Daji was from a noble family of Yousu (有蘇), her style name is Da (妲), and her clan name is Ji (己).
Hence, she is also known as Su Da Ji or Da Ji in ancient sources. (
For the same format, see also: Qi Wen Jiang.)
At some time during his early reign, King Zhou of Shang invaded Yousu and took Daji as his prize.
In Feng Shen Yan Yi, she was a daughter of Su Hu (蘇護); in the early chapters, she was killed by a thousand-year-old vixen spirit who possessed her body before becoming a concubine of King Zhou.

King Zhou became extremely infatuated with Daji and started to neglect state affairs in order to keep her company.
He used any means necessary to ingratiate himself with her and to please her.
Daji liked animals so he built her a zoological Xanadu with several rare species of birds and animals.
He also ordered artists to compose lewd music and choreograph bawdy dances to satisfy her musical taste.
He gathered 3000 guests at one party to indulge in his "pond of alcohol" and "forest of meat".
He allowed the guests to play a cat and mouse game nude in the forest to amuse Daji.
When one of King Zhou's concubines, the daughter of Lord Jiu, protested, King Zhou had her executed.
Her father was ground in pieces and his flesh fed to King Zhou's vassals.

Daji's greatest joy was to hear people cry in physical torment.
Once, she saw a farmer walking barefoot on ice and ordered his feet cut off so she could study them and figure out why they were so resistant to low temperatures.
On another occasion, she had a pregnant woman's belly cut open so it satisfied her curiosity to find out what happened inside.
To verify an ancient saying that "a good man's heart has seven apertures", she even had the heart of the minister Bi Gan (King Zhou's uncle) dug out and subjected to her scrutiny.

Daji was best known for her invention of a method of torture known as Paolao (炮烙).
A bronze cylinder covered with oil was heated like a furnace with charcoal beneath until its sides became extremely hot.
The victim was made to walk on top of the slowly heating cylinder and he was forced to shift his feet to avoid the burning.
The oily surface made it difficult for the victim to maintain his position and balance.
If the victim fell into the charcoal below, he would be burnt to death.
The victim was forced to dance and scream in agony before dying while the observing King Zhou and Daji would laugh in delight.

Daji was executed on the orders of King Wu of Zhou after the fall of the Shang dynasty on the advice of Jiang Ziya.
Daji was from a noble family of Yousu (有蘇), her style name is Da (妲), and her clan name is Ji (己). Hence, she is also known as Su Da Ji or Da Ji in ancient sources. (For the same format, see also: Qi Wen Jiang.) At some time during his early reign, King Zhou of Shang invaded Yousu and took Daji as his prize. In Feng Shen Yan Yi, she was a daughter of Su Hu (蘇護); in the early chapters, she was killed by a thousand-year-old vixen spirit who possessed her body before becoming a concubine of King Zhou.
King Zhou became extremely infatuated with Daji and started to neglect state affairs in order to keep her company. He used any means necessary to ingratiate himself with her and to please her. Daji liked animals so he built her a zoological Xanadu with several rare species of birds and animals. He also ordered artists to compose lewd music and choreograph bawdy dances to satisfy her musical taste. He gathered 3000 guests at one party to indulge in his "pond of alcohol" and "forest of meat". He allowed the guests to play a cat and mouse game nude in the forest to amuse Daji. When one of King Zhou's concubines, the daughter of Lord Jiu, protested, King Zhou had her executed. Her father was ground in pieces and his flesh fed to King Zhou's vassals.
Daji's greatest joy was to hear people cry in physical torment. Once, she saw a farmer walking barefoot on ice and ordered his feet cut off so she could study them and figure out why they were so resistant to low temperatures. On another occasion, she had a pregnant woman's belly cut open so it satisfied her curiosity to find out what happened inside. To verify an ancient saying that "a good man's heart has seven apertures", she even had the heart of the minister Bi Gan (King Zhou's uncle) dug out and subjected to her scrutiny.
Daji was best known for her invention of a method of torture known as Paolao (炮烙). A bronze cylinder covered with oil was heated like a furnace with charcoal beneath until its sides became extremely hot. The victim was made to walk on top of the slowly heating cylinder and he was forced to shift his feet to avoid the burning. The oily surface made it difficult for the victim to maintain his position and balance. If the victim fell into the charcoal below, he would be burnt to death. The victim was forced to dance and scream in agony before dying while the observing King Zhou and Daji would laugh in delight.
Daji was executed on the orders of King Wu of Zhou after the fall of the Shang dynasty on the advice of Jiang Ziya.
Daji