Yi Yin (about 1649 B.C. to about 1550 B.C., Chinese: 伊尹, born Yī Zhì (伊挚), also called A Heng (阿衡)) was a Chinese official who worked as a minister during the early Shang dynasty. He was one of the respected leaders of his time. Yi Yin helped Tang of Shang, who started the Shang dynasty, defeat King Jie of Xia. Ancient writings, such as oracle inscriptions, show that Yi Yin held a high position in society. For example, a special ceremony was held in his honor on the same day that a ceremony was planned for Bao Ding.
Biography
According to legend, Yi was a servant of a man named Youshen. When Youshen's daughter married Tang of Shang, Yi became Tang's servant. Yi was skilled in cooking, so Tang made him his chef and taught him how to balance the five flavors (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty) and how long to cook foods. While serving Tang meals, Yi used this time to discuss problems in the world, such as the weaknesses of Jie of Xia. He also shared his plan to remove Jie from power. Because of his wisdom, Tang trusted Yi and made him "Yin," meaning "minister."
Other stories say Yi was never a servant. Instead, Tang heard about Yi and tried to recruit him five times before Yi agreed to help. Mencius, a famous thinker, denied that Yi was ever a cook when asked about it by Wan Zhang, saying Yi was a farmer.
Tang moved to a place near the Xia capital. They stopped paying taxes to Jie, which angered Jie. Jie gathered armies from his nine tribes to fight Tang. Yi told Tang to wait for Jie's army to weaken. He explained that the nobles who served Jie still had strong armies. They waited for a year before attacking the nobles' states and won every battle.
When they were only five li from the Xia capital, Yi stopped the army. He said the soldiers needed more confidence, so Tang gave a speech to the troops. This speech became known as "Tang's Pledge" (湯誥, now in Shangshu). After this, they defeated Jie in the Battle of Mingtiao.
During the early Shang dynasty, Yi helped Tang create new systems, which brought political stability and economic growth.
After Tang died, two of his sons became kings but died young. Yi Yin was made a regent by Tang's grandson, Taijia of Shang. Some say Yi wrote three essays for Taijia (伊訓 chapter of the Shangshu). Taijia followed the advice for two years but later ignored it. He ruled harshly and did not listen to Yi. Yi then sent Taijia to Tonggong (an old name for Tang's tomb) and ruled China temporarily. Alternatively, Yi warned Taijia verbally, but Taijia refused to listen, leading to his exile. This action was successful, and Taijia changed his ways.
After three years, Taijia was allowed to return. Yi and officials helped Taijia reclaim his throne. He then ruled more fairly. After Taijia's death, his son, Woding of Shang, became king. In Woding's eighth year as king, Yi died. Some say he was 100 years old. Woding held a royal funeral for Yi, offering sacrifices of cattle, sheep, and pigs, and mourning for three years.
This story appears in the Records of the Grand Historian, Mencius, and Zuo Zhuan. However, the Bamboo Annals records a different version, stating Yi and Taijia fought for power. Yi sent Taijia to his grandfather's tomb and took control for seven years. Taijia later escaped, killed Yi, and reclaimed the throne. Archaeological evidence from oracle bone inscriptions, however, shows the Shang people, including the royal family, continued to honor Yi for many years after his death, casting doubt on the accuracy of the Bamboo Annals' account.
Veneration inOracle bones
Yi Yin is mentioned in about 40 oracle bone inscriptions, which are the earliest records of his life. These inscriptions disagree with the Bamboo Annals, which once claimed Yi Yin was a person who took power illegally. In the inscriptions, Yi Yin is asked for advice about important matters, such as rain, and sometimes receives sacrifices. For example, one inscription shows him being given a special offering called a you sacrifice along with five of the Six Spirits. This shows that Yi Yin was considered very important in the religious practices of the Shang state.
Posthumous accounts
Yi Yin is mentioned in many historical writings as an important figure. However, these writings come from after the Shang dynasty, so some historians are unsure if the details are accurate. This is especially true because the Zhou dynasty often changed records from the Shang dynasty. However, discoveries at Mawangdui, which uncovered Yi Yin's "Nine Rulers" dialogue (九主), and the release of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips' "Announcement of Yin" (尹誥), have made some historians more confident that parts of Yi Yin's story are real.
Yi Yin is recorded in the Book of Documents, including a text where he is the direct speaker. However, this text was lost during the time of Qin Shi Huang and later reconstructed by Fu Sheng. Because of this, some historians question its accuracy.
