He appointed ministers to oversee the people. He created the first bureaucracy.
He established the system of surnames — 姓氏 — xing shi. He gave surnames to the tribes. He organized them into families. He organized them into clans. He organized them into a state. He created the Chinese people.
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On the Battle of Zhuolu — 涿鹿之戰 — Zhuolu Zhi Zhan.
The Battle of Zhuolu is the most famous event in the life of the Yellow Emperor. It is recorded in the Shiji — 史記 — and the Huainanzi — 淮南子.
Chi You — 蚩尤 — was a warlord. He ruled the eastern tribes. He had eighty-one brothers — 八十一個兄弟 — ba shi yi ge xiong di — in some accounts. In other accounts he had eighty-one chieftains under his command. Each was a warrior. Each was a giant. Each was fierce.
Chi You had the body of a human. He had the head of a bull — 牛頭 — niu tou. He had four eyes — 四目 — si mu. He had six arms — 六臂 — liu bi. He was covered in bronze. His head was copper. His forehead was iron. He ate sand. He ate stone. He was the god of war.
He fought the Yellow Emperor for control of the Central Plain — 中原 — Zhongyuan — the heart of China.
The battle lasted many years. The accounts differ on the length. Some say three years. Some say ten years. All agree it was long. All agree it was terrible.
Chi You created a great fog — 大霧 — da wu. It covered the battlefield. The Yellow Emperor's army could not see. They could not fight. They were lost.
The Yellow Emperor invented the South-Pointing Chariot — 指南車 — zhi nan che. The chariot had a figure on it. The figure always pointed south. No matter how the chariot turned, the figure pointed south. The Yellow Emperor's army used it to navigate through the fog. They found their way. They found Chi You's army.
The Yellow Emperor summoned the drought demon — 旱魃 — Han Ba — his daughter. She brought drought. She dried the fog. She cleared the battlefield. The Yellow Emperor's army could see. They could fight.
The Yellow Emperor summoned the dragon Ying Long — 應龍 — the Responsive Dragon. Ying Long brought water. He flooded Chi You's army. Chi You's army was scattered.
Chi You was captured. He was executed. His body was buried. His head was buried separately. The places where his head and body were buried became mountains. The mountains are still there. The accounts of their location differ. The fact of his death is not disputed.
After the battle, the Yellow Emperor was recognized as the supreme ruler. All tribes submitted. All tribes acknowledged his authority. He was the first emperor. He was the unifier.
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On Chi You — 蚩尤 — after death.
After Chi You's death, he was not forgotten. He was honored. He became a god.
The Yellow Emperor honored him. He placed Chi You's image on his banners. He used the image to intimidate his enemies. The image of Chi You was more terrifying than any living warrior. The enemies saw Chi You's face. They surrendered.
Chi You became the god of war — 戰神 — Zhan Shen. He is worshipped in some regions. He is honored as a great warrior. He is honored as a formidable enemy. He is honored as the one who fought the Yellow Emperor to a standstill before losing.
His descendants became the rulers of the eastern tribes. They were given the surname Qi — 祁. They were incorporated into the Chinese state. They became part of the Chinese people. Chi You's blood flows in the veins of the Chinese people as much as the Yellow Emperor's.
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On the invention of the calendar — 曆法 — Lifa.
The Yellow Emperor is credited with the invention of the calendar.
Before him, the people did not know the seasons. They planted when they thought it was time. They harvested when they thought it was time. They often planted too early. They often planted too late. They often lost their crops.
The Yellow Emperor observed the movements of the sun. He observed the phases of the moon. He observed the rising of the stars. He divided the year into 365 days. He divided the year into twelve months. He divided the year into four seasons. He added an extra month every few years to keep the calendar aligned with the sun.
He taught the people the calendar. They knew when to plant. They knew when to harvest. They knew when to hold festivals. They knew when to make offerings. They knew the rhythm of the year.
The calendar is the foundation of agriculture. Agriculture is the foundation of civilization. The Yellow Emperor gave the people the calendar. He gave them the rhythm of time. He gave them the structure of the year.
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On the invention of the compass — 指南車 — Zhi Nan Che.
The South-Pointing Chariot is one of the Yellow Emperor's most famous inventions.
The accounts describe it as a chariot with a wooden figure mounted on it. The figure's arm pointed south. No matter how the chariot turned, the arm always pointed south. It used a system of gears. The gears compensated for the turning of the chariot. The figure always pointed to the south.
The Yellow Emperor used it to navigate through Chi You's fog. Without it, his army would have been lost. Without it, he would have lost the battle. Without it, he would not have unified the tribes.
The compass became a symbol of his wisdom. It became a symbol of his ability to find the way when others were lost. It became a symbol of his leadership. He always knew the direction. He always led his people in the right direction.
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On the invention of the chariot — 車 — Che.
The Yellow Emperor is credited with the invention of the wheeled vehicle.
Before him, the people carried everything on their backs. They moved slowly. They could not move heavy loads. They could not move quickly. They could not move armies.
The Yellow Emperor observed the rolling of logs. He observed the movement of round stones. He saw that round things move more easily than flat things.
He invented the wheel. He attached wheels to a platform. He made the first chariot. He used it to move his armies. He used it to move supplies. He used it to unify the land.
The chariot became the symbol of his power. It became the symbol of his ability to move armies across the land. It became the symbol of his ability to unify the tribes. He was called Xuanyuan — 軒轅 — the Lord of the Chariot — because of this.
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On the invention of writing — 文字 — Wen Zi.
