A Study on Race Attribution of Whag Je Observed in “Shiji(Records of the Grand Historian)”

Abstract

The race attribution of Whag Je is not the issue in ancient China but the present issue. Sima Qian made aWhag Je their progenitor as describing the history of the Han. However, Whag Je in the primary historical records of China was definitely from Eastern barbarians and then, his descendants were Eastern barbarians. Shao Hao, the famous Eastern barbarian, is the son of Whag Je. Since Shao Hao is the very famous Eastern barbarian, Sima Qian couldn’t change his race to the Han. Thus, Sima Qian deleted Shao Hao and made Whag Je the progenitor of the Han. It means that Sima Qian knew Whag Je was the Eastern barbarian. The concern of Sima Qian still continues up to now. The progenitor of the Han is the emperor but his descendants are Eastern barbarians. The studies on the origin of Huaxia tribe in these days are to explain the relationship between Whag Je and Eastern barbarians, his descendants. The approaches to explain are very diverse including establishment of connection, embracement of ascendants and mandate. Such methods create the dogma that Whag Je is the progenitor of the Han and try to explain the reason why his descendants are Eastern barbarians. The problem is the origin of the Han because there is no way to explain the origin of the Han without mentioning about the race attribution of Whag Je. It is clearly identified from the fact that there is no clear explanation on the origin of Huaxia up to now while it has been a long time since Sima Qian. As long as the primary historical records exist, China couldn’t solve the issue of race attribution that Whag Je is the Eastern barbarian.