Tang of Shang

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Shang Tang (Zi Lu) 商湯 (子履)
Ancestral name (姓):	Zi (子)
Given name (名):	Lu (履)
Courtesy name (字):	Tai Yi (太乙)
King of Shang Dynasty
Dates of reign:	1617 BC–1588 BC
Temple name:	Gaozong (高宗)
Posthumous name:	Tang (湯)
Dates are in the proleptic Julian calendar

King Cheng Tang of Shang of China (in Chinese:"湯", born Zi Lu, in Chinese:"子履") (1617 BC - 1588 BC).

Tang was the first ruling king of the Shang dynasty in Chinese history. He overthrew Jie, the last ruler of the Xia dynasty.

He was the head of his tribe for more than 17 years, and during that time period, he employed wise men as civil officials and revamped his government.

Seeing that the Xia Dynasty has began to falter, Tang initiated eleven wars against Xia Dynasty, taking large quantities of land and subduing many vassal states. After an internal rebellion in Xia, Tang swept away the Xia armies in one final victory in 1600 BC. He then set Jie into exile until he died.

Tang's reign was regarded as a good one by the Chinese. He lowered taxes and the conscription rate of soldiers. His influence spread to the Yellow River, and many outlying tribes became vassal states. He also established Anyang as the new capital of China.