The Yellow Emperor is credited with the invention of writing in some texts. The Shiji attributes the invention to Cangjie — 倉頡 — his minister.
The story of Cangjie is recorded in the Huainanzi — 淮南子. Cangjie had four eyes — 四目 — si mu. He observed the tracks of birds. He observed the markings on animals. He observed the patterns in the stars. He created characters to represent these patterns.
When the characters were completed, heaven rained millet — 天雨粟 — tian yu su. The ghosts wept at night — 鬼夜哭 — gui ye ku. Heaven rained millet because writing allowed humanity to record knowledge. Humanity could store wisdom. Humanity could transmit learning. Humanity could build civilization. The ghosts wept because writing exposed their secrets. Humanity could now record what the dead had hidden. Humanity could now know what the ghosts had kept secret.
The Yellow Emperor commanded Cangjie to create writing. The invention is attributed to his reign. The command came from him. He is the origin of writing even if he did not create the characters himself.
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On the invention of music — 音樂 — Yinyue.
The Yellow Emperor is credited with the invention of music.
He sent his minister Ling Lun — 伶倫 — to the western mountains. Ling Lun listened to the song of the phoenix — 鳳凰 — fenghuang. The phoenix had six notes. Ling Lun cut bamboo pipes. He tuned them to the notes of the phoenix. He created the first musical scale.
The Yellow Emperor used music to harmonize the state. He used music to regulate the Qi. He used music to align the people with the seasons. He used music to bring order to the world.
Music became one of the foundations of Chinese civilization. The court had musicians. The temples had musicians. The rituals had music. All of it traced back to the Yellow Emperor.
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On the Huangdi Neijing — 黃帝內經 — The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic.
The most famous text attributed to the Yellow Emperor is the Huangdi Neijing — 黃帝內經 — the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic. It is the foundational text of Chinese medicine.
The text is a dialogue between the Yellow Emperor and his minister Qi Bo — 岐伯. The Yellow Emperor asks questions. Qi Bo answers. The questions cover every aspect of medicine. The answers cover every aspect of health.
The text was compiled in the Han dynasty — 漢朝 — Han Chao. It is attributed to the Yellow Emperor. The attribution is traditional. The text was compiled from oral traditions. It was compiled from earlier writings. It was compiled from the accumulated knowledge of centuries. The name of the Yellow Emperor was attached to it because he was the origin of medicine.
The text is still studied. It is still used. It is still called the classic of the Yellow Emperor.
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On the Yellow Emperor and Daoism.
The Yellow Emperor is a central figure in Daoism — 道教 — Daojiao.
The Zhuangzi — 莊子 — records that the Yellow Emperor went to Kongtong Mountain — 崆峒山 — Kongtong Shan — to visit the Great Immortal Guang Chengzi — 廣成子. He asked about the Dao. Guang Chengzi taught him.
The Yellow Emperor practiced the Dao. He cultivated longevity. He achieved immortality. He ascended to heaven on a dragon — 龍 — long — at the end of his reign. He did not die. He transformed. He became immortal.
This account is recorded in the Shiji — 史記. Sima Qian states: The Yellow Emperor built a furnace on Mount Jing — 荊山 — Jing Shan. He cast a tripod — 鼎 — ding. A dragon descended from heaven. The Yellow Emperor mounted the dragon. He ascended to heaven. The people who followed him ascended with him. The officials who tried to hold onto the dragon's beard were pulled off. They fell to earth. They held the dragon's beard in their hands. The beard fell to earth. It became a plant. The plant is still there. It is called the dragon's beard grass.
The Yellow Emperor did not die. He ascended. He became immortal. He is in heaven. He watches over his people.
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On his tomb.
His tomb is said to be on Mount Qiao — 橋山 — Qiao Shan — in Huangling County — 黃陵縣 — Huangling Xian — in Shaanxi province — 陝西省 — Shaanxi Sheng.
The Huangdi Mausoleum — 黃帝陵 — Huangdi Ling — is one of the largest tomb complexes in China. It has been maintained for over two thousand years. Every dynasty made offerings at the tomb. Every emperor sent representatives to honor the Yellow Emperor.
The tomb receives pilgrims to this day. They come to honor the ancestor. They come to honor the unifier. They come to honor the founder of Chinese civilization. They come to honor the Yellow Emperor.
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On his birthday.
His birthday is observed on the third day of the third lunar month — 三月初三 — san yue chu san.
On this day, ceremonies are held at the Huangdi Mausoleum. Officials in traditional robes perform the rites. Offerings are made. Incense is burned. Prayers are spoken. The people gather to honor the Yellow Emperor.
In some regions, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month — 九月初九 — jiu yue chu jiu — the Double Ninth Festival — 重陽節 — Chongyang Jie — is also associated with him. The connection is noted. The primary birthday is the third of the third month.
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On what he represents.
He represents the unification of China.
Before the Yellow Emperor, there were many tribes. They fought each other. They did not cooperate. They did not form a single people. They did not form a single state.
After the Yellow Emperor, there was one people. There was one state. There was one civilization. The tribes were united. The people were united. The land was united.
He is not a god. He is a human. He is the first human to unify the tribes. He is the first human to establish a state. He is the first human to create the institutions of civilization. He is the first human to be called emperor.
He stands at the boundary between the age of tribes and the age of civilization. He is what humanity became when it learned to unite. He is what humanity became when it learned to govern. He is what humanity became when it learned to build a state.
He is the Yellow Emperor. He is the Unifier. He is the Ancestor. He is the foundation of the Chinese people.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE