King Zhou of Shang (紂)

Overview

The translated histories identify King Zhou of Shang as a ruler. This record brings together 84 passages from 36 chapters across 13 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	King Zhou of Shang	紂	Zhou
Temple	Emperor Xin	帝辛
Title	Emperor Xin	帝辛	Di Xin
Epithet	King Zhou	紂	Zhou
Personal name	King Zhou	紂
Personal name	King Zhou	紂	Zhou
Title	King Zhou	紂王
Title	King Zhou	紂
Title	King Zhou	紂	Zhou
Personal name	King Zhou	紂	Zhòu
Title	King Zhou	紂	Zhòu
Personal name	King Zhou of Shang	商辛	Shang Xin
Posthumous	King Zhou of Shang	商紂王	Shang Zhou Wang
Title	King Zhou of Shang	紂
Title	King Zhou of Yin	殷	Yin
Title	King Zhou of Yin	殷紂
Personal name	Shang's Zhou	商紂
Personal	Xin	辛
Given	Xin	辛	Xin
Personal name	Xin	辛	Xin
Alternate name	Yin Zhou	殷紂	Yīn Zhòu
Personal name	Yin Zhou	殷紂	Yin Zhou
Personal name	Zhou	紂	Zhou
Personal name	Zhou	紂	Zhòu
Personal	Zhou	紂	Zhou
Alternate	Zhou	紂	Zhou
Personal name	Zhou	紂
Personal	Zhou	紂
Personal name	Zhou of Yin	殷紂	Yīn Zhòu
Posthumous	Zhou Xin	紂	Zhou Xin
Personal name	Zhou Xin	紂	Zhou
Alternate	Zhou Xin	紂	Zhou Xin
Personal name	Zhou Xin of Shang	殷紂

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · beiqishu:031:s0022, hanshu:051:s0042, houhanshu:034:s0041, liaoshi:078:s0064, sanguozhi:062:s0100, shiji:003:s0173, shiji:053:s0099, shiji:061:s0022, shiji:065:s0111, shiji:088:s0089, suishu:043:s0044, xinwudaishi:002:s0144
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:076:s0300, hanshu:101:s0022, houhanshu:032:s0104, jinshi:046:s0051, liangshu:016:s0110, nanqishu:008:s0057, shiji:023:s0078, shiji:025:s0003, shiji:080:s0095, zhoushu:009:s0001
Sex: male
Derived · xintangshu:172:s0211
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:022:s0015, hanshu:068:s0020, shiji:013:s439, shiji:074:s0040
Value: male
Explicit · shiji:068:s0140

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Death

Manner: assassinated
Explicit · shiji:013:s439
Manner: self-immolation · Place: Deer Terrace / 鹿臺
Explicit · shiji:003:s0224

Attested activity

Qualitative: legendary antiquity
Explicit · beiqishu:031:s0022, beiqishu:050:s0051, hanshu:022:s0015, hanshu:025:s0087, hanshu:051:s0042, hanshu:068:s0059, hanshu:101:s0152, jinshi:046:s0051, liangshu:016:s0110, liaoshi:078:s0064, nanqishu:008:s0057, shiji:053:s0099, shiji:061:s0022, shiji:065:s0111, shiji:088:s0089, shiji:099:s0015, suishu:043:s0044, xintangshu:172:s0211, xinwudaishi:002:s0144, zhoushu:009:s0018
Source Date: Text: BC 1075-1046 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1075 · End: BC 1046
Strongly inferred · houhanshu:032:s0104
Source Date: Text: 伐紂 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1050 · End: BC 1040
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:074:s0040
Source Date: Text: 商末 · Western Year: BC 1050
Explicit event contextual date · beiqishu:003:s0083
Source Date: Text: 夏桀、殷紂 · Western Year: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:025:s0015
Source Date: Text: 帝辛，是為紂 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1075 · End: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:013:s439
Source Date: Text: 帝辛 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1075 · End: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:003:s0173
Source Date: Text: 武王伐紂 · Western Year: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:025:s0003
Source Date: Text: 武王將伐紂 · Western Year: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · houhanshu:034:s0041
Source Date: Text: 殷紂墨墨以亡 · Western Year: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:068:s0140
Source Date: Text: 紂之時 · Western Year: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:080:s0095
Source Date: Text: 紂剖比干 · Western Year: BC 1046
Strongly inferred · shiji:023:s0078
Source Date: Text: 紂為無道 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1075 · End: BC 1046
Explicit event contextual date · sanguozhi:062:s0100

