"The Tangwu Revolution conforms to the heavens and responds to the people.
Although the Xia, Shang and Zhou periods of Yi Ge are far away from us, they are a period in the history of our country that bears the name of "the era of semi-faith history". However, a group of bamboo slips discovered by Tsinghua University not long ago has put a new veil on this period of history, revealing the true face of King Wen of Zhou.
Let's take a brief look at King Zhou Wen and what is recorded in these bamboo slips, what subverts his image.
The ruler of the early Zhou was Ji Li, who focused on the people's livelihood and consolidated Zhou's power through wars with the Rongdi tribe.
However, the Shang king Wending summoned Ji Li in the name of a reward due to his worries, but during his stay in Yindu, he died unexpectedly due to Wending's suspicion.
Ji Chang, the son of Ji Li, succeeded to the throne and became the chief of the Western princes.
Ji Chang won the hearts of the people with his benevolent governance and reverence for virtue.
With his efforts, King Wen of Zhou gathered a large number of talents to lay the foundation for future development.
Ji Chang led the Zhou people to grow stronger, but before the time came, he could not negotiate justice for the time being.
After Ji Chang died of illness, he was succeeded by his son Ji Fa, King Wu of Zhou.
Tsinghua University's bamboo slip "Bao Xun" reveals a true history of King Wen of Zhou.
According to the Bao Xun, King Wen of Zhou proclaimed himself king as early as the beginning of his succession, and he became king much earlier than later recorded in the "Historical Records".
This discovery had a major impact on the image of King Wen of Zhou created by Confucianism.
The discovery of bamboo slips also led to a re-examination of the history of the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
Long before King Wen of Zhou destroyed the Shang, he had conquered the Yin Shang many times, but he suffered failure.
After Ji Fa succeeded to the throne, he successfully consolidated the power of the Zhou Dynasty through the feudal system and the Jingtian system, laying the foundation for the later feudal system.
The Zhou Dynasty is famous for its etiquette and music, which divides social hierarchies and alleviates social contradictions.
This ritual music system had a profound impact on the social stability and development of ancient China.
After many twists and turns, King Wen of Zhou's son, Ji Fa, successfully destroyed the Shang Dynasty and established the third slave dynasty in Chinese history.
The management system and the well field system of the Zhou Dynasty laid a solid foundation for later social development.