King Wen
King Wen (~1165-1115 B.C.E.), also known as Ji Chang and Wen Wang or “Cultural Emperor,” ruled a western portion of China, known as Zhou, during the closing years of the Shang Dynasty (~1766-1111 B.C.E). The tyrannical rule of Shang emperor, Di Xin, better known as Zou (“one who maims the righteous and injures the good”), provided the opportunity for King Wen to rise to greatness.
In terms of personality, King Wen is recognized as being a well educated, conscientious, and benevolent leader. He was dedicated to the advancement of culture, is credited for creating the first official educational system in China, and emphasized the ideals of ethics and human relationships in the populace.
Early on, The Central Shang government was hundreds of times larger in population and wealth than the Zhou territory. Zhou would continually build strength through the emphasis of agricultural development (as opposed to the still large-scale practice of nomadism) and migration of superior people into the state. Qualified administrators were attracted by ample leadership opportunities in the government. Innovative economic and social policies, as well as organized civil and military systems, allowed Zhou to grow significantly in the decades of King Wen’s rule. Zhou’s popularity increased furthermore as the Shang emperor’s rule became even more careless and abusive.
As Zhou’s influence grew throughout China, suspicions arose from the Shang government. King Wen was invited to the capital under the false pretense that we would advise the emperor, where upon arrival he was imprisoned for seven years. It was during his imprisonment that King Wen studied and made his contributions to the I Ching. His rearrangement of the 64 gua and decision commentaries are invaluable additions to the text. He was later released and allowed to return to rule the territory of Zhou. By the time of his death, Zhou’s influence grew to span two-thirds of the empire.
After his death, King Wen’s second son, King Wu, would eventually lead the expedition to overthrow the Shang Dynasty in 1111 B.C.E. Although equipped with a force of approximately 45,000 versus the much larger imperial army of at least 170,000, Zhou was victorious. As the Zhou army set to enter the capital, it met no resistance from the Shang imperial guard and was allowed to proceed into the city. Zou retreated into his palace, where he would burn to death after setting it ablaze. The conclusion of this battle lead to the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, which would last for over 800 years (~1111-256 B.C.E.).
