Pan Geng
Encyclopedia
Pán Gēng was a Shang Dynasty
King of China. He is best known for having moved the capital of the Shang Dynasty
to Yīn
.
In the Records of the Grand Historian
he was listed by Sima Qian
as the nineteenth Shang king, succeeding his older brother Yang Jia (Chinese: 陽甲). He was enthroned in the year of Bingyin (Chinese: 丙寅) with Yan
(Chinese: 奄) as his capital and in the seventh year of his regime, the Ying
vassal (Chinese: 应侯) came to Yan to pay homage to him.
In the fourteenth year of his reign he moved his capital to Beimeng (Chinese: 北蒙) renaming it Yin (Chinese: 殷); henceforth the Shang dynasty was also called the Yin Dynasty.
In the fifteenth year of his reign he reviewed his army at the new capital and in the nineteenth year of his reign he assigned his minister Fen (Chinese: 邠侯) in Yayu (Chinese: 亚圉).
He ruled about 28 years according to both the Bamboo Annals
and the Records of the Grand Historian, was given the posthumous name Pán Gēng and was succeeded by his younger brother Xiao Xin
(Chinese: 小辛).
Oracle script inscriptions on bones unearthed at Yinxu
alternatively record that he was the eighteenth Shang king.
In the Classic of History
, there exists a chapter entitled "Pán Gēng", which tradition holds to have been a speech by this king; however, the language in it is so different from that of Pán Gēng's time that it is most likely not a product of his era.
in his response to Sima Guang
's accusatory letter.
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...
King of China. He is best known for having moved the capital of the Shang Dynasty
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...
to Yīn
Yinxu
Yinxu is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty. The capital served 255 years for 12 kings in 8 generations.Rediscovered in 1899, it is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
.
In the Records of the Grand Historian
Records of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
he was listed by Sima Qian
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
as the nineteenth Shang king, succeeding his older brother Yang Jia (Chinese: 陽甲). He was enthroned in the year of Bingyin (Chinese: 丙寅) with Yan
Yan
-Names:* Yan Emperor, closely related to the Yellow Emperor* Cantonese transcription of surname 甄, created for naming taboo; Emperor Ming of Han , renamed Zhuang to Zhen Mandarin transcription...
(Chinese: 奄) as his capital and in the seventh year of his regime, the Ying
Ying
-People:* Yíng , a Chinese surname, the family name of Qin Shi Huang, first Emperor of China* Yīng , a Chinese surname-Places:* Ying , a state founded at the start of the Zhou Dynasty in modern Henan Province, China...
vassal (Chinese: 应侯) came to Yan to pay homage to him.
In the fourteenth year of his reign he moved his capital to Beimeng (Chinese: 北蒙) renaming it Yin (Chinese: 殷); henceforth the Shang dynasty was also called the Yin Dynasty.
In the fifteenth year of his reign he reviewed his army at the new capital and in the nineteenth year of his reign he assigned his minister Fen (Chinese: 邠侯) in Yayu (Chinese: 亚圉).
He ruled about 28 years according to both the Bamboo Annals
Bamboo Annals
The Bamboo Annals is a chronicle of ancient China. It begins at the earliest legendary times and extends to the Warring States Period , particularly the history of the Wei state...
and the Records of the Grand Historian, was given the posthumous name Pán Gēng and was succeeded by his younger brother Xiao Xin
Xiao Xin
Xiao Xin was a Shang Dynasty King of China.In the Records of the Grand Historian he was listed by Sima Qian as the twentieth Shang king, succeeding his older brother Pan Geng . He was enthroned in the year of Jiawu with Yin as his capital...
(Chinese: 小辛).
Oracle script inscriptions on bones unearthed at Yinxu
Yinxu
Yinxu is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty. The capital served 255 years for 12 kings in 8 generations.Rediscovered in 1899, it is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
alternatively record that he was the eighteenth Shang king.
In the Classic of History
Classic of History
The Classic of History is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China. It is also commonly known as the Shàngshū , or simply Shū...
, there exists a chapter entitled "Pán Gēng", which tradition holds to have been a speech by this king; however, the language in it is so different from that of Pán Gēng's time that it is most likely not a product of his era.
Historical message
The example of Pan Geng is remembered by Wang AnshiWang Anshi
Wang Anshi was a Chinese economist, statesman, chancellor and poet of the Song Dynasty who attempted controversial, major socioeconomic reforms...
in his response to Sima Guang
Sima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
's accusatory letter.