Royals › Monarch / Emperor

King Wen of Zhou (Ji Chang)

Late Shang leader of the Zhou who, as Western Lord, was imprisoned at Youli, then extended Zhou power and moved its capital to Feng

Also known as Ji Chang · Xi Bochang · Wen Wang

Roles: Monarch / Emperor

Ji Chang, King Wen of Zhou, was the son of the Zhou leader Jili and in the late Shang held the title Western Lord. The Basic Annals of Zhou in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) relates that after Hu, Lord of Chong, slandered him, King Zhou of Shang imprisoned him at Youli and released him only when his ministers presented women, horses and treasures, also granting him the right to lead punitive campaigns. Freed, he settled a dispute between the states of Yu and Rui, attacked the Quanrong, Mixu, Qi, Yu and Chong, and moved his capital from below Mount Qi to Feng. The Shiji suggests he expanded the eight trigrams into sixty-four hexagrams while in prison, and tradition says he met Lu Shang on the Wei River and made him his teacher. After his death his son King Wu overthrew the Shang and honoured him as King Wen. The ode King Wen in the Book of Songs (Shijing) tells of Zhou receiving Heaven's mandate.

Life and times

UnknownBornShangleader of the Zhou in the late Shang
UnknownDied

Works

Literature · Prose72
1. Book of ChangesZhouDivination manual and philosophy of change: sixty-four hexagrams with the Ten Wings
2. Book of Changes: Qian — The Creative (Heaven)Zhou
3. Book of Changes: Kun — The Receptive (Earth)Zhou
4. Book of Changes: Zhun — Difficult BeginningsZhou
5. Book of Changes: Meng — Youthful IgnoranceZhou
6. +25 more
7. Open all works→
Literature · Sayings11
1. Great Virtue Carries All ThingsZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: bearing all things with deep virtue, a common school motto
2. Striving Ceaselessly for Self-ImprovementZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: like heaven's motion, striving ceaselessly to improve
3. The Uninvited GuestZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: an uninvited guest
4. The Benevolent See Benevolence, the Wise See WisdomZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: each sees the matter in their own way
5. A Host of Dragons Without a LeaderZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: once auspicious, now a group without a leader
6. +6 more
  1. The Dragon That Soars Too High Will Have RegretsZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes, hexagram Qian: the highest dragon must beware
  2. When Misfortune Peaks, Fortune ReturnsZhouIdiom drawn from the Book of Changes: after Stagnation comes Peace
  3. Treading on Frost, Knowing Hard Ice Will FollowZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: frost underfoot foretells hard ice
  4. Different Roads Leading to the Same DestinationZhouIdiom from the Great Commentary of the Book of Changes: many paths, one end
  5. The Modest, Modest Gentleman of the Qian HexagramZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes' Qian hexagram: the gentleman modest and more modest
  6. Two of One Mind Can Cut Through MetalZhouIdiom from the Book of Changes: when two are of one mind, they can cut metal

Family tree

Direct kin
King Wen of Zhou (Ji Chang)
Son
Duke of Zhou (Ji Dan)
Son
King Wu of Zhou (Ji Fa)
Third son
Guan Shuxian
Fifth son
Cai Shudu

King Wen of Zhou (Ji Chang)

Life and times

Works

Family tree

Connections