卷三·殷本纪第三
卷三·殷本纪第三
司马迁
殷契，母曰简狄，有娀氏之女，为帝喾次妃。三人行浴，见玄鸟堕其卵，简狄取吞之，因孕生契。契长而佐禹治水有功。帝舜乃命契曰：“百姓不亲，五品不训，汝为司徒而敬敷五教，五教在宽。”封于商，赐姓子氏。契兴于唐、虞、大禹之际，功业著于百姓，百姓以平。
契卒，子昭明立。昭明卒，子相土立。相土卒，子昌若立。昌若卒，子曹圉立。曹圉卒，子冥立。冥卒，子振立。振卒，子微立。微卒，子报丁立。报丁卒，子报乙立。报乙卒，子报丙立。报丙卒，子主壬立。主壬卒，子主癸立。主癸卒，子天乙立，是为成汤。
成汤，自契至汤八迁。汤始居亳，从先王居，作帝诰。
汤征诸侯。葛伯不祀，汤始伐之。汤曰：“予有言：人视水见形，视民知治不。”伊尹曰：“明哉！言能听，道乃进。君国子民，为善者皆在王官。勉哉，勉哉！”汤曰：“汝不能敬命，予大罚殛之，无有攸赦。”作汤征。
伊尹名阿衡。阿衡欲奸汤而无由，乃为有莘氏媵臣，负鼎俎，以滋味说汤，致于王道。或曰，伊尹处士，汤使人聘迎之，五反然后肯往从汤，言素王及九主之事。汤举任以国政。伊尹去汤適夏。既丑有夏，复归于亳。入自北门，遇女鸠、女房，作女鸠女房。
汤出，见野张网四面，祝曰：“自天下四方皆入吾网。”汤曰：“嘻，尽之矣！”乃去其三面，祝曰：“欲左，左。欲右，右。不用命，乃入吾网。”诸侯闻之，曰：“汤德至矣，及禽兽。”
当是时，夏桀为虐政淫荒，而诸侯昆吾氏为乱。汤乃兴师率诸侯，伊尹从汤，汤自把钺以伐昆吾，遂伐桀。汤曰：“格女众庶，来，女悉听朕言。匪台小子敢行举乱，有夏多罪，予维闻女众言，夏氏有罪。予畏上帝，不敢不正。今夏多罪，天命殛之。今女有众，女曰‘我君不恤我众，舍我啬事而割政’。女其曰‘有罪，其柰何’？夏王率止众力，率夺夏国。有众率怠不和，曰‘是日何时丧？予与女皆亡’！夏德若兹，今朕必往。尔尚及予一人致天之罚，予其大理女。女毋不信，朕不食言。女不从誓言，予则帑僇女，无有攸赦。”以告令师，作汤誓。于是汤曰“吾甚武”，号曰武王。
桀败于有娀之虚，桀奔于鸣条，夏师败绩。汤遂伐三，俘厥宝玉，义伯、仲伯作典宝。汤既胜夏，欲迁其社，不可，作夏社。伊尹报。于是诸侯毕服，汤乃践天子位，平定海内。
汤归至于泰卷陶，中□ 作诰。既绌夏命，还亳，作汤诰：“维三月，王自至于东郊。告诸侯群后：‘毋不有功于民，勤力乃事。予乃大罚殛女，毋予怨。’曰：‘古禹、皋陶久劳于外，其有功乎民，民乃有安。东为江，北为济，西为河，南为淮，四渎已修，万民乃有居。后稷降播，农殖百谷。三公咸有功于民，故后有立。昔蚩尤与其大夫作乱百姓，帝乃弗予，有状。先王言不可不勉。’曰：‘不道，毋之在国，女毋我怨。’”以令诸侯。伊尹作咸有一德，咎单作明居。
汤乃改正朔，易服色，上白，朝会以昼。
汤崩，太子太丁未立而卒，于是乃立太丁之弟外丙，是为帝外丙。帝外丙即位三年，崩，立外丙之弟中壬，是为帝中壬。帝中壬即位四年，崩，伊尹乃立太丁之子太甲。太甲，成汤適长孙也，是为帝太甲。帝太甲元年，伊尹作伊训，作肆命，作徂后。
帝太甲既立三年，不明，暴虐，不遵汤法，乱德，于是伊尹放之于桐宫。三年，伊尹摄行政当国，以朝诸侯。
帝太甲居桐宫三年，悔过自责，反善，于是伊尹乃迎帝太甲而授之政。帝太甲修德，诸侯咸归殷，百姓以宁。伊尹嘉之，乃作太甲训三篇，襃帝太甲，称太宗。
太宗崩，子沃丁立。帝沃丁之时，伊尹卒。既葬伊尹于亳，咎单遂训伊尹事，作沃丁。
沃丁崩，弟太庚立，是为帝太庚。帝太庚崩，子帝小甲立。帝小甲崩，弟雍己立，是为帝雍己。殷道衰，诸侯或不至。
