Names

Shun's clan name (姓) is Yao (姚), his lineage name (氏) is Youyu (有虞). His given name was Chonghua (重華). Shun is sometimes referred to as the Great Shun (大舜) or as Yu Shun or Shun of Yu (虞舜), "Yu" being the name of his fief, which he received from Yao.

Life of Shun

According to traditional sources, Shun received the mantle of leadership from Emperor Yao at the age of 53, and then died at the age of 100 years. Before his death Shun is recorded as relinquishing his seat of power to Yu (禹), the founder of the Xia dynasty. Shun's capital was located in Puban (蒲阪), presently located in Shanxi).

Under Emperor Yao, Shun was appointed successively Minister of Instruction, General Regulator and chief of the Four Peaks, and put all affairs in proper order within three years. Yao was so impressed that he appointed Shun as his successor to the throne. Shun wished to decline in favour of someone more virtuous, but eventually assumed Yao's duties. It was said that "those who had to try a lawsuit did not go to Danzhu, but to Shun." Danzhu was the son of Yao.

After ascending to the throne, Shun offered sacrifices to the god Shang Di (上帝), as well as to the hills, rivers, and the host of spirits (神). Then he toured the eastern, the southern, the western, and the northern parts of the country; in each place he offered burnt-offering to Heaven at each of the four peaks (Mount Tai, Mount Huang, Mount Hua and Mount Heng), sacrificed to the hills and rivers, set in accord the seasons, months, and days, established uniform measurements of length and capacities, and reinforced ceremonial laws.

Shun divided the land into twelve provinces, raising altars upon twelve hills, and deepening the rivers. Shun dealt with Four Perils: banishing Gonggong to You Prefecture, confining Huan-dou (驩兜) on Mount Chong (宗山), executing or imprisoning Gun a prisoner till his death on Feather Mountain (羽), and driving the San-Miao into San-Wei. Gun's son, Yu (禹), was subsequently appointed as minister of work(共工) to govern the water and the land. Later, Shun appointed Yu to be General Regulator (Prime Minister). Yu wished to decline in favour of the Minister of Agriculture, or Xie (契), or Gao Yao, but finally accepted upon Shun's insistence. Shun then appointed Chui (垂) as the new minister of work (共工). Shun also appointed Yi as Minister of Animal Husbandry to govern the beasts and trees of the land, Bo-yi as Priest of the Ancestral Temple to perform religious ceremonies, Hui as Director of Music, Long as Minister of Communications to counter deceptions and false reports.

According to the Canon of Shun, Shun began to reign at the age of 30, reigned with Yao for 30 years, and reigned 50 more years after Yao's abdication, then Shun died. The Bamboo Annals state that Yao chose Shun as his heir three years before abdicating the throne to him. Both sources agree that after abdicating, Yao lived for another 28 years in retirement during Shun's reign.

In later centuries, Yao and Shun were glorified for their virtue by Confucian philosophers. Shun was particularly renowned for his modesty and filial piety (xiao 孝).

Legends

Sima Qian claimed in Annals of the Five Emperors (五帝本紀) that Shun descended from the Yellow Emperor through the latter's grandson Emperor Zhuanxu. The Bamboo Annals (048) recorded the name of Shun's mother as Wodeng (握登), and Shun's birthplace as Yaoxu (姚墟). Wodeng died when Shun was very young. Shun's blind father Gusou (瞽叟, literally: "blind elder") remarried soon after Shun's mother's death. Shun's stepmother then gave birth to Shun's half brother Xiang (象) and a half-sister (Liènǚ Zhuàn, Ch. 1). Shun's stepmother and half brother treated Shun terribly, often forcing Shun to do all the hard work in the family and only giving him the worst food and clothing. Shun's father, being blind and elderly, was often ignorant of Shun's good deeds and always blamed Shun for everything. Yet, despite these conditions, Shun never complained and always treated his father, his stepmother, and his half brother with kindness and respect.

