Jie of Xia

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King Jie with halberd as symbol of oppression and sitting on two ladies as symbol for abuse of power. Rubbing of relief from Wu Family Shrine, Jiaxiang, Shandong, 150 CE.

King Jie (Chinese: 桀; pinyin: Jié; Wade-Giles: Chieh, given name Gui(癸)) was the last ruler of the Xia Dynasty of China, and is blamed for its fall. He reputedly mistreated his people and became a tyrant. Records from the later Qin dynasty say that during the last year of Jie's reign, ice formed during the summer mornings and frosts occurred through July. Heavy rainfall toppled buildings, hot and cold weather arrived in disorder, and crops failed. Some scientists correlate this event with a volcanic winter, possibly due to the Minoan eruption of Thera c. 1628 BC.^[1]

Around 1600 BC, King Tang of Shang succeeded in defeating Jie, bringing an end to the Xia dynasty and founding the Shang Dynasty.

The historian Sima Qian traces the origin of the Xiongnu people to Chun Wei (淳維; Ch'un Wei), who was possibly a son of Jie. This theory has never been proven or disproven.

The Lienü zhuan biography of Mo Xi (妺喜; Mo Hsi), a concubine of King Jie, claims she corrupted the king with her sexual prowess. Mo Xi was beautiful, but completely lacking in virtue. Among other things, she liked to drink, enjoyed music, and also had a penchant for jugglers and sing-song girls. Apparently, she had King Jie order a lake of wine made. Once it was finished, she commanded 3000 men to drink the lake dry, only to laugh when they all drowned.

He got his throne in the year of Renchen(壬辰), and his capital was in Zhenxun(斟鄩), same place where Tai Kang lived.

In the 3rd year of his regime, he built a tilt palace(倾宫).

He destroyed the pyramid of Rong(容台). There were a rebellion from the Feiyi(畎夷) people after they entered Qi(岐), which is close to Fen(邠).

In the 6th year of his regime, the Qizhong(歧踵戎) people sent envoy to Xia.

In the 10th year of his regime, the five planets shown on the sky together, there was also a Meteor Shower.

Earthquake happened, and the river of Yi and Luo dried.

In the 11th year of his regime, he called all his vassals, but Youmin(有缗氏) did not come, so he sent army and conquered Youmin.

In the 13th year of his regime, he moved his capital from Zhenxun to Henan(河南).

This is the first time he invented Nian(辇), as shown in the picture, as he was carried by people.

In the 14th year of his regime, he sent troops to Minshan(岷山).

He found two daughters of the King in Minshan, called Wan(琬) and Dan(琰), not married, very beautiful, so he renamed them as Zhao(苕) and Hua(华). He abandoned his original wife Meixi(妹喜), and built a pyramid on top of the tilt palace for them to live.

In the 15th year of his regime, the Shang vassal moved their capital from Lu(履)to Hao(亳).

In the 17th year of his regime, Shang sent their minister Yinyi as envoy to Jie.

In the 20th year of his regime, Yinyi returned to Shang and met Ruhong(汝鸠) and Rufang(汝方) at the North Gate(北门).

In the 21th year of his regime, the Youluo(有洛) people had a corrupted king and their power declined. The army of Shang defeated Youluo, led by Tang. Shang then attacked Jing(荆), and later the Jing people surrendered, Tang awarded them with cattle.

In the 22th year of his regime, Tang of Shang came to worship Xia, Jie Imprisoned him at Xia pyramid(夏台).

In the 23rd year of his regime, Tang was released, and most other vassals of Xia came to visit and comfort Tang.

In the 26th year of his regime, Shang conquered Wen(温).

In the 28th year of his regime, Kunwu(昆吾) attacked Shang. Shang gathered other vassals in Jinghao(景亳). Then Shang conquered Wei(韦), and then sent army to Gu(顾).

The Grand Historian of Xia, Zhong Gu(终古), Escaped Xia and ran to Shang.

In the 29th year of his regime, Shang army conquered Gu(顾).

In October, winter, Jie dug a river to pass through the mountain of Qu(瞿山).

In the 30th year of his regime, the mountain of Qu(瞿山) collapsed.

He killed his minister Guan Longfeng(关龙逢).

Nature Disaster happed at Linsui(聆隧) in winter.

In the 31st year of his regime, Shang sent troops from Er(陑), to attack Xia and Kunwu(昆吾) at same time. Shang conquered Kunwu.

The big battle happened at Mingtiao(鸣条) between Xia and Shang, in heavy thunder storm.

Xia Army was defeated, Jie escaped and fled to Sansheng(三朡).

Shang followed Jie to Pi(郕) led by the general Wuzi(戊子), and captured Jie at Jiaomen(焦门). Later Jie was release in Nanchao(南巢).

Xia dynasty ended.

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