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Escape from Hengyang by Qiong Yao |
ZHOU DYNASTYThe people of Zhou Dynasty lived in an area that was considered to be the dwelling place of the Xirong & Rongdi, somewhere in western Shaanxi Prov, near Gansu border. In another sense, the original Chinese 3000 years ago could not be much different from the Xirong & Rongdi at all. While ancient Chinese were considered sedentary with fixing places like cities and castles, the Xirong & Rongdi barbarians remained nomadic, constantly on the move. In both Shenxi (Shaanxi) and Shanxi Province, records had shown that the Xirong & Rongdi barbarians and the ancient Chinese co-habitated in an interspersing way. Charles Hucker, in "China's Imperial Past", made a speculation about the distinction between the sedentary and nomadic ways of life in China's northern areas, around the Yellow River line, at the time of early history: That is, the two ways of life had existed among both the Xia-ren or Chinese and the nomadic peoples; both groups of peoples had partial agriculture and partial husbandry in the area; it was due to the Xia Chinese building up walled states that led to the polarization of the two ways of life. The Zhou people, counted as a vassal of the Shang Chinese, were living among the barbaric west. According to Shi Ji, Zhou'a ancestor could be traced to Houji, the Chinese god or father of agriculture. Houji, like Shang ancestor Xie, was the son of ancient overlord Diku. Houji's mother was named Jiang Yuan, a You-tai-shi (Fufeng and Wugong, Shenxi Prov) woman, carrying Fiery Lord tribal name. (Later statelets of Qi, Shen, Xu and Lü all belonged to the Jiang family. Zhou people, said to be descendants of Xia people, had intermarriage with Jiang-surname Qiangic Fiery Lord tribe, which would be a prevalent way of Ji-Jiang marriage among early Chinese.) Legend said that Houji was born after his mother stepped onto the footprints of a giant and that Houji, being deserted to the moutains and lakes by his mother, was taken care of by beasts and birds. Both Lord Yao and Lord Shun used Houji as the master of agriculture. Lord Yao conferred Houji the last name of 'Ji', meaning origin. Confucius had commented on the story of You-ji-shi clan. After Xia King Taikang lost his throne, Houji's son (Buzhu) left for Rong & Di land with the abandonment of the agriculture post by Xia Dynasty . Another two generations will be Gongliu who renewed agriculture in Rong & Di land. This renewal would be a basis for a claim that Zhou people had consecutively changed their mode of life. Gongliu's son (Qingjie) set up a statelet in a place called 'Bin', in today's western Shenxi Province, a place belonging to Xirong. ('Bin' was disputed by some scholars to be still in Shanxi Prov rather than Shenxi Prov.) Another eight generations or three hundred years would be Zhou's founder, Gugong (aka Tanfu). Gugong, being attacked by Rong & Di and Xunyu barbarians, would relocate to Qishan. The people of 'Bin' followed him to Qishan. Gugong abolished Rong & Di customs, built city in a plain called Zhou-yuan under the foot of Qishan, and devised five posts of si tu, si ma, si kong, si shi, & si kou per Shang Dynasty system. (Some scholars disputed the five posts since bronze inscriptions did not add up to the five counts.) Gugong declared their statelet 'Zhou'. Gugong is also known as 'Zhou King Taiwang' (grand king) posthumously. Gugong's elder son, 'Tai Bo', went to Zhejiang's Yantze Delta (Meili Village, Wuxi County, Changzhou, Jiangsu) for sake of launching own statelet. (Xu Zhuoyun speculated that Tai Bo was deliberately dispatched to the Yangtze Delta as a tactics to circumvent and attack the Shang Dynasty from both directions.) Tai Bo wanted to yield the succession to his brother because the ancient mandate said that the son of Tai Bo's brother (Ji Li) would be the future lord of Zhou people. Ji Li's mother was called Tai-jiang, a Jiang surname woman of You-tai-shi clan. (Xu Zhuoyun cited scholar Liu Qiyi's research of 'jin wen' or bronze inscriptions in stating that 12 kings of Western Zhou Dynasty had inter-married with Jiang-surname women consecutively.) Ji Li's son, born by Zhi-ren-shi or Zhi-zhong-shi woman, would be Ji Chang, i.e., Zhou King Wenwang or Count Xibo, who was said to have possessed four nipples, and Zhou King Wenwang was recorded to be bird-nosed, tiger-shouldered, and dragon-faced. A mediocre sinologist error would be to claim that Zhou people originated from the west or the Central Asia. The 'west' story could have derived from two inputs: Zhou people's locality to the west of Xia and Shang people, and Zhou King Wuwang's claim as people from the west. As we detailed below, when Zhou Lord Wuwang campaigned against last Shang King Zhouwang, he eulogized his alliance's bravery by calling his armies the "people from the west". (Zhou King Wuwang's alliance also pointed to the fact that Zhou people, by the timeframe of 1122 BC?, had basically surrounded the Shang people from north, west and south.) Scholar Liu Qiyu, in anthology Hua Xia Civilization, tackled the issue of 'xi' or west. His validations pointed to the land of 'he qu' (i.e., the inflexion point of the Yellow River Bends) as the 'land of the west', i.e, later land between Qin and Jinn principalities. 
Liu Qiyu cited Guo Yu's statement in regards to You-yu-shi as proof that Yu clan had deep connection with Xia people. The statement from Guo Yu could be paraphrased like this: "In ancient times, Count Chong-bo Gun also reigned in the land of You-yu-shi clan." Count Chong-bo Gun was the father of Lord Yu and dwelled in southern or southwestern Shanxi Prov, i.e., the east bank of today's East Yellow River Bend. You-yu-shi clan's locality, considered the second 'Xia Ruins' in archaeology, would be in today's eastern Shenxi Prov, i.e., Hancheng (west bank of the today's East Yellow River Bend) and Pucheng (west bank of Luo-shui River). This shows that Xia people had in fact dwelled on both banks of the Yellow River plus the inflexion point in northeastern Henan Prov. Today's East Yellow River Bend was known as 'Xi-he' or western river because the Yellow River did not flow horizontally into the sea via Shandong Prov but made a eastern bend northward for exit into the sea via Hebei Prov. Liu Qiyu researched into ancient classics Mu Shi (i.e., Oath of War at Muye) and concluded that Zhou King Wuwang's reference to 'xi tu' would be the land to the west of later Tongguan Pass of eastern Shenxi Prov. Zhou People's Origin Zhou ancestor Buzhu, i.e., Houji's son, left for Rong & Di land after Xia Dynasty abandoned agriculture post. Some confusion existed as to the place Buzhu had left for, either somewhere still in southwestern Shanxi Prov or somewhere across the Yellow River in Shenxi Prov. Xu Zhuoyun, in Xi Zhou Shi (i.e., History of Western Zhou Dynasty, 1973 edition, Lianjing Publishing House, Taipei, Taiwan), stated that Zhou ancestors, per scholar Qian Mu 1931 dissertation, migrated westward to Shenxi Prov from Shanxi Prov. Xu Zhuoyun cited Ban Gu's Hou Han Shu in stating that Fen-yin area of southern Shanxi Prov, possessing a temple in the name of Zhou ancestor Houji, should be Zhou people's original habitation area. Xu Zhuoyun listed 16 sentences in Shang Dynasty's divination and oracle records to prove that Shang people, at the reign of Shang Dynasty King Aoding, had instructed subordinate tribes in campaiging against Zhou people and speculated that Zhou ancestors must have lived around southern Shanxi province, a place to the northeast of the inflexion point of the Yellow River. Liu Qiyu pointed out that after the demise of Xia, whoever stayed in Shanxi/Shenxi provinces continued to call themselves 'Xia' people. First Zhou King Wenwang eulogized the eastward flow of Feng-shui River to Lord Yu's accomplishment and numerous Zhou Dynasty records stated that they were descendants of Xia Dynasty founder Lord Yu. Shang & Zhou Relations Often neglected would be the oracle or divination inscriptions on bronze utensils left by Zhou people at Mt Qishan. During the earlier reign of Shang King Aoding, Zhou people were often campaigned against by Shang Dynasty. But later on, Zhou began to submitt to Shang and assist Shang in numerous campaigns against barbarians in Shanxi Prov. In Shang Dynasty's oracle bones, two vassals, i.e., Zhou statelet and Marquis Jiu-hou [Gui-hou of Gui-fang statelet] had taken charge of fighting the Qiangic