Zu Jia

Zu Jia (祖甲) was king of the Shang Dynasty of China. His personal name was (子載). His another name is Di Jia (帝甲) in the book of Guoyu (国语).

His capital was at Yin (殷).

In the 12th year of his regime, he sent troop to fight Rong people in the west until winter.

In the 13th year of his regime, after being defeated, the West Rong people sent an envoy to Shang. In the same year he ordered vassal of Fen (邠) establish army at Gan (绀).

In the 24th year of his regime, he re-produced the Penalties that used by Tang of Shang to repress the rebellion.

In the 27th year of his regime, he named his twin sons as prince Zi Xiao (子嚣) and Zi Liang (子良).

Oracle bones from his reign show that he changed tradition. He tried to make government more rational by discontinuing sacrifices to mythical ancestors, mountains and rivers and increasing sacrifices to historical figures like Wu Ding.1

1Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, The World: A History, (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: 2007), p-84.