Dongfang Shuo | |
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| 東方朔 | |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | Zhang Shuo c. 160 BCE Yanci County, Pingyuan Commandery, Western Han dynasty (now Huimin County, Shandong) |
| Died | ca. 93 BCE (aged 67) |
| Occupation | Scholar-official, fangshi, writer and jester |
| Dongfang Shuo | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 東方朔 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 东方朔 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Dongfang Shuo (Chinese: 東方朔, c. 160 BCE – c. 93 BCE) was a Han dynasty scholar-official, fangshi ("master of esoterica"), author, and court jester to Emperor Wu (r. 141 – 87 BCE). In Chinese mythology, Dongfang is considered a Daoist xian ("transcendent; immortal") and the spirit of Venus who incarnated as a series of ancient ministers including Laozi. Dongfang Shuo is depicted in the Wu Shuang Pu (無雙譜, Table of Peerless Heroes) by Jin Guliang.