Chinese Folklore: The Story of Shun

Preface: Shun, one of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors of China, was an ordinary farmer, but he won the appreciation of Yao, the king of the country, and became the new ruler of the country. What did he do to make Yao look favorably upon him?

据Jù说shuō ， 舜shùn的de父fù亲qīn瞽gǔ叟sǒu曾céng做zuò个gè怪guài梦mèng 。
It is said that Shun’s father, Gu Sou, had a strange dream.

瞽Gǔ叟sǒu梦mèng见jiàn凤fèng凰huáng衔xián稻dào米mǐ来lái喂wèi他tā ， 说shuō自zì己jǐ是shì “ 鸡jī ”， 将jiāng来lái会huì做zuò他tā的de子zǐ孙sūn 。
Gu Sou dreamed that a phoenix fed him rice, saying that he was a “chicken” and that he would be his descendant in the future.

瞽Gǔ叟sǒu醒xǐng来lái后hòu很hěn诧chà异yì ， 不bù明míng白bái梦mèng的de寓yù意yì 。
When he woke up, he was surprised and did not understand the meaning of the dream.

不Bù久jiǔ后hòu ， 瞽gǔ叟sǒu的de妻qī子zi生shēng下xià儿ér子zi ， 取qǔ名míng舜shùn 。
Shortly afterward, Gu Sou’s wife gave birth to a son named Shun.

舜Shùn的de眼yǎn睛jīng与yǔ众zhòng不bù同tóng ， 有yǒu两liǎng个gè瞳tóng孔kǒng ， 因yīn此cǐ也yě叫jiào重zhòng华huá 。
Shun’s eyes were unusual in that they had two pupils, hence the name Chong Hua.

舜Shùn在zài妫guī水shuǐ边biān长zhǎng大dà ， 除chú了le眼yǎn睛jīng特tè别bié ， 其qí他tā都dōu很hěn普pǔ通tōng 。
Shun grew up by the Gui River and was ordinary except for his special eyes.

舜Shùn的de母mǔ亲qīn早zǎo逝shì ， 父fù亲qīn再zài娶qǔ ， 生shēng了le弟dì弟dì象xiàng 。
Shun’s mother died early and his father remarried and gave birth to his younger brother, Xiang.

后Hòu母mǔ自zì私sī ， 偏piān袒tǎn象xiàng ， 对duì舜shùn不bù好hǎo 。
His stepmother was selfish and favored Xiang, treating Shun badly.

象Xiàng受shòu母mǔ亲qīn影yǐng响xiǎng ， 也yě变biàn得de自zì私sī贪tān婪lán 。
Xiang was influenced by his mother and became selfish and greedy too.

父Fù亲qīn听tīng信xìn后hòu母mǔ ， 认rèn为wéi舜shùn不bù乖guāi ， 总zǒng看kàn他tā不bù顺shùn眼yǎn 。
His father believed in his stepmother and thought that Shun was a bad boy, so he always looked at him in a bad light.

舜Shùn处chǔ境jìng艰jiān难nán ， 但dàn以yǐ德dé报bào怨yuàn ， 孝xiào顺shùn父fù母mǔ ， 照zhào顾gù弟dì弟dì 。
Shun was in a difficult situation, but he returned the favor by being filial to his parents and taking care of his younger brother.

舜Shùn的de孝xiào顺shùn友yǒu爱ài很hěn快kuài传chuán开kāi ， 但dàn后hòu母mǔ仍réng想xiǎng害hài他tā 。
Shun’s filial piety and love soon spread, but his stepmother still wanted to harm him.

舜Shùn只zhǐ好hǎo离lí开kāi家jiā ， 独dú自zì住zhù在zài历lì山shān脚jiǎo下xià 。
Shun had no choice but to leave his home and live alone at the foot of Mt.

他Tā用yòng茅máo草cǎo搭dā屋wū ， 开kāi垦kěn荒huāng地dì ， 生shēng活huó虽suī苦kǔ ， 心xīn情qíng却què好hǎo 。
He built his house with thatched grass and reclaimed the wasteland. Although his life was hard, he was in a good mood.

舜Shùn有yǒu感gǎn化huà人rén的de能néng力lì ， 农nóng民mín 、 渔yú夫fū 、 陶táo工gōng都dōu受shòu他tā影yǐng响xiǎng ， 变biàn得de谦qiān让ràng 、 勤qín劳láo 。
Shun had the ability to touch people. Farmers, fishermen and potters were all influenced by him and became humble and hardworking.

大Dà家jiā都dōu愿yuàn和hé舜shùn做zuò邻lín居jū ， 他tā住zhù的de地dì方fāng很hěn快kuài变biàn成chéng大dà城chéng市shì 。
Everyone was willing to be Shun’s neighbor, and the place where he lived soon became a big city.

尧Yáo在zài找zhǎo贤xián人rén ， 部bù落luò首shǒu领lǐng推tuī荐jiàn舜shùn 。
Yao was looking for a wise man, and the tribal leaders recommended Shun.

尧Yáo考kǎo察chá舜shùn ， 把bǎ女nǚ儿ér娥é皇huáng 、 女nǚ英yīng嫁jià给gěi他tā ， 还hái给gěi他tā财cái物wù和hé牛niú羊yáng 。
Yao examined Shun and married his daughters, E Huang and Nu Ying, to him, and gave him wealth, cattle and sheep.

舜Shùn成chéng了le国guó君jūn女nǚ婿xù ， 却què不bù忘wàng家jiā人rén ， 回huí去qù看kàn望wàng ， 还hái带dài礼lǐ物wù 。
Shun became the son-in-law of the king, but he did not forget his family and went back to visit them, bringing gifts.

