生平

幼年

帝辛高大威猛，力大無窮，自幼聰敏過人、反應敏捷。《荀子·非相篇》說帝辛「長巨姣美，天下之傑也；筋力超勁，百人之敵也。」 《史記·殷本紀》也說「帝紂資辨捷疾，聞見甚敏，材力過人，手格猛獸」。

繼位

帝辛繼位後，定都于沫

（前1082年），後改沬邑為朝歌（今河南淇縣）。他重視農桑，社會生產力發展，商朝國力逐漸強盛。在位期間繼續對人方（周人稱之為東夷）、林方、虎方等用兵，在經歷了長期的戰爭之後最終取得了勝利，並將商朝勢力擴展到江淮一帶。然而，對人方的戰爭導致了國內空虛，最終導致了商朝的滅亡。

武王克殷

公元前1046年（武王元年，周文王十五年），周武王聯合西方11個小國會師孟津，對殷商發起進攻。商軍主力在東南，無法徵調，只得將戰俘臨時武裝起來進行抵抗。而此時帝辛已經受到了眾多貴族和巫師等的集體反對，軍心渙散，周武王以在距離朝歌（今河南淇縣）七十里外的牧野與商軍交戰，商軍倒戈而前軍攻擊後軍。商軍因而大敗，此戰就是歷史上的牧野之戰。周軍隨即攻至朝歌。帝辛登上鹿台，穿上寶玉衣，投于火中自焚而死，商朝滅亡。死後頭顱被周武王斬下，懸在白旗，兩位妻妾的頭顱懸在紅旗上，被送入周太廟祭拜周人祖先。

帝辛死後，葬于淇水之濱。

周武王征服商朝之後，改封其子武庚為諸侯，令其統治朝歌一帶，又派三個弟弟管叔、蔡叔、霍叔監視其舉動。

家族關係

• 父親帝乙。

• 庶長兄：微子啟，因微子啟的母親地位低下，所以不能成為繼承人。一說微子啟、微仲、紂王「實則同母」，只是紂王為其母成為王后之後才出生。

• 庶次兄：微仲衍

• 叔父：比幹、箕子

家庭

• 王后：

　• 妲己

• 後宮：

　• 武庚之母、名字不明

　• 九侯女

• 兒子：武庚

考古研究

考古學者認為，殷墟遺址的1567號墓是帝辛的墓。

周朝滅商以後，紂王與夏桀一起被當作是暴君的典型，不過近年以來有不少學者對此提出懷疑。

毛澤東認為「其實紂王是個很有本事、能文能武的人。他經營東南，把東夷和中原的統一鞏固起來，在歷史上是有功的。紂王伐徐州之夷，打了勝仗，但損失很大，俘虜太多，消化不了，周武王乘虛進攻，大批俘虜倒戈，結果商朝亡了國。」「商紂王是很有本領的人，周武王把他說得很壞。他的俘虜政策做得不大好，所以以後失敗了。」

近代史學家顧頡剛也曾綜合考證，發現紂的70多條罪狀都是周朝以後逐漸增加，劇情也逐漸強烈，戰國時期增加了20項、西漢增加21項、東晉增加13項，至於比幹之死夏商周斷代工程的深入研究發現與史記上紀載有出入的證據逐漸增多，現存比幹墓寺廟中碑文有顯示其比紂王還晚死十多年，不可能是紂王所殺，此一證據不能說是鐵證，但已經構成懷疑探討點，而所謂比幹諫言而死是到春秋時期才有紀載，已相隔甚遠，且諸多文獻表明隨著歷史推演紂王的描述越來越殘暴，新增的情節也越多，炮烙之刑詳細紀載為夏桀發明，後不知怎麼也成了紂王，不能排除後人醜化的可能。到了戰國時期又有了屈原的說法比幹其實是投水而死。