帝雍己崩，弟太戊立，是为帝太戊。帝太戊立伊陟为相。亳有祥桑谷共生于朝，一暮大拱。帝太戊惧，问伊陟。伊陟曰：“臣闻妖不胜德，帝之政其有阙与？帝其修德。”太戊从之，而祥桑枯死而去。伊陟赞言于巫咸。巫咸治王家有成，作咸艾，作太戊。帝太戊赞伊陟于庙，言弗臣，伊陟让，作原命。殷复兴，诸侯归之，故称中宗。
中宗崩，子帝中丁立。帝中丁迁于隞。河亶甲居相。祖乙迁于邢。帝中丁崩，弟外壬立，是为帝外壬。仲丁书阙不具。帝外壬崩，弟河亶甲立，是为帝河亶甲。河亶甲时，殷复衰。
河亶甲崩，子帝祖乙立。帝祖乙立，殷复兴。巫贤任职。
祖乙崩，子帝祖辛立。帝祖辛崩，弟沃甲立，是为帝沃甲。帝沃甲崩，立沃甲兄祖辛之子祖丁，是为帝祖丁。帝祖丁崩，立弟沃甲之子南庚，是为帝南庚。帝南庚崩，立帝祖丁之子阳甲，是为帝阳甲。帝阳甲之时，殷衰。
自中丁以来，废適而更立诸弟子，弟子或争相代立，比九世乱，于是诸侯莫朝。
帝阳甲崩，弟盘庚立，是为帝盘庚。帝盘庚之时，殷已都河北，盘庚渡河南，复居成汤之故居，乃五迁，无定处。殷民咨胥皆怨，不欲徙。盘庚乃告谕诸侯大臣曰：“昔高后成汤与尔之先祖俱定天下，法则可修。舍而弗勉，何以成德！”乃遂涉河南，治亳，行汤之政，然后百姓由宁，殷道复兴。诸侯来朝，以其遵成汤之德也。
帝盘庚崩，弟小辛立，是为帝小辛。帝小辛立，殷复衰。百姓思盘庚，乃作盘庚三篇。帝小辛崩，弟小乙立，是为帝小乙。
帝小乙崩，子帝武丁立。帝武丁即位，思复兴殷，而未得其佐。三年不言，政事决定于冢宰，以观国风。武丁夜梦得圣人，名曰说。以梦所见视群臣百吏，皆非也。于是乃使百工营求之野，得说于傅险中。是时说为胥靡，筑于傅险。见于武丁，武丁曰是也。得而与之语，果圣人，举以为相，殷国大治。故遂以傅险姓之，号曰傅说。
帝武丁祭成汤，明日，有飞雉登鼎耳而呴，武丁惧。祖己曰：“王勿忧，先修政事。”祖己乃训王曰：“唯天监下典厥义，降年有永有不永，非天夭民，中绝其命。民有不若德，不听罪，天既附命正厥德，乃曰其奈何。呜呼！王嗣敬民，罔非天继，常祀毋礼于弃道。”武丁修政行德，天下咸驩，殷道复兴。
帝武丁崩，子帝祖庚立。祖己嘉武丁之以祥雉为德，立其庙为高宗，遂作高宗肜日及训。
帝祖庚崩，弟祖甲立，是为帝甲。帝甲淫乱，殷复衰。
帝甲崩，子帝廪辛立。帝廪辛崩，弟庚丁立，是为帝庚丁。帝庚丁崩，子帝武乙立。殷复去亳，徙河北。
帝武乙无道，为偶人，谓之天神。与之博，令人为行。天神不胜，乃僇辱之。为革囊，盛血，卬而射之，命曰“射天”。武乙猎于河渭之间，暴雷，武乙震死。子帝太丁立。帝太丁崩，子帝乙立。帝乙立，殷益衰。
帝乙长子曰微子启，启母贱，不得嗣。少子辛，辛母正后，辛为嗣。帝乙崩，子辛立，是为帝辛，天下谓之纣。
帝纣资辨捷疾，闻见甚敏；材力过人，手格猛兽；知足以距谏，言足以饰非；矜人臣以能，高天下以声，以为皆出己之下。好酒淫乐，嬖于妇人。爱妲己，妲己之言是从。于是使师涓作新淫声，北里之舞，靡靡之乐。厚赋税以实鹿台之钱，而盈钜桥之粟。益收狗马奇物，充仞宫室。益广沙丘苑台，多取野兽蜚鸟置其中。慢于鬼神。大冣乐戏于沙丘，以酒为池，县肉为林，使男女倮相逐其间，为长夜之饮。
百姓怨望而诸侯有畔者，于是纣乃重刑辟，有炮格之法。以西伯昌、九侯、鄂侯为三公。九侯有好女，入之纣。九侯女不憙淫，纣怒，杀之，而醢九侯。鄂侯争之强，辨之疾，并脯鄂侯。西伯昌闻之，窃叹。崇侯虎知之，以告纣，纣囚西伯羑里。西伯之臣闳夭之徒，求美女奇物善马以献纣，纣乃赦西伯。西伯出而献洛西之地，以请除炮格之刑。纣乃许之，赐弓矢斧钺，使得征伐，为西伯。而用费中为政。费中善谀，好利，殷人弗亲。纣又用恶来。恶来善毁谗，诸侯以此益疏。
