King Wu of Zhou
Chinese · mortal · zhou · Recorded classification
The conquest of 1046 is the event Chinese political philosophy is built on: the Mandate of Heaven is the doctrine invented to explain why it was legitimate, and every dynastic change afterwards cites it. The Fengshen Yanyi's contribution is to add a second war behind the first, fought by immortals, whose dead become the gods — so that the founding of the Zhou is also the founding of the pantheon.
Parentage
- parent: King Wen of Zhou
Domains
- kingship
- conquest
Relations
- enemy: King Zhou of ShangReference treatment of the campaigns between King Zhou of Shang and the Zhou founders. (secondary)
Sources
- King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, son of King Wen, led the rebellion that overthrew King Zhou of Shang with Jiang Ziya as his tactician, founding the Zhou dynasty of 1046-256 BC.: Reference treatments of the Fengshen Yanyi and of the Zhou founding. (secondary)