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King Cheng of Zhou
King Cheng of Zhou (Chinese: 周成王; pinyin: Zhōu Chéng Wáng; Wade–Giles: Chou1 Ch‘êng2 Wang2; 1055–1021 BC), personal name Ji Song, was the second king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1042–1021 BCE or 1042/35–1006 BCE. Ji Dan, Duke of Zhou served as regent during his minority. His parents were King Wu of Zhou and Queen Yi Jiang.
King Cheng was young when he ascended the throne. His paternal uncle the Duke of Zhou, fearing that Shang forces might rise again under the possible weak rule of a young ruler, became the regent and supervised government affairs for several years.
At some point during the king's childhood, he grew ill, which prompted the Duke of Zhou to cut off his hair, throw it into the Yellow River, and pray, stating:
王少未有識，奸神命者乃旦也。
The King is a child and still without awareness. If any monster has offended the deity's orders, it is I, Dan.
King Cheng came into power during a turbulent time. King Wu of Zhou had not long defeated Di Xin at the Battle of Muye, leaving a throne that had yet to assert itself. However, for the first six years of his reign, King Cheng had the Duke of Zhou serve as regent, due to his young age and feeble body. During these years, the Duke would establish the capital at Luoyang, then teach King Cheng the ins and outs of running the nation, thus cementing the coming Zhou dynasty. Shuo Yuan gives a short account of King Cheng playing with a leaf and bestowing the State of Tang onto the Duke as a game; the Duke then said that a king must keep their word, wherein the Duke was officially enfeoffed. The Duke of Zhou would write many treatises for the young king, with concerns ranging from minor quibbles to potential arrogance. Some of these are recorded in Records of the Grand Historian.
When the Duke of Zhou took regency, this was not without problems. King Cheng's uncles, Shu Xian of Guan and Shu Du of Cai, as well as the son of Di Xin, Wu Geng, disagreed with the Duke of Zhou's regency, and believed that they should have the right to it. They therefore conspired together, sparking the Rebellion of the Three Guards, which the Duke of Zhou was forced to settle through eastern offensives.
The Bamboo Annals says the following about King Cheng's reign:
During his twilight years, King Cheng was unsure of whether his son, Ji Zhao, was up to the task of carrying his legacy. Remembering the care the Duke of Zhou gave him, he ordered the Duke of Shao and Duke of Bi to teach him how to run the nation, composing the The Dying Emperor's Will (顧命), recorded in the Book of Documents and extant. Within, he tells the dukes to ensure that King Kang does not rush headlong down the wrong path. He wrote on a jade tablet the following, which would be given to the incoming King Kang of Zhou:
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King Cheng of Zhou
King Cheng of Zhou (Chinese: 周成王; pinyin: Zhōu Chéng Wáng; Wade–Giles: Chou1 Ch‘êng2 Wang2; 1055–1021 BC), personal name Ji Song, was the second king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1042–1021 BCE or 1042/35–1006 BCE. Ji Dan, Duke of Zhou served as regent during his minority. His parents were King Wu of Zhou and Queen Yi Jiang.
King Cheng was young when he ascended the throne. His paternal uncle the Duke of Zhou, fearing that Shang forces might rise again under the possible weak rule of a young ruler, became the regent and supervised government affairs for several years.
At some point during the king's childhood, he grew ill, which prompted the Duke of Zhou to cut off his hair, throw it into the Yellow River, and pray, stating:
王少未有識，奸神命者乃旦也。
The King is a child and still without awareness. If any monster has offended the deity's orders, it is I, Dan.
King Cheng came into power during a turbulent time. King Wu of Zhou had not long defeated Di Xin at the Battle of Muye, leaving a throne that had yet to assert itself. However, for the first six years of his reign, King Cheng had the Duke of Zhou serve as regent, due to his young age and feeble body. During these years, the Duke would establish the capital at Luoyang, then teach King Cheng the ins and outs of running the nation, thus cementing the coming Zhou dynasty. Shuo Yuan gives a short account of King Cheng playing with a leaf and bestowing the State of Tang onto the Duke as a game; the Duke then said that a king must keep their word, wherein the Duke was officially enfeoffed. The Duke of Zhou would write many treatises for the young king, with concerns ranging from minor quibbles to potential arrogance. Some of these are recorded in Records of the Grand Historian.
When the Duke of Zhou took regency, this was not without problems. King Cheng's uncles, Shu Xian of Guan and Shu Du of Cai, as well as the son of Di Xin, Wu Geng, disagreed with the Duke of Zhou's regency, and believed that they should have the right to it. They therefore conspired together, sparking the Rebellion of the Three Guards, which the Duke of Zhou was forced to settle through eastern offensives.
The Bamboo Annals says the following about King Cheng's reign:
During his twilight years, King Cheng was unsure of whether his son, Ji Zhao, was up to the task of carrying his legacy. Remembering the care the Duke of Zhou gave him, he ordered the Duke of Shao and Duke of Bi to teach him how to run the nation, composing the The Dying Emperor's Will (顧命), recorded in the Book of Documents and extant. Within, he tells the dukes to ensure that King Kang does not rush headlong down the wrong path. He wrote on a jade tablet the following, which would be given to the incoming King Kang of Zhou: