Wang Gen of Shang
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Reign12th year — 16th year of Xie of Xia's reign
PredecessorWang Hai
SuccessorShang Jia
FatherMing of Shang
| Wang Gen 王亙 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gen 亙 in Liushutong script style. | |||||||||
| Ruler of Predynastic Shang | |||||||||
| Reign | 12th year — 16th year of Xie of Xia's reign | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Wang Hai | ||||||||
| Successor | Shang Jia | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Father | Ming of Shang | ||||||||
| Wang Gen of Shang | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 王亙 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "King Gen" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wang Gen,[a] family name Zi (子), was a ruler of Predynastic Shang, succeeding his brother Wang Hai.[1] His existence is reflected in oracle bone inscriptions. He was succeeded by Shang Jia, Wang Hai's son.
Wang Gen's name is written as ⿰弓亙[b] or 亙[c] in oracle bone inscriptions.
Transmitted texts such as the Bamboo Annals list Wang Gen's name as Wang Heng (王恆), which is not attested in oracle bone inscriptions at all. Similar scribal errors can be seen with Wang Hai. Heng 恆 has also been used in some transcriptions of Oracle Bones, but does not reflect Wang Gen's identity.[d][2]