50 Xibo Chang

A3.31

As the people were resentful, and some of the princes also rebelled, so Zhou the Tyrant increased the severity of the law and instituting the punishment of burning people alive. Zhou the Tyrant appointed Xibo Chang, Jiuhou and Ehou as his three principal ministers. Jiuhou had a beautiful daughter, so he offered her to Zhou the Tyrant. But Jiuhou's daughter resented promiscuity, which got Zhou the Tyrant outraged and killed her, and further more, made ground meat out of her father. And Ehou was made meat jerky out of, just for his strong and fierce arguments and debates. After hearing about it, the only thing Xibo Chang could do was to sigh discreetly. Chong Houhu, another minister of Zhou the Tyrant, learned about Xibo’s sigh and reported it to Zhou the Tyrant, so Zhou the Tyrant imprisoned Xibo in Youli. Xibo's minister Hongyao and others searched for beautiful women, treasures, and fine horses to offer to Zhou the Tyrant, so Zhou the Tyrant pardoned Xibo. After being released, Xibo offered a piece of land west of Luoshui to ask the favor of King Zhou the Tyrant to abolish the punishment of burning people alive. And Zhou the Tyrant agreed, and also rewarded him with bows and arrows and axes, and appointed him as Xibo, with the power of conquest, as the leader of the western princes. Zhou the Tyrant also appointed Feizhong to preside over state affairs. Feizhong was flattery and greedy, so the Yin people were not friendly with him. And Zhou the Tyrant also appointed Elai, who was a slanderer, and that made the princes became more alienated from Zhou the Tyrant.

百姓怨望而诸侯有畔者，于是纣乃重刑辟，有炮格之法。以西伯昌、九侯、鄂侯为三公。九侯有好女，入之纣。九侯女不憙淫，纣怒，杀之，而醢九侯。鄂侯争之强，辨之疾，并脯鄂侯。西伯昌闻之，窃叹。崇侯虎知之，以告纣，纣囚西伯羑里。西伯之臣闳夭之徒，求美女奇物善马以献纣，纣乃赦西伯。西伯出而献洛西之地，以请除炮格之刑。纣乃许之，赐弓矢斧钺，使得征伐，为西伯。而用费中为政。费中善谀，好利，殷人弗亲。纣又用恶来。恶来善毁谗，诸侯以此益疏。

49 Zhou the Tyrant

A3.29|30

Emperor Yi's eldest son was Weizi Qi (启), the viscount of Wei. His mother being of low class, Qi could not be heir to the throne. Emperor Yi had a younger son by the name of Xin, whose mother was the principal consort, and so Xin became the heir. Emperor Yi died, and his son Xin got on the throne. Emperor Xin was called Zhou the Tyrant  (纣) by the world. 

Zhou the Tyrant was eloquent, quick-witted, and had sharp eyes and ears. He was taller and stronger than the ordinary and could fight wild beasts with his bare hands. He thought he knew enough to reject the advice of others and he was eloquent enough to cover up his own mistakes. He boasted of his talents to his ministers and used his prestige to suppress the world. And he believed that everyone was inferior to himself. He indulged himself in alcohol, women, and lusts of all sorts. He was especially fond of Daji, and he listened to everything she said. Then he had Shijuan the musician to make some new music pieces, debauched, belly dancing, and carnal desire arousing. He increased taxes to enrich the treasury at Lutai the Deer Terrace Pavilion, and filled his royal granaries at Juqiao with grain. He searched extensively for dogs, horses, and rare treasures to fill his palace. He also expanded the gardens and pavilions in Shaqiu the Royal Garden, and captured many wild animals and birds and put them there. He neglected the sacrifices to the gods and ghosts. He gathered many singers and dancers in Shaqiu, poured alcohol to form a pond, and hung meat to form a forest, to have naked men and women chasing each other, drinking and having fun all night long.

帝乙长子曰微子启，启母贱，不得嗣。少子辛，辛母正后，辛为嗣。帝乙崩，子辛立，是为帝辛，天下谓之纣。

帝纣资辨捷疾，闻见甚敏；材力过人，手格猛兽；知足以距谏，言足以饰非；矜人臣以能，高天下以声，以为皆出己之下。好酒淫乐，嬖于妇人。爱妲己，妲己之言是从。于是使师涓作新淫声，北里之舞，靡靡之乐。厚赋税以实鹿台之钱，而盈钜桥之粟。益收狗马奇物，充仞宫室。益广沙丘苑台，多取野兽蜚鸟置其中。慢于鬼神。大冣乐戏于沙丘，以酒为池，县肉为林，使男女倮相逐其间，为长夜之饮。

48 “shooting the sky”

A3.25|26|27|28

Emperor Wuding died, and his son Emperor Zugeng came to the throne. Zuji praised Wuding for considering the auspicious pheasant as a ground for practicing virtue, and recognized him with the posthumous title of Gaozong the Exalted Ancestor for the Ancestral Temple, and “On the Second Day of Sacrifice for Gaozong” and “Instructions of Gaozong” was written.

