Dynasties of ChinaShang dynastyShang dynasty lineage
Reign 1075–1046 BCE
The last monarch of Shang Dynasty was extremely talented but loved drinking and being punished severely. He had been waging war against the Eastern Barbarians for a long time. After the defeat of Muye, he set himself on fire and Shang Dynasty was destroyed.
Di Xin is the youngest son of Di Yi, named Shou, later known as Zhou. Because his biological mother was the legitimate queen, he passed over his concubine brother Wei Ziqi and was made an adopted child. He ascended the throne in 1075 BC. "Historical Records" says that he was "quick in identifying diseases, very keen in hearing and seeing; extraordinary in physical strength, and able to handle fierce beasts"; he also relied on his own intelligence, "knowing enough to distance himself from admonitions, and speaking enough to cover up his mistakes", and could not listen to advice.
He punished him severely, enriched Lutai and Juqiao with heavy taxes, and doted on Da Ji, "using wine as a pond and county meat as a forest", and set up the punishment of being burned with cannons. He killed Jiuhou and Ehou, and imprisoned Xi Bochang in Youli; Prince Bi Gan tried hard to remonstrate and was betrayed, Ji Zi pretended to be a slave, and ran away for Ziqi, and the important officials of the royal family were alienated. At the same time, he used troops against Dongyi for a long time. Although he won, it greatly depleted the country's strength.
In 1046 BC, Zhou Wuwang united other countries to attack the merchants and fought a decisive battle with the merchant army in Muye. The merchant army turned against the enemy before the battle. Di Xin fled back to the capital and burned himself to death on Lutai. Shang dynasty died. The Zhou people named his son Wu Geng to worship the Shang Dynasty. Most of Di Xin's evil deeds were recorded by Zhou people. Zigong once said, "Zhou's bad deeds are worse than this." However, in the late Shang Dynasty, the ruling group was divided and the people were separated, which should be the main reason for the country's collapse.
Di Xin is one of the most famous tyrants in Chinese history. "Jie and Zhou" are almost synonymous with tyrants. He was indeed talented. He managed the East and conquered the Eastern Yi. Some scholars believe that this objectively promoted the spread of Central Plains culture to the southeast. However, he stubbornly refused to admonish, punished severely, and attacked important officials of the royal family, which caused the ruling group to fall apart. In the end, he was quickly defeated under the attack of the Zhou people. Many of his evil deeds came from the propaganda of the victorious Zhou people, and were added layer by layer by later generations, so they should be distinguished when evaluating.
Politicssucceed as king
After Di Yi's death, the youngest son Xin inherited the throne over his concubine brother Wei Ziqi because his biological mother was the queen. The Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project estimates that its first year was 1075 BC.
Economytaxation
Di Xin increased taxes, used money to enrich the deer terraces, filled the granaries of Juqiao with grain, collected dogs and horses, and expanded the gardens on the dunes to raise wild animals and birds.
SocietyJiuchi Roulin
According to "Historical Records", Emperor Di was fond of wine and sexual pleasure, and doted on Da Ji. He "used wine as a pond and county meat as a forest" and drank for a long night. Zhou people took this as a lesson for the collapse of Shang Dynasty. In the early years of Western Zhou, Zhou Gong wrote the "Jiu Gao", which strictly prohibited gatherings of people to drink alcohol.
Politicstorture
The people were resentful and the princes rebelled, so Emperor Xin increased the punishment and instituted the "burning method". According to legend, people walked on copper pillars heated with oil and fell into the charcoal fire to die.
PoliticsHou Jiuhou, Hou'ehou
Di Xin regarded Xibochang, Jiuhou and Ehou as the three princes. Jiuhou offered her a daughter, but the daughter did not like lewd pleasures, so the Emperor Xin killed her and chopped Jiuhou into meat paste. Ehou fought hard and made her into dried meat.
PeopleImprisoning Xibo in Youli
When Xibochang heard that Jiuhou and Ehou had been killed, he sighed in private. He was reported by Chonghou Hu, and Di Xin imprisoned him in Youli. Zhou Chen Hong Yao and others presented beautiful women, good horses and rare treasures, and Xibo was released.
Lasting legacyThere are ruins of Youli City in Tangyin County, Henan Province, which is said to be the place where King Wen was imprisoned and where the "Book of Changes" was deduced.
PoliticsGive Xibo a conquest
After his release, Xibo offered the land west of Luoshui and asked for the abolition of the punishment of cannon burning. Di Xin agreed and gave him bows, arrows, axes and axes, and the right to conquer. Xibo thus became the leader of the western princes.
MilitaryLi Zhisou
Di Xin held a large-scale hunting review in Li Di, and Dongyi rebelled. "Zuo Zhuan" juxtaposes "Zhou searched for Li and Dongyi rebelled" with Xia Jie's Youyuan meeting, as a sign of the country's subjugation.
MilitaryConquer Dongyi
Di Xin used troops against the Eastern Yi for a long time and captured a large number of people. Although he won the victory, the country's power was depleted and the west was empty. "Zuo Zhuan" commented that "Zhou defeated the Eastern Yi and perished."
