"For example, when T'ang (founder of the Shang dynasty) wanted to attack the despot Hsia Chieh (last emperor of the Hsia dynasty), he" made a public appeal to Heaven to visit suffering upon the Hsia, "hoping that Heaven would protect the Shang and visit destruction on the Hsia dynasty.
到了群雄並起的商、周時代，有心逐鹿中原者，更紛紛「上表於天」，例如湯武要攻伐暴君夏桀時，就「昭告於上天神後，請罪有夏」，希望老天爺保佑殷商、降罪於夏朝。