Editing Shang dynasty (section)

=== Dynastic course ===
{{See also|Periodization of the Shang dynasty}}
In the ''Annals of the Yin'', Sima Qian writes that the dynasty was founded 13 generations after Xie, when Xie's descendant [[Tang of Shang|Tang]] overthrew the impious and cruel [[Jie of Xia|final Xia ruler]] in the [[Battle of Mingtiao]]. The ''Records of the Grand Historian'' recount events from the reigns of Tang, [[Tai Jia]], [[Tai Wu]], [[Pan Geng]], [[Wu Ding]], [[Wu Yi of Shang|Wu Yi]] and the depraved final king [[Di Xin]], but the rest of the Shang rulers are merely mentioned by name. In the last century, [[Wang Guowei]] demonstrated that the succession to the Shang throne matched the list of kings in Sima Qian's ''Records of the Grand Historian''. According to the ''Records of the Grand Historian'', the Shang moved their capital five times, with the final move to Yin in the reign of Pan Geng inaugurating the golden age of the dynasty.{{sfnp|Keightley|1999|p=233}}

Di Xin, the last Shang king, is said to have committed suicide after his army was defeated by [[King Wu of Zhou|Wu of Zhou]]. Legends say that his army and his equipped slaves betrayed him by joining the Zhou rebels in the decisive [[Battle of Muye]]. According to the ''[[Yi Zhou Shu]]'' and [[Mencius]] the battle was very bloody. The classic [[Ming dynasty]] novel ''[[Investiture of the Gods]]'' retells the story of the war between Shang and Zhou as a conflict with rival factions of gods supporting different sides in the war.

[[File:Pan water vessel with coiling dragon pattern, Late Shang Dynasty (c.14th - Mid 11th Century B.C.E.).tif|left|thumb|Bronze water vessel with coiling dragon pattern, late Shang ({{circa|1300–1050&nbsp;BC}})]]
After the Shang were defeated, King Wu allowed Di Xin's son [[Wu Geng]] to rule the Shang as a vassal kingdom. However, Zhou Wu sent three of his brothers and an army to ensure that Wu Geng would not rebel.<ref>[http://www.pkucn.com/redirect.php?tid=228246 邶、鄘二國考] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617081821/http://www.pkucn.com/redirect.php?tid=228246 |date=17 June 2011 }} (Bei, Yong two national test)</ref><ref>[http://ch.shvoong.com/humanities/1230377-%E5%91%A8%E5%88%9D-%E4%B8%89%E7%9B%91-%E4%B8%8E%E9%82%B6-%E9%84%98-%E5%8D%AB%E5%9C%B0%E6%9C%9B%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6/ 周初"三监"与邶、鄘、卫地望研究] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726152144/http://ch.shvoong.com/humanities/1230377-%E5%91%A8%E5%88%9D-%E4%B8%89%E7%9B%91-%E4%B8%8E%E9%82%B6-%E9%84%98-%E5%8D%AB%E5%9C%B0%E6%9C%9B%E7%A0%94%E7%A9%B6/ |date=26 July 2008}} (Bei, Yong, Wei – looking at the research)</ref><ref>[http://www.csscipaper.com/chinahistory/xianqin/110612.html "三监"人物疆地及其地望辨析 ——兼论康叔的始封地问题] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509022308/http://www.csscipaper.com/chinahistory/xianqin/110612.html |date=9 May 2011 }} (breaking ground on Kangshu problem)</ref> After Zhou Wu's death, the Shang joined the [[Rebellion of the Three Guards]] against the [[Duke of Zhou]], but the rebellion collapsed after three years, leaving Zhou in control of Shang territory.