According to a legend in the Records of the Grand Historian, for the first three years of his reign King Zhuang wasted time in pleasure-seeking, but, when challenged by two courtiers, reformed his ways.

Sunshu Ao began a series of major dam-works and an enormous planned reservoir in modern-day northern Anhui.

According to a well-known story, probably an invention of the Warring States period, he asked a messenger from Zhou about the weight of the legendary Nine Tripod Cauldrons which Zhou possessed, a euphemism for seeking ultimate power in China, but was rebuffed.

This incident gave rise to the chengyu "to enquire about ding in the central plains", i.e. to have great ambitions (問鼎中原; 问鼎中原; wèn dǐng zhōngyuán).

His progress from lazy regent to hegemon gave rise to the Chinese chengyu "amaze others with one cry" (一鳴驚人; 一鸣惊人; yī míng jīngrén).