Reconsidering the Role of Lord Above as the Sovereign Deity in the Shang Dynasty
Research into the concept of"Lord Above"(上帝)in the oracle bone inscriptions from the Yin Ruins has a history of over 120 years,yielding various interpretations.Pioneering scholars such as Guo Moruo(郭沫若)identified Lord Above as the supreme deity,while Hu Houxuan(胡厚宣)proposed that the five ministers of Lord Above represented the four cardinal directions and the land.However,there remains considerable debate regarding whether Lord Above was the highest deity in the Shang Dynasty's pantheon and the precise structure of the Shang deity system.Li Xueqin(李学勤),for example,suggests that understanding the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty can offer insights into the Shang's ideological and cultural framework.Building on this approach,the present study examines later Western Zhou inscriptions on bronze objects,such as those referring to"Lord Above and deities,""The late king ascended to the court of Lord Above,"and"The late king was around the Lord Above,"to shed light on the deity's role in Shang religious thought.Analysis of the oracle bone inscriptions reveals that the Lord Above was not only the supreme deity but also the monarch of the divine realm.He exercised sovereign control over the four directions(including winds from four directions),the land,rivers,mountains,ancestors,deceased kings,and former ministers,all of whom acted as instruments of His will.Furthermore,the oracle inscription"Da Jia Bin Yu Xian"(大甲宾于咸)is interpreted in conjunction with Zuo Zhuan's portrayal of the vassals"surrounding the late king"after their death,suggesting that Da Jia assisted Da Yi to jointly carry out the will of Lord Above.In contrast,Sun Yirang's(孙诒让)theory of"heavenly beings,earth gods,and ancestors"fails to adequately account for the complexity of the Shang deity system.The Shang Dynasty's religious worldview,rooted in natural worship,positioned Lord Above as the sovereign deity who governed the forces of nature and human affairs,determining the prosperity of agriculture,and the fate of cities.His will is unpredictable and cannot be changed.As the divine ruler,Lord Above's decrees or mandate of Heaven,executed through His ministers and servants,such as the four directions(including winds from four directions),land,rivers,and mountains,together with the high forefather,the late king,and the former ministers,were central to Shang ritual practice,with sacrifices performed to secure favor and avert calamity.
oracle bone inscriptionsLord Aboveinscriptions on bronze objectsmandate of Heaven
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