Bo Yikao

by later Chinese jurists as the rst instance of lingchi (the

death by a thousand cuts).[1] However, passages in the
Book of Rites[2][3] and the Masters of Huainan[4] assume
that King Wus inheritance simply represented an aberration or even an older tradition among the Zhou of passing
over the eldest son. (In traditional accounts, Bo Yikaos
granduncle Taibo of Wu had likewise been passed over
in favor of a younger son.[5] )

1 In ction
In the Fengshen Yanyi,[6] Bo Yikao is the oldest and most
outstanding son of Ji Chang, the Duke of the West of
the Shang dynasty. He is well versed in music and the
arts, handsome, and lial. The book recounts the story of
Changs imprisonment at Youli and (ahistorically) credits
Yikao with bringing the bribes to free him. At his audience, King Zhous concubine Daji nds Yikao attractive
and has the king employ him to teach her how to play the
zither. During a lesson, Daji attempts to seduce the boy
but he rejects and ridicules her. Dajis infatuation turns
to hatred: she complains to the king that Yikao molested
her and insulted the king in his music. King Zhou is furious and he orders Yikao to be executed, minced into
pieces, and made into meat cakes. The king then sends
the cakes to Ji Chang. Ji Changs mastery of divination
means he has already foreseen his sons fate but, in order
not to arouse the kings suspicion, he consumes the cakes.
Thinking his divination incompetent, the king then allows
the duke to leave. On the way home, Ji Chang vomits out
the meat and the cakes transform into three white rabbits, which are later brought under the care of the moon
goddess Chang'e.

Bo yikao eldest son of West Grand Duke

Bo Yikao was the oldest son of King Wen of Zhou and

the elder brother of King Wu, the founder of the Zhou
dynasty of ancient China.

2 References
[1] Brook, Timothy & al. Death by a Thousand Cuts, p.
88. Harvard Univ. Press, 2008. ISBN 0674027736,
9780674027732. Accessed 4 Nov 2012.

As a member of the Zhou royal house, his family name

was Ji. Bo refers to his status as the oldest son of his
father. Yikao may have been his personal name or a
posthumous name used for ritual purposes.

[2] Book of Rites, Tan Gong I, 1. Accessed 4 Nov 2012.

It is known that he did not inherit his fathers realm along

the Wei River. Based on later Chinese inheritance laws
and legends, it is typically thought that he predeceased
his father. Stories such as the Fengshen Yanyi lay the
guilt upon King Zhou, the last king of the Shang dynasty, and the traditional account of his death was taken

[3] Ing, Michael D.K. The Dysfunction of Ritual in Early Confucianism, pp. 98 f. Oxford Univ. Press, 2012. ISBN
0199924910, 9780199924912. Accessed 4 Nov 2012.
[4] Huainanzi, 13.3.

[5] Chen, Jack W. The Poetics of Sovereignty, p. 31. Harvard

Univ. Press, 2010. ISBN 0674056086, 9780674056084.
Accessed 4 Nov 2012.
[6] Xu Zhonglin. Fengshen Yanyi, Ch. 19.

REFERENCES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

3.1

Text

Bo Yikao Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Yikao?oldid=716574204 Contributors: Kiteinthewind, WikiLeon, SmackBot, Lds,

Neo-Jay, Iokseng, Cydebot, Itsmejudith, Tathagata Buddha, ObfuscatePenguin, Sevilledade, MystBot, Addbot, Luckas-bot, LlywelynII,
Timmyshin, Zanhe,
, EmausBot, Numbermaniac, The ancient princess and Anonymous: 2

3.2

Images

File:Ping_Sien_Si_-_046_Bo_yi_kao_(15947992030).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Ping_Sien_

Si_-_046_Bo_yi_kao_%2815947992030%29.jpg License: CC BY 2.0 Contributors: 046 Bo yi kao Original artist: Photo Dharma from
Penang, Malaysia

3.3

Content license

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