DaJi

Daji - the lethal woman

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King Zhow of Yin (Shang)'s concubine

Daji was a favorite concubine of king Zhow of Shang... (1154-1122 B.C.) King Zhow liked wine and women and did never go away from Daji. People that were esteemed highly by Daji, were rewarded by her, and people she disliked, were executed. She created new tunes of pleasure, dancing to the wild music of the northern remoteness (Beibi), and therefore was bestowed with gems that she stored in her palace... She had made a hill of grain, a pond of wine and had hang up meat at trees. People were ordered to chase each other naked, drinking all night long. Daji was very pleased, while the people angrily watched her doings. If there should be anyone among the nobility daring to criticize her, king Zhow put in effect the punishment of the "burning bar", made of bronze and heated with charcoal. People falling out of the king's favour had to walk on the bar, but when they fell off the bar into the fire, Daji used to laugh loudly. Minister Bigan once presented a memorial, saying, "If the king is neglecting the rules of the ancient kings and instead follows the words of a woman, it will not take one single day until the disaster will arise." King Zhow was angry about these words, and so Daji said, "I have heard that the heart of a saint has seven apertures." She had Bigan's heart cut out to observe it...

Thereupon king Wu of Zhou obtained the Heavenly mandate, raised the arms and attacked king Zhow, battling at Muye. After being defeated, king Zhow mounted his Deer Terrace, wearing his jewels and jade ornaments, and burned himself to death. King Wu employed the Heavenly punishment, beheading Daji. Her head was hung on a small white flag to demonstrate to everybody that it has been a woman bringing desaster to king Zhow.