I. Profile
The Yellow Emperor, surnamed Gongsun and named Xuanyuan, was the legendary ruler of Youxiong Kingdom (present-day Xinzheng, Henan Province). Ancient texts describe him as divinely born with speaking ability from infancy, and in adulthood, he had a dragon-like countenance with four faces (symbolizing oversight of all directions), capable of commanding clouds and mythical beasts. Proficient in military strategy, music, and medicine, he is revered as the common ancestor of the Chinese nation.
II. Origins
Records in Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) state he was the son of Shaodian, deriving his name from Xuanyuan Hill. Shanhaijing (Classic of Mountains and Seas) recounts his mother Fubao conceived him after seeing a “great lightning encircle the Beidou star”, with his birth marked by “yellow dragon and thunder”. By the Han Dynasty, he was deified as the “Central Heavenly Emperor”.
III. Key Legends
1. Battle of Banquan
To secure hegemony, the Yellow Emperor fought three major battles against Yan Emperor at Banquan (present-day Zhuolu, Hebei). Liezi records him leading “bears, leopards,貅 (pixiu, a mythical beast),貙 (chu, a fierce cat), and tigers” as vanguard, using drum tactics to defeat Yan’s coalition, establishing the Huaxia alliance.
2. Battle of Zhuolu
Facing Chi You’s Jiuli tribe, the Yellow Emperor invented the south-pointing chariot to navigate fog, using Kui ox drums to terrorize enemies. This victory solidified his universal rule.
3. Innovations
According to Shiben, he commissioned Cangjie to create characters, Linglun to standardize music, Danao to formulate the sexagenary cycle, and his wife Leizu to initiate sericulture. The legend of Leizu teaching silkworm rearing is still celebrated in Yanting, Sichuan.
IV. Relationships
- Family: Father Shaodian, Mother Fubao, Wife Leizu
- Adversaries: Yan Emperor (later ally), Chi You
- Ministers: Feng Hou (south-pointing chariot), Cangjie (characters), Qibo (medicine)
V. Cultural Legacy
1. Literary References
- Shanhaijing: “Yellow Emperor created Yin-Yang”
- Huainanzi: “Yellow Emperor governed with Li Mu and Tai Shanji”
- Huangdi Neijing: Fundamental text of Chinese medicine
2. Ritual Traditions
- Ancestor Worship Ceremony in Xinzheng (3rd day of 3rd lunar month)
- Memorial at Huangling Mausoleum (Qingming Festival)
- Taiwan’s Xuanyuan Emperor Sacrifice (9th day of 9th lunar month)
VI. Historical Contributions
- Politics: Established tribal confederation system
- Technology: Advanced agriculture, textiles, and medicine
- Culture: Unified script and music, forming cultural core
VII. Business Significance
His governance philosophy of “governing through virtue” gave rise to the ethical principle of “profit with integrity”. The innovative spirit symbolized by his inventions inspires modern entrepreneurship. Many Chinese enterprises venerate him as the “founding ancestor” of business.
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