Wu Zixu

Wu Zixu, whose given name was Yuan, was a native of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. After his father and elder brother were wrongfully executed by King Ping of Chu, he fled to Wu, where he assisted King Helü in conquering Chu and exacting vengeance. Later, he served King Fuchai but was ultimately forced to commit suicide after repeatedly remonstrating against the king’s policies; his corpse was cast into the river. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, the people of Wu, moved by pity, erected a shrine for him along the riverbank. Folk legend holds that his aggrieved spirit harnessed the waters to generate the furious tidal bore, appearing on the Qiantang River ‘riding a white horse in a plain chariot’. He thus came to be worshipped as the Tidal Deity—or alternately, the Water Immortal. The Wu Gong Temple on Wushan Hill in Hangzhou and the Xu Wang Temple outside the Xumen Gate in Suzhou’s Panmen district have maintained uninterrupted incense offerings for centuries. Residents along the Qiantang River observe the tidal bore and perform rites in Wu Zixu’s honour, praying that the tides bring no calamity and that maritime travel remains safe; the widespread belief that his birthday falls on the 18th day of the 8th lunar month reflects this enduring veneration.