Xi Shi - Seishi

Date of birth and death unknown. A beautiful woman from ancient China. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period, Goujian, King of Yue, who was defeated by Wu King Fuchai at Kaiji, learned that his sworn enemy Fuchai was lecherous and came up with a plan to offer a beautiful woman to him as revenge. Then, his vassal Fan Li discovered the beautiful Xi Shi, who was selling firewood in Mount Choluo, taught her various arts, and sent her to the state of Wu. Despite his vassal Wu Zixu's attempts to stop him, Fuchai happily welcomed Xi Shi and doted on her, which is said to have been one of the reasons for the downfall of the state of Wu.

The name Xi Shi remained widely known as a byword for beautiful woman, and was often used by later poets in their poetry.

[Tota Kirimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年不詳。中国古代の美女。春秋時代末期、呉(ご)王夫差(ふさ)に会稽(かいけい)で敗れた越(えつ)王勾践(こうせん)は、仇敵(きゅうてき)である夫差が好色なのを知って、復讐(ふくしゅう)のため美女を献ずる策を思い付く。そして家臣范蠡(はんれい)が苧蘿(ちょら)山で薪(たきぎ)を売っていた美女西施をみいだして諸芸を教え、呉国へ送り込んだ。臣下の伍子胥(ごししょ)が制止するのも聞かず、夫差は喜んで西施を迎えて溺愛(できあい)したために、呉国滅亡の一因をなしたと伝えられている。

　西施の名は、広く美女の代名詞としてその後も親しまれ、しばしば後世の詩人たちが詩中に詠み込んだ。

［桐本東太］

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