The so-called "three virtuous men of Yin" were all in various forms of oblivion beforehand and were accorded great fame after the fact. How did that help with the matters of their country? What use were there to their prince?
Mandarin
殷墟
殷墟
yīn xū
Yinxu (ruins of the last capital of the Shang dynasty)
Mandarin
殷实
殷實
yīn shí
well-off
Mandarin
嗣武受之、胜殷遏刘、耆定尔功。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11ᵗʰ – 7ᵗʰ centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's versionSì Wǔ shòu zhī, shèng yīn è liú, zhǐ dìng ěr gōng. [Pinyin]Thou did'st receive the inheritance from him;
嗣武受之、胜殷遏刘、耆定尔功。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11ᵗʰ – 7ᵗʰ centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's versionSì Wǔ shòu zhī, shèng yīn è liú, zhǐ dìng ěr gōng. [Pinyin]Thou did'st receive the inheritance from him;
Thou didst vanquish yin , and put a stop to its cruelties ; -