Jili was a leader of the

Predynastic Zhou The Predynastic Zhou or Proto-Zhou (; ) refers to the state of Zhou that existed in the Guanzhong region of modern Shaanxi province during the Shang dynasty of ancient China, before its conquest of Shang in 1046/45 BC which led to the establishmen ...

during the

Shang dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...

of ancient China. His son King Wen and grandson King Wu would defeat the Shang to establish the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...

. He was posthumously granted the title of king, and often referred to as Ji, King of Zhou. Jili's

ancestral name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name, ...

was Ji. He was the youngest son of King Tai.

Sima Qian Sima Qian (; ; ) was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206AD220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his ''Records of the Grand Historian'', a general history of China covering more than two thousand years b ...

recorded that Jili and his son were both renowned for their wisdom and this reputation caused his elder brothers

Taibo Taibo () (circa 1150 BCE), or Wu Taibo, was the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou and the legendary founder of the State of Wu. His exact birth and death dates are unknown. Biography According to Sima Qian, Taibo was the founder of the State of ...

and Zhongyong to renounce voluntarily their claims to the throne and to leave in exile to Wu.Sima Qian. ''

Records of the Grand Historian ''Records of the Grand Historian'', also known by its Chinese name ''Shiji'', is a monumental history of China that is the first of China's 24 dynastic histories. The ''Records'' was written in the early 1st century by the ancient Chinese hist ...

'
"Annals of Zhou"
/ref> Surviving historical records portray him travelling to the Shang capital to submit to Wu Yi and being rewarded with land, jade, and horses in 1118 BC.

Bamboo Annals The ''Bamboo Annals'' (), also known as the ''Ji Tomb Annals'' (), is a chronicle of ancient China. It begins in the earliest legendary time (the age of the Yellow Emperor) and extends to 299 BC, with the later centuries focusing on the history ...

. In 1117, he captured 20 "kings" of the

Guirong Guifang () was an ancient ethnonym for a northern people that fought against the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). Chinese historical tradition identified the Guifang with the Rong, Di,Old Text Bamboo Annals"Wu Yi"quote: "三十五年，周王季伐� ...

tribes. During the reign of the Shang king

Wen Ding Wen Wu Ding () or Wen Ding (), personal name Zi Tuo (), was a king of the Shang dynasty of Ancient China. His reign was from 1116 to 1106 BC. Records According to ''Bamboo Annals'', his capital was at Yin (殷) or Zimou. In the second year of ...

, he was defeated by the

Yanjing Ji or Jicheng was an ancient city in northern China, which has become the longest continuously inhabited section of modern Beijing. Historical mention of Ji dates to the founding of the Zhou dynasty in about 1045BC. Archaeological finds in sout ...

Rong Rong or RONG may refer to: Places China *Rong County, Guangxi, Yulin, Guangxi, China *Rong County, Sichuan, Zigong, Sichuan, China Nepal *Rong, Ilam, a rural municipality in Ilam District, Nepal Norway *Rong, Norway, a village in Øygarden m ...

but managed to subdue the Yuwu (), Hu (), and Xitu () Rong. After the defeat of the Xitu tribe, Wen Ding became nervous and betrayed him, rewarding him richly before dispatching him to a place called Saiku (), where he was killed by Shang forces. Jili's death caused his son

Ji Chang King Wen of Zhou (; 1152–1050 BC, the Cultured King) was Count of state of Zhou, Zhou during the late Shang dynasty in ancient China. Although frequently confused with his fourth son Duke of Zhou, also known as "Lord Zhou", they are different hi ...

to harbor hatred towards the

Shang The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and f ...

; as the Zhou were still weak and must serve the Shang, Ji Chang plotted revenge. Jili's wife was Tai Ren (). Tai Ren, along with

Jiang Yuan Jiang Yuan () is an important figure in Chinese mythology and history. She is recorded as having lived during ancient Chinese history. Jiang Yuan was the mother of Houji, who is a culture hero and revered as the god of millet. Clan name and title ...

(mother of Jili's paternal ancestor

Hou Ji Hou Ji (or Houji; ) was a legendary Chinese culture hero credited with introducing millet to humanity during the time of the Xia dynasty.. Millet was the original staple grain of northern China, prior to the introduction of wheat. His name transl ...

), were credited by

as two women responsible for the success of the Zhou.''Records of the Grand Historian'
"Hereditary Houses of the In-Laws"
quote: "周之興也以姜原及大任" She came from a place called Zhi () and represented some connection to the Shang royalty.''

Classic of Poetry The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...

'', "Major Court Hymns - Decade of King We
Da Ming
translated by James Legge Jili had at least three sons. The eldest son was King Wen, whose son King Wu established the

of China upon defeating the

at the

Battle of Muye The Battle of Muye () or Battle of the Mu was a battle fought in ancient China between the rebel Zhou state and the reigning Shang dynasty. The Zhou army, led by Wu of Zhou, defeated the defending army of King Di Xin of Shang at Muye and capt ...

. The second eldest son was enfeoffed by King Wu in

Eastern Guo Eastern Guo () was a Chinese State (Ancient China), vassal state of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046–770 BCE). According to transmitted ancient texts, after King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang Dynasty in 1046 BCE, his two uncles received gra ...

, also known as (i.e. the "Second Son of Guo"), and the third eldest son in

Western Guo Western Guo () was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty. "Guo" was a kinship group that held at least five pieces of territory within the Zhou realm at various times. After King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang Dynasty in 1046 BCE, his u ...

, also known as (i.e. the "Third Son of Guo.")

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ji of Zhou Zhou dynasty kings Shang dynasty people 12th-century BC Chinese monarchs