barbarians on behalf of Shang, and furthermore surrendered Qiangic prisoners to Shang for live burial. Xu Zhuoyun cited Chen Mengjia's research in pointing out that Zhou Taiwang, during Shang King Wuyi's reign, relocated to Mt Qishan under the pressure of Doggy Rong; that Zhou Lord Ji Li [Ji-li or Jili], during the 34th year reign of Shang King Wuyi, paid pilgrimage to Shang court; that Jili defeated Xiluo-Gui-rong barbarians and captured 20 Di[2] kings the next year on behalf of Shang court but Shang King Wuyi was killed by a lightening around the Wei-shui River; that Jili campaigned against Yanjing-rong barbarians but got defeated during the 2nd year reign of Shang King Taiding; that Jili, two years thereafter, defeated Yuwu-rong barbarians and received conferral as 'mu shi' (shephard chancellor) from Shang King; that Jili first campaigned against Shihu-rong barbarians during the 7th year reign of Shang King Taiding and against Yitu-rong barbarians during the 11th year reign; that Jili was killed by Shang King Wending (Taiding) thereafter; and that Zhou people began to attack Shang Dynasty during the 2nd year reign of Shang King Di-yi (Yili). Xu Zhuoyun speculated that Shang King most likely died in the hands of Zhou people rather than a lightening in a similar coverup as later Zhou King Zhaowang's death on the Huai-shui River as a complication of conflict with southern barbarians. However, Shang-Zhou relationship had improved since Jili's successor, i.e., Zhou King Wenwang, had again married with Shang princess. Both the mother and the wife of Zhou King Wenwang, per scholar Fu Sinian, were princesses of Shang royal house. Zhou people were conferred the title of 'Xi Bo' (Count of the West) by Shang Dynasty King Zhouwang as a buffer state against the Western nomads. Zhou's Feudal System Charles Hucker had another point, namely, Zhou Dynasty's system is exactly the same feudal system as the Medieval Europe, except for one distinction: Zhou's feudal statelets shared a blood relationship with the Zhou king, either through hereditary rights or inter-marriages. This assertion has its historical merits because China's academics, under the influence of the so-called 'historical materialism', treats the first Chinese Empire of Qin as the start of the feudal society while anything preceding it as 'slave society'. Zhou's feudal system, in fact, never fully died away, except for a short time period of the Qin Empire during which time the 'Jun-Xian System' (namely the Commandary-County System) was erected after Emperor Shihuangdi first united China under an autocratic centralized rule. The end of Qin marked a restoration of various Zhou statelets or dukedoms, and early Han Dynasty continued with the conferral of Kings and Dukes. Emperors of later dynasties frequently played with the game of upgrade and downgrade of the feudal titles between king and duke. Zhou Kings As Moral, Political, Military & Familial Leaders: Zhou King Wuwang's campaign against the Shang Dynasty in the 11th century BC had been glorified by later historians and rulers. Charles Hucker treated the success in capturing Chaoge (the Shang capital) as nothing other than a looting. www.chinaknowledge.de also disputed Shang China's influence as extending nowhere beyong its capital which we called by the name of 'Shang Wastes' or 'Shang Ruins'. My opinion is that we should treat ancient Chinese overlords as moral, political, military and familial leaders; hence, both Shang and Zhou government had adopted a kind of 'laissez fair' attitude in governing the domain and vassals. Zhou King Wuwang, after his success in defeating Shang, went back to his home in western China. Further, he allowed two of his brothers (Guan-shu and Cai-shu) to stay on in Shang capital together with the Shang prince (Lufu). After King Wuwang's death, his brother, Duke Zhou, would assume the post of a regent, and this led to the rebellion of Shang people (under Shang Prince Wugeng) and the two Zhou brothers. It would be Duke Zhou who would be responsible for quelling the rebellion, and further Duke Zhou took measures to exert Zhou influence throughout China proper, extending influences and rules via re-zoning of vassalage and conferring of duke and marquis titles. For