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Sibling of Weizi Qi (微子啟)
Kinship Term: elder brother by a concubine / 庶兄 · Subject Relative Age: elder · Shared Parentage: paternal-half · Subject Role: brother · Object Role: brother · Parentage: biological
Kinship Term: younger brother / 少子 · Shared Parentage: paternal-half · Subject Relative Age: elder · Subject Birth Order: 1 · Object Birth Order: 2
Sibling of Viscount of Wei (微子)
Kinship Term: elder brother / 元兄 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: elder · Subject Role: elder brother · Object Role: younger brother
Child of Emperor Yi (帝乙)
Kinship Term: father / 父 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Child of Mother of Xin (辛母)
Kinship Term: mother / 母 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: mother · Object Role: son
Parent of Wugeng (武庚)
Kinship Term: son / 子 · Parentage: biological · Subject Role: father · Object Role: son
Kin of Viscount of Wei (微子)
Kinship Term: Weizi / 微子 · Relationship State: active
Spouse of Daji (妲己)
Union Category: concubinage · Relationship State: active
Spouse of Daughter of the Marquis of Jiu (九侯女)
Union Category: uncertain · Relationship State: ended

Places and affiliations

Label: Shang-Yin / 殷 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:061:s0022, shiji:061:s0028
Label: Shang / 商 · Relation: ruled
Strongly inferred · shiji:023:s0078
Polity: Shang / 商 · Relation: ruled
Strongly inferred · shiji:025:s0003, shiji:025:s0015
Polity: Shang / 商 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:088:s0089

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker
Explicit · shiji:003:s0207, shiji:003:s0217

Events and relationships

Kind: political · Role: ruler · Action: accepted-evil-counsel · Other Person Ids: Yu Xin (于莘), Marquis of Chong (崇侯)
Explicit · hanshu:022:s0015
Kind: military · Role: defeated · Action: attacked by King Wu · Other Person Id: King Wu of Zhou (武王)
Explicit · shiji:074:s0040
Kind: military · Role: defeated-ruler · Action: attacked-by · Other Person Id: King Wu of Zhou (武王)
Explicit · shiji:061:s0022
Kind: military · Role: target · Action: attacked-by · Other Person Id: King Wu of Zhou (武王)
Explicit · shiji:025:s0003
Kind: military · Role: defeated ruler · Action: captured by Tang and King Wu · Other Person Ids: Tang (湯), King Wu of Zhou (武王)
Explicit · hanshu:025:s0087
Kind: legal · Role: ruler · Action: executed · Other Person Ids: Bi Gan (比干) · Outcome: good counsel rejected
Explicit · hanshu:022:s0015
Kind: legal · Role: perpetrator · Action: tortured-and-killed-innocent · Other Person Id: Bi Gan (比干)
Explicit · shiji:023:s0078
Kind: military · Role: participant · Action: wrestled-beasts-and-chased-horses
Explicit · shiji:025:s0015

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: brave-but-authority-failed · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · shiji:025:s0015, shiji:025:s0016, shiji:025:s0019
Assessment: caused-fall-of-Shang-Yin · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · nanqishu:008:s0057
Assessment: clever, strong, and self-regarding · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment
Explicit · shiji:003:s0174, shiji:003:s0177
Assessment: Hated by ten thousand ages without needing demotion from kingship · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: yu (予)
Explicit · xinwudaishi:002:s0144
Assessment: perished through flattering silence · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report · Speaker Person Id: Zhao Liang (趙良)
Explicit · shiji:068:s0140
Assessment: practiced evil and received Heaven's punishment · Provenance: Mode: quoted-speech · Speaker Person Id: Gongsun Hong (公孫弘)
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0059
Assessment: tyrannical like Jie · Provenance: Mode: quoted-speech · Speaker Person Id: King Xi of Yan (燕王喜)
Explicit · shiji:080:s0098
Assessment: utter folly: can join in evil but not in good · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report · Source Work: the Tradition / 傳
Explicit · hanshu:022:s0015, hanshu:022:s0016
Item: Lutai treasury / 鹿台 · Relation: associated-with
Explicit · jinshi:046:s0051

