The three wise kings and the five legendary emperors
Suiren, Fuxi, and Shennong are considered the three wise kings of ancient China who made personal sacrifices to improve people’s lives. They are known for one or more unique contributions to humanity.
Suiren, who supposedly lived 18,000 years ago, discovered how to make fire by drilling through wood. This discovery allowed humanity to eat cooked food and use fire to keep warm and drive away wild animals.
Fuxi taught people to domesticate animals. He also taught them how to make nets for fish, birds, and wild animals and in the process ensure a year-round food supply. He was also responsible for the creation of the institution of marriage and a 35-string musical instrument. However, his most important contribution was the Bagua or Eight Trigrams that formed the basis of the important I Ching or Book of Changes.
Shennong, also known as Yandi, invented the ancient rake, shovel, plow, and sickle and taught people to grow five types of cereals, rice, two types of millet, wheat, and beans. He also invented bartering and further modified Fuxi’s 35-string musical instrument into a 5-string one.
However, he was best remembered for testing hundreds of wild herbs to find remedies to treat illnesses. In the process, he continually suffered from poisoning and eventually died from eating too many.
The emperors after Shennong were Huangdi, Zhuanxu, Diku, Yao, and Shun and they are collectively known as the Five Legendary Rulers.
Huangdi is credited with many achievements. He had good management skills and knows how to use capable men to help him run the country and come up with innovations.
He charged his subject with the development of a written language that contributed to the growth of Chinese culture. With another he studied the art of healing and compiled “The Yellow Emperor’s Medicine Classic.” However, with another, he developed the 60-year cycle calendar “Jia Zi” which helped in agriculture.
Huangdi advocated for peace and avoided war. During his reign, the people enjoyed peace and prosperity and ushered in the era of civilization for the Chinese people.
Zhuanxu, who succeeded Huangdi, was not his son. He was chosen from the many sons of Huangdi because of his extraordinary ability. Zhuanxu’s greatest contribution was bringing law and order to the people as well as consolidating the power of the central authority.
After Zhuanxu comes Diku, who was Huangdi’s great-grandson. Diku was a benevolent king who put the welfare of the people above himself. It created new official positions and ministries with clearly defined functions such as the Ministry of Lands, Forestry, Water, Metallic Minerals and Fire. And he personally conducted frequent inspections to make sure the country was well managed. It also further improved the timing that contributed to agriculture.
Yao was the son of Diku. He was hardworking and benevolent like his father. He further developed the calendar and modified the timing of planting, resulting in bumper harvests.
Shun was Yao’s son-in-law. Although his mother died when he was very young and his stepmother and father mistreated him, he remained filial with them. His great virtue helped him gain fame and he was summoned to King Yao’s service at age 30. He eventually married King Yao’s daughter.
Shun drew up the five rules of etiquette and other rules and regulations that dukes and princes were to observe. He also divided the country into 12 states, each with its own administrator. He continued to implement changes at the administrative level and created the department of rituals, music, agriculture, mulberry plantation, works, water and land.
Shun was succeeded by Yu, who founded the Xia dynasty. Yu was famous for his ability to control floods, but that’s another story for another time.