An Investigative Argument on the Founding of the Zhou Dynasty by the Ten Treacherous Ministers

The traditional explanation of the history of ancient China that the Ten Treacherous Ministers who helped King of Wu to found and administer the Zhou Dynasty were actually such outstanding ministers of the Zhou Dynasty as Lord Zhou,Lord Zhao,Lord Bi,Lord Rong and the like is not accurately grounded.A synthesization of the notes of scholars of the later Dynasties with reference of studies of the related historical facts to the Shang and the Zhou Dynasty shows that the Ten Treacherous Ministers were not the Outstanding Ministers of the Zhou Dynasty but the Ten Treacherous Ministers of the Shang Dynasty.These treacherous ministers played very important roles in the overthrowal of the Shang Dynasty and the founding of the Zhou Dynasty.Therefore,a right interpretation of the value of this recorded historical material means a great deal to understanding the radical historical change in the late Shang and the early Zhou Dynasty.