Dongfang Shuo

Dongfang Shuo
東方朔
Personal details
BornZhang Shuo
c. 160 BCE
Diedc. 93 BCE
OccupationScholar-official, fangshi, writer and jester
Dongfang Shuo
Traditional Chinese東方朔
Simplified Chinese东方朔
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDōngfāng Shuò
Wade–GilesTung1-fang1 Shuo4
IPA[tʊ́ŋfáŋ ʂwô]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationDūng-fōng Sok
JyutpingDung1-fong1 Sok3
Southern Min
Tâi-lôTang-hong Sok

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.