King Wen of Zhou (周文王)

Overview

King Wen of Zhou was a Zhou ruler honored as the dynasty's founder and father of King Wu.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Ji Wen	姬文	Jī Wén

Life and dates

Death

Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 22

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Northern Qi 36, passage 58; Book of Chen 19, passage 177; Book of Liang 4, passage 23; History of Liao 89, passage 80; Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 21-22; Records of the Grand Historian 76, passage 46; History of Song 107, passage 190; History of Yuan 171, passage 114; Book of Zhou 4, passage 60
legendary antiquity
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 184, passage 42
BC 1100 to BC 1050 周文王
Strongly inferred · Book of Liang 15, passage 23
BC 1150 to BC 1050 周文王
Directly stated · Book of Song 55, passage 41
c. BC 1100 to c. BC 1050 周文王（商末周初）
Strongly inferred · History of Jin 35, passages 62-63
BC 1100 to BC 1050 周文王演三百八十四爻
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 63

Show 10 more source-backed claims

BC 1100 to BC 1050 周文王獵涇、渭，載呂尚而歸
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228
BC 1100 to BC 1050 在周為文王師
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 116, passage 74
BC 1050 文武不以其故貶王
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 13
BC 1100 to BC 1050 文王
Directly stated · Book of Han 98, passages 171, 176
BC 1100 文王
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 483, passage 120
BC 1100 文王之時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 139
BC 1099 to BC 1050 文王改制
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 67, passage 192
BC 1100 文王附六爻
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 99, passage 138
BC 1100 to BC 1050 獨觀於昭曠之道
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passages 228, 231
BC 1075 to BC 1046 西伯昌
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 3, passages 187, 209

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Parent of King Wu of Zhou (武王)
son 子 · paternal line
son 子
father 父 · paternal line
father 父
Sources vary in certainty · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 22-23; Book of Liang 4, passage 23; Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 13
Parent of Bo Yi Kao (伯邑考)
son 子
Directly stated · Book of Liang 4, passage 23
Descendant of Gong Liu (公劉)
Zhou ancestral line · paternal line
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 67, passage 192

Key source chapters

Career and standing

King Wen 文王
Posthumously styled · By Person Id King Wu of Zhou (武王)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 22
Earl of the West 西伯
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 21-22
King Wen of Zhou 周文王
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228

Places and affiliations

Zhou 周
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passages 21-22; Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228
Polity Zhou 周 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 116, passage 74; Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 63
At Jing River 涇 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228
At Wei River 渭 · Relation Traveled to
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228

Works and attributed material

Ballad of King Wen 文王操
Relation Subject
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 184, passage 43

Events and relationships

Brought home
BC 1100 to BC 1050 周文王獵涇、渭，載呂尚而歸 · Recruitment · Recruiter · With Lü Shang (呂尚) · At Jing and Wei rivers 涇、渭 · Outcome Went on to rule the realm
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228
Elaborated 384 lines
Cultural · Elaborator
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 63
Employed chance comer and became king
BC 1100 to BC 1050 周用烏集而王 · Political · Ruler · With Lü Shang (呂尚)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 229
Made feudal lords subjects from hundred li
Legendary rule · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 76, passage 46

Assessments and attributes

Assessment good at supporting the elderly · Mode reported-reputation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 21
Assessment virtue was the model by which the four quarters were pacified and the states became trusting · Mode source-work Source Work Odes
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 139-140
praised in the edict as supremely enlightened 詔中稱為至明
AD 955 · Mode narrator
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 115, passage 14

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passage 228
Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 21
From Earl of the West, Chang 西伯昌 · To King Wen 文王 · Reason posthumous-temple-style
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 61, passage 22

References in the histories

Search passages

History

54 passages

Book of Northern Qi, Chapter 36Volume 36 Biographies 28: Xing Shao · 1 passage

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伏聞朝議以高祖大造區夏，道侔姬文，提記明堂，式配上帝。 We hear the court argues that because the High Ancestor shaped the realm within the four seas and his Way matched King Wen of Zhou, he raised the Bright Hall to sacrifice to the Lord on High.

