Ep. 258 | Jiang Ziya
In this 258th CHP episode, just in time for the guaranteed blockbuster animated movie “Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification” Laszlo brings you an overview of this hero and strategist from ancient Chinese history.
Jiang Ziya’s story takes place during the waning years of the Shang and the founding of the Zhou Dynasty. For non-Chinese speakers, try not to get tripped up with King Zhòu Xīn of the Shang and the Kings Wen, Wu, and Duke of the House of Zhōu.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ānyáng | 安阳 | City in northern Henan Province |
| āxiān | 八仙 | The Eight Immortals |
| Bǐ Gān | 比干 | Brother to the last Shang King Zhou Xin. Unjustly executed |
| Cái Shén | 财神 | The God of Wealth |
| Duke Huán | 齐桓公 | Ruler of Qi State from 685-643 BCE. Brought the state to great heights |
| Duke of Zhōu | 周公 | See above Ji Dan |
| Dá Jǐ | 妲己 | The evil fox spirit sent by Nuwa to bewitch King Zhou Xin |
| Fúxī | 伏羲 | The first of the Three Sovereigns. He was the husband (or brother) of Nuwa. He's credited with bringing many of the gifts of civilizatin to the Chinese people |
| fēngjiàn | 封建 | The feudal system with knights, lords and the whole shebang |
| Guóqìngjié | 国庆节 | The National Day of China, October 1, 1949 |
| Guǎn Zhòng | 管仲 | The Duke of Huan's indispensable minister. Confucius was a huge fan of his |
| Huáxià | 华夏 | The Chinese civilization that formed during the Shang and Zhou period |
| Hàn Dynasty | 汉朝 | Great Chinese imperial dynasty. Lasted 202 BCE to 220 CE |
| Hàojīng | 镐京 | The capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty, not too distant from present day Xian, Shaanxi province |
| húlijīng | 狐狸精 | Fox spirits that could disguise themselves as beautiful women |
| Jiāng | 姜 | Jiang Ziya's surname |
| Jiāng Tàigōng | 姜太公 | Grand Duke of Jiāng, another one of Jiang Ziya's titles or names |
| Jiāng Zǐyá | 姜子牙 | Also known as the Grand Duke of Qi. Lived during 11th century BCE, served the Shang first and later the Zhou |
| jiǔwèijīng | 九尾精 | The nine-tailed fox spirit that could disguise itself as beautiful women |
| Jìnán | 济南 | Capital of Shandong province |
| Jìxià Xuégōng | 稷下学宫 | The Jixia Academy located in Linzi, Qi State. |
| Jī Chāng | 姬昌 | Also known as King Wen, father of King Wu and the Duke of Zhou |
| Jī Dàn | 姬旦 | Also known as The venerable Duke of Zhou |
| Jī family | 姬家族 | The ruling family of the Zhou Dynasty |
| Jī Fā | 姬发 | Also known as King Wu, brother to the Duke of Zhou |
| King Jié | 夏桀王 | Final king of the Xia Dynasty...and supposedly not a good one |
| King Wǔ | 周武王 | See above....Ji Fa |
| King Ying Zheng | 秦嬴政 | The King of Qin State who later founded the Qin Dynasty and ruled as Qin Shihuang |
| Kūnlún | 昆仑 | Mythical mountain or mountain range where many gods and creatures dwelled....sort of like Penglai in the east of China |
| Liú Bèi | 刘备 | Lived from 161-223, King of Shu, one of the Three Kingdoms |
| Línzī | 临淄 | The capital of Qi State. Located in modern day Zibo, Shandong |
| Lǎozǐ | 老子 | He's called a "semi-legendary" figure from Chinese history. The Dao De Jing is attributed to Laozi. Here in Hollywood we know him as Lao Tzu |
| Lǔ | 鲁国 | The lands in Shandong south of Qi |
| Lǚ Shàng | 吕尚 | Yet another one of Jiang Ziya's titles or names |
| Lǚ Wàng | 吕望 | Yet another one of Jiang Ziya's titles or names |
| Ming Dynasty | 明朝 | Second to the last Chinese Dynasty, ran from 1368 to 1644 |
