| Daji妲己 (Chinese) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Daji, as depicted on a relief at Ping Sien Si Temple in Perak, Malaysia | |||||
| Born | around 1076 BC | ||||
| Died | after 1046 BC | ||||
| Spouse | King Zhou of Shang | ||||
| |||||
| Father | Su Hu | ||||
Daji (Chinese:妲己;pinyin:Dájǐ;Wade–Giles:Ta2-chi3) was the favourite consort ofKing Zhou of Shang, the last king of theShang dynasty inancient China. In legends and fictions, she is portrayed as a malevolentfox spirit who kills and impersonates the real Daji.[2] Her identification as a fox spirit seems to have originated from at least theTang dynasty.[3] These accounts have been popularized in works such as theWu Wang Fa Zhou Pinghua (武王伐紂平話), theFengshen Yanyi, and theLieguo Zhi.[4] She is considered a classic example of how a beautifulfemme fatale can cause the downfall of a dynasty inChinese culture.
In theSong dynasty, fox spirit cults, including those dedicated to Daji, became outlawed, but their suppression was unsuccessful.[5] For example, in 1111, an imperial edict was issued for the destruction of many spirit shrines within Kaifeng, including those of Daji.[6]
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Daji was from a noble family of Yousu (有蘇); her style name isDa (妲), and her clan name isJi (己). Hence, she is also known asSu Da Ji orDa Ji in ancient sources. At some time during his early reign,King Zhou of Shang invaded Yousu and took Daji as his prize.
King Zhou became extremely infatuated with Daji and started to neglect state affairs in order to keep her company.[7] He used any means necessary to ingratiate himself with her and please her. Daji liked animals, so he built her a zoological garden with several rare species of birds and animals. In addition, he ordered musicians to compose and choreograph lewd music to satisfy her musical tastes.[7] He also constructed his"pond of alcohol" and "forest of meat" specifically for Daji.[8] At one point, King Zhou gathered 3000 guests to his wine lake.[7] He allowed the guests to play thecat and mouse game nude in the forest to amuse Daji. When one of King Zhou's concubines, the daughter of Lord Jiu, protested, King Zhou had her executed. Her father was ground into pieces, and his flesh fed to King Zhou's vassals.
Daji also enjoyed torture and executions,[7] and would reportedly laugh at every execution.[8] According to stories, she also appeared to be quick to torture. At one point, she noticed a farmer walking across ice barefoot, and so she ordered his feet cut off to understand why he was resistant to low temperatures.[7] In another story, Daji had a pregnant woman's belly cut open so that she could find out herself what happened inside. Bi Gan, King Zhou's uncle, reportedly received an unfortunate end at Daji's hands by having his heart cut out and examined to determine if the ancient saying of "a good man's heart has seven apertures" was true.[8]
Daji was best known for her invention of a method of torture known as theBronze Toaster (炮烙).[7] This is described as a bronze cylinder covered with oil heated like a furnace with charcoal beneath until its sides were extremely hot. The victim was forced to walk on top of the slowly heating cylinder, and he was forced to shift his feet in order to not burn. The oily surface made it difficult for the victim to maintain their balance, and if the victim fell into the charcoal below, they would be burnt to death.
Daji was executed on the orders ofKing Wu of Zhou after the fall of the Shang dynasty on the advice ofJiang Ziya. The Grand Historian, Sima Qian, only briefly mentions Daji and her execution, that King Zhou had listened only to Daji, and that she was killed after King Zhou.[9] According to Han scholarLiu Xiang'sBiographies of Exemplary Women, following her death, her head was hung on a small white flag to symbolize how she had become the downfall of the dynasty.[10][11] She had become King Wu's excuse for taking over the kingdom, and, as such, the government was renewed following her death. Other sources state that she committed suicide by strangulation.[7][8]
From the Southern and Northern Dynasties period on, Daji was believed to be an incarnation of a nine-tailed fox.[8]
Daji had many shrines associated with her in fox form.[5] The shrines dedicated to her were considered illicit cults and as such, banned.
While not related directly to one source, the creation offoot binding is associated with Daji as well.[8][5] It is said that Daji created foot binding to hide her fox feet.[8] As the other women did not know why she wrapped her feet, the other ladies at court imitated her.
Daji is featured in the Chinese novelFengshen Yanyi as a major antagonist. She was the first featured corrupter of the decliningShang dynasty in the novel. She was summoned byNüwa, the celestial sovereign, to destroy King Zhou. In return, Nüwa promised immortality after her mission was finished. InFengshen Yanyi, she was a daughter ofSu Hu (蘇護); in the early chapters, she was killed by a thousand-year-oldfox spirit whopossessed her body before becoming aconcubine of King Zhou. Her father Su Hu gave her toKing Zhou of Shang as an appeasement offer after armed conflict broke out between Su's and Shang military forces.
One night before, Daji was sent to the capital city ofZhaoge, and she was possessed by an evilnine-tailed fox spirit (aka Thousand-Year-Old Vixen). When Daji arrived in Zhaoge, she became the center of attention of King Zhou and caused the king to be extremely obsessed with her. King Zhou neglected state affairs to keep her company and ignored the advice of his subjects.Yunzhongzi was the first man to act against Daji by giving the king a magical peach-wood sword which would make Daji ill and kill her eventually. She rose above the ranks from a minor concubine to become the queen based on the king's favouritism towards her.
Daji was blamed for the fall of the Shang dynasty by corrupting King Zhou and causing him to neglect state affairs and rule with tyranny and despotism. This ultimately led to the dynasty's decline and widespread chaos. King Zhou's tyranny incurred the anger and resentment of the common people, who eventually rose up in revolt against him under King Wu of Zhou's leadership. After the fall of the Shang dynasty, Daji was exorcised byJiang Ziya (aka Jiang Taigong) and died eventually.
InRenshi Zuan, Daji is paranoid about others finding out her secret of being a fox.[3] As such, she escalates to violence and kills until the king is the only one who does not know. In most literature involving Daji, there is some reason as to why she cannot be killed in human form since she is too beautiful.[3] InFengshen Yanyi, a magical weapon is required to kill her. InWang Fa Zhou Pingua, a mirror is used to expose and destroy her. In this piece of literature, Daji's true form was a nine-tailed fox with a woman's face.
InZhaoyang Qushi, a Ming dynasty novel, Daji is a fox spirit who leaves heaven. She was unhappy after her time on earth, so she left again for the earth to make a fox kingdom.[12]