Chapter 1 Part 4

Here's some trivia... The Chinese phrases for 'Business' and 'Businessman' are 'Shang1ye4' and 'Shang1ren2', which mean 'The Shang Industry' and 'People of the Shang' respectively. Looks like they were good businessmen, then.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1, Part 4

King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty was the thirty-first descendent of Cheng Tang. He was the third son of King Di Yi, who had three sons in all. The eldest was called Weiziqi, the second was called Weiziyan; Shouwang was his third son.

One day, Di Yi was admiring the peonies in his garden with his ministers when he suffered crushing pains inside him. His strength spent, all he could do was to seize at a pillar for support. On seeing this, ministers, including Meibo and Zhao Qi, promptly proclaimed Shouwang as the Crown Prince, the King’s successor. Di Yi reigned for another thirteen years before he passed away.

The Taishi (Grand Minister) Wen Zhong proclaimed Shouwang as the Son of Heaven. Shouwang chose to be known as King Zhou of the Shang and established his capital in the city of Chaoge. As part of King Zhou’s government, Wen Zhong represented the Literati (Wen), and Huang Feihu, the Flying Tiger, the Wucheng King, represented the Martial Officers (Wu). The Literati were to maintain the laws and rites, and the Martial Officers were to be in charge of all things military.