Overview
King Zhou of Shang was a Last king of Shang, remembered in later histories as a tyrant.
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal name | Zhou of Yin | 殷紂 | Yīn Zhòu |
| Temple name | Emperor Xin | 帝辛 |
Life and dates
Death
- BC 1046 周武王克殷紂Dynastic conquestStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 155
- AssassinatedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 439
- Self immolation · At Deer Terrace 鹿臺Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 224
Attested activity
- legendary antiquityDirectly stated · Book of Northern Qi 31, passage 22; Book of Northern Qi 50, passage 51; Book of Han 20, passage 14; Book of Han 22, passage 15; Book of Han 25, passage 87; Book of Han 51, passage 42; Book of Han 68, passage 59; Book of Han 101, passage 152; Book of Later Han 38, passage 21; History of Jin 46, passage 51; Book of Liang 16, passage 110; History of Liao 78, passage 64; Book of Southern Qi 8, passage 57; Records of the Grand Historian 53, passage 99; Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 22; Records of the Grand Historian 65, passage 111; Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 89; Records of the Grand Historian 99, passage 15; Book of Sui 43, passage 44; New Book of Tang 172, passage 211; New History of the Five Dynasties 2, passage 144; Book of Zhou 9, passage 18
- BC 1075 to BC 1046 BC 1075-1046Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 32, passage 104
- BC 1046 Cited in banquet remonstranceDated from the passage context · Records of the Three Kingdoms 37, passage 78
- c. BC 1046 fall of ShangStrongly inferred · Book of Han 48, passage 115
- BC 1050 to BC 1040 伐紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 40
- BC 1046 周武王之滅紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 34, passage 2
Show 20 more source-backed claims
- BC 1046 周武王克殷紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 155
- BC 1050 商末Dated from the passage context · Book of Northern Qi 3, passage 83
- BC 1100 to BC 1046 商末紂王Strongly inferred · History of Song 436, passage 67
- BC 1075 to BC 1046 商紂之世Strongly inferred · Book of Han 117, passages 43-44
- BC 1046 夏桀、殷紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 15
- BC 1075 to BC 1046 帝辛，是為紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 439
- BC 1075 to BC 1046 帝辛Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 173
- BC 1046 曰紂可伐Dated from the passage context · Book of Liang 6, passage 141
- BC 1046 桀紂Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passages 98, 102
- BC 1046 武王伐紂Strongly inferred · Book of Southern Qi 45, passage 182
- BC 1046 武王伐紂Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 3
- BC 1046 武王將伐紂Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 34, passage 41
- c. BC 1046 武王誅紂Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 28, passage 48
- BC 1046 殷紂墨墨以亡Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 68, passage 140
- BC 1050 沙丘紂淫地Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 127
- BC 1050 紂Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passages 61-62
- BC 1100 to BC 1046 紂之時Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 70, passage 10
- BC 1046 紂之時Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 95
- BC 1046 紂剖比干Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 78
- BC 1075 to BC 1046 紂為無道Dated from the passage context · Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passage 100
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Spouse of Daji (妲己)Concubinage
consort 妲己 · ConcubinageSources vary in certainty · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 179; Book of Han 117, passage 43 - Sibling of Weizi Qi (微子啟)elder brother by a concubine 庶兄 · Paternal half siblings
younger brother 少子 · Paternal half siblings - Sibling of Weizi (微子)elder brother 元兄 · Full siblings
Weizi 微子 · Paternal half siblingsSources vary in certainty · Book of Sui 43, passage 44; Book of Southern Qi 45, passage 182 - Child of Emperor Yi (帝乙)father 父Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passages 172-173
- Child of Mother of Xin (辛母)mother 母Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 172
- Parent of Wugeng (武庚)son 子Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 228
- Kin of Weizi (微子)Weizi 微子Strongly inferred · Records of the Three Kingdoms 62, passage 100
- Spouse of Daughter of the Marquis of Jiu (九侯女)Uncertain · EndedStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passage 188
- Kinship Role heirs · Count 0 · Negated trueDirectly stated · History of Song 436, passage 67
Key source chapters
- Book of Han, Chapter 51 Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu 1 passage
- Book of Later Han, Chapter 38 Volume 33: Biographies of Zhu, Feng, Yu, Zheng, Zhou 1 passage
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 68 Biography of Lord Shang 1 passage
- Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3 Annals of Yin 29 passages
- Book of Han, Chapter 65 Volume 56: Dong Zhongshu 10 passages
Places and affiliations
- Shang-Yin 殷Relation RuledDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 22, 28
- Shang 商Relation RuledStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 78
- Polity Shang 商 · Relation Ruled
- Polity Shang 商 · Relation Ruled
- At Shaqiu 沙丘 · Relation Associated withDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 127
Works and attributed material
- Speech · SpeakerDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passages 207, 217
Events and relationships
- Accepted evil counselDirectly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 15
- Attacked by King WuDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 40
- Attacked byDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 22
- Attacked byDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 3
- Captured by Tang and King WuDirectly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 87
- Conquered byDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 36, passage 155
Show 9 more source-backed claims
- Dried into jerkyDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 63
- Executed good counselors followed evilPolitical · RulerDirectly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 14
- ExecutedDirectly stated · Book of Han 22, passage 15
- Imprisoned at YouliDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 64
- MincedDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 62
- Shown drunk with DajiLiterary depiction · Subject of paintingDirectly stated · Book of Han 117, passage 43
- Tortured and killed innocentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 78
- Was slain by King WuDirectly stated · Book of Later Han 28, passage 48
- Wrestled beasts and chased horsesMilitary · ParticipantDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passage 15
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment brave-but-authority-failed · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 25, passages 15-16, 19
- Assessment caused-fall-of-Shang-Yin · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Book of Southern Qi 8, passage 57
- Assessment cited as a tyrant who could be punished · Mode direct-quotation Speaker High Ancestor (高祖)Directly stated · Book of Liang 6, passage 141
- Assessment clever, strong, and self-regarding · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passages 174, 177
- Assessment cruel and tyrannical · Mode quotation Speaker Yuan Gu (轅固)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 98
- Assessment Hated by ten thousand ages without needing demotion from kingship · Mode historian-judgment Speaker yu (予)Directly stated · New History of the Five Dynasties 2, passage 144
Show 7 more source-backed claims
- Assessment perished through flattering silence · Mode named-source-report Speaker Zhao Liang (趙良)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 68, passage 140
- Assessment practiced evil and received Heaven's punishment · Mode quoted-speech Speaker Gongsun Hong (公孫弘)Directly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 59
- Assessment site of debauchery · Mode historian-judgmentDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 127
- Assessment tyrannical like Jie · Mode quoted-speech Speaker King Xi of Yan (燕王喜)Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 80, passage 98
- Assessment utter folly: can join in evil but not in good · Mode named-source-report Source Work the Tradition 傳Directly stated · Book of Han 22, passages 15-16
- Assessment won many battles yet left no heir · Mode quotation Speaker Luan Shu (欒書)Directly stated · History of Song 436, passage 67
- Item Lutai treasury 鹿台 · Relation Associated withDirectly stated · History of Jin 46, passage 51
Source notes
- Historicity historicalDirectly stated · History of Song 436, passage 67
- Historicity legendary
- Historicity legendaryStrongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 121, passage 98
- Value legendaryDirectly stated · Book of Han 68, passage 20
- twenty-nine generations from Tang to Zhou; forty-six from Yellow Emperor to ZhouDirectly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 13, passage 440
References in the histories
101 passages
No matching passages.