西伯归，乃阴修德行善，诸侯多叛纣而往归西伯。西伯滋大，纣由是稍失权重。王子比干谏，弗听。商容贤者，百姓爱之，纣废之。及西伯伐饥国，灭之，纣之臣祖伊闻之而咎周，恐，奔告纣曰：“天既讫我殷命，假人元龟，无敢知吉，非先王不相我后人，维王淫虐用自绝，故天弃我，不有安食，不虞知天性，不迪率典。今我民罔不欲丧，曰‘天曷不降威，大命胡不至’？今王其柰何？”纣曰：“我生不有命在天乎！”祖伊反，曰：“纣不可谏矣。”西伯既卒，周武王之东伐，至盟津，诸侯叛殷会周者八百。诸侯皆曰：“纣可伐矣。”武王曰：“尔未知天命。”乃复归。
纣愈淫乱不止。微子数谏不听，乃与大师、少师谋，遂去。比干曰：“为人臣者，不得不以死争。”乃强谏纣。纣怒曰：“吾闻圣人心有七窍。”剖比干，观其心。箕子惧，乃详狂为奴，纣又囚之。殷之大师、少师乃持其祭乐器奔周。周武王于是遂率诸侯伐纣。纣亦发兵距之牧野。甲子日，纣兵败。纣走入，登鹿台，衣其宝玉衣，赴火而死。周武王遂斩纣头，县之白旗。杀妲己。释箕子之囚，封比干之墓，表商容之闾。封纣子武庚禄父，以续殷祀，令修行盘庚之政。殷民大说。于是周武王为天子。其后世贬帝号，号为王。而封殷后为诸侯，属周。
周武王崩，武庚与管叔、蔡叔作乱，成王命周公诛之，而立微子于宋，以续殷后焉。
太史公曰：余以颂次契之事，自成汤以来，采于书诗。契为子姓，其后分封，以国为姓，有殷氏、来氏、宋氏、空桐氏、稚氏、北殷氏、目夷氏。孔子曰，殷路车为善，而色尚白。
Fascicle Three · Basic Annals of the Yin, Third
司马迁
Xie of the Yin: his mother was called Jiandi, a woman of the house of Yousong and second consort of the Emperor Ku. Three of them went to bathe, and they saw a dark bird drop its egg; Jiandi took and swallowed it, and thereby conceived and bore Xie. Xie grew up and assisted Yu in controlling the waters, with merit. The Emperor Shun then charged Xie: "The hundred clans are not affectionate to one another and the five relationships are not observed; you shall be Minister of Instruction and reverently spread the five teachings, and let the five teachings be spread with leniency." He was enfeoffed at Shang and given the surname Zi. Xie rose in the time of Tang, Yu and the Great Yu; his achievements were manifest among the hundred clans, and by them the hundred clans were brought to peace.