Book of Chen, Chapter 19Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu · 1 passage

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方今周、齊鄰睦，境外無虞，并兵一向，匪朝伊夕，非劉、項競逐之機，楚、趙連從之勢，何得雍容高拱，坐論西伯？ Now Zhou and Qi are neighbors in harmony, beyond the borders without worry; joining troops in one direction is not morning or evening away—not Liu and Xiang contending, nor Chu and Zhao joining—how may one sit at ease with hands folded and discuss the Western Earl?

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 1 passage

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又曰：「蓋聞王者莫高於周文，伯者莫高於齊桓，皆待賢人而成名。 He also said: "I have heard that among kings none was higher than King Wen of Zhou, and among hegemons none was higher than Duke Huan of Qi. All relied on worthy men to achieve their fame.

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 2 passages

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《詩》曰：『儀式刑文王之德，日靖四方。』 As the Odes says, order comes by emulating King Wen's virtue.

又曰：『儀刑文王，萬邦作孚。』 Likewise, moral modeling creates political trust across states.

Book of Han, Chapter 67Volume 57b: Sima Xiangru · 1 passage

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後稷創業於唐，公劉發跡於西戎，文王改制，爰周郅隆，大行越成，而後陵遲衰微，千載亡聲，豈不善始善終哉！ Houji began the work under Tang, Gong Liu raised the clan among the western Rong, King Wen reshaped the rites, and Zhou climbed to its zenith; their grand achievement was fulfilled, then slowly waned until a thousand years of silence followed—yet that is still what we call beginning well and ending well!

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 2 passages

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於是王謝曰：「雖湯伐桀，文王伐崇，誠不過此。 Liu An bowed and said: "Tang's war on Jie and King Wen's strike at Chong were no finer than this.

臣聞周德始乎後稷，長於公劉，大於大王，成於文、武，顯於周公，德澤上昭，天下漏泉，無所不通。 The virtue of Zhou began with Hou Ji, swelled through Duke Liu and the Great King, ripened under Wen and Wu, and shone through the Duke of Zhou until grace soaked the realm like water from a spring.

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 4 passages

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太公體行仁義，七十有二乃設用於文、武，得信厥說，封於齊，七百歲而不絕。 The Grand Duke lived out benevolence and righteousness; not until he was seventy-two did Kings Wen and Wu put his counsel to use. They believed him, enfeoffed him in Qi, and his line lasted seven hundred years.

故伊尹蒙恥辱、負鼎俎、和五味以干湯，太公釣於渭之陽以見文王。 That is why Yi Yin swallowed humiliation, shouldered the kitchen cauldron, and seasoned five flavors to win Tang's ear, and the Grand Duke angled on the north bank of the Wei until King Wen found him.

臣子之職既加矣，於是裂地定封，爵為公侯，傳國子孫，名顯後世，民到於今稱之，以遇湯與文王也。 Once their service was complete, they received fiefs, noble rank, and lines that still shine in history—the people praise them yet because they met Tang and King Wen.

故《詩》云：「王國克生，惟周之楨，濟濟多士，文王以寧。」 Therefore the Odes say: 'In the king's domain they are born; they are Zhou's pillars; many officers in array—King Wen thereby was tranquil.'

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 1 passage

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陛下聖德寬仁，不遺易忘之臣，垂周文之聽，下及芻蕘之愚，有詔使衛尉受臣永所欲言。 Your kindness does not forget the humble: like King Wen you listen even to woodcutters, and you ordered the commandant of the guards to hear me out.

Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 2 passages

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文王囿百里，民以為尚小； King Wen's park measured a hundred li; the people still thought it small.

雖頗割其三垂以贍齊民，然至羽獵、田車、戎馬、器械、儲偫、禁御所營，尚泰奢麗誇詡，非堯、舜、成湯、文王三驅之意也。 Some outer parkland was cut back for the people, yet the hunt itself—chariots, horses, gear—still swaggered in luxury, far from the restrained three-sided chase of the sages.

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 1 passage

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是以宓犧氏之作《易》也，綿絡天地，經以八卦，文王附六爻，孔子錯其象而彖其辭，然後發天地之臧，定萬物之基。 So Fuxi’s 《Changes》 laced heaven and earth, the eight trigrams forming its warp; King Wen added the six lines; Confucius aligned the images and wrote the judgments—only then could the hidden stores of nature be opened and the basis of the ten thousand things fixed.

