Yi Yin
Yi Yin | |||||||||||
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| 伊尹 | |||||||||||
Painting of Yi Yin, made during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, Qing dynasty. | |||||||||||
| Born | Yi Zhi (伊挚) c. 1649 BC | ||||||||||
| Died | c. 1550 BC | ||||||||||
| Other names | Family name: Yi (伊) Given name: Zhi (挚) Alternate names: A Heng (阿衡), Yi Yin (伊尹) | ||||||||||
| Occupations | Chef, politician | ||||||||||
| Known for | Serving Tang of Shang; overthrowing Xia dynasty; serving Tai Jia | ||||||||||
| Children | Yi She (伊陟) Yi Fen (伊奋) | ||||||||||
| Chancellor of Shang China | |||||||||||
| Monarchs | Tang Bu Bing Zhong Ren Tai Jia Wo Ding | ||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Chinese | 伊尹 | ||||||||||
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Yi Yin (c. 1649 B.C. to c. 1550 B.C., Chinese: 伊尹, born Yī Zhì (伊挚), also known as A Heng (阿衡)), was a Chinese politician who served as a minister of the early Shang dynasty and one of the honoured officials of the era. He helped Tang of Shang, the founder of the Shang dynasty, to defeat King Jie of Xia. Oracle inscriptions of Yi have been found, providing his social status was high; for example, on one occasion, a sacrifice made to him coincided with the day in which Bao Ding was to be venerated.