Xie died and his son Zhaoming was set up. Zhaoming died and his son Xiangtu was set up. Xiangtu died and his son Changruo was set up. Changruo died and his son Caoyu was set up. Caoyu died and his son Ming was set up. Ming died and his son Zhen was set up. Zhen died and his son Wei was set up. Wei died and his son Baoding was set up. Baoding died and his son Baoyi was set up. Baoyi died and his son Baobing was set up. Baobing died and his son Zhuren was set up. Zhuren died and his son Zhugui was set up. Zhugui died and his son Tianyi was set up; this is Tang the Completer.
Tang the Completer: from Xie to Tang there were eight removals. Tang first dwelt at Bo, following the dwelling of the former kings, and composed the Proclamation of the Emperor.
Tang chastised the territorial lords. The Earl of Ge did not sacrifice, and Tang first attacked him. Tang said: "I have a saying: as a man looking into water sees his own form, so looking at the people one knows whether there is good government or not." Yi Yin said: "Enlightened! If words can be listened to, then the Way advances. In ruling a state and treating the people as one's children, all who do good are to be in the king's offices. Strive, strive!" Tang said: "If you cannot respect the command, I will punish you greatly and put you to death, and there shall be no pardon." He composed the Chastisement of Tang.
Yi Yin was named Aheng. Aheng wished to gain access to Tang and had no way, so he became a servant in the dowry train of the house of Youshen, carrying the tripod and the chopping board, and by the flavours of food he persuaded Tang and brought him to the way of a king. Others say that Yi Yin was a scholar living in retirement, and that Tang sent men to invite and welcome him, and only after five refusals was he willing to go and follow Tang, and spoke of the uncrowned king and of the affairs of the nine kinds of ruler. Tang raised him up and entrusted him with the government of the state. Yi Yin left Tang and went to the Xia. Having come to loathe the Xia, he returned to Bo. He entered by the north gate and met Nüjiu and Nüfang, and composed Nüjiu and Nüfang.
Tang went out and saw someone in the fields who had spread nets on all four sides and was praying: "From all four quarters of the world, let all come into my net." Tang said, "Ah, that would take them all!" and he removed three of the sides, and prayed: "Those who would go left, go left; those who would go right, go right. Only those who do not obey the command, let them come into my net." When the lords heard of it they said, "Tang's virtue is at its height; it reaches even to the birds and beasts."
At that time Jie of the Xia carried on a cruel government and was given to licence and dissipation, and among the lords the house of Kunwu made rebellion. Tang then raised an army and led the lords; Yi Yin followed Tang, and Tang himself took the battle-axe to attack Kunwu, and then attacked Jie. Tang said: "Come, you multitude, come, and listen all of you to my words. It is not that I, the little one, dare to raise up rebellion; the house of Xia has many crimes, and I have heard the words of you, the multitude, that the house of Xia is guilty. I fear the Lord on High and dare not fail to set things right. Now the Xia has many crimes, and heaven's mandate is to put him to death. Now you, my multitude, say, 'Our lord has no pity on us, his multitude; he casts aside our harvest work and cuts into the government.' You may say, 'He is guilty, but what of it?' The king of Xia has used up the strength of the multitude and has plundered the state of Xia. The multitude have become idle and are not in accord, saying, 'When will this sun perish? You and I shall perish together!' Such being the virtue of the Xia, now I must go. Do you assist me, the one man, to carry out heaven's punishment, and I will greatly reward you. Do not disbelieve; I do not eat my words. If you do not follow my oath, I will make slaves of you and your children, and there shall be no pardon." With this he instructed the host, and composed the Oath of Tang. Thereupon Tang said, "I am very martial," and styled himself the Martial King.
