Note 15 — Chapter XV · Mythical and Legendary Kings
Reading edition
When the Dynasty of Shang began to decline, the rulers became weak and profligate. It is told of Wu-Yih, who reigned for only four years (1198–1194 B.C.), he was “without any right principle. He made an image of a man, and called it ‘the Spirit of Heaven’. Then he ‘gamed with it’ (played dice, or at chess), causing someone to play for the image. ‘The Spirit of Heaven’ was unsuccessful, on which he disgraced it, and made a leather bag, which he filled with blood, and then placed aloft and shot at (the image was probably in the bag as well), calling this ‘shooting at Heaven’.… In the fourth year of his reign, while hunting between the Ho and the Wei, Wu-Yih suddenly died. Tsʼeen says that he was struck dead by lightning; and people recognize in that event the just and appropriate vengeance of Heaven which he had insulted.”15