Emperor Zugeng died, and his brother Zujia came to the throne, that was Emperor Jia. Emperor Jia was promiscuous, and Yin again declined.

When Emperor Jia died, his son Emperor Xinxin ascended to the throne. When Emperor Xinxin died, his brother Gengding ascended to the throne, becoming Emperor Gengding. When Emperor Gengding died, his son Emperor Wuyi ascended to the throne. Yin again left Bo and moved to the North of the Yellow River.

Emperor Wuyi was a wicked man. He made a puppet and called it a god. He played a game with it and asked people to do it too.When the god was defeated, he would humiliate it. And he made a leather bag, filled it with blood, then shot it, and he called that "shooting the sky". Wuyi was hunting in the areas between the Yellow River and Weishui River, and stroke by a thunderstorm, and died. His son Taiding ascended the throne. Emperor Taiding died and his son Yi ascended the throne. Emperor Yi ascended the throne. And Yin became weaker.

帝武丁崩，子帝祖庚立。祖己嘉武丁之以祥雉为德，立其庙为高宗，遂作高宗肜日及训。

帝祖庚崩，弟祖甲立，是为帝甲。帝甲淫乱，殷复衰。

帝甲崩，子帝廪辛立。帝廪辛崩，弟庚丁立，是为帝庚丁。帝庚丁崩，子帝武乙立。殷复去亳，徙河北。

帝武乙无道，为偶人，谓之天神。与之博，令人为行。天神不胜，乃僇辱之。为革囊，盛血，卬而射之，命曰“射天”。武乙猎于河渭之间，暴雷，武乙震死。子帝太丁立。帝太丁崩，子帝乙立。帝乙立，殷益衰。

47 Wuding

A3.23|24

Emperor Xiaoyi died, and his son Wuding came to the throne. When Emperor Wuding was on the throne, he contemplated how Yin dynasty could be revivified, but he did not get any help. Didn't speak for three years, Wuding let all of his state affairs being handled by Zhongzai the prime minister, and remained as just an observer. Wuding dreamed one night that he had found a holy man, whose name was Yue. In order to secure the man he had seen in his dream, he looked up and down at the officers and ministers of his court, but none of them was the right man. He then made all his officers search for him everywhere, and Yue was discovered at Fuxian. At that time Yue was a prisoner serving as a labor builder at Fuxian. He had an audience of Wuding, who said, “That is the right man.” Having talked with him, Wuding found that Yue really was a holy man, then Wuding pointed him as his prime minister. The kingdom of Yin was well governed as a result, and he was thus named Fuyue after Fuxian.

Emperor Wuding held a sacrifice ceremony to Cheng Tang, the very second day, a pheasant flew up, landed on the ear of a tripod, and crowed, which caused Wuding to fear. Zuji said: “There is nothing for the king to worry about, all he has to do first is to rectify the state affairs. “ Zuji then lectured the king: “In its superintendence over everyone below, Heaven only pays special regard to the behavior in accordance with morality, the life span granted by Heaven is long for some and short for others. Heaven does not cut people’s lives short; they do it by themselves. Some people may not have conformed to virtue, and will not acknowledge their crimes, Heaven then will charge them to correct their conduct, but they say, 'What shall we do?' Ah! the king should continuously treat the people with respect. Aren't we all Heaven's descendants? Make regular sacrifices, and do not be disrespectful and abandon the Way of Heaven.” Wuding instituted a state affair reform, and practiced virtue, the whole nation rejoiced, and the Yin Dynasty again flourished.

小乙崩，子帝武丁立。帝武丁即位，思复兴殷，而未得其佐。三年不言，政事决定于冢宰，以观国风。武丁夜梦得圣人，名曰说。以梦所见视群臣百吏，皆非也。于是乃使百工营求之野，得说于傅险中。是时说为胥靡，筑于傅险。见于武丁，武丁曰是也。得而与之语，果圣人，举以为相，殷国大治。故遂以傅险姓之，号曰傅说。

帝武丁祭成汤，明日，有飞雉登鼎耳而呴，武丁惧。祖己曰：“王勿忧，先修政事。”祖己乃训王曰：“唯天监下典厥义，降年有永有不永，非天夭民，中绝其命。民有不若德，不听罪，天既附命正厥德，乃曰其奈何。呜呼！王嗣敬民，罔非天继，常祀毋礼于弃道。”武丁修政行德，天下咸驩，殷道复兴。