| A universal guide for China studiesChinese History - Zhou Dynasty 周代 (11th cent.-221 BC) |
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Zhou Dynasty |  period before (Shang)next period (Qin)  | |
| Map and Geography I Map and Geography II Map and Geography III | ||
 |  The Western Zhou Dynasty had to flee to their eastern capital Chengzhou 成周 or Luoyi 雒邑 after a savage attack by the western "barbarian" tribes of Quanrong 犬戎 or Xianyun 玁狁 (嚴允) in 770 BC. This is the begin of Eastern Zhou period. Unlike before, the Zhou rulers found themselves now in the middle of many smaller vassal states (zhuhou 諸侯). They had to live on the small territory near Luoyi and were further not able to expand their domains, a tendency that became more and more important for the political survival of the feudal states: We find the many smaller states in the Yellow River plain, states like Zheng 鄭, Cao 曹, Song 宋 (the descendants of the House of Shang), Chen 陳, Cai 蔡, and Wei ("Wey") 衛, we have the traditionally highly esteemed state of Lu 魯(descendants of the Duke of Zhou) in the east; and finally we find the peripheral states of Yan 燕, Qi 齊 and Jin 晉 that were able to develop a larger territory than the others. The states of Qin 秦, Chu 楚, Wu 吳 and Yue 越 acheived the status of enfeoffed vassals of Zhou. Although once semi-barbarian tribes, they gain political and military importance for the fate of old China. The territories of the Shu 蜀 and Ba 巴 in modern Sichuan have their own ways of culture that are different of the "genuine" Chinese culture in the Yellow River basin. They have never really been incorporated into the antique Chinese realm. The state of Wu was the first of the large territorial states that was vanquished by the others. In 473, Yue conquered Wu. There are two states that undergo fundamental changes during the Spring and Autumn period: The state of Jin collapses by the contest of the collateral line of Quwo 曲沃 around 700 BC, and the uprise of the Six Feudal Lords (Liu Qing 六卿) of Zhongxing 中行, Zhi 智, Fan 范, Han ("Hann") 韓, Wei 魏, and Zhao 趙 at the begin of the 5th century BC. The last three (called San Jin 三晉) are able to crush the ruling house of Jin and establish their own feudal states in 376 BC. The state of Qi suffers a similar fate: The three Huan Clans (San Huan 三桓: 仲 孫 Zhongsun, 叔孫 Shusun, and 季孫 Jisun) endanger the rule of the house of Jiang 姜 in the 7th century state of Lu, and the Tian Clan 田氏 usurps the power of the state of Qi in 481 BC. During this period, five feudal lords (Wu Ba 五霸) are able to gain hegemonial control over the other states and therewith, to take over the role of the former kings of Zhou as mediators: Duke Huan of Qi 齊桓公, Duke Wen of Jin 晉文公, Duke Mu of Qi 秦穆公, Duke Xiang of Song 宋襄公, and Duke Zhuang of Chu 楚莊王 (there might by other names told in other listings). Except these great territorial states, we find lots of smaller city-states, among others: 虢 Guo, 鄧 Deng, 耿 Geng, 虞 Yu, 六 Liu, 英 Ying, 梁 Liang, 江 Jiang, 蓼 Liao, 庸 Yong, 翟 Di, 胡 Hu, 莒 Ju, 紀 Ji, etc. Around this center of culturally advanced states we find lots of Non-Chinese "barbarian" tribes and peoples, namely the Quanrong 犬戎 in the west, the Huaiyi 淮夷 and Dongyi 東夷 in the east, and Pu 濮, Baiyue 百越 and Yangyue 揚粵 in the south. Go back to the Zhou Dynasty introduction page and learn more about Zhou Dynasty economy, arts, literature, government... | |
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