Source notes

Historicity: legendary
Explicit · beiqishu:031:s0022, jinshi:046:s0051, shiji:061:s0022, shiji:088:s0089, shiji:099:s0015, xintangshu:172:s0211
Value: legendary
Explicit · hanshu:068:s0020
Statement: twenty-nine generations from Tang to Zhou; forty-six from Yellow Emperor to Zhou
Explicit · shiji:013:s440

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 3Volume 3 Annals 3: Emperor Wenxiang · 1 passage

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然億兆夷人，卒降十亂，紂之百克，終自無後，潁川之戰，即是殷監。 Yet when the hundred millions of the Yi people submitted, Zhou's ten capable ministers prevailed; King Zhou's hundred victories in the end left him without heirs—the battle at Yingchuan is the warning of Yin.

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 31Volume 31 Biographies 23: Wang Xin; Wang Xi · 2 passages

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昕曰：「商辛沈湎，其亡也忽諸，府主自忽，微僚敢任其咎。」 Xin said, "King Zhou of Shang sank in debauchery; his fall came in an instant. The house master slighted himself; may a petty officer bear the blame?"

子默遂以昕言啟顯祖，仍曰：「王元景比陛下於殷紂。」 Zimo then reported Xin's words to Gao Yang, adding, "Wang Yuanjing compares Your Majesty to King Zhou of Shang."

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 50Volume 50 Biographies 42: Favored by Nobles · 1 passage

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至說世祖云：「自古帝王，盡為灰燼，堯、舜、桀、紂，竟復何異？ He even told Shizu, "Every emperor since antiquity ends as ashes—what difference between Yao, Shun, Jie, and Zhou?

Book of Han, Chapter 20Table of Ancient and Modern Persons · 1 passage

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桀紂，龍逢、比干欲與之為善則誅，于莘、崇侯與之為惡則行。 By contrast, with Jie and Zhou, Long Feng and Bi Gan were executed for trying to do what was right with them, while Yu Xin and the Marquis of Chong were followed when they proposed evil.

Book of Han, Chapter 22Volume 20: Prominent People from the Past Until the Present · 1 passage

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桀紂，龍逢、比干欲與之為善則誅，于莘、崇侯與之為惡則行。 By contrast, with Jie and Zhou, Long Feng and Bi Gan were executed for trying to do what was right with them, while Yuxin and the Marquis of Chong were followed when they proposed evil.

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 1 passage

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湯、武征伐，陳師誓眾，而放禽桀、紂，所謂善陳不戰者也。 Tang and Wu's legitimacy made victory decisive once forces were arrayed, minimizing prolonged combat.

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 1 passage

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相國為民請吾苑不許，我不過為桀紂主，而相國為賢相。 Had I refused your plea for the people, I would have ranked with Jie and Zhou, while you stood as the good minister.

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 1 passage

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昌仰曰：「陛下即桀、紂之主也。」 Zhou Chang looked him in the eye and said, "You are a sovereign in the mold of Jie or Zhou—the last kings of Xia and Shang."

Book of Han, Chapter 65Volume 56: Dong Zhongshu · 10 passages

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聖王已沒，鐘鼓管弦之聲未衰，而大道微缺，陵夷至乎桀、紂之行，王道大壞矣。 The sage-kings are gone, but pipes and strings still sound, even as the great Way has thinned and cracked, sliding all the way to the tyranny of Jie and Zhou Xin, when the royal order collapsed.

