Mang
芒
King of the Xia dynasty
PredecessorHuai
SuccessorXie of Xia
SpouseConsort of Mang
IssueXie of Xia
FatherHuai of Xia

Máng (芒, read Wáng according to Sima Zhen) was the ninth king of the semi-legendary Xia dynasty. He possibly ruled 18 years.[1] He was also known as Huang (荒).[2]

Emperor Si Mang established a Sinking Sacrifice Ceremony (沉祭 Chen Ji) in which three common livestock animals (a cow, a pig & a sheep) & a memorial jade were sunk into the Yellow River as offerings to water spirits for peace & safety. Sinking sacrifices have since found widespread importance throughout Chinese history.[3]

Family

Máng's father was king Huai of Xia, son of the king Zhu of Xia.[4][5]

Mother of Máng was an unknown lady, consort of Huai.

He had a consort who bore him a son Xie. Máng's grandsons were Jiong of Xia and wise Bu Jiang.[6]

Biography

Máng took the throne after his father's death, in the year of Renshen (壬申). He celebrated his inauguration by giving precious jades to all his vassals.

In the 33rd year of his regime, the Shang vassal Zihai (子亥) moved his capital from Shangqiu (商丘) to Yin (殷) for the very first time.

According to the Bamboo Annals, Máng caught a big fish when he was sailing in the East China Sea.[7]

His was succeeded by his son Xie.

Sources

  1. ^ Chronology of China rulers
  2. ^ A Cultural History of the Chinese Language by Sharron Gu
  3. ^ "King Si Mang of Xia Dynasty and his Sinking Sacrifice Ceremony".
  4. ^ Tian Wen: A Chinese Book of Origins by Yuan Qu, Stephen Field, page 112.
  5. ^ Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian
  6. ^ Chinese archaeological abstracts: prehistoric to Western Zhou by Albert E. Dien, Jeffrey K. Riegel, Nancy Thompson Price.Online version.
  7. ^ Nivison, David S., The Dates of Western Chou, in: Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 43, (1983). Pp. 481–580.
Mang of Xia Xia dynasty Regnal titles Preceded byHuai King of China 1924 BC – 1906 BC Succeeded byXie
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