the first time, Duke Zhou (Zhougong) laid out the blueprint of a relatively uniform society that will continue on for one millennium. Xun-zi commented that Zhougong had re-zoned the land into 71 vassals, with 53 carrying the Zhou surname of 'Ji(1)'. Early Zhou kings are the true commander-in-chief. They were in constant wars with barbarians on behalf of the fiefs called 'guo', namely, statelet or principality. Charles Hucker noted that Zhou had 14 standing royal armies, with 6 stationed in Haojing, near today's Xi'an, and 8 armies stationed in the east. Zhou King Zhaowang (r. 1052-1001 BC) was famous for repeated campaigns in the Yangtze areas and died in his last action. Zhou King Muwang (r. 1001-946 BC) was a legendary figure famous for fightings in the west and maybe today's Central Asia where he met and rondevous on Kunlun Mountain with so-called Xi Wang Mu, namely, Queen Mother of the West, rumored by the western historians, including Charles Hucker, to be Queen of Sheba. (The actual place for Kunlun Mountains would be somewhere close to today's Jiuquan County, Gansu Province. Mt Kunlun, extending for almost 2000 miles, from Kara-Kunlun bordering Tibet in the west to Qilian Mountain in the east, was a source of many Chinese myths and legends.) Later kings' campaigns were less effective. King Liwang (r. 878 - 827 BC) led 14 armies against barbarians in the south but failed to achieve any victory. King Xuanwang (r 827-782 BC) fought the Jiangrong nomads in vain. King Youwang was killed by Quanrong, and capital Haojing was sacked. Zigzags With Rong & Di Barbarians In the hun.htm section, I had expounded the ethnic nature of various Rong-di people, cleared the dispute in regards to the ethnicity of 'Rong' people, and proven that Rong people, being mainly Sino-Tibetan speaking Qiangic people, shared the same blood-line as Xia Chinese but differred in 'Culture' such as cuisine, clothing, money and language. At times of Zhou Dynasty, pockets of nomadic tribes and statelets still existed in the hearts of the Yellow River area and on Shandong Peninsula, as in the case of Di Statelet, Chi Di Statelet & Sou Man's Chang-di Statelet etc. Count of West, Xibo, namely, Zhou Ancestor Ji Chang, once attacked the Doggy Rongs (said to be same as Xianyun barbarian on the steppe). Dozen years later, Zhou King Wuwang exiled the Rongs north of the Jing & Luo Rivers. The Rongs were also called Huangfu at the time, a name to mean their 'erratic submission'. 200 years later, during 17th year reign [i.e., 985 BC per Bamboo Annals], Zhou King Muwang was noted for defeating the barbarians, reaching Qinhai-Gansu regions in the west, meeting with Queen Mother of West on Mt Kunlun [possibly around Dunhuang area], and then relocating the barbarians eastward to the starting point of Jing-shui River for better management [in a similar fashion to Han Emperr Wudi's relocating Southern Huns to the south of the north Yellow River Bend]. History recorded that King Muwang captured four white wolves & four white deers (white deer and white wolf being the titles of ministers of Rongdi barbarians) during his campaign. The Huangfu (Doggy Rong) people then no longer sent in yearly gifts and tributes. Zhou King Yiwang, the grandson of King Muwang (r. 1,001 - 946 BC), would be attacked by the Rongs. The great grandson, King Xuanwang (reign 827 - 782), finally fought back against the Rongs. Shi Jing eulogized King Xuanwang's reaching Taiyuan (original Taiyuan in southern Shanxi Prov, not the appropriated one in the north of today's Shanxi Prov; however, 'Taiyuan' at the times of King Xuanwang would be the place where Jing-shui River originated, i.e., Shenxi-Ningxia area, not Shanxi). Thereafter, King Youwang (reign 781-771) was killed by the Doggy Rongs at the foothill of Lishan Mountain and capital Haojing was sacked. Rongs who stayed on at Lishan were called Li-rong. The Rongs moved to live between the Jing & Wei Rivers. Lord Qin Xianggong was conferred the old land of Zhou by Zhou King Pingwang (reign 770-720). Zhou King Pingwang encouraged the Qin Lord to drive out the Quan-rongs. 65 years later, in the east, the Shan-rong or Mountain Rongs went across the Yan Principality of Hebei Province to attack Qi Principality in today's Shandong Province. 