故堯、舜行德則民仁壽，桀、紂行暴則民鄙夭。 Under Yao and Shun’s virtue the people grew humane and long-lived; under Jie and Zhou Xin’s cruelty they turned coarse and died young.

至於殷紂，逆天暴物，殺戮賢知，殘賊百姓。 Zhou Xin of Shang defied Heaven, ravaged the world, butchered wise men, and tortured the people.

當此之時，紂尚在上，尊卑昏亂，百姓散亡，故文王悼痛而欲安之，是以日昃而不暇食民。 At that time Zhou Xin still occupied the throne, high and low were thrown into confusion, and the people were scattered and lost. King Wen grieved over them and sought to bring them peace, working until the sun slanted west without leisure even to eat.

武王行大誼，平殘賊，周公作禮樂以文之，至於成康之隆，囹圄空虛四十餘年，此亦教化之漸而仁誼之流，非獨傷肌膚之效也。 King Wu cut down Zhou’s cruelty, and the Duke of Zhou set rites and music to refine the realm; by the peace of Cheng and Kang the jails stood empty forty years—because custom had shifted and kindness spread, not because men were merely flayed into fear.

故朕垂問乎天人之應，上嘉唐虞，下悼桀、紂，浸微浸滅浸明浸昌之道，虛心以改。 So I ask how Heaven answers man, praising Yao and Shun above, mourning Jie and Zhou below, tracing how states fade or flourish—hoping to mend my ways with an open heart.

冊曰：「上嘉唐、虞，下悼桀、紂，浸微浸滅浸明浸昌之道，虛心以改。」 Your rescript asked me to praise Yao and Shun, mourn Jie and Zhou, and trace how kingdoms wither or wax—so you may reform with an open heart.”

此唐、虞之所以得令名，而桀、紂之可為悼懼者也。 That is how Yao and Shun won praise, and how Jie and Zhou became warnings.

故桀、紂暴謾，讒賊並進，賢知隱伏，惡日顯，國日亂，晏然自以如日在天，終陵夷而大壞。 Jie and Zhou grew cruel and slack; flatterers swarmed while sages hid; evil mounted, the realm rotted, yet they lolled as if the sun would never set—then came the crash.

夫暴逆不仁者，非一日而亡也，亦以漸至，故桀、紂雖亡道，然猶享國十餘年，此其浸微浸滅之道也。 Tyrants do not fall overnight; Jie and Zhou clung to the throne years after the Way was gone—such is the slow slide to ruin.

Book of Han, Chapter 68Volume 58: Gongsun Hong, Bu Shi and Er Kuan · 1 passage

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桀、紂行惡，受天之罰； Jie and Zhou did wickedness and bore Heaven's stroke;

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 2 passages

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夫殷作九市之宮而諸侯畔，靈王起章華之台而楚民散，秦興阿房之殿而天下亂。 King Zhou of Yin built his pleasure tower and the lords turned against him; King Ling of Chu raised Zhanghua and his people fled; Qin built Epang and the empire fell apart.

先生對曰：「昔者關龍逢深諫於桀，而王子比干直言於紂，此二臣者，皆極慮盡忠，閔王澤不下流，而萬民騷動，故直言其失，切諫其邪者，將以為君之榮，除主之禍也。 The gentleman replied, saying: "Formerly Guan Longpeng remonstrated deeply with Jie, and Prince Bigan spoke straight with Zhou—these two ministers both exhausted thought and fulfilled loyalty, pitied that the king's grace did not flow downward while the myriad people were restless; therefore they spoke straight of his faults and cut remonstrance of his wickedness, intending thereby to be the lord's glory and remove the ruler's disaster.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 1 passage

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曰：「臣聞膠西王有諛臣侯得，王所為擬於桀、紂也，得以為堯、舜也。 Gong Sui explained: "He kept a flatterer named Hou De who masked conduct worthy of Jie and Zhou with praise fit for Yao and Shun.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 2 passages

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時乘輿幄坐張畫屏風，畫紂醉踞妲己作長夜之樂。 Beside the imperial couch stood painted screens of King Zhou drunk and draped over Daji in the revels of the endless night.