History of Jin, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 16: Rites 8: Consecration of Shrines to a Sages; Temple to the Warrior King Cheng of Zhou; Monarchs of Past Ages; Halls to Various Spirits in Changbai Shan, Dafang Shan, Amur River, Jia Yin Hou; Spirits of the Lu River; Spirits of Zhao Yin Shun; Spirits of Zhen an Gong, Rui Shen Gongl; Worshipping, Sacrifices, Vists, and State Ceremonies at Zhen Xian Jun Wang Temple · 4 passages

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三年一祭，于仲春之月祭伏犧于陳州，神農於亳州，軒轅於坊州，少昊於兗州，顓頊於開州，高辛於歸德府，陶唐於平陽府，虞舜、夏禹、成湯於河中府，周文王、武王於京兆府。 Sacrifices were held once every three years: in mid-spring Fuxi was honored at Chen Prefecture, Shennong at Bozhou, the Yellow Emperor at Fang Prefecture, Shaohao at Yan Prefecture, Zhuanxu at Kai Prefecture, Gaoxin at Guide Prefecture, Emperor Yao at Pingyang Prefecture, Shun, Yu, and Tang at Hezhong Prefecture, and Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou at Jingzhao Prefecture.

泰和三年、尚書省奏：「太常寺言：'《開元禮》祭帝嚳、堯、舜、禹、湯、文、武、漢祖祝版請禦署。 In Taihe 3 the Secretariat memorialized: "The Court of Imperial Sacrifices reports that under the Kaiyuan Rites, prayer boards for sacrifices to Di Ku, Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Kings Wen and Wu, and the Han Founder require imperial endorsement.

《開寶禮》犧、軒、顓頊、帝嚳、陶唐、女媧、成湯、文、武請禦署，自漢高祖以下二十七帝不署。 The Kaibao Rites require imperial endorsement for Fu Xi, the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu, Di Ku, Emperor Yao, Nüwa, Tang, and Kings Wen and Wu; from Han Gaozu downward twenty-seven emperors are not endorsed.

'參知政事即康及鉉以為三皇、五帝、禹、湯、文、武皆垂世立教之君，唐、宋致祭皆禦署，而今降祝版不署，恐於禮未盡。 Vice Grand Councilors Jikang and Quan held that the Three August Ones, Five Emperors, Yu, Tang, and Kings Wen and Wu were all rulers who handed down teaching for the ages; Tang and Song sacrifices all received imperial endorsement, and now to issue prayer boards without endorsement may fall short of ritual propriety.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 115Volume 115 Book of Later Zhou 17: Shizong Annals 2 · 1 passage

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雖堯、舜、禹、湯之上聖，文、武、成康之至明，尚猶思逆耳之言，求苦口之藥，何況後人之不逮哉！ Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang were supreme sages; Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang were supremely enlightened—yet they still welcomed unwelcome counsel and sought bitter medicine for the state. How much more must lesser rulers do so!

Book of Liang, Chapter 4Volume 4: Emperor Jianwen · 1 passage

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文王舍伯邑考而立武王，格于上下，光于四表。 King Wen passed over Bo Yi Kao and installed King Wu, harmonizing above and below and shining across the four quarters.

Book of Liang, Chapter 15Volume 15: Xie Fei; Xie Lan · 1 passage

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朏答曰：「昔魏臣有勸魏武卽帝位者，魏武曰：『如有用我，其爲周文王乎！』 Fei answered, "Of old a Wei minister urged Martial Emperor of Wei to take the throne; Martial Emperor said, 'If Heaven would use me, would I not be King Wen of Zhou!'

History of Liao, Chapter 89Volume 89 Biographies 19: Yelu Shucheng, Yang Ji, Yelu Hanliu, Yang Ji, Yelu Heshang · 1 passage

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上曰：「卿今日何減呂望之遇文王！」 The emperor said, "How is the favor shown you today any less than what Lü Wang received from King Wen!"