44 years later, the Mountain Rongs attacked Yan Principality. Around 664 BC, Yan-Qi joint armies destroyed the Mountain Rong Statelet as well as the Guzhu Statelet. The story of 'old horses knew the way home' would be about the joint army being lost after they penetrated deep into the Shanrong land. Hence, Yan Statelet extended by 500 li to the northwest, in addition to the eastward 50 li which was given to Count Yan for his escorting Marquis Qi all the way into Qi Statelet. During the 16th year of Zhou King Huiwang (reign 676-652), namely, 661 BC, the Chang Di barbarians who were located near today's Jinan City of Shandong Province, under Sou Man, attacked the Wey and Xing principalities. The Chang Di barbarians, hearing of Qi army's counter-attacks against Shanrong, embarked on a pillage in central China by attacking Wey (spelled in same way as www.chinaknowledge.de for sake of differentiation from former Wei eliminated by Jinn and later Wei that was split from Jinn) and Xing statelets. The Chang Di barbarians killed Wey Lord Yigong who was notorious for indulging in raising numerous birds called 'he' (cranes), and they cut him into pieces. A Wey minister would later find Yigong's liver to be intact, and hence he committed suicide by cutting apart his chest and saving Yigong's liver inside of his body. 20 years later, the Rongdi barbarians attacked Zhou King Xiangwang (reign 651-619) at the encouragement of Zhou Queen who was the daughter of Rongdi ruler. Per section "Qi Yu" of "Guo Yu", Qi Lord Huan'gong (r. 685-643 BC), who proclaimed himself a 'hegemony lord' in 679 BC and destroyed the statelets of Shan-rong and Guzhu in Manchuria in 664 BC, had campaigned against Bai-di barbarians in the west in 651 BC (i.e., 9th year of Lu Lord Xigong). Qi Huan'gong was recorded to have occupied 'da xia' (i.e., Grand Xia land) in Shanxi Prov and might have crossed the river to subjugate 'xi yu' (i.e., western Yu-shi clan's land) in Shenxi Prov. (Senior scholar Wei Juxian speculated that Qi Huan'gong had at one time reached the Bering Straits where the ex-Shang remnants had dwelled since Shang-Zhou transition time period and that it was due to Qi Huan'gong's contacts with Shang remnants that American Indians or Shang people paid a visit to China with tributes of humming birds that were recorded in Song Principality's chronicles.) Jin (Jinn) Principality also helped Zhou King by attacking the Rongs and then escorted the king back to his throne 4 years after the king went into exile. Rong-di moved to live in a place called Luhun, and they would later be forced to relocate elsewhere by Qin-Jinn principalities. When Qin intended to get rid of Luhun-rong & Jiang-rong around capital Yong in 638 BC, Jinn Principality adopted a policy of allowing remotely-related barbarian clan to stay closer to the land between Qin, Jinn and Zhou Dynasty capitals: Jinn Lord Huigong, for his mother's tie with Luhun-rong clan, relocated Luhun-rong to Yi-chuan and Jiang-rong to southern Shanxi Province, i.e., namely, the southward migration to Mt Songshan area of Yun-surnamed Xianyun [Huns] clan whose Qiangic nature was validated about 80 years later by the dialogue between Fan Xuan-zi of Jinn Principality and the descendant of Jiang-rong. Jinn Principality began the process of expansion that would merge and conquer dozens of barbarian statelets to the east of east Yellow River Bend, with Jinn Lord Xiangong merging 17 statelets and subjugating 38 others [per "Haan Fei-zi"]. After the defeat in the hands of Jinn, the Rongs moved to the land between the Xi-he (today's east segment of the Yellow River loop or bend) and the Luo River, and two groups were known at the time, Chidi (Red Di) and Baidi (White Di). (Note that Ancient West Yellow River Bend is the same as today's East Yellow River Bend. Ancient Yellow River Bend did not equate to today's inverse U-shaped course with the North Bend lying inside Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, but the U-shaped Bend with South Bend in southern Shanxi Prov and then a south-to-north turn in Hebei Province for exit into the sea.) Baidi (White Di) dwelled in ancient Yanzhou (today's Yan'an), Suizhou (today's Suide) and Yinzhou. Zuo Shi