CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Jizi箕子
A member of the Shang royal family, uncle of King Zhou, a court minister, imprisoned for remonstration.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 3
- RELATION RECORDS
- 9
- SOURCE WORKS
- 15
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Jizi, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01KINSHIPKinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
1 figure · 1 record＋
Kinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
Jizi—King Zhou (Di Xin)relatives
02ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
3 figures · 5 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Jizi→King Wu of Zhouvisit Zhou
Jizi→King Zhou (Di Xin)remonstrate
King Wu→Jizienfeoff
03CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
1 figure · 2 records＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
King Zhou (Di Xin)→Jiziimprison
04THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
1 figure · 1 record＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
King Wu→Jizirelease prisoner
6 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms · Records of the Grand Historian · History of Song · Old Book of Tang
Uncle of King Zhou, feigned madness to become a slave, was imprisoned, later released.
In fiction · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms · Records of Myriad Things · Book of the Later Han · Investiture of the Gods · Strategies of the Warring States · New Book of Tang · Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition · Songs of Chu
A member of the Shang royal family, uncle of King Zhou, a court minister, grieved over Bi Gan's death, admonished King Zhou and was imprisoned as a slave, refused to serve Zhou, enfeoffed in Goryeo.
Across source works
How this figure changes across texts
Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.
- Literature / legend2 profile notes
Records of Myriad Things
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Songs of Chu
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend1 profile notes
Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms
0 relations0 verified quotations - Literature / legend11 profile notes
Investiture of the Gods
3 relations3 verified quotations- Jizi→ remonstrate →King Zhou (Di Xin)
- King Zhou (Di Xin)→ imprison →Jizi
- King Wu→ enfeoff →Jizi
Verified original text · 3
箕子忙抱本来见纣王
remonstrate · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 78
将箕子竟囚之为奴
imprison · Investiture of the Gods, ch. 89
1 more verified quotation in the relationship records below.
- Official history9 profile notes
Book of Han
2 relations2 verified quotations- King Wu of Zhou→ visit →Jizi
- Jizi→ visit Zhou →King Wu of Zhou
Verified original text · 2
周武王访箕子
visit · Book of Han, 律历志
箕子访周
visit Zhou · Book of Han, 叙传上
- Official history3 profile notes
Book of the Later Han
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Old Book of Tang
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
Records of the Three Kingdoms
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history9 profile notes
Records of the Grand Historian
4 relations6 verified quotations- King Zhou (Di Xin)→ imprison →Jizi
- Jizi→ admonish →King Zhou (Di Xin)
- Jizi→ relatives →King Zhou (Di Xin)
- King Wu of Zhou→ visit →Jizi
Verified original text · 6
囚箕子
imprison · Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of Zhou
纣又囚之
imprison · Records of the Grand Historian, Annals of Yin
4 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
- Official history3 profile notes
History of Song
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history1 profile notes
New Book of Tang
1 relations1 verified quotations- Jizi→ visit Zhou →King Wu of Zhou
Verified original text · 1
箕子为周武王陈禹所有洪范之书
explain · New Book of Tang, 行一志
- Official history2 profile notes
Yi Zhou Shu
1 relations2 verified quotations- King Wu→ release prisoner →Jizi
Verified original text · 2
武王既释箕子囚
release prisoner · Yi Zhou Shu, 卷十
命召公释箕子之囚
release · Yi Zhou Shu, 卷四
- Official history1 profile notes
Strategies of the Warring States
0 relations0 verified quotations - Official history2 profile notes
Bamboo Annals
1 relations1 verified quotations- King Zhou (Di Xin)→ imprison →Jizi
Verified original text · 1
王囚箕子
imprison · Bamboo Annals, 今本-殷纪
- Official history1 profile notes
Correct Meaning of the Zuo Tradition
0 relations0 verified quotations
History vs. fiction
In official history, he is a virtuous royal clansman who served as Grand Tutor of the Shang Dynasty and was enslaved for remonstrating; in fiction, he is often portrayed as a loyal elder deeply concerned about his country and people.
The Records of the Grand Historian, Hereditary House of Song Weizi, records that when his remonstrance was not heeded by King Zhou, he let his hair down and feigned madness to become a slave; when King Wu of Zhou visited him and asked for the way to govern, he replied with the Hong Fan. (Original text: 「乃被发详狂而为奴。遂隐而鼓琴以自悲」, source: data/raw/shiji/宋微子世家.txt)
The Records of the Grand Historian, Hereditary House of Song Weizi, records Jizi as a purely political thinker and a surviving elder of the Shang dynasty; his participation in magical battles and array formations in Investiture of the Gods is a fictional construct. The original text writes that Jizi and Weizi, worried about the times, sighed: 「微子、箕子闻言，点首嗟叹。」(Investiture of the Gods, Chapter 028)
Relationship network
- imprison← King Zhou (Di Xin) → Jizihist × litRecords of the Grand Historian, Annals of ZhouRecords of the Grand Historian, Annals of YinBamboo Annals, 今本-殷纪
Original text (3)
Original text (1)
纣为淫泆，箕子谏，不听
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
箕子忙抱本来见纣王
Original text (1)
将箕子竟囚之为奴
Original text (2)
武王既释箕子囚
命召公释箕子之囚
Original relation: release · Yi Zhou Shu, 卷四
Original text (1)
Original text (3)
周武王访箕子
武王既克殷，访问箕子
于是武王乃封箕子于朝鲜而不臣也
Original relation: enfeoff · Records of the Grand Historian, 宋微子世家
Original text (2)
箕子访周
箕子为周武王陈禹所有洪范之书
Original relation: explain · New Book of Tang, 行一志