| Mount Pénglái | 蓬莱山 | A mythical land of gods and creatures located somewhere around the Bohai Sea. The Eight Immortals supposedly dwelled there |
| Mùyě zhī zhàn | 牧野之战 | 1046 BCE Battle of Muye ….just outside of the capital Yīn, Ānyáng, northern Henan province |
| Nézhā zhī Mótóng Jiàngshì | 哪吒之魔童降世 | The 2019 hit animated movie, “Birth of the Demon Child Né Zhā” |
| Nǚwā | 女娲 | Wife or sister of Fu Xi. She's credited with bringing many gifts of civilization to the Chinese people. Not a big fan of King Zhou Xin |
| Pān Gǔ | 盘古 | In Chinese mythology, Pangu is called "the creator" |
| Qí Lǔ Liǎngguó | 齐鲁两国 | The Two States of Qi and Lu (that made up Shandong) |
| Qí Tàigōng | 齐太公 | Grand Duke of Qí , one of Jiang Ziya's titles |
| Qín | 秦 | The Qin Dynasty 221 BCE to 206 BCE, also the Qin State which preceded the formation of the dynasty |
| Shàng | 尚 | Jiang Ziya's given name |
| Shénmó Xiǎoshuō | 神魔小说 | Shénmó novel， Gods & Demons fiction |
| Shāng Dynasty | 商朝 | Second of China's Bronze Age dynasties lasting from approximately 1600 BCE to 1046 BCE |
| State of Qí | 齐国 | Once powerful Zhou era state that controlled the northern half of Shandong |
| Sòng | 宋朝 | The Song Dynasty, Northern and Southern, lasted 960-1279 |
| Sān Jiàn zhī luàn | 三监之乱 | The Rebellion of the Three Guards 1042-1039 BCE…western Shandong and northern Jiangsu |
| Sān Qīng | 三清 | Three Pure Ones, the three highest ranked gods in the Daoist pantheon |
| Sīmǎ Qiān | 司马迁 | China's most famous historiographer of ancient times |
| The Fēngshén Yǎnyì | 封神演义 | The Ming era novel “The Investiture of the Gods” “The Enfeoffment of the Gods” written by Xu Zonglin |
| Tiānmìng | 天命 | The Mandate of Heaven |
| Tài Gōng Liù Tāo | 太公六韬 | “The Six Secret Strategic Teachings” |
| Tàigōng Wàng | 太公望 | Grand Duke Wàng, another one of Jiang Ziya's titles or names |
| Táng | 唐朝 | The Tang Dynasty that lasted 618-907 (with Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty 690-705 in the middle) |
| Wèi River | 渭河 | Largest tributary of the Yellow River. Easrliest Chinese civilization also grew and prospered along this river too |
| Wèibīn Chuídiào Tú | 渭滨垂钓图 | The painting in the National Palace Museum in Taipei which depicts the moment when Jī Chāng had his fateful meeting with Jiāng Zǐyá….on the banks of the River Wèi. |
| Wǔ Gēng | 武庚 | The son of the defeated king Zhòu Xīn who fought with the Jī Brothers in the Rebellion of the Three Guardians |
| Wǔjīng Qīshū | 武经七书 | The Seven Military Classics |
| Xià Dynasty | 夏朝 | China's first dynasty, though still called a mythical dynasty |
| Xī Yóu Jì | 西游记 | The classic novel, “Journey to the West” |
| Xǔ Zhònglín | 许仲琳 | Lived in the 16th century, Mong Dynasty writer. "The Investiture of the Gods" is attributed to him |
| Yuánshǐ Tiānzūn | 元始天尊 | One of the Three Pure Ones |
| Yīn | 殷 | The ancient Shang capital, part of modern day Anyang |
| Yǔ the Great | 大禹 | Founder of the legendary Xia Dynasty, famous for taming the floods that had plagued the people for so long |
| Zhuāngzǐ | 庄子 | Zhuang Zhou, the great Daoist master c. 369 to c. 286 BCE |
| Zhòu Xīn / Dì Xīn | 纣辛 / 帝辛 | The final king of the Shang Dynasty |
| Zhōu Dynasty | 周朝 | The third of China's Bronze Age dynasties. Lasted from 1046 BCE-256 BCE |
| Zhōu Wén Wáng | 周文王 | See above... Ji Chang |
| Zhūgě Liàng | 诸葛亮 | 181-234, one of the giants in all of Chinese history. Chancellor of Shu 221-234, right-hand man to Liu Bei and a master of military strategy |
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