Ancient China · King of Zhou and Cultural Founder

King Wen 文王

Wénwáng

Attested BC 1050 - BC 1050

Passages: 4
Chapters: 2
Histories: 2

Overview

King Wen was a king of Zhou and Cultural Founder.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 1050 商末
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passages 154, 156
BC 1050 紂之三公
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 83, passages 61, 64

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Wang Ji (王季)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 156
Parent of Duke of Zhou (周公)
father 父
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 154
Parent of King Wu (武王)
father 父
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 82, passages 154, 156

Key source chapters

Places and affiliations

Polity Zhou · Relation Ruler of
Directly stated · Book of Han 82, passage 154

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 82Volume 71: Jun, Shu, Yu, Xue, Ping and Peng · 2 passages

夫孝子善述人之志，周公既成文、武之業而製作禮樂，修嚴父配天之事，知文王不欲以子臨父，故推而序之，上極於後稷而以配天。 A true son carries on his forebears' purpose. The Duke of Zhou, having finished the work of Kings Wen and Wu, composed the rites and music and set his father King Wen beside heaven; knowing that a living son must not overshadow his father, he pushed the line back through the ancestors to Hou Ji so that Hou Ji might share heaven's honor.

高皇帝聖德受命，有天下，尊太上皇，猶周文、武之追王太王、王季也。 The High Emperor received heaven's mandate and ruled the world; he honored his father as Exalted Supreme Emperor just as Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou posthumously ennobled King Tai and Wang Ji.

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

昔者九侯、鄂侯、文王，紂之三公也。 In ancient times, the Marquis of Jiu, the Marquis of E, and King Wen were the three high ministers of the tyrant Zhou.

文王聞之，喟然而嘆，故拘之牖里之庫百日，欲令之死。 When King Wen heard of this, he heaved a deep sigh—and for that, Zhou imprisoned him at Youli for a hundred days, intending to let him die there.