Ancient China · Last King of Shang

King Zhou of Shang 商纣

Shang Zhou

Died BC 1046

Passages
2
Chapters
1
Histories
1

Overview

The translated histories identify King Zhou of Shang as a ruler. This record brings together 2 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

TypeEnglishChinesePinyin
Personal King Zhou of Shang 商纣 Shang Zhou
Epithet Cruel Xin 暴辛
Personal King Zhou 暴辛
Title Son of Heaven 天子

Identity

Historicity
Historical
Identification
Named
Sex
Male

Roles

  • Ruler

Life and dates

Death

  • Manner: body and head parted / 身首分离 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 甲子昧爽 · Western Year: BC 1046

Attested activity

  • Source Date: Text: 暴辛/纣 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1075 · End: BC 1046

Family

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

  • Spouse of Daji (妲己)
    Kinship Term: consort / 妃 · Union Category: concubinage · Subject Role: consort · Object Role: husband

Events and relationships

Assessments and attributes

  • Assessment: bat-foul and viper-vicious; poured cruelty on the innocent · Provenance: Mode: quoted-source · Speaker Person Id: Cui Qi (崔琦)

References in the histories

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

Book of Later Han, Chapter 89Volume 80a: Biographies of Writers 1 · 2 passages