上以伯新起，數目禮之，因顧指畫而問伯：「紂為無道，至於是虖？」 Noting that Ban Bo had lately returned to favor, the emperor kept glancing at him politely, then jerked his chin at the scene and asked Ban Bo, "Was wicked King Zhou really as bad as this?"

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage

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吊夏桀於南巢兮，哭殷紂於牧野。 I mourn Jie of Xia besieged at Southern Nest and Zhou of Yin defeated at Muye.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 34Volume 30a: Biographies of Su Jing; Yang Hou · 1 passage

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畢為天網，主網羅無道之君，故武王將伐紂，上祭於畢，求助天也。 Bi is the celestial net that snares wicked rulers. King Wu therefore sacrificed at Bi before marching against Shang, invoking Heaven’s aid.

History of Jin, Chapter 46Volume 46 Treatises 27: Finance and Economics 1: Thorough Examination and Organization of Registered Residences · 1 passage

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曆觀自古財聚民散，以至亡國，若鹿台、钜橋之類，不足論也。 History shows states ruined by amassing wealth while dispersing the people—think of King Zhou's Lutai or the Juqiao hoard—cases too familiar to rehearse.

Book of Liang, Chapter 16Volume 16: Wang Liang; Zhang Ji; Wang Ying · 1 passage

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商紂暴虐，鼎遷于周。 Shang's Zhou was violent and cruel, and the tripod moved to Zhou.

History of Liao, Chapter 78Volume 78 Biographies 8: Yelu Yilage, Xiao Haili, Xiao Husi, Xiao Siwen, Xiao Jixian · 1 passage

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武王之伐紂也，數其罪曰「無辜籲天」； when Wu attacked Zhou, he recited his crimes: "The innocent cry to Heaven";

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 8Volume 8 Annals 8: Emperor He of Southern Qi · 1 passage

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史臣曰：夏以桀亡，殷隨紂滅，郊天改朔，理無延世。 The historian says: Xia perished through Jie; Yin fell with Zhou of Shang; when sacrifices to Heaven were changed and the calendar revised, dynastic rule could not be prolonged.

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chapter 62Volume 62: Book of Wu 17: Biographies of Shi Yi and Hu Zong · 1 passage

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上書曰：“臣聞紂為無道，微子先出。 He presented a memorial: "I have heard that when Zhou was cruel, Weizi left the court first.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3Annals of Yin · 29 passages

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少子辛，辛母正后，辛為嗣。 The younger son Xin had a queen mother and became heir.

帝乙崩，子辛立，是為帝辛，天下謂之紂。 When Yi died, Xin ruled as Emperor Xin, the man the world calls Zhou.

帝紂資辨捷疾，聞見甚敏； Zhou was quick-witted and sharp of hearing and sight;

百姓怨望而諸侯有畔者，於是紂乃重刑辟，有炮格之法。 The people muttered and lords rebelled; Zhou answered with crueller laws and the heated-pillar torture.

九侯有好女，入之紂。 The Nine Marquises offered a beautiful daughter to the court.

九侯女不喜淫，紂怒，殺之，而醢九侯。 She disliked debauchery; Zhou killed her in fury and had the Nine Marquises ground to paste.

鄂侯爭之彊，辨之疾，并脯鄂侯。 The Marquis of E remonstrated fiercely; Zhou had him pickled as well.

崇侯虎知之，以告紂，紂囚西伯羑里。 Chonghou Hu informed on him, and Zhou jailed the Western Earl at Youli.

西伯之臣閎夭之徒，求美女奇物善馬以獻紂，紂乃赦西伯。 His men Hongyao and the rest ransomed him with beauties, treasures, and horses, and Zhou set him free.

紂乃許之，賜弓矢斧鉞，使得征伐，為西伯。 Zhou agreed and gave him bow, axe, and halberd with authority to wage war as Western Earl.

紂又用惡來。 Zhou also employed E Lai.

西伯歸，乃陰修德行善，諸侯多叛紂而往歸西伯。 The Western Earl went home and quietly built virtue; many lords forsook Zhou for him.

