12 Chonghua

A1.17|18|19

Yu Shun, his name was Chonghua. Chonghua's father was called Gusou, Gusou's father was Qiaoniu, Qiaoniu's father was Juwang, Juwang's father was Jingkang, and Jingkang's father was Qiongchan. Qiongchan's father was Emperor Zhuanxu, and Zhuanxu's father was Changyi: from Changyi to Shun it was seven generations. From Qiongchan to Emperor Shun, the intervening generations were all low as commoners.

Shun's father, Gusou, was blind. After Shun's biological mother died, Gusou married another wife and gave birth to Xiang, who was arrogant. Gusou liked his second wife's son and often wanted to kill Shun, but Shun escaped. If he made a little mistake, he would be severely punished. Shun served his father, his stepmother and his half brother reverently, becoming more loyal and prudent day by day, without slacking off at all.

Shun was from Jizhou. Shun plowed fields in Lishan, fished in Leize, made pottery on the bank of the Yellow River, made various household utensils in Shouqiu, and did business in Fuxia. Shun's father Gusou was stubborn, his mother was viscous, and his younger brother Xiang was arrogant. They all wanted to kill Shun. Shun, however, behaved respectfully and never violated the principles of being a son, loving his brothers and being filial to his parents. When they wanted to kill him, they couldn't find him; and when they needed him, he was always there.

虞舜者，名曰重华。重华父曰瞽叟，瞽叟父曰桥牛，桥牛父曰句望，句望父曰敬康，敬康父曰穷蝉，穷蝉父曰帝颛顼，颛顼父曰昌意：以至舜七世矣。自从穷蝉以至帝舜，皆微为庶人。

舜父瞽叟盲，而舜母死，瞽叟更娶妻而生象，象傲。瞽叟爱后妻子，常欲杀舜，舜避逃；及有小过，则受罪。顺事父及后母与弟，日以笃谨，匪有解。

舜，冀州之人也。舜耕历山，渔雷泽，陶河滨，作什器于寿丘，就时于负夏。舜父瞽叟顽，母嚚，弟象傲，皆欲杀舜。舜顺適不失子道，兄弟孝慈。欲杀，不可得；即求，尝在侧。