Mei Bo
Encyclopedia
Mei Bo was an official of Shang Dynasty
and was killed by Di Xin, King Zhou of Shang. He is also a character featured within the famed Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi
.
After Mei Bo had seen Royal Astrologer Du being escorted by guards through the Noon Gate, Mei Bo questioned Du and then ran off quickly to discuss matters with the king. With the assisted help of Prime Minister Shang Rong
, Mei Bo effectively seized the chance to talk matters with the ignorant king. Mei Bo first barks at the king about the unjust punishment and soon death of Du, who was a loyal astrologer serving under the kingdom for over three generations. Mei Bo constantly tells the king that wiping out one of your most loyal officials without just cause is such that of removing a section of your own body. After the king ignored Mei Bo's words, he sentenced him to death through beating.
The king's favorite concubine, Daji
, tells King Zhou it would be best to burn him alive in a large toaster for his "evil ways". When the toaster was finished, it had been over twenty feet tall with three levels of burning fire from three levels of burning charcoal; and two wheels to move it around like a chariot. Before Mei Bo was to be burned alive in the toaster, he uttered the words "You stupid king! My death is as light as a feather. It matters very little whether I die or live. I am one of your highest ranking counselors. I have served three generations of kings in this dynasty. What crime have I committed? I only fear that Cheng Tang's glorious reign will end by your stupidity and cruelty!"
Thus, the poor Mei Bo was stripped of all his clothes and was immediately thrown into the very large toaster. While in the toaster, large blood-curdling screams could be heard emitting from the toaster – thus instilling complete horror into the fellow officials and marking the death of one of many Shang loyalists.
Mei Bo was appointed as the deity of Tiande Star (天德星) in the end.
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
and was killed by Di Xin, King Zhou of Shang. He is also a character featured within the famed Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi
Fengshen Yanyi
Fengshen Bang, also known as Fengshen Yanyi in Chinese, and translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods, is one of the major vernacular Chinese epic novels written during the Ming Dynasty...
.
Plot in fiction
In Fengshen Yanyi, Mei Bo is renowned as the Number One Grand Counselor to King Zhou himself; thus Mei Bo is a very high ranking official under the Shang Dynasty.After Mei Bo had seen Royal Astrologer Du being escorted by guards through the Noon Gate, Mei Bo questioned Du and then ran off quickly to discuss matters with the king. With the assisted help of Prime Minister Shang Rong
Shang Rong
Shang Rong was a high official of Shang Dynasty. He is also a major character featured in the famed ancient Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi.-Plot in Fengshen Yanyi:...
, Mei Bo effectively seized the chance to talk matters with the ignorant king. Mei Bo first barks at the king about the unjust punishment and soon death of Du, who was a loyal astrologer serving under the kingdom for over three generations. Mei Bo constantly tells the king that wiping out one of your most loyal officials without just cause is such that of removing a section of your own body. After the king ignored Mei Bo's words, he sentenced him to death through beating.
The king's favorite concubine, Daji
Daji
Daji was a favorite concubine of King Zhou of Shang, the last king of the Shang Dynasty in ancient China. She is a classic example of how a beauty causes the downfall of an empire/dynasty in Chinese culture...
, tells King Zhou it would be best to burn him alive in a large toaster for his "evil ways". When the toaster was finished, it had been over twenty feet tall with three levels of burning fire from three levels of burning charcoal; and two wheels to move it around like a chariot. Before Mei Bo was to be burned alive in the toaster, he uttered the words "You stupid king! My death is as light as a feather. It matters very little whether I die or live. I am one of your highest ranking counselors. I have served three generations of kings in this dynasty. What crime have I committed? I only fear that Cheng Tang's glorious reign will end by your stupidity and cruelty!"
Thus, the poor Mei Bo was stripped of all his clothes and was immediately thrown into the very large toaster. While in the toaster, large blood-curdling screams could be heard emitting from the toaster – thus instilling complete horror into the fellow officials and marking the death of one of many Shang loyalists.
Mei Bo was appointed as the deity of Tiande Star (天德星) in the end.