Abstract
In the so-called “Old Text” version of the “Wu yi” chapter of Shang shu, the first three kings of the Shang dynasty were Zhong Zong, Gao Zong, and Zu Jia. In the opinion of Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan, Zu Jia was Gao Zong’s son. However, their opinions differed from that of the Kong zhuan of Shang shu and Wang Su, which argued that Zu Jia was in fact the grandson of Tang of Shang, Tai Jia. This latter argument later gained theoretical ground from the fragment of the “Wu yi” chapter, which was found from the Xiping Stone Classics and showed the sequence of the three kings to possibly be Tai Jia, Zhong Zong and Gao Zong. On the other hand, though, the Three Styles Stone Classics was thought to be consistent with the opinion of Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan, who were the main proponents of the “New Text.” Taken all these into consideration, it can be concluded that the diverging points of view might occur no later than the Former Han dynasty. While the fact that Tai Jia belonged to the sequence of the three kings was recorded in the oracle bones. The information of “Wu yi” must be related to this fact. With reference to the writing system of bamboo and wood slip documents as well as other historical precedents, this paper tries to prove that the term Zu Jia used in “Wu yi” in fact was Tai Jia, whom was placed in the wrong chronological order in the text during compilation. The experts of the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project followed the opinion of Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan, so the period between Zu Geng and Kang Ding was concluded to be 44 years, while the reign of Wu Yi was concluded to be 35 years and that of Wen Ding to be 11 years. Their conclusion contradicts to the statements in the “Wu yi” chapter; therefore the experts had to impose a liberal interpretation to “Wu yi.” As the Xiping and Three Styles Stone Classics suggested, if we identify Zu Jia as Tai Jia, the statement in the chapter of “Wu yi” would then match with the time records in the Stone Classics and other historical literatures.
Keywords
the “Wu yi” chapter, stone classics, New Text, Old Text, wrong compilation
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