Also known as Jiang Taigong or Jiang Shang, a Chinese semi-mythological figure, resided next to the Weishui River about 3,000 years ago.

姜子牙，又名姜太公或姜尚，是中国一个神话式的人物。大约3000年前，姜子牙居住在渭水河畔。

双语阅读之中国历史名人:姜子牙

The region was the feudal¹ estate² of King Wen of Zhou.

这个地区是周文王的领地。

Jiang Ziya knew King Wen was very ambitious, so he hoped to get his attention.

姜子牙知道周文王是个很有抱负的国君，所以希望能得到周文王的注意。

He often went angling at the Weishui River, but he would fish in a bizarre way.

姜子牙常去渭水钓鱼，但是钓鱼的方法异于常人。

He hung a straight hook, with on bait, three feet above the water.

姜子牙的钓钩是直的，而且没有鱼饵，并且置于水面上三尺处。

He over and over said to himself, "Fish, if you are desperate to live, come and gulp³ down the hook by yourself."

姜子牙不停地自言自语道：“不想活的鱼呀，你们愿意的话，就自己上钩吧！”

In a little while his outlandish way of fishing was reported to King Wen, who sent a soldier to bring him back.

不久，姜子牙怪异的钓鱼方式就传到了文王耳中。文王派士兵前去将其带回。

Jiang noticed the soldier coming, but did not care about him. Jiang just continued with his fishing, and was soliloquising, " Fishing, fishing. No fish has been hooked-but shrimp⁴ is up to tomfoolery."

姜子牙注意到士兵来了，但是并不理他，继续钓鱼。姜子牙自言自语地说：“钓啊，钓啊，鱼儿不上钩，虾儿来胡闹！”

The soldier reported this back to King Wen, who became more interested in Jiang.

士兵将情况报告给文王，文王对姜子牙的兴趣更大了。

King Wen sent a bureaucrat⁵ to invite Jiang this time. But Jiang again paid no attention to the invitation. He simply carried on fishing, saying, "Fishing, fishing. The big fish has not been hooked-but a small one is up to myself."

这次文王派了一名官员前来邀请姜子牙，但是姜子牙仍然不理，只是继续钓鱼，并且仍自言自语道：“钓啊，钓啊，大鱼不上钩，小鱼别胡闹！”

Then King Wen realized Jiang might be a great genius, so he went to invite Jiang personally, and brought many magnificent gifts with him.

这次文王意识到姜子牙应该是位奇人，于是亲自带了重礼前去相邀。

Jiang saw the king's earnest desire, so Jiang decided⁶ to work for him.

姜子牙看到了文王的真诚，于是决定辅佐文王。

Jiang helped King Wen and his son turn over the Shang Dynasty and establish the Zhou Dynasty.

姜子牙协助文王及其子推翻商朝，建立周朝。

Jiang was given the title of Taigong so people called him Jiang Taigong.

姜子牙号太公，所以人称姜太公。

His treatise⁷ on military strategy, Six Secret Teachings, is considered one of the Seven Military Classics of Ancient China.

姜子牙有关军事战略的论文《六韬》被尊为《武经七书》（中国古代七大军事著作的汇编）之一。

Jiang Ziya is a prominent character in the popular Chinese classical novel Creation of the Gods.

姜子牙是中国古典通俗文学作品《封神演义》里的一个重要人物。