Di Yi

Di Yi , personal name Zi Xian , was a king of the Shang dynasty from 1101 BC to 1076 BC. His capital was at Yin in modern-day Anyang, Henan, and his reign is preserved in oracle bone inscriptions and bronzeware.

Personal life Di Yi was the older brother of Jizi and Bi Gan. He would have three sons: Weiziqi , Weizhong , and Di Xin. Sima Qian records that due to Weiziqi and Weizhong being of lower birth, Di Xin became his heir, and would be the last ruler of the Shang dynasty. After the fall of Shang, Weiziqi was awarded the State of Song, and Weizhong succeeded him.

Reign Di Yi's reign is marked by a significant war with the Yufang around the time of his 10th sacrificial cycle.

He is additionally recorded as having fought the Renfang 人方 according to oracle bone records in his 10th year. However, stylistic analysis has thrown this into question, particularly with the use of ziyong "to be implemented" only appearing during Di Xin's reign, and usually appearing in instances of wars with the Renfang.

According to the Bamboo Annals, in the third year of his reign, Di Yi ordered Nanzhong to fight Kun Barbarians and built Shuofang (, roughly modern Ordos in Inner Mongolia) in the middle of Kun territory after winning a battle. An earthquake also struck Predynastic Zhou. He died in the ninth year of his reign.

In the Book of Changes, Di Yi is twice recorded as having given his younger sister to King Wen of Zhou in marriage under the Tai ䷊ and Gui Mei ䷵ hexagrams.

Sima Qian records that Di Yi's reign did not improve existing economic issues dating back to Wu Yi's reign. The Book of Han records Di Yi as being infatuated with a deity and having died of shock.

A passage in the Zuozhuan implies that Di Yi lacked virtue in a similar fashion as to King Li of Zhou, though it is not elaborated upon.

It is said that Di Yi is the origin of the surname hǎo , citing a tale of Di Yi enfeoffing Haoxiang (, modern-day Taiyuan) to Zi Qi , who then took the placename as their family name.

Sacrifices Di Yi is mentioned by name at least thrice in bronze inscriptions from Di Xin's reign, with the epithet "Civil and Military" attached each time. The first is from the 4th year of Di Xin's reign, where an yi sacrifice was performed to begin another ritual cycle; the second is a rong sacrifice from the 22nd year of his reign marking the end of another cycle. In this instance, Di Xin rewarded the individual assisting him with cowry money, who would then produce a vessel inscribing to the matter. Another sacrifice was made during his 4th ritual cycle where yi and zhu sacrifices were made, and an individual assisting Di Xin named Bi Qi was rewarded with cowry money, and the act recorded in bronzeware (rubbing pictured).