Fu Shuo
PoliticsAccording to legend, he was a prisoner who built a wall in Fu Dian. Wu Ding searched for it according to the image in his dream and regarded it as a prime minister, "the great rule of the Yin Kingdom".
Dynasties of ChinaShang dynastyShang dynasty lineage
Prince of ShangWu Ding
Reign 1250–1192 BCE
He appointed Fu Shuo, Ming Fu Hao and others for four expeditions. He reigned for fifty-nine years, bringing Shang Dynasty's national power to its peak, which was known as "Wu Ding Zhongxing" in history.
IBiography
- Reign
- 58 years
- Order of accession
- Ruler #22 · Shang dynasty lineage
- Life dates
- ?–1192 BCE
- Titles
- Temple name Gaozong · Reigned for fifty-nine years
Wu Ding is Xiao Yi's son. According to "Shang Shu·Wu Yi", before he came to the throne, he "used to work outside and was a small man". He worked among the common people and was familiar with the difficulties of farming. When Wu Ding succeeded to the throne in 1250 BC, he wanted to revive the Yin Dynasty, but he had no effective assistant, so he "kept silent for three years" and left political affairs to Zhongzai, while he observed the country's customs.
It is said that Wu Ding dreamed of a saint and searched for him according to the image in his dream. He found a prisoner building a wall in Fu Xian and said that he would take him as his prime minister and that "the Yin Kingdom would be greatly prospered". The inscriptions show that he ordered generals such as Fu Hao and Wang Cheng to conquer Tufang, Qiang, Yi, Ba and other Fang countries. The Book of Changes said that "Gaozong attacked Guifang and conquered it in three years." Shang's sphere of influence expanded significantly. He also used a large number of Qiang captives as human sacrifices.
Wu Ding reigned for fifty-nine years and died in 1192 BC. His son Zu Gen succeeded him. Zu Ji built a temple in his honor and revered him as "Gaozong". Among the oracle bones unearthed from the Yin Ruins, those from the Wu Ding period are the largest and richest in content, covering all aspects of sacrifice, conquest, agriculture, celestial phenomena, diseases, fertility, etc., making him the first monarch in Chinese history who can be studied with a large number of contemporary written materials.
Wu Ding is the most accomplished monarch in Shang dynasty. He understood the sufferings of the people and was good at employing people. He used Fu Shuo, who was a prisoner, in an eclectic way, and let Fu Hao and others command the army, so that Shang Dynasty's power expanded in all directions and reached its peak. But his conquests also brought heavy disasters to surrounding countries. A large number of captives were used as human sacrifices, and frequent wars and sacrifices consumed a huge amount of money. The large number of oracle bones left behind by Wu Ding are the most important first-hand information for understanding the society of the Shang Dynasty today.
IITimeline
During the reign · 1250–1192 BCE
SocietyYoung man working outside
Before Wu Ding came to the throne, he was away from home for a long time and worked with the common people. "Shang Shu·Wu Yi" said that he "used to work outside and was in love with a villain", so after he came to the throne, he "did not dare to live in peace" and could understand the sufferings of the people.
PoliticsThree years of silence
After Wu Ding came to the throne, he wanted to revive the Yin Dynasty but suffered from the lack of virtuous ministers to assist him, so he "kept silent for three years" and left political affairs to Zhongzai to decide, while he watched the country's customs.
PeopleFu Shuo is the phase
According to legend, Wu Ding dreamed of a saint named "Shuo" and ordered all officials to search for him according to the image in the dream. He found a prisoner who was building a wall in Fu Xian and said that he turned out to be a wise man after talking with him.
Lasting legacy"Mencius" "Fu Shuo Ju Yu Zhu Yu" comes from the chapter "Born in Sorrow, Dies in Peace", which is still included in junior high school Chinese textbooks.
PoliticsDifferences between Pheasants and Pheasants
Wu Ding offered sacrifices to Cheng Tang. The next day, a pheasant flew onto the tripod and began to crow. Wu Ding was frightened. Zu Ji advised him to "concentrate on political affairs first" and said, "Sacrifice is not as rich as intimacy." Don't favor the sacrifices of close relatives and ancestors. Wu Ding then cultivated political integrity and revived Yin Dao.
CultureOracle Bone Divination
Wu Ding had to do divination when things happened. The Zhen people would drill and burn the tortoise shells and ox shoulder blades, observe the cracks to determine good or bad luck, and write inscriptions. The largest number of oracle bones unearthed from the Yin Ruins date from the Wu Ding period, and their contents involve sacrifices, conquests, hunting, farming, diseases, etc.
Lasting legacyThe oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin Ruins were selected into UNESCO's "Memory of the World Register" in 2017; today's Chinese characters are in the same vein as the oracle bone inscriptions.
EconomyWang ordered everyone to join the field
There is an inscription from Wu Ding's time, "The king ordered everyone to say: "Xietian, it will be received in the year", that is, the king ordered "everyone" to farm collectively and divine whether there will be a good harvest. There are also records of harvests such as "receiving millet year" frequently seen in oracles.
PeopleFu Hao commanded the troops
Wu Ding's spouse Fu Hao presided over sacrifices many times and led troops to conquer Tufang, Ba, Yi and Qiang. There is a record in the inscriptions: "Three thousand soldiers were sent to Fu, and ten thousand troops were sent to attack the Qiang." That is to say, thirteen thousand troops were gathered to conquer the Qiang at one time.
MilitaryConquest of earthwork
During the Wu Ding period, there were frequent reports of Tufang and other countries from the north and northwest invading the border areas of Shang Dynasty in the oracles. Wu Ding personally conducted many expeditions or sent generals to attack. After that, the activities of Tufang were rarely seen in the oracles.
MilitaryGaozong's recipe for defeating ghosts
"Book of Changes" records that "Gaozong attacked Guifang and defeated it in three years." "Book of Songs·Shang Song·Yin Wu" also praised the King of Yin for "defeating Jingchu vigorously". The old theory refers to Wu Ding. The ghost side generally believes that it is in the northwest of Shang Dynasty and is an important target for Wu Ding to use foreign troops.
SocietyUsing Qiang as sacrifice
Inscriptions record that merchants often sacrificed captured Qiang people, and during the Wu Ding period, hundreds of people were sacrificed at a time. A large number of neatly arranged sacrificial pits were found in the Wang Ling District of Yin Ruins, which confirms this cruel custom.
Science & technologyLunar eclipse record
Records of many lunar eclipses were preserved in Binzhu's inscriptions during the Wu Ding period. Based on the calculations of five lunar eclipses, the Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project set the date range of Wu Ding’s reign as 1250 BC to 1192 BC.
Science & technologyThe carriage appears
The earliest remains of carriages discovered in Yin Ruins date from around Wu Ding. This kind of vehicle with two wheels and a single shaft and two horses has a mature structure. It is generally believed to be related to the technological exchanges in the Eurasian steppe, marking a new development of transportation and war technology in the Shang Dynasty.
PoliticsWu Ding passed away
Wu Ding died after reigning for fifty-nine years and was succeeded by his son Zu Gen. Zu Ji built a temple for Wu Ding because Wu Ding could take the differences between pheasants and pheasants as a precept and cultivate virtue and administration, and respected him as "Gaozong".
After the reign / posthumous events
CultureFu Hao Tomb Excavation
Archaeologists excavated the tomb of Fu Hao in the Yin Ruins palace and ancestral temple area. The tomb was not disturbed, and more than 1,900 burial objects were unearthed. The bronze inscriptions and oracles corroborated each other, confirming that the owner of the tomb was Fu Hao, Wu Ding's spouse.
Lasting legacyFu Hao's owl statue and other unearthed cultural relics are stored in the National Museum of China and Henan Museum. Fu Hao's tomb is now open to the public in the Yin Ruins.
IIIPeople of this reign
Fu Hao
MilitaryOne of Wu Ding's spouses, she presided over sacrifices and led troops on many expeditions. After her death, she was called "Concubine Xin". In 1976, her tomb was completely unearthed in Yin Ruins. She is the earliest documented female military commander in China.
Fu Jing
ConsortsAnother important spouse of Wu Ding, records of her participation in farming and being ordered to conquer wars are common in oracles. It is generally believed that the stepmother Wu Ding was made by her son to worship her, and "Wu" is her Japanese name.
Gan Pan
Politics"Shang Shu·Jun Shi" said that "at the time of Wu Ding, there was Ruo Gan Pan" and listed him as a famous minister who assisted King Shang. The pseudo-ancient text "Shang Shu·Shuo Ming" states that Wu Ding studied from Gan Pan when he was young.
Zu Ji
PoliticsWhen the pheasant crisis occurred, he advised Wu Ding to fix political affairs first and not to favor the sacrifices of close relatives. After Wu Ding's death, he built a temple for Wu Ding, respected him as Gaozong, and wrote "Gaozong Xu Ri".
Wang Cheng
MilitaryGenerals commonly seen in inscriptions during Wu Ding's period, inscriptions such as "Wang Bi, Wang Cheng, Expedition, and Xiali" record Wu Ding's expeditions with him.