Jie was defeated at the ruins of Yousong, and Jie fled to Mingtiao, and the army of Xia was utterly routed. Tang then attacked San and took its precious jades as spoil, and Yibo and Zhongbo composed the Canon of Treasures. Tang having conquered the Xia, he wished to move its altar of the soil, but this could not be done, and he composed the Altar of Xia. Yi Yin reported. Thereupon the lords all submitted, and Tang ascended the position of Son of Heaven and pacified all within the seas.
Tang on his return reached Taijuantao, and at Zhong[□] composed a proclamation. Having put an end to the mandate of Xia, he returned to Bo and composed the Proclamation of Tang: "In the third month the king himself came to the eastern suburb. He announced to the lords and the many princes: 'Let none of you fail to do service to the people; be diligent in your tasks. Otherwise I shall punish you greatly and put you to death; do not blame me.' He said: 'Of old Yu and Gaoyao long toiled abroad, and they did service to the people, and the people were thereby at peace. In the east the Jiang, in the north the Ji, in the west the He, in the south the Huai: the four great waters having been put in order, the myriad people had dwellings. Houji came down and taught sowing, and husbandry raised the hundred grains. These three ministers all did service to the people, and therefore their descendants were established. Of old Chiyou and his great officers made rebellion among the hundred clans, and the Lord on High did not grant them success — there is proof of it. The words of the former kings must be striven after.' He said: 'If any are without the Way, they shall have no place in the state; do not blame me.'" With this he charged the lords. Yi Yin composed All Have One Virtue, and Jiu Dan composed On Clear Dwelling.
Tang then changed the first day of the year, altered the colours of robes, honoured white, and held court assemblies by day.
Tang died. The heir apparent Taiding had not been set up when he died, and so Taiding's younger brother Waibing was set up; this is the Emperor Waibing. The Emperor Waibing came to the throne and died in his third year, and Waibing's younger brother Zhongren was set up; this is the Emperor Zhongren. The Emperor Zhongren came to the throne and died in his fourth year, and Yi Yin then set up Taiding's son Taijia. Taijia was the eldest grandson of Tang the Completer by the principal line; this is the Emperor Taijia. In the first year of the Emperor Taijia, Yi Yin composed the Instructions of Yi, composed the Setting Forth of Commands, and composed On the Departed Ruler.
When the Emperor Taijia had been set up three years, he was unenlightened and cruel, did not follow Tang's laws and threw virtue into disorder; thereupon Yi Yin banished him to the Tong Palace. For three years Yi Yin acted as regent in the government and took charge of the state, and received the court of the lords.
The Emperor Taijia dwelt in the Tong Palace three years, repented of his faults, blamed himself and turned to good; thereupon Yi Yin welcomed the Emperor Taijia back and handed over the government to him. The Emperor Taijia cultivated virtue, and the lords all turned to the Yin, and the hundred clans were thereby at rest. Yi Yin commended him, and composed the three chapters of the Instructions to Taijia, praising the Emperor Taijia and calling him the Great Ancestor.
The Great Ancestor died and his son Woding was set up. In the time of the Emperor Woding, Yi Yin died. Yi Yin having been buried at Bo, Jiu Dan thereupon set forth Yi Yin's affairs as instruction, and composed Woding.
Woding died and his younger brother Taigeng was set up; this is the Emperor Taigeng. The Emperor Taigeng died and his son the Emperor Xiaojia was set up. The Emperor Xiaojia died and his younger brother Yongji was set up; this is the Emperor Yongji. The way of the Yin declined, and some of the lords did not come to court.
