Chapter 17: The Rise of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Narrator: History is like a play, one side takes the stage, the other takes the stage. The Shang dynasty was replaced by the Zhou, the third dynasty in Chinese history. The Zhou were an ancient tribe that managed agriculture during the reigns of Yao and Shun. Besides farming, the Zhou people spent their days being bullied by the surrounding barbarians.
Narrator: The Zhou leader at the time was Ji Danlong. During his reign, the Shang Dynasty was ruled by Wu Yi. He inherited the legacy of his Zhou ancestors, dedicating himself to developing Bin and cultivating agriculture. However, the Rong tribe in the northwest repeatedly invaded Bin, and the Tu people of the Zhou tribe refused to tolerate this harassment. Therefore, Ji Danlong led the Tu people out of Bin and to Mount Qishan.
Narrator: Upon arriving in their new land, Ji Danlong and his son Ji Lilong led the people of Tu to build cities and houses, appoint officials, reclaim wasteland, and develop agricultural production. They ensured a peaceful and prosperous life for the people, establishing a vassal state and gaining recognition from the Shang Dynasty. Furthermore, after their state stabilized, they established friendly relations with the Shang Dynasty. No one dared to bully them anymore, and they prospered.
At this point in the animation, Pu Li couldn't help but press pause and asked everyone, "Since the Zhou Dynasty was developing so well and had good relations with the Shang Dynasty, why did they overthrow the Shang Dynasty?"
[What's the point of asking this? It must be for power.]
[It must have been during the reign of Emperor Xin that he was persecuted.]
[It seems that Emperor Xin must have done something to them.]
[Since Zhou was a vassal state, as mentioned in the previous episode, Emperor Xin wanted to centralize power, so he would definitely take action against the various vassal states, including Zhou!]
[Looking at Zhou's innate conditions, it seems like he's preparing for a rebellion.]
[Keep going, there's no need to guess.]
…
Seeing that no one had much to say about this question, and that everyone had hit the nail on the head, Pu Li smiled and said, "Everyone is still watching very attentively. Remember the reasons for the fall of the Shang Dynasty mentioned yesterday? In that case, I won't delay any further and let everyone continue reading."
Narrator: As time went by, Zhou also welcomed a new leader, Ji Changlong.
Narrator: Legend has it that when Ji Changlong was born, auspicious signs appeared. Upon learning of this, Ji Danlong wanted to pass the throne to Ji Changlong. However, Ji Changlong's father, Ji Lilong, was the third son, and according to the inheritance system, the throne passed to his eldest brother, Tai Bolong. Upon learning of this, Ji Lilong's two older brothers, fearing harm, fled Xiqi.
Narrator: Ji Changlong was a benevolent and righteous leader. After succeeding the Duke of Xibo, he diligently governed, focused on developing agricultural production, recruited talented individuals, and treated the wise and virtuous with respect. As a result, two-thirds of the "three-part empire" were returned to the Zhou. Under his leadership, the Western Zhou Dynasty grew doubly powerful.
Narrator: The Zhou tribe's strength drew the attention and concern of the Shang Dynasty, which subsequently imprisoned Ji Changlong. To rescue their leader, Ji Changlong's son, Bo Yikaolong, led the Zhou tribe in presenting a vast treasure to the Shang king. A large bail was paid, ultimately securing Ji Changlong's release. However, to contain Ji Changlong, the Shang king held Bo Yikaolong hostage in Chaoge.
Narrator: Being imprisoned for no reason made Ji Changlong extremely angry, and he became even more industrious. He sought out talented individuals, cultivated good relations with neighboring smaller states, and secretly eliminated the vassal states that supported the Shang Dynasty, gradually expanding Zhou's power. However, before he could overthrow the Shang Dynasty, he tragically passed away.
The scene ends here, the episode ends here, and the ending song begins. Pu Li listens to the song while watching the barrage.
[Oh my god, I thought I was finally going to see the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty, but he suddenly died.]
[Ji Chang, why didn't you hold on? It's such a pity.]
[It happened unexpectedly.]
[What a shame! Judging by the current momentum, the Shang Dynasty was almost overthrown.]
[People’s life spans back then were extremely short. They often died in their forties or fifties. Life was too short.]
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