Tai Dian
Tai Dian | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Known for | Serving King Wen and King Wu of Zhou. | ||||||
| Military career | |||||||
| Allegiance | Predynastic Zhou | ||||||
Conflicts | Battle of Muye | ||||||
| Monarchs | King Wen of Zhou King Wu of Zhou | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 泰顛 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 太颠 | ||||||
| |||||||
Tai Dian (泰顛) was one of five major ministers for King Wen and King Wu of Zhou during the Predynastic Zhou, Battle of Muye, and Western Zhou periods of Chinese history.
Traditional historiography
During the Late Shang period, the dynasty's final ruler, Di Xin, was allegedly degenerating. He was said to have become fixated with alcohol and lust, and was seen as an incompetent ruler. King Wen plotted to overthrow Di Xin following an astrological event,[1] which brought about the idea of the Mandate of Heaven. Mozi states that it was at this time that Tai Dian would be elevated to his ministerial position, after he was found catching rabbits with net traps.[2] Tai Dian then became one of the "Four Friends of King Wen" (四友) along with Hong Yao, San Yisheng, and Nankong Kuo. Guo Shu (虢叔) is added to this list in the Book of Documents.[3][4][5] Together, they served Predynastic Zhou; Mozi states that during this time, Zhou culture flourished, with farmers and artisans alike bolstering each other's virtue. This was allegedly akin to that of the days of Tang of Shang's promotion of Yi Yin.[2] However, Marquess Hu of Chong would tell Di Xin of King Wen's plot to betray him, resulting in his imprisonment. After his release with the help of San Yisheng and Hong Yao (Western Zhou), the plot continued.[6]
Sometime after defeating Marquess Hu's State of Chong,[7][8] King Wen died.[6] King Wu of Zhou was then enthroned and the plot to overthrow Di Xin continued. This culminated in the Battle of Muye, which led to a complete and utter defeat of the Shang dynasty. King Wu then went to make a sacrifice at the Shang temple, which the Lost Book of Zhou records as having Tai Dian, along with San Yisheng and Hong Yao, holding small lǚ (呂) flutes as King Wu performed it.[9]
Historicity
Some scholars, starting with the Song dynasty scholar Wu Renjie (吴仁杰), believe that Tai Dian was a scribal error and he was actually Jiang Ziya, often known as Tai Gong Wang (太公望). This would pick up during Qing dynasty commentaries. Modern commentaries occasionally note this, but the designation is nevertheless disputed.[10][11]
References
- ^ Allan, Sarah (2007). "On the Identity of Shang Di and the Origin of the Concept of a Celestial Mandate ( TIAN MING )". Early China. 31: 1–46. doi:10.1017/S0362502800001796.
- ^ a b Mozi. "尚賢上，尚賢下，非攻下". In Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). 墨子 [Mozi] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Fu, Sheng. "君奭". 尚書. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ "君道". 說苑. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ 蔣偉男. "《 史記》[鬻熊事文王] 置疑." 中國語言學集刊 16.1 (2023): 13-23.
- ^ a b Sima, Qian. "殷本記，周本記". 史記. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ "道應訓". 淮南子. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ "指武". 說苑. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ "克殷解". 逸周書. Chinese Text Project.
- ^ Mo, Di; Johnston, Ian (2010). The Mozi: a complete translation. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press. ISBN 978-962-996-270-8.
- ^ 阎爱民. "《 克殷解》“太卒之左” 句疑文辨析." 中国史研究 4 (2000): 168-172.