Nangong Kuo (Chinese: 南宮适; pinyin: Nángōng Kuò; fl. 11th century BC) was a top official of King Wen of Zhou during the late Shang and early Western Zhou dynasties.
Nangong Kuo | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 南宮适 | |||
 The Da Yu ding, made in dedication to Nangong Kuo. | |||
| Known for | Serving King Wen and King Wu of Zhou. | ||
| Military career | |||
| Allegiance | Predynastic Zhou | ||
Conflicts | Battle of Muye | ||
| Monarchs | King Wen of Zhou King Wu of Zhou King Cheng of Zhou | ||
| Chinese name | |||
| Chinese | 南宮适 | ||
| |||
In the Chinese classics
editIn the "Jun Shi" (君奭) chapter of the Book of Documents, the Duke of Zhou names Nangong Kuo as one of the five key advisers of King Wen,[1] together with Hong Yao, Tai Dian, Guo Shu (虢叔), and San Yisheng.[2] After King Wen's death, Nangong Kuo became a key adviser of his son King Wu.[3]
After the Battle of Muye, Nangong Kuo was given three orders by King Wu: Redistribute wealth from Deer Terrace Pavilion (鹿臺), release the grain from Juqiao (鉅橋), and inspect the Nine Tripod Cauldrons for any damage. This was in the interests of relieving pressure on the Shang commoners.[4] Upon King Wu's death, Nangong Kuo would continue serving King Cheng of Zhou in his infancy,[5] and this service would continue into his official regency. He would notably defend Duke Dan of Zhou and King Cheng's establishment of Chengzhou (成周) following critique from Xin Kuan (辛寬). Xin Kuan had criticised the move as reducing Zhou's natural defences, as there were less tall mountains and rivers than in the Qishan Mountains. Nangong Kuo responded by stating that the move was an example of rule by innate, moral power, and that relying on the dangerous mountains and rivers was unsustainable.[6]
Bronze inscriptions
edit
Nangong Kuo was the founder of a major aristocratic lineage of the Western Zhou.[1] His eldest son probably died early, and his second son Nangong Mao (南宫毛) inherited his title.[3] The famous Da Yu ding, now a national treasure of China, was cast by Nangong Kuo's grandson Yu (盂), and dedicated to him. The bronze inscription on the vessel traces Yu's lineage back to Nangong (南公, Duke of Nan), who is identified by scholars, including Li Xueqin and Li Feng, with Nangong Kuo.[1] Inscriptions on other unearthed bronze vessels indicate that during the late Western Zhou period, the Nangong lineage continued to produce important military leaders like Nangong Liu, and civil administrators such as Nangong Hu, Supervisor of Land.[1]
Inscriptions on excavated bronzes from the tombs of the marquises of Zeng in Hubei Province indicate that Kang (犺) of the Nangong clan was enfeoffed with the Zeng state by either King Cheng or King Kang of Zhou. Kang, the first Marquis of Zeng, was either Nangong Kuo's son or great-grandson (Yu's son).[3]
In fiction
editNangong Kuo is a character in the Ming dynasty classic novel Fengshen Yanyi. In this novel, Nangong Kuo is a renowned general that had loyally served under Ji Chang (King Wen of Zhou) of Mount Singing Phoenix. Nangong generally seems to be more of an aggressive individual, and will rush to rather impulsive conclusions at times. Following the death of Ji Chang's first son, Bo Yikao, Nangong would swear eternal revenge against King Zhou. Due to Nangong's continuous lust to attack Zhaoge at any possible moment, San Yisheng develops a negative liking towards him.[7]
Following King Wen's attack upon Tiger Town, the capital of Chong Houhu, Nangong is the first to charge the gates of the capital. When General Huang Yuanji stands before him, Nangong yells, "Huang Yuanji, you small potato, get out of my way! I only want to fight the real Chong Houhu himself!" With these words, Nangong, with his great knife, cuts Huang Yuanji down with relative ease. Later on following General Zhang Guifang's attack upon Phoenix City during the Huang Feihu retrieval arc, Nangong duels it out against Vanguard Feng Lin. After defeating Feng with great ease, he is captured by Feng's magic technique; only later due to Nezha's assistance would he be saved.[7]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 Li, Feng (2006). Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou 1045–771 BC. Cambridge University Press. pp. 127–8. ISBN 978-1-139-45688-3.
- ↑ Fu, Sheng. "君奭". 尚書. Chinese Text Project.
- 1 2 3 Wang Entian (王恩田) (11 February 2015). 曾侯與编钟与周初南公和曾侯世系 (in Chinese). Fudan University.
- ↑ Sima Qian. "周本紀". In Donald Sturgeon (ed.). 史記.
- ↑ "班彪列傳上". 後漢書. Chinese Text Project.
- ↑ Donald Sturgeon (ed.). "恃君覽". 呂氏春秋. Chinese Text Project.
辛寬見魯繆公曰：「臣而今而後知吾先君周公之不若太公望封之知也。昔者太公望封於營丘，之渚海阻山高險固之地也，是故地日廣，子孫彌隆。吾先君周公封於魯，無山林谿谷之險，諸侯四面以達，是故地日削，子孫彌殺。」辛寬出，南宮括入見。公曰「今者寬也非周公」，其辭若是也。南宮括對曰：「寬少者，弗識也。君獨不聞成王之定成周之說乎？其辭曰：『惟余一人，營居於成周。惟余一人，有善易得而見也，有不善易得而誅也。』故曰善者得之，不善者失之，古之道也。夫賢者豈欲其子孫之阻山林之險以長為無道哉？小人哉寬也！今使燕爵為鴻鵠鳳皇慮，則必不得矣。其所求者，瓦之間隙，屋之翳蔚也；與一舉則有千里之志，德不盛、義不大則不至其郊。
- 1 2 Fengshen Yanyi chapter 28