Shujun () is a Chinese god of farming and cultivation, also known as Yijun and Shangjun. Alternatively he is a legendary
culture hero
A culture hero is a mythological hero specific to some group ( cultural, ethnic, religious, etc.) who changes the world through invention or discovery. Although many culture heroes help with the creation of the world, most culture heroes are imp ...
of ancient times, who was in the
family tree of ancient Chinese emperors
This is a family tree of Chinese monarchs covering the period of the Five Emperors up through the end of the Spring and Autumn period.
Five Emperors
The legendary Five Emperors were traditionally regarded as the founders of the Chinese state. ...
descended from the
Yellow Emperor (Huangdi). According to the various sources, Shujun was the son of
Di Jun (Emperor Jun) or else
Houji's son or nephew (fathered by Houji's younger brother Taixi).
[Yang, 98 and 201] Shujun is one of the individuals named in
Chinese mythology as helping to found the practice of
agriculture in China, along with Houji, Di Jun,
Shennong, and others. Shujun is specially credited with inventing the use of a
draft animal of the
bovine family to pull a
plow
A plough or plow ( US; both ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden, iron or ...
to turn the soil prior to planting.
See also
*
Bovidae in Chinese mythology
*
Chinese mythology
*
Five Cereals (China)
The Five Grains or Cereals () are a grouping (or set of groupings) of five farmed crops that were all important in ancient China. Sometimes the crops themselves were regarded as sacred; other times, their cultivation was regarded as a sacred boon ...
Notes
References
*Yang, Lihui, ''et al.'' (2005). ''Handbook of Chinese Mythology''. New York: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN, 978-0-19-533263-6
Chinese gods
Agriculture in China