Historical records in Oracle Bone Inscriptions

Fu Hao is one of more than 60 wives of Wu Ding of Shang Dynasty, namely He Zujia. After their mother died, their temple was named Xin. She lived in Wuding during the reorganization of Shang Dynasty in the first half of BC 12, and was the earliest female politician and strategist in China.

The first recorded heroine in the history of China.

Judging from her tomb, her name should be "Hao" and "Fu" is a kind of kinship, just as we call someone "big sister" today. And her other title is "Xin"

The martial arts of Shang Dynasty reached its peak in the Wuding era of Emperor Gaozong of Shang Dynasty. Wu Ding expanded the territory of Shang Dynasty several times through a series of wars. The general who led Wu Ding's expedition to the East and the West was his wife. Oracle Bone Inscriptions recorded that one summer, there was a war on the northern border, and the two sides were deadlocked. Fu Hao volunteered and asked for troops. Wu Ding hesitated, decided to send Fu Hao to arise after divination, and the result was a great victory. From then on, Wu Ding made her commander in chief. Since then, she has conquered more than 20 neighboring countries (small independent countries). There were not many people fighting at that time, usually thousands, which was similar to a large-scale battle. However, according to records, when Fu Hao attacked Qiang, there were more than 13 thousand troops at a time. In other words, almost half of the country's troops were handed over to her.

Fu Hao can not only lead troops to fight, but also be the chief priest of the country. She is often ordered to preside over ceremonies such as offering sacrifices to heaven, ancestors and gods, and is also an official of divination. Shang dynasty was a country superstitious in ghosts and gods, and the so-called "the great event of the country lies in respecting peace and honor". Fu Hao knows how to fight. She has mastered the power of sacrifice and divination. Maybe even Wu Ding is afraid of her.

Shang Gaozong had three queens before and after Wuding, and a good wife was his original match. However, Wu Ding has more than 60 wives, and Fu Hao is just one of them. It is worth noting that Fu Hao did not live with Wu Ding, but often stayed in his fief. This phenomenon never happened again in the later history of China. But at that time, it seemed to be a common phenomenon. There are at least a few wives and daughters under Wu Ding, and there is a woman named Xing (her name is You Yi, but I can't find this word in the font, but it's all about Xing, so I changed it to Xing. ) Second only to Fu Hao, he led many expeditions and managed agriculture and internal affairs for Wu Ding. She was sealed in a well, which is now Xingtai, Hebei Province.

Fu Hao's tomb, excavated in Anyang, Henan, one of the ancient capitals of Shang Dynasty, contains all kinds of vague information about Fu Hao's date of birth and death, cause of death and so on. According to one source, Fu Hao died in BC 1248, and the cause of death is unknown. Because at that time, fighting was similar to large-scale fighting. Although women and women were expensive, they were likely to fight. It is not known whether he died in battle or returned to Anyang after being seriously injured. Among several weapons unearthed from Fu Hao's tomb, there is a large bronze cymbal with dragon pattern and a bronze cymbal with tiger pattern. Because the word "Fu Hao" is engraved on it, it is concluded that this is the weapon he used before his death. One of these two weapons weighs 8.5 kilograms and the other weighs 9 kilograms. Women are good at using such heavy weapons, which shows that they have superior martial arts and extraordinary strength. And after marriage, women in China will never use a big axe again. (Some scholars have even studied the standard weapons of Amazon women warriors in ancient Greek mythology. Because they are also axes, the legend of Amazon women warriors actually originated from the Asian women warriors tribe. Perhaps these women warriors are related to the descendants of Shang people.

Shang dynasty regarded sacrifice and military affairs as two major events of the country. The so-called "national affairs lie in sacrifice and military affairs." Because of Fu Hao's high cultural accomplishment, Wu Ding, king of Shang Dynasty, often asked her to preside over sacrifices and read eulogies, and was appointed as a fortune teller to write Oracle Bone Inscriptions. Among the preserved Oracle bone inscriptions, some were carved by Fu Hao, who participated in North Korea's political activities by presiding over sacrifices and became Wu Ding's burial.

Fu Hao is also a strategist. She made many expeditions and made great achievements. Oracle Bone Inscriptions recorded that "three thousand troops are vast, and the journey is close to cutting Qiang", which means that Shang Ding's three thousand troops and the other ten thousand troops went to conquer Qiang. Among the unearthed cultural relics, two "Fu Hao" bronze cymbals were found, each weighing 89 kilograms. Destroyed by Fu Hao, according to the records of Oracle Bone Inscriptions unearthed from Yin Ruins in Oracle Bone Inscriptions, Fu Hao presided over various types and names of sacrificial activities many times, and used theocracy to serve the rule of Shang Dynasty. In addition, Fu Cha was repeatedly sent by Wu Ding to fight with troops, looking for Turks in the north, attacking foreigners in the southeast, and defeating the Pakistani army in the southwest, which made great contributions to the expansion of the territory of Shang Dynasty. Wu Ding loved her very much, granted her an independent fief, and often prayed to ghosts and gods to bless her health and longevity. However, Fu Hao died before Wu Ding. Wu Ding was so sad that she was buried about 100 meters northwest of Xiaotun Village in Anyang, Henan. These graves were dug up and kept in good condition. In addition to a large number of bronzes, 755 jades have been unearthed, which is the largest and most concentrated tomb of jades unearthed in Shang Dynasty. There are also 63 stone tools, 47 precious stones and ivory carvings.

After Fu Hao died, Wu Ding was very sad. Every time there is a military action, he often prays for Fu Hao's help in the spirit of heaven by offering sacrifices. This also reflects the name of Fu Hao before his death, which is really enough to shock the enemy. After Fu Hao's death, a huge tomb was buried alone and enjoyed the sacrificial ceremony alone, which was also rare in the Shang Dynasty.

1976 The discovery of the tomb of "Fu Hao" in the Yin Ruins in Anyang, Henan Province made the deeds of this female politician and strategist who had been buried for more than 3,000 years known to the world. Archaeologists and historians believe that this ancient outstanding woman should be given her due historical position.

BC12nd century, the Shang Dynasty in China. Due to frequent wars, the traces left by the Shang Dynasty are very rare, but a considerable part of these few relics belong to a special woman.

There are more than 60 "wives" in Wuding historical materials, among which only three have the status of queen, and the good wife ranks first. It is also the only woman that Wu Ding, the King of Zhongxing in Shang Dynasty, really loved in his life.

Among the existing offerings of Oracle Bone Inscriptions, the name "Regal" appears frequently. Among the more than 10,000 pieces of Oracle bones unearthed in YH 127, Yin Ruins, she appeared more than 200 times! Moreover, Wu Ding prayed to heaven in these divinations, including all aspects of a woman's life: war, childbirth, illness, and even her situation after death. It serves to show that Wu Ding has a deep heart for women.

Fu Hao doesn't have a Fu surname, but her father's surname is a symbol of Asia. When she married Wu Ding and became the king's wife, Wu Ding gave her quite rich fiefs and gentry. In her fief, she got a "good" surname and was regarded as "Fu Hao" or "Hou Fu Hao".

Posthumous title, a good woman, was called "Xin", and later generations of Shang Dynasty honored her as "mother Xin" and "stepmother Xin".