When he was barely an adult, his stepmother threw him out of the house. Shun was forced to live on his own. Yet, because of his compassionate nature and his natural leadership skills, everywhere he went, people followed him, and he was able to organize the people to be kind to each other and do the best they could. When Shun first went to a village that produced pottery, after less than one year, the pottery became more beautiful than they had ever been. When Shun went to a fishing village, the people there were at first fighting amongst themselves over the fishing grounds, and many people were injured or killed in the fights. Shun taught them how to share and allocate the fishing resources, and soon the village was prospering and all hostilities ceased.

When Emperor Yao became old, he became distressed over the fact that his nine sons were all useless, only knew how to spend their days enjoying themselves with wine and song. Yao asked his ministers, the Four Mountains, to propose a suitable successor. Yao then heard of Shun's tales. Wise Yao did not want to simply believe in the tales about Shun, so he decided to test Shun. Yao gave a district to Shun to govern and married his two daughters to him, with a small dowry of a new house and some money.

Though given an office and money, Shun still lived humbly. He continued to work in the fields every day. Shun even managed to convince his two brides, the two princesses, Yao's daughters, named Ehuang (Fairy Radiance) and Nüying (Maiden Bloom), who were used to good living, to live humbly and work along the people. However, Shun's stepmother and half brother became extremely jealous and conspired to kill Shun. Once Shun's half brother Xiang lit a barn on fire, and convinced Shun to climb onto the roof to put the fire out, but then Xiang took away the ladder, trapping Shun on the burning roof. Shun skilfully made a parachute out of his hat and cloth and jumped down in safety. Another time, Xiang and his mother conspired to get Shun drunk and then throw him into a dried-up well and then bury him with rocks and dirt. Shun's half-sister, never approving of her mother and brother's schemes, told Shun's wives about the scheme. Shun thus prepared himself. Shun pretended to get drunk, and when he was thrown into the well, he had already a tunnel pre-dug to escape to the surface. Thus, Shun survived many attempts on his life. Yet, he never blamed his stepmother or his half brother, and forgave them every time.

Eventually, Shun's stepmother and half brother repented their past wrongs. Shun wholeheartedly forgave them both, and even helped Xiang get an office. Shun also managed to influence Emperor Yao's 9 worthless sons into becoming useful contributing members of society.

Emperor Yao was very impressed by all of Shun's achievements, and thus chose Shun as his successor and put him on the throne in the year of Jiwei (己未). Yao's capital was in Ji (冀) which in modern times is also in Shanxi province.

Shun is also renowned as the originator of the music called Dashao (大韶), a symphony of nine Chinese musical instruments.

In the last year of Shun's reign, Shun decided to tour the country. But unfortunately, he died suddenly of an illness on the journey near the Xiang River. Both his wives rushed from home to his body, and wept by the river for days. Their tears turned into blood and stained the reeds by the river. From that day on, the bamboo of that region became red-spotted, which explains the origin of spotted bamboo. Then overcome by grief, both women threw themselves into the river and drowned.

Shun considered his son, Shangjun (商均), as unworthy and picked Yu, the tamer of floods, as his heir.

Descendants

According to tradition, the Hu people are believed to be descendants of Emperor Shun. Gui Man, a direct descendant of Shun, became known as Chen Hugong or Duke Hu of Chen, meaning Duke Hu who founded the State of Chen. Later Chen dynasty emperors such as Chen Baxian would also claim descent from Shun.

is the Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation of 胡 . , the founder of the Hồ dynasty, also claimed descent from Duke Hu of Chen and thereby direct descent from Shun. The Hồ family in Vietnam originated from China's Zhejiang province around the 900s.

Tian (田) and Yuan (袁) also claim descent from the State of Chen.

Alternative biography

It is thought by some scholars that Mencius asserted "Shun was an Eastern barbarian; he was born in Chu Feng, moved to Fu Hsia, and died in Ming T'iao and that emperor Yao came to his field's with oxs and married his daughters to him and appointed him and that he did not reign as emperor until after yao died because they cannot be two rulers. Additionally, the Bamboo Annals and Han Fei paint a very different picture of Shun. Both the Annals and the book Han Feizi stated that Shun overthrew Yao and left him in prison to die. Danzhu, Yao's son and rightful heir, was banished and later defeated in battle. In addition, Han Fei stated that Yu then rebelled and banished Shun. This account was referenced in Li Bai's poem "Distant Parting" (遠別離).

