Revelations from Shang Shu

(Clearwisdom.net) Shang Shu is a book of recorded history of China's remote ages. It is the oldest known history book, having recorded history from the remote antiquity of King Yao and King Shun, to that of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. From this book, we can see how the ancient people regarded Heaven and man as one, in their words and actions. Below are a couple of examples.

Heaven Punishes the Enormities

This example is from the subsection "Xibo Kan Li" within the section about the Shang Dynasty. After King Zhouwen defeated the Li State, Zuyi was very frightened and went to warn King Zhou of Shang, saying:

"Your Excellence, I'm afraid that Heaven is going to terminate our Shang Dynasty! Even deities and divine turtles could not perceive any good omen. It is not that our ancestors do not help us, but [it is] because Your Excellency is loose in morals and your extravagant and dissipated ways have alienated us from Heaven. That is why Heaven has abandoned us and not allowed us to have grain for food. Your Excellency does not understand the nature of Heaven and does not observe the law. Now all of the people wish to see you in peril. They say, 'Why doesn't Heaven punish [King Zhou]?' The Mandate of Heaven is about to be withdrawn. What is Your Excellency going to do?"

The first article in Zhou Shu (the history book of the Zhou Dynasty) is entitled "Pledge in Muye." It is the pledge King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty made in Muye. King Wu said:

"There was a saying in ancient times, 'No hen crows in the morning; if it did, the household would decline.' Now King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty only listens to his women and does not offer sacrifices to his ancestors out of reverence and for blessings; he ignores and abandons his brothers of the same ancestors, but respects, worships, trusts, and employs those criminals at large, appointing them as high-ranking officials in the court, who then treat the people brutally and cause trouble in Shang. Now I, Jifa, will follow the will of Heaven to punish them."

The Will of the People Is the Will of Heaven

Wise and able kings cherish and respect their subjects. After the Zhou Dynasty replaced the Shang Dynasty, Zhou accepted the people of the previous dynasty as their own. It was recorded in Zhou Gao that King Cheng of Zhou said:

"Oh, Feng, you must remember! Now the Yin people will observe carefully if you respectfully follow King Wen and try to listen to the good advice from the Yin people. When you go to the Yin areas, you ought to widely gather the good methods the previous insightful and wise kings of the Yin used to maintain the wellbeing of the people. You should also think deeply about the wise teachings of the elderly among the Yin people. In addition, you need to seek knowledge of the teachings of the deceased wise kings of ancient times on how to keep the people safe and sound. Advocate the Mandate of Heaven, have good virtues for yourself, and don't abandon the heavenly laws!"

In Zhao Gao King Zhou said to Feng:

"Heaven had long meant to put an end to the luck of the big State Yin. Many of the early wise kings of Yin were in Heaven, and that was why the later kings and the people of Yin were able to enjoy the Mandate of Heaven. By the end of King Zhou of Yin, wise people had hidden themselves, and harmful people held official posts. People could only protect and take care of their wives and children, miserably calling Heaven to tell of their sufferings, cursing King Zhou to perish and trying to escape. Ah! Heaven took pity on the people, cared about their fate, and changed the destiny of Yin. Your Excellency must earnestly carry out virtuous policies!"

Respect Heaven and Know One's Destiny

Wise kings in ancient times respected Heaven and protected their subjects' people, teaching them and reassuring them, being cautious and conscientious.

It was said in Kang Gao:

"Feng, we cannot afford not to see these things clearly. I need to advise you on how to carry out virtuous policies and tell you why people bring punishment upon themselves. The people are no longer peaceful, and we have not calmed their hearts; although we often teach them, but they still don't comply. Heaven will soon punish us, and we must not hold any grievances. Faults are faults whether they are big or numerous or not, let alone that they have been clearly heard by Heaven."

"Oh, Feng, you must be careful not to create resentments, not to use bad tactics, and not to adopt unlawful measures, so that your sincere heart will not be blocked. Then you will try hard to carry out virtuous policies to reassure people's hearts, to remember their kindnesses and virtues, to relieve their conscript labor so that they could be well-fed and well-clad. This way Heaven will not blame and abandon you."

From the periods of Shang and Zhou to the last feudal dynasty, Qing, the whole process of life observed heavenly laws. When there was a change of dynasty, the new dynasty protected the ancestral temples of the previous one. One can see that the principle of "Heaven and Man are one" had been the spiritual realm of ancient people all along.