The Emperor Yongji died and his younger brother Taiwu was set up; this is the Emperor Taiwu. The Emperor Taiwu set up Yi Zhi as his minister. At Bo an ominous mulberry and a paper-mulberry grew together in the court, and in a single evening they were as thick as two hands could span. The Emperor Taiwu was afraid and asked Yi Zhi. Yi Zhi said: "Your servant has heard that portents cannot prevail over virtue. Is there some fault in Your Majesty's government? Let Your Majesty cultivate virtue." Taiwu followed this, and the ominous mulberry withered and died and was gone. Yi Zhi commended him in speaking to Wu Xian. Wu Xian governed the royal house with success, and composed the Ai of Xian and composed Taiwu. The Emperor Taiwu commended Yi Zhi in the ancestral temple and said he would not treat him as a subject; Yi Zhi declined, and composed the Command of Yuan. The Yin revived, and the lords turned to him, and so he is called the Middle Ancestor.
The Middle Ancestor died and his son the Emperor Zhongding was set up. The Emperor Zhongding removed to Ao. He Danjia dwelt at Xiang. Zuyi removed to Xing. The Emperor Zhongding died and his younger brother Wairen was set up; this is the Emperor Wairen. The records of Zhongding are defective and incomplete. The Emperor Wairen died and his younger brother He Danjia was set up; this is the Emperor He Danjia. In He Danjia's time the Yin declined again.
He Danjia died and his son the Emperor Zuyi was set up. When the Emperor Zuyi was set up, the Yin revived. Wu Xian held office.
Zuyi died and his son the Emperor Zuxin was set up. The Emperor Zuxin died and his younger brother Wojia was set up; this is the Emperor Wojia. The Emperor Wojia died, and Zuding, the son of Wojia's elder brother Zuxin, was set up; this is the Emperor Zuding. The Emperor Zuding died, and Nangeng, the son of his younger brother Wojia, was set up; this is the Emperor Nangeng. The Emperor Nangeng died, and Yangjia, the son of the Emperor Zuding, was set up; this is the Emperor Yangjia. In the time of the Emperor Yangjia the Yin declined.
From Zhongding onward the sons of the principal line were set aside and younger sons were set up in their place, and these sometimes contended and succeeded one another; for nine reigns running there was disorder, and thereupon none of the lords came to court.
The Emperor Yangjia died and his younger brother Pangeng was set up; this is the Emperor Pangeng. In the time of the Emperor Pangeng the Yin had already made their capital north of the He; Pangeng crossed south of the He and dwelt again in the old dwelling of Tang the Completer, and thus there had been five removals and no fixed place. The people of Yin all sighed and complained and did not wish to move. Pangeng then announced and explained to the lords and great ministers: "Of old the High Lord Tang the Completer together with your ancestors settled the world, and their laws and rules may be followed. If we cast them aside and do not strive, how shall we perfect virtue?" So he crossed to the south of the He, made his seat at Bo, and carried out Tang's government; after this the hundred clans were at rest and the way of the Yin revived. The lords came to court, because he followed the virtue of Tang the Completer.
The Emperor Pangeng died and his younger brother Xiaoxin was set up; this is the Emperor Xiaoxin. When the Emperor Xiaoxin was set up, the Yin declined again. The hundred clans thought longingly of Pangeng, and so composed the three chapters of Pangeng. The Emperor Xiaoxin died and his younger brother Xiaoyi was set up; this is the Emperor Xiaoyi.
The Emperor Xiaoyi died and his son the Emperor Wuding was set up. When the Emperor Wuding came to the throne, he thought to revive the Yin but had not found his helper. For three years he did not speak, and affairs of government were decided by the Prime Minister, while he observed the manners of the state. Wuding dreamed at night that he had got a sage, whose name was Yue. Comparing what he had seen in the dream with all his ministers and functionaries, none was the man. Thereupon he set the hundred craftsmen to seek him in the wilds, and Yue was found at Fuxian. At that time Yue was a convict labourer, building at Fuxian. When he was presented to Wuding, Wuding said, "This is he." Having got him, he talked with him, and he was indeed a sage; he raised him up to be minister, and the state of Yin was well governed. So he took Fuxian as his surname and styled him Fu Yue.