Han Fei also mentioned that Shun personally settled land and water disputes among farmers and fishermen by cohabitating with them.

Events of Shuns reign

• In the 3rd year of his reign, he ordered Jiutao (咎陶) to establish penalties to deal with various criminals.

• In the 9th year of his reign, the Queen Mother of the West came to worship in China and brought white jade rings and Jue (玦) as gifts.

• In the 14th year of his reign, Yu of Xia was appointed to manage disasters caused by floods and winds.

• In the 15th year of his reign, he appointed Houshi (后氏) to build the palace.

• In February of the 17th year, dancing was first taught at schools.

• In the 25th year of his reign, envoy of the Xishen (息慎) tribe came and, as gifts, brought the bow and arrow.

• In the 29th year, he ordered Ziyi (子义) to serve as duke in Shang.

• In the 30th year of his reign, his wife Mang (盲) died and was honored with a tomb built for her at Wei (渭).

• In the 32nd year of his reign, he transferred military power to Yu of Xia.

• In January of the 33rd year of his reign, he rewarded Yu of Xia for his achievement in managing the floods, in the aftermath of which, nine provinces were re-established in China.

• In the 35th year of his reign, he ordered Yu of Xia to send troops to Youmiao (有苗). After Yu achieved victory, Youmiao sent an envoy with a request to join China.

• In his 36th year of his reign, he ordered the Great Wall (of Shun's time, not the current Great Wall of China) to be torn down.

• In the 42nd year of his reign, the Xuandu (玄都) people came to worship him and brought precious jade as gifts.

• The winter of the 47th year of his reign was very warm and the grass did not die.

• In the 49th year of his reign, he moved to Mingtiao (鸣条), a place later called Haizhou (海州) during the Warring States period. His death came the following year, after a rule described as having lasted fifty years.

姓名

舜兩眼都是雙瞳仁，故名重華。《尚書緯，帝命驗》記「姚氏縱華感樞。」鄭玄注︰「舜母感樞星之精而生舜重華。」

生平

據古代典籍記載舜是冀州人（當時的冀州，包含今河北、遼寧、山西省），黃帝的九世孫、帝顓頊的七世孫，自六世祖窮蟬起都是平民。舜又稱有虞氏，出生在姚墟（今山西永濟蒲州鎮北）。他的父親瞽叟是個盲人。瞽叟的妻子握登在姚墟生下了舜。傳說他在接替堯擔任部落聯盟首領之前接受堯的考察時，曾在歷山（中條山，或說濟南千佛山）耕田，後來堯把他封在虞地（今山西平陸西南），擔任部落聯盟首領後，建都蒲阪（今蒲州鎮）。舜嚴於律己，而又寬厚待人。

童年

舜自幼喪母，父親續娶，生女敤首、幼子象。舜很小就要工作，以維持全家的生活。舜的父親性格頑固，寵愛後妻和幼子，三人都想殺死舜。舜平常孝順父母，關心幼弟。如果自己有小過錯，就甘願受罰。如果父母和弟弟要殺死他，他就躲得叫他們找不到。

青年

二十歲時，舜就以孝道聞名於天下。舜三十歲時，帝堯問四岳天下間有誰能夠繼承共主之位，四岳推薦舜。帝堯於是召見舜，問：「我想使天下太平，你說該怎麼做？」舜回答道：「要待人公平公正，不偏不倚，對小事也不能馬虎，更要講究信譽、說話算數，那樣天下人自會擁護你。」堯又問：「什麼事最重要？」舜答：「祭祀上天。」又問：「什麼官職最重要？」舜回答：「管理土地。」堯又問：「首先要做什麼？」舜回答：「關心百姓。」帝堯十分滿意，賞賜舜細葛布製的衣服、一張琴，又給他牛羊，為他建糧倉，堯還把娥皇、女英兩個女兒嫁給舜，並為他們修建宮室；他用各種方法對舜進行考驗，舜都成績卓著，受到廣泛的好評。