PeopleXibeonli
The Zhou people attacked and destroyed Li, a vassal state of Shang (generally believed to be in the Changzhi area of present-day Shanxi). Zu Yi, a minister of Shang, was frightened and went to report to Emperor Xin. But Di Xin said, "I have no destiny in life." She believed that destiny was in her own hands and didn't care about it.
MilitaryMeng Jin observes troops
Zhou Wuwang marched eastward to Mengjin, and "the eight hundred princes unexpectedly met to form an alliance with Tianjin." The princes all said that it was time to defeat Zhou, but King Wu thought that the time had not come yet, so he led his army back.
Lasting legacyThe name of today's Mengjin District in Luoyang City, Henan Province comes from the ancient Yellow River ferry Mengjin (Mengjin).
PeopleThe trinket runs away
Di Xin's concubine Wei Ziqi's advice was not accepted many times, and he left Shangdu after discussing with the Taishi and Shaoshi. This caused a split within the Shang Dynasty royal family.
PeopleBi Gan's heartbroken
Prince Bigan believed that "as a minister, one has to fight to the death" and strongly remonstrated with Emperor Xin. Di Xin was furious and said, "I heard that the saint's heart has seven orifices." He cut open Bi Gan's chest to see his heart.
Lasting legacyThere is Bi Gan Temple in Weihui, Henan Province, which has been the place where Bi Gan was worshiped in the past dynasties. Most people with the Lin surname regard Bi Gan as their ancestor, and relatives of the Lin family at home and abroad often come to worship.
PeopleJi Zi pretends to be crazy
Ji Zi failed to persuade him, so he pretended to be crazy and became a slave. He was still imprisoned by the emperor. The great masters and young masters of Shang Dynasty also brought sacrificial vessels and musical instruments to the Zhou people, and Shang Dynasty's important officials in ritual and music left one after another.
MilitaryBattle of Makino
Zhou Wuwang led 300 military chariots and 3,000 tiger warriors to join the Yong, Shu, Qiang and other Fang Kingdoms, and fought a decisive battle with the merchant army in Muye in the early morning of Jiazi Day. The soldiers in the front line of the merchant army had no intention of fighting, "the former disciples defected", and the merchant army was defeated.
Lasting legacyThe Li Gui was unearthed in Lintong, Shaanxi in 1976. The inscription records "King Wu conquested business, only Jiazi Dynasty", which is consistent with the ancient book, and is now in the National Museum of China.
PoliticsLutai self-immolation
After Di Xin was defeated, he fled back to the capital, climbed to Lutai, put on clothes studded with precious jade, and burned himself to death. After King Wu entered the city, he beheaded him, hung it on a big white flag, and killed him again.
PoliticsSeal Wu Geng
Zhou Wuwang granted Emperor Xin's son Wu Geng Lu his father in Yin, allowing him to rule the Shang remnants and continue the Shang sacrifices, and sent Uncle Guan and Uncle Cai to monitor him. After the death of King Wu, Wu Geng jointly managed and Cai rebelled, and were condemned by Zhou Ping.
There is a daughter of the Su family, and Di Xin obtained it when he conquered Su. "Historical Records" says that Di Xin "followed Da Ji's words" and Makino was killed by Zhou Wuwang after the war. Later novels wrote her as a fox demon, mostly affiliated with her.
King, a nobleman from the royal family, is generally considered to be Di Xin's uncle. He advocated that ministers should die to remonstrate with others, forcefully remonstrated with emperor Xin, and died of heartbreak. Later generations were regarded as a model of loyal ministers.
Di Xin's uncle refused to listen to his advice, pretended to be a slave, and was imprisoned. After Zhou destroyed Shang, he was released and stated the law of governing the country to King Wu, namely "Shang Shu·Hong Fan".
The eldest son of Emperor Yi refused to listen to his repeated admonitions and left Shangdu. After Zhou Pingping pacified the Wu Geng rebellion, he was granted the title of Song Dynasty and became the founder of the Song Dynasty. Confucius called Wei Zi, Ji Zi, and Bi Gan "Yin You San Ren".
His surname is Ji, his given name is Chang, he is the son of Ji Li, and he once served as the third Duke of Shang Dynasty. He was imprisoned in Youli by Emperor Xin. After his release, he was ordered to conquer Li, Chong and other countries, laying the foundation for Zhou's destruction of Shang.
His surname is Ji, his given name is Fa, and he is the son of Zhou Wenwang. In 1046 BC, he united other countries to defeat the merchant army in Muye, and Emperor Xin set himself on fire, thus establishing the Zhou Dynasty.
After Xibo defeated Li, he ran to Di Xin in horror and warned, "God has given up my life," but Di Xin replied, "My life depends on God." The matter can be found in "Shangshu·Xibo Ganli".
Feilian's son was famous for his great strength and was good at slandering and destroying others. He was favored by the emperor and was killed when Zhou Wuwang attacked Zhou. "Historical Records of Qin" records that his descendants moved westward and eventually established the Qin State.