舜Shùn的de妻qī子zi们men勤qín快kuài贤xián惠huì ， 操cāo持chí家jiā务wù ， 侍shì奉fèng公gōng婆pó 。
Shun’s wives were diligent and virtuous, and they took care of the household and served their in-laws.

后Hòu母mǔ和hé象xiàng嫉jí恨hèn舜shùn ， 想xiǎng害hài他tā ， 但dàn两liǎng次cì都dōu被bèi娥é皇huáng 、 女nǚ英yīng识shí破pò 。
The stepmother and the Xiang hated Shun and tried to harm him, but both times they were discovered by E Huang and Nu Ying.

舜Shùn依yī然rán孝xiào顺shùn友yǒu爱ài家jiā人rén ， 没méi改gǎi变biàn 。
Shun remained filial and friendly to his family and did not change.

象Xiàng又yòu设shè计jì害hài舜shùn ， 邀yāo他tā吃chī饭fàn 。
The Xiang again tried to harm Shun by inviting him to dinner.

舜Shùn问wèn妻qī子zi们men意yì见jiàn ， 她tā们men让ràng舜shùn去qù ， 还hái给gěi他tā防fáng身shēn的de药yào粉fěn 。
Shun asked his wives for their opinion, and they let him go and gave him a medicine powder to protect himself.

舜Shùn去qù赴fù宴yàn ， 象xiàng和hé后hòu母mǔ想xiǎng灌guàn醉zuì他tā后hòu杀shā他tā 。
When Shun went to the banquet, Xiang and his stepmother tried to kill him after getting him drunk.

但Dàn舜shùn没méi醉zuì ， 稳wěn稳wěn坐zuò着zhe ， 最zuì后hòu礼lǐ貌mào告gào辞cí 。
But Shun did not get drunk and sat steadily, and finally politely excused himself.

娥É皇huáng 、 女nǚ英yīng把bǎ舜shùn的de事shì告gào诉sù尧yáo ， 尧yáo认rèn为wéi舜shùn孝xiào顺shùn有yǒu才cái ， 决jué定dìng传chuán位wèi给gěi他tā 。
E Huang and Nu Ying told Yao about Shun, and Yao thought Shun was filial and talented, and decided to pass the throne to him.

尧Yáo先xiān让ràng舜shùn学xué习xí政zhèng治zhì ， 做zuò官guān锻duàn炼liàn 。
Yao first asked Shun to study politics and exercise as an official.

尧Yáo考kǎo核hé舜shùn ， 让ràng他tā在zài风fēng雨yǔ中zhōng走zǒu出chū山shān林lín 。
Yao assessed Shun and asked him to come out of the mountains and forests in the wind and rain.

舜Shùn内nèi心xīn坦tǎn荡dàng ， 不bù怕pà野yě兽shòu ， 冷lěng静jìng走zǒu出chū山shān林lín 。
Shun had an open heart and was not afraid of wild beasts, so he calmly walked out of the mountains.

人Rén们men为wèi舜shùn高gāo兴xìng ， 尧yáo传chuán位wèi给gěi他tā 。
People were happy for Shun and Yao passed the throne to him.

舜Shùn做zuò国guó君jūn后hòu ， 仍réng孝xiào顺shùn家jiā人rén 。
After Shun became the king of the country, he was still filial to his family.

家Jiā人rén被bèi感gǎn动dòng ， 向xiàng舜shùn道dào歉qiàn ， 改gǎi掉diào恶è习xí 。
The family was moved and apologized to Shun and changed their bad habits.

舜Shùn在zài位wèi几jǐ十shí年nián ， 勤qín政zhèng爱ài民mín ， 是shì明míng君jūn 。
Shun reigned for several decades and was a wise ruler who was diligent and loved the people.

舜Shùn退tuì位wèi时shí ， 没méi传chuán给gěi儿ér子zi ， 而ér是shì传chuán给gěi大dà禹yǔ ， 显xiǎn示shì大dà公gōng无wú私sī 。
When Shun abdicated, he did not pass the throne to his son but to Dayu, showing his impartiality.

舜Shùn晚wǎn年nián想xiǎng巡xún视shì南nán方fāng ， 告gào诉sù妻qī子zi ， 她tā们men担dān心xīn ， 但dàn舜shùn还hái是shì悄qiāo悄qiāo上shàng路lù 。
When Shun wanted to tour the south in his later years, he told his wives and they were worried, but Shun quietly went on his way.

舜Shùn途tú中zhōng病bìng逝shì ， 举jǔ国guó悲bēi痛tòng ， 葬zàng在zài九jiǔ嶷yí山shān 。
When Shun fell ill and died on the way, the nation grieved and was buried in Jiuyi Mountain.

娥É皇huáng 、 女nǚ英yīng赶gǎn去qù奔bēn丧sāng ， 途tú中zhōng泪lèi如rú雨yǔ下xià ， 泪lèi水shuǐ洒sǎ在zài竹zhú林lín ， 形xíng成chéng斑bān竹zhú 。
E Huang and Nu Ying rushed to the funeral, and on the way, their tears fell like rain, and they spilled their tears on the bamboo forests, forming spotted bamboos.

她Tā们men到dào湘xiāng水shuǐ时shí ， 遇yù大dà浪làng ， 溺nì水shuǐ而ér亡wáng ， 成chéng为wéi湘xiāng水shuǐ水shuǐ灵líng 。
When they arrived at Xiangshui, they met a big wave and drowned, becoming Xiangshui water spirits.

通过阅读中国神话、民间故事、历史典故、人物传记学汉语，简单易学，中英对照，适合初学者！
Learning Chinese through reading Chinese mythology, folk stories, historical allusions, and biographies is easy to learn and bilingual, suitable for beginners!