Tai Jia

Also known as Zi Taijia · Tai Zong

Tai Jia, called Da Jia in the oracle-bone inscriptions, was the eldest grandson of Tang, founder of the Shang, through his son Tai Ding. The Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) says that after Tang's death Wai Bing and Zhong Ren reigned in turn, and when Zhong Ren died the minister Yi Yin put Tai Jia on the throne. Three years into his reign Tai Jia ignored Tang's laws, so Yi Yin banished him to the Tong palace and governed in his place, receiving the lords at court. After three years at Tong Tai Jia repented, and Yi Yin brought him back and returned the government to him; the lords then submitted and the people were at peace. Yi Yin wrote three instructions in his praise, and he was honoured as Taizong. The ancient Bamboo Annals (Zhushu jinian) give another version, in which Yi Yin made himself king after the banishment and Tai Jia slipped out of Tong seven years later and killed him.