據《史記》所載，舜曾在歷山耕種，讓歷山的人都相互推讓地界；在陶河濱製陶，讓河濱的陶器都不再偷工減料；在雷澤捕魚，讓雷澤的人都推讓漁界。

雖然舜深得堯的鍾愛，但舜的父親瞽叟和弟弟象仍想殺死舜。有一次，瞽叟對舜說：「糧倉的頂漏水，你快去修補一下。」舜於是爬到糧倉頂上塗泥補漏，繼母便叫象在這時放火燒糧倉，舜情急智生，用斗笠保護自己不受火燒而逃（一說舜雙手舉著斗笠，像鳥兒一般降落下來逃走）。又一次，繼母要舜挖井，舜挖井的時候，在側壁鑿出一條暗道通向外邊。當舜挖到深處，繼母和象一起往下倒土填埋水井，而舜從旁邊的暗道出去，又逃過一劫。繼母和象都以為舜死了，非常高興。象說：「這個主意是我出的，舜的妻妾和琴歸我，牛羊和糧倉歸二老。」象於是搬到舜的宮室住下，彈起舜的琴。舜回到家中，象先是十分驚愕，後又很不自在，說：「我正十分難過地思念你呢！」舜回答道：「是嗎？你真是個好弟弟！」以後，仍然十分孝順父母，愛護弟弟。

參政

於是堯乃試舜五典百官，皆治。舜特別善於識別和使用人才。高陽氏有八個有才能的子孫，人稱其為「八愷」，意思就是八個和善的人。高辛氏也有八個有才能的子孫，人稱其為「八元」，意思就是八個善良的人。這十六個人美名遠揚，帝堯卻沒有舉用他們。舜當了帝堯的臣子以後，推舉八愷擔任管理土地的職務，舜又推舉八元到四方之國宣揚五種教化，他們都能盡心辦事，發揮長處，使天下安寧、百姓和睦、農業發展、四邊和平。

當時帝鴻氏有個不成器的子孫，他毀棄道義，陰險狠毒，盡幹壞事，人稱他為「混沌」；少皞氏有個不成器的子孫，不講信譽，廢棄忠誠，喜聽讒言，慣於花言巧語，人稱他為「窮奇」；顓頊氏有個不成器的子孫，沒法教訓，不知道好歹，人稱他為「檮杌」；縉雲氏有個不成器的子孫，喜歡吃喝，貪求財寶賄賂，天下人對他十分憎惡，稱他為「饕餮」。

這四個家族造成了當代社會的災難，帝堯卻沒能趕走他們。舜知道後打開城門，把這四凶都流放到四方邊遠地區，讓他們去抵禦四方妖怪。壞人趕跑了，社會也安定了。

驩兜推薦共工，帝堯認為不行，但還是讓他試任主管百工的工師，但共工果然放肆地幹壞事。

四岳推薦鯀治理洪水，帝堯認為不行，在四岳的要求下，讓他試試，九年都沒成功。

三苗部落居住於江淮和荊州一再反叛。舜向帝堯建議平定後，將共工流放到幽陵，使其變化北狄；將驩兜流放到崇山（今湖南省張家界市），使其變化南蠻；將三苗流放到三危（今甘肅省敦煌市東南25公里處），使其變化西戎；將鯀流放到羽山（今山東省臨沂市臨沭縣與交江蘇省連雲港市東海縣省界處），以改變東夷的風氣。 這四個人懲處以後，天下人都信服了舜。

