King Fuchai of Wu (simplified: 夫差, traditional: 夫差, pinyin: Fūchāi, jyutping: fu1 caai1) was the last king of the State of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period, reigning from 495 to 473 BCE. He succeeded his father, King Helü of Wu (阖庐), and initially extended Wu’s power, but was eventually defeated by King Goujian of Yue (勾践), leading to the fall of Wu.
History
Fuchai’s birth year is unknown. In 496 BCE, Helü died from wounds sustained at the Battle of Zuili (檇李之战). Fuchai vowed to avenge his father’s defeat by Goujian and worked to strengthen Wu. In the second year of his reign (494 BCE), Fuchai defeated Goujian at the Battle of Fujiao (夫椒之战, in modern Suzhou) and besieged Goujian at Mount Kuaiji (会稽山). After victory, Goujian offered all of Yue’s treasures and submitted as a vassal; Fuchai released Goujian back to Yue.
In years 11–13 of his reign, Fuchai repeatedly attacked Qi. Wu Zixu (伍子胥) strongly advised that Wu should first eliminate Yue, leading to serious disagreement between king and minister. Fuchai eventually gave Wu Zixu the sword Shulou (属镂之剑), and Wu Zixu committed suicide. Fuchai displayed Wu Zixu’s head on the city gate and threw his body into the Lü River in a leather wine vessel (鸱夷).
While Goujian rebuilt Yue through “sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall” (卧薪尝胆), Fuchai continued his campaigns. In 486 BCE, Fuchai built a city at Han (邗, modern Yangzhou) and excavated the Han Canal (邗沟), connecting the Yangtze and Huai rivers. In 484 BCE, Wu annihilated 100,000 Qi troops at the Battle of Ailing (艾陵之战). In 482 BCE, Fuchai held a meeting of lords at Huangchi (黄池, modern Fengqiu, Henan) and competed with Jin for hegemony, emerging victorious. However, Fuchai had left only Crown Prince You (太子友) and weak forces to guard the capital; Goujian took advantage and attacked, defeating the Wu army and killing Crown Prince You.
In the 23rd year of his reign, on the dingmao day of the 11th month (473 BCE), the capital Gusu (姑苏, modern Suzhou) was captured by Goujian’s forces. Fuchai was besieged on Mount Gusu west of the Wu capital. Wu fell, and Fuchai was exiled by Goujian; unable to accept this, Fuchai committed suicide.
In Sword of the Yue Maiden
In Jin Yong’s Sword of the Yue Maiden, Fuchai and the Wu court form the political backdrop against which the story of Aqing, Fan Li, and Xi Shi unfolds. The novel’s focus on the Yue strategy and the role of the Yue Maiden’s swordplay in training the Yue army is set against the eventual fall of Fuchai and Wu.
See also
- King Goujian of Yue — Fuchai’s rival and eventual victor
- King Helü of Wu — Fuchai’s father
- Xi Shi — Legendary beauty sent to Fuchai’s court
- State of Wu — Fuchai’s state
- Sword of the Yue Maiden characters