The Emperor Wuding sacrificed to Tang the Completer, and on the next day a flying pheasant alighted on the ear of the tripod and cried, and Wuding was afraid. Zuji said, "Let the king not be troubled; first put the affairs of government in order." Zuji then instructed the king: "It is heaven that watches those below and takes their rightness as its standard. The years it sends down are long for some and not long for others; it is not that heaven cuts men off young and breaks off their span midway. When people do not follow virtue and do not acknowledge their offences, heaven has already laid its charge upon them to correct their virtue, and then they say, 'What is to be done?' Alas! Let the king in succeeding be reverent toward the people; there is nothing that is not heaven's continuance. In the constant sacrifices do not use the rites of a cast-off way." Wuding put the government in order and practised virtue, and the whole world rejoiced, and the way of the Yin revived.
The Emperor Wuding died and his son the Emperor Zugeng was set up. Zuji commended Wuding for having made virtue out of the portent of the pheasant, and set up his temple as the High Ancestor, and so composed the Day of the Rong Sacrifice to the High Ancestor, and the Instructions.
The Emperor Zugeng died and his younger brother Zujia was set up; this is the Emperor Jia. The Emperor Jia was licentious and disorderly, and the Yin declined again.
The Emperor Jia died and his son the Emperor Linxin was set up. The Emperor Linxin died and his younger brother Gengding was set up; this is the Emperor Gengding. The Emperor Gengding died and his son the Emperor Wuyi was set up. The Yin again left Bo and removed north of the He.
The Emperor Wuyi was without principle. He made a wooden figure and called it the God of Heaven. He gambled with it and made a man move for it. When the God of Heaven lost, he insulted and humiliated it. He made a leather bag, filled it with blood, hung it up and shot at it, and called this "shooting at heaven." Wuyi was hunting between the He and the Wei when there was a sudden thunderstorm, and Wuyi was struck dead. His son the Emperor Taiding was set up. The Emperor Taiding died and his son the Emperor Yi was set up. When the Emperor Yi was set up, the Yin declined further.
The Emperor Yi's eldest son was called Qi of Wei; Qi's mother was of low rank and he could not be the heir. The younger son was Xin, whose mother was the principal consort, and Xin became the heir. The Emperor Yi died and his son Xin was set up; this is the Emperor Xin, whom the world calls Zhou.
The Emperor Zhou was by nature quick in discrimination and swift, of very keen hearing and sight; his talents and strength surpassed other men, and he could fight fierce beasts bare-handed. His knowledge was enough to reject remonstrance and his speech enough to gloss over his faults; he boasted of his abilities before his ministers and set his reputation above the world, holding that all were beneath him. He loved wine and licentious pleasures and doted on women. He loved Daji, and whatever Daji said he followed. Thereupon he had the music master Juan compose new licentious airs, the dances of the Northern Quarter and the enervating music. He made the taxes heavy in order to fill the Deer Terrace with cash and to fill Juqiao with grain. He gathered still more dogs and horses and rare things and crammed his palaces with them. He enlarged the park and terrace at Shaqiu, took many wild beasts and flying birds and put them there. He was negligent toward the ghosts and spirits. He gathered great crowds for music and sport at Shaqiu, made a pool of wine and hung meat to make a forest, and had men and women chase one another naked among them, and drank through the whole night.
The hundred clans were resentful and some of the lords rebelled; thereupon Zhou made the punishments heavier and had the law of the roasting beam. He made Chang, the Earl of the West, together with the Marquis of Jiu and the Marquis of E, his three ministers. The Marquis of Jiu had a beautiful daughter and sent her in to Zhou. The Marquis of Jiu's daughter took no pleasure in licence, and Zhou in anger killed her and had the Marquis of Jiu chopped into mince. The Marquis of E contended with him strongly and argued sharply, and he too was made into dried meat. When Chang, the Earl of the West, heard of it he sighed in secret. Hu, the Marquis of Chong, learned of this and reported it to Zhou, and Zhou imprisoned the Earl of the West at Youli. The Earl of the West's servants, Hong Yao and his fellows, sought out beautiful women, rare objects and fine horses and presented them to Zhou, and Zhou then pardoned the Earl of the West. The Earl of the West came out and offered the lands west of the Luo, asking that the punishment of the roasting beam be abolished. Zhou then granted it, and bestowed on him bow and arrows, axe and battle-axe, giving him power to chastise and attack, as Earl of the West. And he employed Feizhong in the government. Feizhong was good at flattery and fond of gain, and the people of Yin were not close to him. Zhou also employed Elai. Elai was good at defaming and slandering, and by this the lords grew more estranged.
