Greetings everyone.

Thanks for downloading this latest episode of the China History Podcast.

We have another topic today that I'd like to introduce that everyone should be at least acquainted with.

I've mentioned them a few times in previous

podcasts. I thought before we swing back in the other direction and hang out for a

while in modern times, perhaps I should do one more topic from China's ancient days and even

pre- Ancient days. Today we go back much farther than the Joe Dynasty Kings. Today we go deep into China's legendary past and look at the San Huang Wu Di, the three sovereigns

and the five emperors. These eight figures play a big role in ancient Chinese mythology, especially

the yellow emperor. So I thought, before we head back to the 20th century and look at some post-liberation

Chinese history, let's go all the way to the beginning of the

beginning to the three August ones or sovereigns or three lords of China's pre-historical period and the five emperors of the ancient

historical period.

The good news is that these eight sort of come one right after the other, so chronologically

they're easy to keep straight. The bad news is there

are multiple variations about who comprises the three and who makes up the five. You don't really

know whom to go with. So we'll sort of look at most of them because it's all not too terribly confusing and although

approximate dates are associated with various persons, the dates aren't that terribly important.

This period covers the six or 700 years before the Shah Dynasty, of which we only know from legends

and from what Somachen wrote in the Shih Chi. In all the cultures around the world, they all

have their own myths and oral histories about these times. These were the centuries where mankind on Earth were just getting ready to take off.

These days between, say, 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC,

humankind around the world. say 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC,

...