ANCESTORS

Origins | Ancestors

Jizha – A Man with Noble Character

Jizha was the 19th generation descendant of Taibo, the Goh clan’s ancestor. He was the fourth and youngest son of King Shoumeng of the Kingdom of Wu (Goh). He died at the mature age of 92. As he was conferred territory at Yanling (Yen Leng), he was also known in Chinese history as Yanling Jizi.

Jizha lived in the period of Spring and Autumn. Though he was the youngest son, King Shoumeng nevertheless wanted to make him his heir. But he declined. King Shoumeng did not give up hope that one day Jizha would become King. As such, when he died, he left behind an edict that the throne should be passed on from the elder brother to the younger ones.

All three brothers wanted to give way to Jizha, but he again declined and in fact left the Kingdom and lived at the bottom of Mount Sunke. The eldest brother Zhufan then reluctantly succeeded the throne.

In the year 548 BC, King Zhufan led an army to attack the State of Chu. During the ensuing battles, he was shot by an arrow and succumbed to the injuries. The throne was passed on to the second brother Yuji. When Yuji died, the third brother Yumei was installed as King.

Yumei had been King for 17 years and wanted to abdicate in favour of Jizha, Jizha again declined. Yumei then passed on the throne to his eldest son Liao.

Jizha was conferred the territory at Yanling (Changzhou of Jiangshu Province today). Later he was also conferred another territory at Zhoulai (in today’s Anhui Province). Jizha was an outstanding diplomat and statesman in his time. In the year 544 BC, he was sent by King Yumei to establish good diplomatic ties with all the Northern states, including the states of Lu, Qi, Wei, Zheng and Jin.

Jizha was a very humble person and he attached great importance to the virtue of trustworthiness. Jizha Gua Jian (or Jizha hanging his sword on the tree at the tomb of the King of Xu) is the most well knovn story about Jizha. On his diplomatic mission to
other states, Jizha met the King of the State of Xu. The King liked the sword Jiiha was wearing but felt embarrassed to ask for it. Jizha however noticed the desire of tie King. He decided to give the sword away to the King once he had completed his missions to all the states. But when he returned to Xu, the King had died. To keep his own promise, Jizha then hanged his sword or the tree at the tomb of the dead King.

Jizha’s act of keeping his own promise won wide acclaims and was held tip as an exemplary moral standard by historians and the Chinese people at large. After his death, he was buried at a place called jiangyin. As he was well respected, his tomb as well kept and even renovated and expanded by the rulers of subsequent dynasties. A’S a result his cemetery has over the years turned into a funerary park spanning about ten acres.

During the Jin Dynasty (in year 323 AD), a big temple hall was built about three hundred steps from the cemetery. After its completion, the Emperor even detailed 50 soldiers to guard the cemetery ground day and night.

The temple has a collection of paintings, couplets and other forms of calligraphy written by famous scholars and emperors of various times including Confucius and Emperor Kangxi. Today, this funerary park has been classified as a preserved historical site by the Chinese Government.