According to legend, Zhuanxu (颛顼) was the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝) and the leader of the Jiuli tribe (九黎族). His grandfather, Changyi (昌意), was the second son of the Yellow Emperor and Lady Leizu (嫘祖). Changyi committed an offense in the heavenly court and was exiled to Ruoshui (若水), which is now in the Sichuan region. Not long after, Changyi had a son, Hanliu (韩流), who had a very peculiar appearance: a long neck, small ears, a human face, but a pig’s mouth and the body of a qilin. His legs were conjoined, with pig-like feet. Hanliu married a woman named A’nu (阿女), and they had a son—Zhuanxu.
Zhuanxu was known for his deep, strategic mind. At the age of 15, he assisted Shaohao (少昊) in governing the Jiuli region and was appointed to the position of the ruler of Gaoyang (高阳), now known as Qi County in Henan. He was thus also called the Gaoyang clan (高阳氏). After the death of the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu’s talents and abilities in governance led to his elevation to the throne as the Heavenly Emperor. At that time, he was only twenty years old.
As a child, Zhuanxu visited the bird kingdom established by his uncle Shaohao in the East. Upon arriving, he was overjoyed, as this kingdom was unlike any other—it was a realm where the officials were all birds, effectively making it a kingdom of birds. Zhuanxu had originally gone to visit his uncle, but he was so fascinated by this unusual scene that he didn’t want to leave. He stayed in the bird kingdom, helping his uncle with the state affairs while also playing with the birds. Despite his young age, Zhuanxu began to show his exceptional political talents by managing the tasks entrusted to him with great efficiency. His wisdom and ability contributed to the prosperity of the bird kingdom.
Though young, Zhuanxu was still fond of play. To cultivate his musical skills, Shaohao had a qin and se (traditional Chinese musical instruments) made for him to play. Zhuanxu’s musical talent was remarkable—whenever he played, birds would gather and dance around him. This helped him further develop his musical appreciation.
When Zhuanxu returned to the Yellow Emperor, it was during a time when Chi You (蚩尤), a rebellious leader of the Miao people, was causing unrest. The Yellow Emperor was greatly angered and sent his young great-grandson, Zhuanxu, to assist in resolving the crisis. The Yellow Emperor had already heard of Zhuanxu’s talents and saw this as an opportunity to test him. Moreover, he wanted to send a young successor into battle, so that a victory would serve as a warning to others who might think of rebelling.
Zhuanxu did not disappoint. After several years of battling Chi You, he helped the Yellow Emperor quell the rebellion. Impressed by his capability and strategic foresight, the Yellow Emperor decided to pass on the Heavenly Emperor’s throne to Zhuanxu, entrusting him with divine authority. In this way, Zhuanxu became the highest ruler of the divine realm.