The Earl of the West returned and then secretly cultivated virtue and did good, and many of the lords rebelled against Zhou and went over to the Earl of the West. The Earl of the West grew ever greater, and Zhou by this gradually lost weight and power. The prince Bigan remonstrated, and he did not listen. Shang Rong was a worthy man whom the people loved, and Zhou dismissed him. When the Earl of the West attacked the state of Ji and destroyed it, Zhou's minister Zuyi heard of it and blamed the Zhou; in fear he hurried to report to Zhou, saying: "Heaven has already put an end to the mandate of our Yin; men of insight and the great tortoise alike dare not claim to know any good fortune. It is not that the former kings do not help us their descendants; it is that the king by licence and cruelty has cut himself off, and therefore heaven has cast us away and we have no settled food, and we neither consider nor know heaven's nature and do not follow the statutes. Now among our people there are none who do not wish for ruin, saying, 'Why does heaven not send down its terror? Why does the great mandate not come?' What will the king do now?" Zhou said, "Was my life not given by mandate from heaven?" Zuyi returned and said, "Zhou cannot be remonstrated with." After the Earl of the West died, King Wu of Zhou attacked eastward and came to Mengjin, and the lords who rebelled against the Yin and joined the Zhou numbered eight hundred. The lords all said, "Zhou may be attacked." King Wu said, "You do not yet know heaven's mandate," and went back again.
Zhou grew ever more licentious and disorderly and did not stop. Qi of Wei remonstrated repeatedly and was not heeded, and then took counsel with the Grand Preceptor and the Junior Preceptor and went away. Bigan said, "One who is another's servant must contend even at the cost of death," and remonstrated with Zhou strongly. Zhou was angry and said, "I have heard that a sage's heart has seven openings," and he cut open Bigan and looked at his heart. Jizi was afraid, and so feigned madness and became a slave, and Zhou imprisoned him too. The Grand Preceptor and Junior Preceptor of the Yin then took their sacrificial and musical vessels and fled to the Zhou. King Wu of Zhou thereupon led the lords to attack Zhou. Zhou also sent out troops to resist him at Muye. On the jiazi day Zhou's troops were defeated. Zhou fled in, climbed the Deer Terrace, put on his robe of precious jade, threw himself into the fire and died. King Wu of Zhou then cut off Zhou's head and hung it from a white banner. He killed Daji. He released Jizi from prison, raised a mound over Bigan's grave, and marked Shang Rong's village with a memorial. He enfeoffed Zhou's son Wugeng Lufu, to carry on the sacrifices of the Yin, and ordered him to practise the government of Pangeng. The people of Yin were greatly pleased. Thereupon King Wu of Zhou became Son of Heaven. In later generations the title of Emperor was lowered and they were styled Kings. And the descendants of the Yin were enfeoffed as territorial lords, subject to the Zhou.
When King Wu of Zhou died, Wugeng, with Guanshu and Caishu, made rebellion; King Cheng charged the Duke of Zhou to punish them, and set up Qi of Wei at Song, to carry on the line of the Yin.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: I have arranged the affairs of Xie from the Hymns; from Tang the Completer onward I have gathered from the Documents and the Odes. Xie was of the surname Zi, and his descendants were enfeoffed separately and took their states as surnames; there are the clans of Yin, Lai, Song, Kongtong, Zhi, Beiyin and Muyi. Confucius said that the state carriage of the Yin was the best, and that the colour they honoured was white.