史書中對其暴虐事跡的記載

《史記》記載，帝辛「知足以拒諫，言足以飾非」；又說他「好酒淫樂，嬖于婦人，以酒為池，懸肉為林，使男女裸相逐其間，為長夜之飲」；為人凶殘成性；殺害忠臣義士，如其叔父比幹；囚禁異己，如西伯昌被幽禁羑里（今河南湯陰）七年之久。他為了觀察胎兒，竟殘忍地讓人剖開孕婦的肚子。他想知道冬天光腳過河的農夫為什麼不怕冷，竟叫人砍掉他的雙腳。《戰國策》記載「昔者鬼侯、鄂侯、文王，紂之三公也。鬼侯有23子而好，故入之于紂，紂以為惡，醢鬼侯；鄂侯爭之急，辨之疾，故脯侯；文王聞之，喟然而嘆，故拘之于牖里之庫百日，而欲令之死。」

《韓非子·喻老》亦有記載：「昔者紂為象箸而箕子怖。」司馬遷在《史記·宋微子世家》亦云「紂為象箸，箕子嘆曰：彼為象箸，必為玉杯；為玉杯，則必思遠方珍怪之物而御之。輿馬宮室之漸自此始，不可振也」。

《帝王世紀》記載，帝辛在位期間，西伯的嫡長子伯邑考在殷商做人質，當時負責替帝辛駕車。但某日，帝辛派人烹殺了伯邑考，並將他做成了肉羹賜給西伯昌，並說：「聖人應當不會吃自己兒子做成的肉羹。」西伯昌最後還是吃了肉羹。帝辛評價說：「誰說西伯昌是聖人？吃了自己兒子做成的肉羹尚且不自知。」

在眾多文獻中，帝辛是一個實行炮烙之刑，濫殺無辜，開設酒池肉林，窮奢極侈的昏暴之君。他與夏桀並論，在中國一直是暴君的代名詞。這一段歷史，後人加上想像，寫成了《封神演義》。成語有「助紂為虐」。

對暴虐記載的質疑

在《尚書·牧誓》中，周武王只列舉了帝辛的四條罪狀，分別是聽婦人言、不認真祭祀、不重用親戚、任用逃犯做官，然而「聽婦人言」、「不重用親戚」與「任用逃犯做官」在商代社會並不罕見，周武王有此一說可能是因當時周已演化出了完整的禮樂制度，而對商朝的作為表示懷疑。

商朝時女性地位很高，女性可以擁有封地，還可以擔任輔政大臣或將軍；到了西周時，女性地位就大大下降了，不僅不能擁有封地，也不能參與國事。「商紂王與蘇妲己淫亂失國」的故事其實反映了殷人男女平等的歷史。商朝時用人不重視家庭身份，王族成員並沒有太多被委以特權；而西周時期的等級制度比商代要森嚴很多，實行宗法制下絕對的世官制，在周人看來，不任用親戚為官是嚴重罪過；商代政治組織鬆散，人口流動性強，諸侯中常有人逃往他國，其他國家的奴隸、農奴逃往商國，就獲得自由，一部分賢能之人甚至被任用為官員；殷墟甲骨文中有許多「小臣X」之類的人名，大多是出身卑微之人；周代政治組織嚴密，從周文王開始就實行「有亡荒閱」在全天下搜捕逃亡者，周人才指責帝辛「遺其王父母弟不用，乃維四方之多罪逋逃是崇是長」。

殷墟考古來看，商朝末期的人祭和人殉都很少，甚至沒有西周中早期嚴重。從各種文物中，看不出帝辛有太多暴行。西周初年時所宣揚的帝辛的罪狀，除了《尚書·牧誓》中的那四條，也就只有酗酒、相信自己有命在天了。到了後來，西周統治者和商朝的叛徒繼續指責帝辛，並造出了「紂」這個字。春秋戰國時期的諸子不了解歷史真相，為了向世人宣揚「惡有惡報」，便又給紂王增添了不少新的罪狀，例如作炮烙之刑、把人剁成肉醬、剖割孕婦之胎等。漢代以後的統治者繼續把紂王作為反面形象宣傳。紂王的「荒淫殘暴」實際上是千年積毀的結果。