西伯滋大，紂由是稍失權重。 As the Western Earl grew mighty, Zhou's grip slackened.

王子比干諫，弗聽。 Prince Bigan remonstrated; Zhou would not hear him.

商容賢者，百姓愛之，紂廢之。 Shang Rong was worthy and beloved; Zhou dismissed him.

及西伯伐饑國，滅之，紂之臣祖伊聞之而咎周，恐，奔告紂曰：「天既訖我殷命，假人元龜，無敢知吉，非先王不相我後人，維王淫虐用自絕，故天棄我，不有安食，不虞知天性，不迪率典。 When the Western Earl destroyed Ji, Zuyi, a minister of Zhou, heard of it, was alarmed by the Zhou state's rise, and rushed in fear to warn King Zhou, saying, "Heaven has ended Yin's mandate; even the great tortoise cannot show good fortune. It is not that the former kings have forsaken us, but that the king's cruelty has cut us off from Heaven, so we lack peace, ignore Heaven's will, and spurn the statutes.

紂曰：「我生不有命在天乎！」 Zhou said, "Was I not born with Heaven’s mandate?"

祖伊反，曰：「紂不可諫矣。」 Zu Yi returned and said, "Zhou can no longer be remonstrated with."

諸侯皆曰：「紂可伐矣。」 The feudal lords all said, "Zhou can be attacked now."

紂愈淫亂不止。 Zhou sank deeper into vice without end.

乃彊諫紂。 He then rebuked Zhou bluntly.

紂怒曰：「吾聞聖人心有七竅。」 Zhou raged, "I hear a sage's heart has seven chambers."

箕子懼，乃詳狂為奴，紂又囚之。 Jizi feigned madness as a slave in terror; Zhou jailed him too.

周武王於是遂率諸侯伐紂。 King Wu then led the host against Zhou.

紂亦發兵距之牧野。 Zhou sent an army to meet him at Muye.

甲子日，紂兵敗。 On the jiazi day, Zhou’s army was defeated.

紂走入，登鹿臺，衣其寶玉衣，赴火而死。 Zhou fled inside, climbed the Deer Terrace, put on his robe of precious jades, and threw himself into the flames.

周武王遂斬紂頭，縣之［大］白旗。 King Wu of Zhou then cut off Zhou’s head and hung it from the great white banner.

封紂子武庚、祿父，以續殷祀，令修行盤庚之政。 He enfeoffed Zhou's son Wugeng—Lufu—to keep Yin sacrifices and follow Pangeng's rule.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 13Genealogical Tables of the Three Dynasties · 4 passages

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帝辛，是為紂。弒。 Emperor Xin was Zhou. He was assassinated.

從湯至紂二十九世，從黃帝至紂四十六世。 Twenty-nine generations from Tang to Zhou; forty-six generations from the Yellow Emperor to Zhou.

秦惡來，助紂。父飛廉，有力。 Qin: E Lai, assisted King Zhou. Father Fei Lian, who was strong.

宋微子啟，紂庶兄。初封。 Song: Wei Zi Qi, elder brother of King Zhou by a concubine. First enfeoffment.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 23Treatise on Ritual · 1 passage

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紂剖比干，囚箕子，為炮格，刑殺無辜，時臣下懔然，莫必其命。 Zhou disemboweled Bi Gan, imprisoned Jizi, devised the heated-pillar torture, and punished and killed the innocent. At that time, the ministers below were terrified, and none were certain of their fate.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 25Treatise on the Pitch-Pipes · 2 passages

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武王伐紂，吹律聽聲，推孟春以至于季冬，殺氣相并，而音尚宮。 When King Wu campaigned against Zhou, he blew the pitch-pipes and listened to the sounds, extending this from the first month of spring to the last month of winter. The killing qi joined together, but the sound still favored gong.