During the twelfth month of the first year of Tai Jia's reign (around 1623 BCE, after the death of Tang of Shang), Yi Yin wrote The Instructions of Yi (尹訓). This was a ceremony to honor Tai Jia, where a sacrifice was made to Tang, and Tai Jia was introduced at an altar. Yi Yin spoke about the virtues of Tang and Yu the Great, then warned Tai Jia about the dangers of alcohol, which Tang had supposedly warned about. However, in Tai Jia I (太甲上), it is written that Tai Jia did not listen to these warnings, leading to his exile in Tai Jia III (太甲下).
Traditionally, these accounts are considered forgeries because of contradictions in the Bamboo Annals from the Jin dynasty. The Bamboo Annals state that Yi Yin took the throne and ruled Shang for seven years before Tai Jia returned and killed him, giving his land to Yi Yin's sons, Yi She (伊陟) and Yi Fen (伊奋). However, oracle bone evidence showing that the Shang dynasty honored Yi Yin suggests he was respected, not disliked. Studies of ancient texts also show that the Announcement of Yin (尹誥) was likely written by a different person.
The Bamboo Annals are a historical record ending around 299 BCE. They were found during the Western Jin dynasty but are poorly preserved, making some details unclear. Despite this, they are still valuable. However, claims that Yi Yin took the throne are contradicted by evidence that the Shang dynasty honored him.
Yi Yin is mentioned six times in the Bamboo Annals:
1. In the 17th year of King Jie of Xia's reign, Shang asked Yi Yin to come to the Xia court.
2. In the 20th year of King Jie's reign, Yi Yin returned to Shang with Ru Jiu and Ru Fang, meeting at the northern gate.
3. In the first year of Wai Bing's reign, Wai Bing became king in Bo and appointed Yi Yin as a minister.
4. In the first year of Zhong Ren's reign, the king was crowned in Bo and appointed Yi Yin as a minister.
5. In the first year of Tai Jia's reign, the king was crowned in Bo and appointed Yi Yin as a minister. Yi Yin exiled Tai Jia to Tong and then took the throne himself.
6. In the seventh year, the king secretly left Tong and killed Yi Yin. A thick fog lasted three days, and the king ordered Yi Yin's sons, Yi She and Yi Fen, to inherit his land and homes.
The Arrival of Yin (尹至) was illegally excavated in the 1970s but was later copied and published in the first volume of the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips. It describes Yi Yin returning from a trip to the Xia dynasty.
The Announcement of Yin (尹誥) was also illegally excavated and later added to the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips collection. It was translated and published in 2012 in Volume 1. It shares a similar writing style with The Arrival of Yin but has different wording compared to Both Possessed Pure Virtue (咸有一德) in the Book of Documents.
Evidence from ancient writing styles suggests that The Announcement of Yin was once part of the Book of Rites in the Zi Yi (緇衣) chapter as The Auspiciousness of Yin (尹吉). However, Han dynasty scribes accidentally altered the text.
The Nine Rulers (九主) is a conversation between Yi Yin and Tang of Shang. It was found at Mawangdui and was written on the back of one of two copies of Laozi.
Attributed works
The following is a list of writings that are believed to have been created by Yi Yin or spoken by him and later written by a scribe. The sources that credit these works to Yi Yin are listed in parentheses.
- The Announcement of Yin 《 尹誥 》
- Nine Rulers 《九主》 (from Records of the Grand Historian)
- The Instructions of Yi 《 尹訓 》 (from The Book of Documents)
- Decrees of Si 《 肆命 》 (from The Book of Documents)
- Ancestor's Last Days 《 徂後 》 (from The Book of Documents)
- Tai Jia I-III 《 太甲 》 (from The Book of Documents, quoted)
Legacy and Evaluation
Mencius is often asked about Yi Yin in his own book, especially by Gongsun Chou. He discusses Yi Yin's decision to banish Tai Jia when Tai Jia's rule supposedly went wrong. In the end, Mencius concluded that Yi Yin was not a usurper because of his intentions. This has led to discussions about whether Mencius was a consequentialist.
Gallery
- Portrait of Yi Yin from 1607
- Picture of Yi Yin on the Xiashanghezhuan (夏商合傳), believed to have been created during the Ming-Qing dynasty period
- Portrait of Yi Yin from the National Palace Museum