子貢曾說過：「紂之不善，不如是之甚也。是以君子惡居下流，天下之惡皆歸焉。」認為帝辛許多的罪過並未發生，是被後人所加的。南宋學者羅泌在他的著作《路史》中，也認為商紂王的許多罪行並不真實。

在《韓非子》中提到，費仲勸諫帝辛殺掉西伯姬昌，但帝辛卻認為「夫仁義者，上所以勸下也，今昌好仁義，誅之不可」（仁義的人，君主可以用來勸導臣民。姬昌就是這種人，不應該殺。）沒有採用費仲的建議。

根據《左傳》等文獻以及殷墟甲骨文，帝辛征服了淮夷 ，派飛廉出使北方，對中國古代的統一與各族文化的交流和發展有過一定貢獻。《詩經·商頌·玄鳥》：「武王靡不勝。」《詩經·商頌·長發》：「武王載旆，有虔秉鉞。」經郭沫若等學者考証，這裡的「武王」是指帝辛，他在生前曾深受百姓的愛戴，是殷民心目中的「武王」。河南淇縣朝歌鎮有後人修建的紂王之墓，當地人民均以帝辛為榮。

相關文物

帝辛時期的青銅器有很多，例如現存于北京故宮的二祀邲其卣、四祀邲其卣、六祀邲其卣分別是帝辛二年、四年、六年時鑄造的青銅器。這三件器物都提到了邲其這個人物，據銘文記載，他協助帝辛進行了祭祀，帝辛賞賜了他貝幣。除此之外還有作冊般青銅黿、版方鼎、宰虎角等等。從當時的金文中可以知道作冊般為帝辛時期的史官。

後世創作

紂王也是明代文學小說《封神演義》中的一個登場人物，在該小說中也稱他為「壽王」。

影視錯誤

「紂」是周朝統治者給的謚號，影視作品在他活著的時候稱他為「紂王」，但當時帝辛還沒有死，不可能用周朝統治者給他的「謚」。

根據《逸周書·謚法解》可知，謚法起源于周公旦（「維周公旦、太公望，開嗣王業，建功于牧之野，終將葬，乃制謚」）。也有人認為謚法起源于更晚些時候（周厲王時期）。總之，在商紂王帝辛時期，謚號還未流行。另外，《牧誓》中記載的周武王牧野之戰時發表的檄文，裡面稱呼帝辛為「商王受」。

電視劇

• 《封神榜 (1990年)上海香港合拍電視劇》由達奇飾演

• 《封神榜中國電視公司》由蘇炳憲、萬鴻貴飾演

• 《封神榜 (2001年)無綫電視劇集》由鄭子誠飾演

• 《封神榜之鳳鳴岐山》由馬景濤飾演。

• 《封神榜之武王伐紂》由呂良偉飾演。

• 《封神英雄榜》、《封神英雄》由吳卓翰飾演。

• 《封神演義(2019年電視劇)》由 鄒兆龍 飾演

• 《夢回朝歌》由 保劍鋒 飾演。

• 《哪吒與楊戩》由 葉項明 飾演。

• 《封神之天啟》由 羅嘉良 飾演。

腳註

Early reign

In the Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian wrote that Di Xin, in the early part of his reign, had abilities which surpassed those of the ordinary man, and was quick-witted and quick-tempered. According to legend, he was intelligent enough to win all of his arguments, and he was strong enough to hunt wild beasts with his bare hands. He was the younger brother of Zi Qi (子启) and Zi Yan (子衍) (later rulers of Zhou's vassal state Song) and father of Wu Geng. His father Di Yi had two brothers, Ji Zi and Bi Gan. Di Xin added to the territory of Shang by battling the tribes surrounding it, including the Dongyi to the east.

Late reign

A significant amount of information regarding Di Xin's life had been falsified by following dynasties. Thus many modern day historians believe that he was in fact reasonable and intelligent without several of the cruelties attributed to him. The following are accounts of him written in records published in the millennium following his death, during which many misconceptions surrounding him arose.

