Ancient China · Ruler

Pan Geng 盤庚

Attested BC 1400 - BC 1200

Passages: 10
Chapters: 4
Histories: 3

Overview

The translated histories identify Pan Geng as a ruler. This record brings together 10 passages from 4 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Pan Geng	盤庚	Pan Geng
Temple	Emperor Pangeng	帝盤庚
Title	Emperor Pangeng	帝盤庚	Di Pangeng
Personal name	Pan Geng	般庚	Pan Geng
Personal	Pan Geng	般庚	Pan Geng
Personal	Pangeng	盤庚
Personal	Pangeng	盤庚	Pangeng

Identity

Historicity: Uncertain
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:098:s0128, houhanshu:089:s0010, shiji:003:s0127
Value: male
Strongly inferred · shiji:013:s428

Roles

Ruler

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 帝盤庚，陽甲弟。徙河南 · Western Year: BC 1300
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:013:s428
Source Date: Text: 殷商般庚 · Western Interval: Start: BC 1400 · End: BC 1200
Explicit · houhanshu:089:s0010
Source Date: Text: 盤庚渡河南 · Western Year: BC 1300
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:003:s0128
Source Date: Text: 般庚 · Western Year: BC 1300
Explicit · hanshu:098:s0128

Family

Sibling of Yangjia (陽甲)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Role: brother · Object Role: brother
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: elder
Sibling of Xiaoxin (小辛)
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Relative Age: elder
Kinship Term: younger brother / 弟 · Subject Relative Age: younger · Shared Parentage: full · Subject Role: brother · Object Role: brother

Places and affiliations

Polity: Shang · Relation: ruled
Explicit · houhanshu:089:s0010
Place: Bo / 亳 · Relation: resided-at
Explicit · houhanshu:089:s0010
Place: Henan / 河南 · Relation: moved-capital-to
Explicit · shiji:013:s428

References in the histories

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

Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 1 passage

宮外近則洪崖、旁皇、儲胥、弩阹，遠則石關、封巒、枝鵲、露寒、棠梨、師得，遊觀屈奇瑰瑋，非木摩而不雕，牆塗而不畫，周宣所考，般庚所遷，夏卑宮室，唐、虞棌椽三等之制也。 Nearby stood Hongya, Panhuang, and the rest; farther off Stone Pass, Seal Peak, and other lodges— marvels of touring architecture, yet meant to recall King Xuan's scrutiny, Pan Geng's migration, Xia's humble halls, and the three grades of unadorned rafters of Tang and Yu.

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

昔般庚去奢，行俭于亳； Long ago Pan Geng forsook luxury and embraced austerity when he ruled from Bo.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3Annals of Yin · 6 passages

帝陽甲崩，弟盤庚立，是為帝盤庚。 Yangjia died; his brother Pangeng became Emperor Pangeng.

帝盤庚之時，殷已都河北，盤庚渡河南，復居成湯之故居，乃五遷，無定處。 Yin had already sat north of the Yellow River; Pangeng crossed south to Cheng Tang's old capital. In all, there were five moves, and the court never stayed long in one place.

盤庚乃告諭諸侯大臣曰：「昔高后成湯與爾之先祖俱定天下，法則可修。 Pangeng addressed the lords and ministers: "Long ago High Tang and your forebears founded the realm together; its laws can still be honored.

帝盤庚崩，弟小辛立，是為帝小辛。 Pangeng died; his brother Xiaoxin became Emperor Xiaoxin.

百姓思盤庚，乃作盤庚三篇。 The people longed for Pangeng, and the three chapters of Pangeng were composed.

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 · 2 passages

帝盤庚，陽甲弟。徙河南。 Emperor Pangeng, Yangjia's younger brother, moved the capital to Henan.

帝小辛，盤庚弟。 Emperor Xiaoxin, Pangeng's younger brother.