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 483Volume 483 Biographies 270: Confucian Scholars 4: Kong Yinzhi Son: Xing Xie, Yu Qi Son: Chuan Duo, Guang Qi Son: Zhao Huan, Sun :Xianpei, Zeng Sun : Qing Rong, Zeng Sun : Fan Hao, Xuan Sun : Xiang Ke, Lai Sun : Ling Yi · 1 passage

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又增設咸陽姬氏文王后，曲阜東野氏周公後，濟寧閔氏子騫後，濬縣端木氏子貢後，常熟言氏子遊後，鉅野卜氏子夏后，蕭縣顓孫氏子張後，菏澤、肥城兩冉氏伯牛、仲弓後，肥城有氏有子後，鄒平伏氏伏生後，孟縣韓氏文公後，郿縣張氏明公後，各一人。 It further added one post each for the Ji of Xianyang, heirs of King Wen; the Dongye of Qufu, heirs of the Duke of Zhou; the Min of Jining, heirs of Ziqian; the Duanmu of Junxian, heirs of Zigong; the Yan of Changshu, heirs of Ziyou; the Bu of Juye, heirs of Zixia; the Zhuansun of Xiaoxian, heirs of Zizhang; the two Ran lines of Heze and Feicheng, heirs of Boniu and Zhonggong; the You of Feicheng, heirs of Youzi; the Fu of Zouping, heirs of Fusheng; the Han of Mengxian, heirs of Master Wengong; and the Zhang of Meixian, heirs of Master Ming.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 3Annals of Yin · 10 passages

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以西伯昌、九侯、鄂侯為三公。 He named Western Earl Chang, the Marquis of Jiu, and the Marquis of E as the three high dukes.

西伯昌聞之，竊嘆。 When Western Earl Chang heard this, he privately sighed.

崇侯虎知之，以告紂，紂囚西伯羑里。 Chonghou Hu informed on him, and Zhou jailed the Western Earl at Youli.

西伯之臣閎夭之徒，求美女奇物善馬以獻紂，紂乃赦西伯。 His men Hongyao and the rest ransomed him with beauties, treasures, and horses, and Zhou set him free.

西伯出而獻洛西之地，以請除炮格之刑。 On his release he ceded the lands west of the Luo to buy the abolition of the heated-pillar torture.

紂乃許之，賜弓矢斧鉞，使得征伐，為西伯。 Zhou agreed and gave him bow, axe, and halberd with authority to wage war as Western Earl.

西伯歸，乃陰修德行善，諸侯多叛紂而往歸西伯。 The Western Earl went home and quietly built virtue; many lords forsook Zhou for him.

西伯滋大，紂由是稍失權重。 As the Western Earl grew mighty, Zhou's grip slackened.

及西伯伐饑國，滅之，紂之臣祖伊聞之而咎周，恐，奔告紂曰：「天既訖我殷命，假人元龜，無敢知吉，非先王不相我後人，維王淫虐用自絕，故天棄我，不有安食，不虞知天性，不迪率典。 When the Western Earl destroyed Ji, Zuyi, a minister of Zhou, heard of it, was alarmed by the Zhou state's rise, and rushed in fear to warn King Zhou, saying, "Heaven has ended Yin's mandate; even the great tortoise cannot show good fortune. It is not that the former kings have forsaken us, but that the king's cruelty has cut us off from Heaven, so we lack peace, ignore Heaven's will, and spurn the statutes.

西伯既卒，周武王之東伐，至盟津，諸侯叛殷會周者八百。 After the Western Earl died, King Wu marched east to Mengjin; eight hundred lords who had turned from Yin rallied to him.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 61Biographies: Biography of Bo Yi · 2 passages

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於是伯夷、叔齊聞西伯昌善養老，盍往歸焉。 Thereupon Bo Yi and Shu Qi heard that the Earl of the West, Chang, was good at supporting the elderly, and thought they would go and attach themselves to him.

