Zu Yi
King of Shang dynasty
About Zu Yi
Lived 1600 BC – 1507 BC.
Zu Yi , personal name Zǐ Téng, was a Shang dynasty King of China.
In the Records of the Grand Historian he was listed by Sima Qian as the thirteenth Shang king, succeeding his Father He Dan Jia . He was enthroned in the year of Jisi with Xiang as his capital. In the first year of his reign he moved his capital to Geng where he held a ceremony and wrote the article of Zuyi. The following year he moved his capital again, this time to Bi where six years later his palace was completed. During his reign the Shang became stronger than ever thanks to some fine appointments including Wuxian as his prime minister in the third year of his reign and Gaoyu as his vassal in the fifteenth year of his reign. He ruled for about 19 years before his death. He was given the posthumous name Zu Yi and was succeeded by his son Zu Xin .
Oracle script inscriptions on bones unearthed at Yinxu alternatively record that he was the twelfth Shang king succeeding his brother Jian Jia and given the posthumous name Xia Yi .
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Important facts
People in Zu Yi's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Zu Yi's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zu Yi?
king of Shang dynasty
When was Zu Yi born?
Zu Yi was born in 1600 BC.
When did Zu Yi die?
Zu Yi died in 1507 BC.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Zu Yi. https://biography.guide/zu-yi/
MLA: "Zu Yi." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/zu-yi/.
Chicago: "Zu Yi." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/zu-yi/.
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