舜50歲時，堯年紀大了，經過二十年的考察，堯知道舜的能力和德行足以勝任共主，堯就要舜代行共主政務，自己就到四方去巡視。舜首先觀察天象，以擺正日月五星的位置。進而祭祀上帝、名山大川和各種神祇。又選擇吉日，接見四岳和各方首領。舜又四方巡視。以後，舜每五年巡視天下一次，其餘時間，讓各地君長到京城朝見。舜將天下劃為并、冀、幽、營、兗、青、徐、荊、揚、豫、梁、雍共十二州，以河道確定各州的邊界。

受禪共主

舜58歲時，舜攝政共主有8年，帝堯逝世，舜於服喪三年後，就讓共主之位給堯的兒子丹朱，自己退避到南河之南。但是，天下人心不服，天下諸侯都去朝見舜，卻不理會丹朱；打官司的人也都告狀到舜那裡，民間編了許多歌謠頌揚舜，都不把丹朱放在眼裡。舜覺得人心所向，天意所歸，無法推卸，遂回到都城正式登上共主之位。不過，傳說中舜的都城與堯的都城不在一個地方。據唐代孔穎達《毛詩正義》引皇甫謐所說；「舜所營都，或云蒲阪。」而「蒲阪」在唐代是河東縣，即今山西永濟縣。

堯死以後，舜在政治上又有一番大的興革。原已舉用的禹、皋陶、契、棄、伯夷、夔、龍、垂、益等人，職責都不明確，此時舜命禹擔任司空，治理水土；命棄擔任后稷，掌管農業；命契擔任司徒，推行教化；命皋陶擔任「士」，執掌刑法；命垂擔任「共工」，掌管百工；命益擔任「虞」，掌管山林；命伯夷擔任「秩宗」，主持禮儀；命夔為樂官，掌管音樂和教育；命龍擔任「納言」，負責發布命令，收集意見。

舜要求十二州的長官們發揚堯的美德，以仁義治民，排斥用花言巧語獻媚的小人，使外邦部落都來歸附。帝舜問四岳：「你們看有誰能擔當中朝的重任？」四岳都說：「如果讓禹擔任司空，一定能做出成績。」帝舜說：「好！禹啊，你就擔任司空，負責治水，好好努力吧！」禹磕頭辭讓，推薦棄、契或皋陶擔任。帝舜說：「這些人都很有才幹，但這件事還是你去做吧！」接下來，帝舜指著棄（周部落的祖先）說：「棄，百姓已開始缺糧，你就擔任農官（后稷），督促人們按節令播種穀物。」又對契（商部落的祖先）說：「契，現在百姓還不夠親近，人倫關係也沒有理順，你就擔任司徒，去誠敬地推行五教，使父子有親，君臣有義，男女有別，長幼有序，朋友有信。辦事一定要寬厚呀！」又對皋陶說：「皋陶，現在蠻夷侵擾華夏，壞人為非作歹，你就擔任司法官（士），處刑要讓人信服，流放罪分為不同等級，而遠近不同。只有公正明允，才能取得民眾的信任。」帝舜接著逐個徵求大臣們的意見，任命垂擔任管理百工的共工，任命益擔任管理山林川澤的朕虞，任命朱虎、熊羆為益的副手，任命伯夷擔任主持宗廟祭祀的秩宗，任命夔擔任管理詩歌音樂的典樂，任命龍擔任負責內外傳達的納言，並分別對每個人提出了具體的希望要求。最後，帝舜對十二牧、四岳和新任命的六位主官說：「喂！你們二十二人要各自嚴守其職，審慎地順從天意行事。」帝舜還規定對官員三年考察一次政績，三次考核決定提升或處罰。

通過這樣的整頓，「庶績咸熙」，各項工作都出現了新面貌。上述大小官員都努力建功立業，建樹了輝煌的業績。而其中禹的功勞成就最大，他盡心治理水患，身為表率，劈開很多山嶺，鑿山通澤，疏導河流，引導洪水流入大海，終於治服了洪水，使天下人民安居樂業，確定九州的劃分，各自按規定前來朝貢。當比之時，「四海之內咸戴帝舜之功」，「天下明德皆自虞帝始」，呈現出前所未有的清平局面。在五千里的範圍內，無論是南邊的交趾，西邊的戎、析支、渠廋、氐、羌，北邊的山戎、北發、息慎，還是東邊的長夷、鳥夷，都受到安撫，天下人全都感戴帝舜的功德。

篡奪說

另有傳說稱，當時正值帝堯的中原華夏酋邦國家發生危機、統治即將瓦解之世，以舜和益為首的東夷與其他氏族部落，正欲篡奪堯的帝位。於是舜便在堯的面前誹謗丹朱，挑撥其父子關係。舜並設法說動帝堯，把丹朱派到離堯較遠的南邊丹水流域做諸侯。有說是流放，故《竹書》有「后稷放帝朱於丹水」的記載。

舜代理堯執政後，囚禁了堯，為了不讓堯的兒子丹朱知道事情真相，阻止丹朱看望堯，《竹書》有「昔堯德衰，為舜所囚。舜囚堯，複偃塞丹朱，使不與父相見也。」舜並逼迫堯禪位於他，丹朱知道後，率三苗之兵伐舜，雙方在丹浦展開大戰。郭濮在注《山海經·海外南經》中說：「昔堯以天下讓舜，三苗之君非之。」和「舜伐三苗」的記載。巨人部落首領夸父是丹朱的得力大將，「逐日」誤入大澤而死，以射箭聞名的后羿部落助陣帝舜，因此丹朱在失去夸父這一重要助力的情況下，在與帝舜爭奪帝位的戰爭中失敗。丹朱戰敗後，其後裔向河南、湖南、河北、山東等地遷移。由於這次大戰雙方傷亡都很大，後來丹朱被描畫成「凶神」或主管災禍的「邪神」，甚至有一支後代被稱為「狸姓」，遇到災荒之年朝廷還要請狸姓人出來代為祈禱消災。《國語·周語上》：「有神降於莘。」惠王問內史過，內史過以為丹朱之神，請使太宰帥狸姓，奉犧牲粢盛往焉。韋昭註：「狸姓，丹朱之後也。」

帝堯崩後，丹朱才回到中原地區去奔喪，因舜的「謙讓」，曾稱帝三年，故《竹書紀年》、《山海經》等古籍稱丹朱為「帝丹朱」。但大臣們全跑到南河之南朝覲舜而不朝覲丹朱。於是，舜曰「天也」，便順應天意和人民的呼聲登上了帝位。這就是「堯舜禪讓」。因丹朱作為三苗部落首領並且曾稱帝三年，故在南方的地位崇高，被湖南、廣東等地民眾被奉為衡山皇、丹朱皇。舜則把丹朱封到房地為諸侯。《竹書紀年》則稱「丹諸（朱）闢（避）舜於房」，就是說丹朱尊父命而讓天下於舜，自己遠避於房地。

身後

帝舜以堯的兩個女兒娥皇和女英為帝妃，娥皇無子，女英生子商均，另有庶子八人。帝舜83歲年老時，知道自己的弟弟象和兒子商均都不肖、不成器，於是向上天薦告以禹繼承帝位，就確定了威望最高的禹為繼任者，並由禹來攝行政事，實行禪讓。17年後，即在帝位39年，帝舜在南方巡狩途中逝世，死於蒼梧之野，安葬於九嶷山南側（又稱蒼梧山，今湖南寧遠縣境內，錢穆先生認為在湖北北部的漢水流域），稱為「零陵」，終年一百零一歲。