及至，西伯卒，武王載木主，號為文王，東伐紂。 When they arrived, the Earl of the West had died. King Wu carried the wooden spirit tablet, styled him King Wen, and marched east to attack King Zhou.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 76Biographies of Lord Pingyuan and Yu Qing · 1 passage

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且遂聞湯以七十里之地王天下，文王以百里之壤而臣諸侯，豈其士卒眾多哉，誠能據其勢而奮其威。 Furthermore, I have heard that Tang ruled the world with only seventy li of land, and King Wen made the lords his subjects with but a hundred li. It was not because their soldiers were numerous, but because they understood how to wield their position and exert their authority.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 83Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang · 2 passages

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周文王獵涇、渭，載呂尚而歸，以王天下。 King Wen of Zhou went hunting along the Jing and Wei rivers, encountered Lu Shang, and brought him home—and with his help went on to rule the realm.

以其能越攣拘之語，馳域外之議，獨觀於昭曠之道也。 Because King Wen was able to see beyond the cramped words of convention, to range freely in thought beyond all boundaries, and to perceive alone the bright and expansive Way.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 116Treatise on the Southwestern Yi People · 1 passage

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在周為文王師，封楚。 In the days of Zhou, their forebear served as tutor to King Wen and was enfeoffed as the lord of Chu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 124Biographies of Knight-errants · 1 passage

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故伯夷丑周，餓死首陽山，而文武不以其故貶王； Bo Yi despised the Zhou conquest and starved himself to death on Mount Shouyang, yet Kings Wen and Wu were nonetheless regarded as kings on that account.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 127Biographies of Soothsayers · 2 passages

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自伏羲作八卦，周文王演三百八十四爻而天下治。 Ever since Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams and King Wen of Zhou elaborated the three hundred and eighty-four lines, the realm has been governed in good order.

越王句踐放文王八卦以破敵國，霸天下。 King Goujian of Yue followed King Wen's use of the Eight Trigrams to vanquish his enemies and become the hegemon of the realm.

History of Song, Chapter 107Volume 107 Treatises 60: Rites 10 · 1 passage

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又言：「當以僖祖為始祖，如周之後稷，太祖如周之文王，太宗如周之武王，與仁宗之廟，皆萬世不祧； He further stated: "Emperor Xi should be founding ancestor like Zhou's Hou Ji; Taizu like King Wen; Taizong like King Wu; with Renzong's temple—all never removed;

Book of Song, Chapter 55Volume 55 Biographies 15: Zang Dao, Xu Guang, F Long · 4 passages

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鄭玄以為祧者文王、武王之廟，王肅以為五世六世之祖。 Zheng Xuan held that the tiao were the temples of Kings Wen and Wu, whereas Wang Su held that they were ancestors of the fifth and sixth generations.

尋去祧之言，則祧非文、武之廟矣。 If we examine the phrase 'removing the tiao,' the tiao cannot be the temples of Wen and Wu.

文、武周之祖宗，何雲去祧為壇乎？ Wen and Wu were Zhou's founding ancestors — how could the rites speak of removing the tiao to make altars?

若祧是文、武之廟，宜同月祭于太祖，雖推後稷以配天，由功德之所始，非尊崇之義每有差降也。 If the tiao were the temples of Wen and Wu, they ought to receive monthly sacrifice together with the Great Ancestor; although Hou Ji was elevated to match Heaven, that was because merit began with him, not because the principle of honor allows no gradation.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 184Volume 184 Biographies 109: Ma, Yang, Lu, Lu · 3 passages

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涚曰：「世謂周文、武二王所加者。」 Shu said, "People say Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou added them."

收曰：「能為《文王操》乎？」 Shou said, "Can you play the Ballad of King Wen?"

且文世安得武聲乎？」 Besides, how could King Wu's sound appear in King Wen's age?"

History of Yuan, Chapter 171Volume 171 Biographies 58: Liu Yin, Wu Cheng · 1 passage

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分而言之，上古則羲、黃其元，堯、舜其亨，禹、湯其利，文、武、周公其貞乎！ Speaking in detail: in high antiquity Fuxi and the Yellow Emperor are the Origin, Yao and Shun the Flourishing, Yu and Tang the Advantage, and King Wen, King Wu, and the Duke of Zhou the Steadfastness!

Book of Zhou, Chapter 4Volume 4 Annals 4: Emperor Ming · 1 passage

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周文翼翼，翔此靈禽。 King Wen of Zhou, reverent and careful, here saw this numinous bird soar.