夏桀、殷紂手搏豺狼，足追四馬，勇非微也； Xia Jie and Yin Zhou wrestled the jackals and wolves with their hands, chased the four horses with their feet—their bravery was not small.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 53House of Chancellor Xiao · 1 passage

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相國為民請苑，吾不許，我不過為桀紂主，而相國為賢相。 You petitioned for the park on behalf of the people, and I refused. That only makes me a tyrant like Jie or Zhou, while you are a worthy minister.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 61Biographies: Biography of Bo Yi · 1 passage

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及至，西伯卒，武王載木主，號為文王，東伐紂。 When they arrived, the Earl of the West had died. King Wu carried the wooden spirit tablet, styled him King Wen, and marched east to attack King Zhou.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 65Biographies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi · 1 passage

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殷紂之國，左孟門，右太行，常山在其北，大河經其南，修政不德，武王殺之。 King Zhou of Yin had Mengmen Pass on the left and the Taihang Mountains on the right, Changshan to the north and the great river flowing south. He practiced unvirtuous government, so King Wu killed him.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 68Biography of Lord Shang · 1 passage

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武王諤諤以昌，殷紂墨墨以亡。 King Wu prospered through frankness, while Yin Zhou perished through flattery.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing · 1 passage

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笔武王以仁義伐紂而王，伯夷餓不食周粟； Formerly King Wu used benevolence and righteousness to attack Zhou and became king, but Bo Yi starved rather than eat Zhou grain;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 80Biography of Yue Yi · 4 passages

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燕王恨不用樂閒，樂閒既在趙，乃遺樂閒書曰：「紂之時，箕子不用，犯諫不怠，以冀其聽； The king of Yan regretted not having listened to Yue Xian. Since Yue Xian was now in Zhao, he sent him a letter: "In the time of Zhou, Jizi was not used, yet he kept remonstrating at personal risk, hoping Zhou would listen;

商容不達，身祇辱焉，以冀其變。 Shang Rong was ignored, yet he endured humiliation in hope that Zhou would change.

故紂負桀暴之累，二子不失忠聖之名。 Thus, Zhou carried the infamy of Jie's tyranny, while those two men kept their reputations as loyal sages.

今寡人雖愚，不若紂之暴也； Now though I am foolish, not like Zhou's tyranny;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88Biography of Meng Tian · 1 passage

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桀殺關龍逢，紂殺王子比干而不悔，身死則國亡。 The tyrant Jie killed the loyal Guan Longfeng, and the tyrant Zhou killed Prince Bigan without remorse. Both perished, and their kingdoms fell with them.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 99Biographies of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong · 1 passage

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武王伐紂，不期而會孟津之上八百諸侯，皆曰紂可伐矣，遂滅殷。 When King Wu marched against Zhou, eight hundred lords gathered unbidden at Mengjin. All said, 'Zhou can be attacked,' and he then destroyed the Yin dynasty.

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 1 passage

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夫微子紂之元兄，族實為重，項伯籍之季父，戚乃非疏，然猶去朝歌而入周，背西楚而歸漢。 Wei Zi was King Zhou of Shang's own elder brother—the tie of blood could scarcely have been closer; Xiang Bo was Xiang Ji of Western Chu's uncle—hardly a distant kinsman—yet both men left Chaoge to join King Wu of Zhou, and turned from Western Chu to serve the Han.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 172Volume 172 Biographies 97: Yu, Wang, Two Du's, Fan · 2 passages

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于頔，字允元，後周太師謹七世孫。 Yu Di, style name Yunyuan, was a seventh-generation descendant of Yu Jin, grand tutor of Northern Zhou.

隴西李衡在坐，曰：「使桀、紂為之，不是過也！」 Li Heng of Longxi, who was present, remarked, "Jie and Zhou could hardly have outdone this!"

New History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 2Volume 2 Later Liang Annals 2: Taizu 2 · 1 passage

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桀、纣，不待贬其王，而万世所共恶者也。 Jie and Zhou needed no demotion from kingship—the ages have condemned them of themselves.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 9Volume 9 Biographies 1: Empresses · 1 passage

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雖辛、癸之荒淫，趙、李之傾惑，曾未足比其髣髴也。 Even the debauchery of Kings Zhou and Li of old and the seductive sway of Zhao Feiyan and Lady Li of Han barely approach this in likeness.