In his later years, Di Xin gave himself over to drinking, women and abandoned morals, preferring these to the proper governance of the country, and ignored almost all affairs of state. According to Sima Qian, he even hosted festive orgies where many people engaged in immoral things at the same time with his concubines and created songs with crude (erotic) lyrics and poor rhythm. In legends, he is depicted as having come under the influence of his wicked wife Daji, and committing all manner of evil and cruel deeds with her. In fictionalizations, including the novel Fengshen Yanyi, she was said to be possessed by a malevolent fox spirit.

One of the most famous forms of entertainment Zhou enjoyed was the "Alcohol Pool and Meat Forest". A large pool, big enough for several canoes, was constructed on the Palace grounds, with inner linings of polished oval shaped stones from the seashores. This allowed for the entire pool to be filled with alcohol. A small island was constructed in the middle of the pool, where trees were planted, which had branches made of roasted meat skewers hanging over the pool. This allowed Zhou and his friends and concubines to drift on canoes in the pool. When they thirsted, they reached down into the pool with their hands and drank the wine. When they hungered, they reached up with their hands to eat the roasted meat. This was considered one of the most famous examples of decadence and corruption of a ruler in Chinese history.

According to the Records of the Grand Historian, in order to please Daji, he created the "Punishment of burning flesh with a hot iron(炮格之刑)". One large hollow bronze cylinder was stuffed with burning charcoal and allowed to burn until red-hot, then prisoners were made to literally hug the cylinder, which resulted in a painful and unsightly death.

Zhou and Daji were known to get highly aroused after watching such torture. Victims ranged from ordinary people and prisoners to high government officials, such as Mei Bo.

In order to fund Zhou's heavy daily expenses, heavy taxes were implemented. The people suffered greatly, and lost all hope for the Shang dynasty. Zhou's brother Wei Zi tried to persuade him to change, but was rebuked. His uncle Bi Gan similarly remonstrated with him, but Di Xin had his heart ripped out so he could see what the heart of a sage looked like. When his other uncle Ji Zi heard this, he went to remonstrate with the kingly nephew and, feigning madness, was imprisoned.

Fall

When Zhou dynasty's army, led by Jiang Ziya, defeated the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye in 1046 BC, Di Xin gathered all his treasures around himself in the Palace, and then set fire to his palace and committed suicide.

The name "Zhou" actually appeared after the death of King Zhou, a posthumous name (although perhaps used furtively by his contemporaries). This name was a representation of his actions, both dishonorable and cold-hearted. King Zhou would go down in history as one of the worst examples of a corrupted king in China.

Mentions in literature and legend

Zhou is mentioned in the Confucian Analects (19 "子張"); and also in the Three Character Classic. Zhou is also one of the main subjects of Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods) and its various derivations in popular media. Thus, Di Xin, also known as Zhou, has served as a (negative) exemplar of Confucian principles (presented as the wicked ruler who justifies regime change according to the Mandate of Heaven), as well as becoming an icon of popular culture. This makes for a biographically interesting figure, but one challenging a clear distinction between history, legend, and philosophical point-making.

In Fengshen Yanyi, Zhou visited the Goddess Nüwa's temple and offended the Goddess with his lustful comments towards her beauty. In response, Nüwa decided that the Shang dynasty should end and sent her three subordinates to become three beautiful women (including Daji) to bewitch Zhou. Under the influence of these women, Zhou becomes a ruthless king, losing the support of people and triggering his downfall. Until now, nobody knows most of his lifestyle from the reduced amount of artifacts found regarding to him.

According to the Fengshen Yanyi, Jiang Ziya recognized that King Zhou was a well-versed and well-trained individual who became an incapable ruler only because of having fallen victim to seduction. After his death, Jiang Ziya deified King Zhou as the Tianxi Xing (天喜星 "Star of Heavenly Happiness"). As the Tianxi Xing, he had the responsibility of managing the marriage affairs of humans.