後世紀念

陵墓及祭祀

• 舜陵，位於湖南省寧遠縣南30公里九嶷山。因山有九峰相似而得名，峰景奇妙。陵墓前建廟，後設碑亭一座，亭內豎隸書「帝舜有虞氏之陵」石碑一座。附近有石雕俑群。

• 舜帝陵廟，位於中國山西省運城市鹽湖區北相鎮楊包村西，是舜帝的陵和廟，2006年被列為第六批全國重點文物保護單位。

• 舜王廟，位于浙江省紹興市柯橋區王壇鎮舜王山，2013年被列為第七批全國重點文物保護單位。

道教

道教中認為地官大帝為（舜），與天官大帝（堯）、水官大帝（禹），合稱三官大帝。中元節為地官大帝誕。

儒家

舜與堯一樣，禪位讓賢，同是先秦時期儒墨兩家推崇的古昔聖王。而舜對於儒家，又有特別的意義。儒家的學說重視孝道，舜的傳說也是以孝著稱，所以他的人格形象正好作為儒家倫理學說的典範。孟子繼孔子之後對儒學的發展有巨大貢獻，他極力推崇舜的孝行，而且倡導人們努力向舜看齊，做舜那樣的孝子。說：「舜，人也；我，亦人也。舜為法於天下，可傳於後世，我由（猶）未免為鄉人也，是則可憂也。憂之如何？如舜而已矣。」他甚至設想，舜為天子，而瞽叟殺人被捕，舜雖不會利用權力破壞刑律而將其赦免，但一定到監獄裡偷偷地把父親背出來，一起逃到海濱，過無憂無慮的日子，為了共享天倫之樂而忘掉天子的地位。由於儒家的宣傳，有關舜的傳說事蹟在中國文化傳統中留下極深刻的影響。

孝感動天

虞舜性至孝。父頑，母嚚，弟象傲。舜耕于歷山，有象為之耕，鳥為之耘。其孝感如此。帝堯聞之，事以九男，妻以二女，遂以天下讓焉。

舜，傳說中的遠古帝王，五帝之一，姓姚，名重華，號有虞氏，史稱虞舜。相傳他的父親瞽叟及繼母、異母弟象，多次想害死他：讓舜修補穀倉倉頂時，從穀倉下縱火，舜手持兩個斗笠跳下逃脫；讓舜掘井時，瞽叟與象卻下土填井，舜掘地道逃脫。事後舜毫不嫉恨，仍對父親恭順，對弟弟慈愛。他的孝行感動了天帝。舜在歷山耕種，大象替他耕地，鳥代他鋤草。帝堯聽說舜非常孝順，有處理政事的才幹，把兩個女兒娥皇和女英嫁給他；經過多年觀察和考驗，選定舜做他的繼承人。舜登天子位後，去看望父親，仍然恭恭敬敬，並封象為諸侯。

其他

舜曾先後以農耕、漁業、陶工、商貿為生。《五帝本紀》云：「舜耕歷山，漁雷澤，陶河濱，作什器於壽丘，就時于負夏。」《尚書大傳》曰：「販於頓丘，就時負夏」。柳詒徵所著《中國商業史》稱舜為「商業家之鼻祖」。

堯舜禹非禪讓說

《竹書紀年》等書記載：舜囚禁了堯並奪取大位，禹又逼迫舜讓位。堯、舜、禹之間都是武力脅迫，並不是和平禪讓。

後世亦有人懷疑堯、舜、禹所謂的禪讓，曹丕篡奪漢獻帝之後，感歎道：「舜禹之事，吾知之矣。」李白的《遠別離》說：「堯幽囚，舜野死。」

史料記載

周朝的記載：

:《中庸》：子曰：德為聖人，尊為天子，富有四海之內。

:《孟子》：舜生于諸馮，遷于負夏，卒于鳴條，東夷之人也。

:《墨子》：古者舜耕歷山，陶河濱，漁雷澤。堯得之服澤之陽，授之政，天下平。

:《管子》：舜非嚴刑罰，重禁令，而民歸之矣。

:《韓非子》之《說疑》：舜偪堯，禹偪舜，湯放桀，武王伐紂，此四王者，人臣弒其君者也，而天下譽之。

:《竹書記年》：昔堯德衰，為舜所囚也。舜囚堯于平陽，取之帝位。舜囚堯，復偃塞丹朱，使不與父相見也。

秦朝後之記載：

:漢朝典籍《史記》中說：「天下明德，皆自虞舜始。」又說：「舜南巡狩，崩于蒼梧之野，葬于江南九疑。」

:元朝典籍記載《二十四孝》舜也是二十四孝中，孝感動天的主角。