Wu Wang 武王

Wu Wang, original name 姬發 Ji Fa (6368.55), defeated 紂辛 Zhou Xin, the last Shang ruler, on behalf of his father, Wen Wang, but Wu Wang himself is considered the first ruler of the Zhou dynasty. His capital was southwest of contemporary Xi'an at 灃京 Fengjing and/or 鎬京 Haojing (镐京), together known as 灃鎬 Fenghao. Upon Wu Wang's death his younger brother, Zhou Gong, served as regent for Wu Wang's son, Cheng Wang. The biography here quotes Shi Ji, Annal 4, adding the comment about his Lament on the Defeat of Shang (剋商操 Ke Shang Cao), lyrics for which are in YFSJ p.831.

The original Qin Shi entry is as follows:⁴

Wu Wang took responsibility for matters after the death of Wen Wang. With all his military skill, as soon as he donned his military garb the world settled down. When he returned to Zhou (after defeating Shang) he could not sleep at night. Zhou Gong went to (Wu) Wang's place and asked, Why can you not sleep?" (Wu) Wang said, I have not yet secured the protection of Heaven. How can I have free time for sleep?" From antiquity the Lament on the Defeat of Shang was passed down. This was sadness because he had taken control, but had not yet solved the people's problems. It is not a song exhalting his defeat of Zhou Xin through military skill.

The complete original text is below. It does not seem to include the story that claims that he and Wen Wang each added a string to the five string qin that was then common, thus giving us the modern 7 string qin.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Wu Wang 武王 (Wiki)
16623.25 has image.
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2. Qin Shi entry 4
4 lines.
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3. Image
From 三才圖會 Sancai Tuhui
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4. Original text
The original Chinese text is as follows

武王既承文考之緒，終其伐功。一戎衣而天下完。還至於周，中夜不寐。周公即王所曰：「曷為不寐？」王曰：「我未足天保，何暇寐？」舊傳有《克商操》，蓋雖集大統而未忘天下之憂也。非幸紂之亡而矜其武功也。

Translation above is tentative.
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