Chunjiu stated Jinn defeated Baidi and remnants were know as Bai-bu-hu nomads later. Chidi (Red Di) dwelled in a place called Lu(4), near today's Shangdang. Zuo Shi Chunjiu stated that Jinn Principality destroyed the Lu(4) tribe of the Chidi, and the remnants were know as Chi-she-hu nomads later. Details about barbarians were also covered at prehistory section. [Here, I had deliberately spelled Jin(4) into Jinn for sake of distinction from Jurchen Jin(1). Jin(4) is spelled Tsin in Wade-Giles.] In 623 BC, i.e., during the 37th year reign, Qin Mugong, using You Yu as a guide, campaigned against the Xirong nomads and conquered the Xirong Statelet under their lord Chi Ban. Qin Lord Mugong conquered 12 Western Rong tribes. Around this time, there were Mianzu-Quanrong-Di-Wanrong to the west of Qin Principality, Yiqu-Dali-Wushi-Xuyan etc to the north of Qin Principality, Linhu-Loufan to the north of Jin (Jinn) Principality, and Donghu-Shanrong to the north of Yan Principality. (Mianzu could be pronounced Raozhu. Quanrong was know as Kunrong or Hunrong or Hunyi. The character 'hun4' for Hunyi or Hun-yi is the same as Hunnic King Hunye or Kunye and could mean the word of mixing-up. Wan-rong dwelled in today's Tianshui, Gansu Prov. Yiqu was one of the Xirong or Western rong stateles at ancient Qingzhou and Ningzhou. Dali-rong dwelled in today's Fengxu County. Wushi was originally Zhou land, but it was taken over by Rong. Qin King Huiwang took it back from Rong. Linhu was later destroyed by General Li Mu. Loufan belonged to Yanmenguan Pass.) One hundred year later, Lord Jinn Daogong made peace with Rongdi (who attacked Zhou King Xiangwang earlier), and the Rongdi sent in gifts and tributes to Jin (Jinn). Jin (Jinn) later split into three states of Haan(2), Zhao & Wei. The two successive Jinn states which bordered the northern nomads, Wei & Zhao, plus Qin and Yan, would be busy fighting the nomads for hundreds of years, and they built separate walls to drive the nomads out. Another one hundred years, Zhao Xiang-zi of Zhao Principality took over Bing and Dai areas near Yanmenguan Pass. Zhao, together with Haan and Wei families, destroyed another opponent called Zhi-bo and split Jin (Jinn) into three states of Haan, Zhao & Wei. Barbarian statelets like Dali & Yiqu built dozens of castles. Yiqu-Rong built castles to counter Qin. After about one century of relative peace, Qin began to expand by attacking Dali & Yiqu. Qin King Huiwang took over 25 cities from Yiqu-rong. At the time of Qin King Zhaowang, Qin Queen Xuantaihou killed Yiqu-rong King. (King Zhaoxiangwang's mother, Queen Dowager Xuantaihou, adultered with the former Rong king from Yiqu Statelet, with two sons born.) Qin took over Shangjun from Wei. Qin took over Longxi of Gansu, Beidi and Shangjun of Shenxi, and built the Great Wall. Zhao King Wulingwang adopted reforms by wearing Hu nomads' cavalry clothing and he defeated Linhu and Loufan and built Great Wall from Dai to Yinshan Mountain. Zhao set up Yunzhong, Yanmen and Dai prefectures. A Yan Principality General by the name of Qin-kai, after returning from Donghu [Eastern Hu] barbarians as a hostage, would attack Donghu and drive them away for 1000 li distance. Yan built Great Wall and set up Shanggu, Yuyang, You-beiping, Liaoxi and Liaodong prefectures. Qin State founded the first united empire of Qin in 221 BC. After Qin's unification of China, Emperor Shihuangdi ordered General Meng Tian on a campaign that would drive the so-called Hu nomads or the Huns out of the areas south of the Yellow River. The Huns under Modok's father, Tou-man, fled northward and would not return till General Meng Tian died ten years later. Speculations about the nature of Rong & Di Peoples, Qiang, Sanmiao & Yuezhi was given in the Qin section and Hun section. For further discussions on Barbarians & Chinese, please refer to
Relationship Between Shang Dynasty, Succeeding Zhou Dynasty & Barbarians Difference Between Rong and Chinese In 'Culture', Not 'Blood-line' Merging and Subjugating Barbarians By Zhou Dynasty & Principalities Assertions By Luo Xianglin & Wang Zhonghan Continuing Zigzags With Barbarians Where Were Yuezhi, Wusun & Sai-ren [Scythians]? The concept of 'Heaven' as an ancient 'Di(4)' or overlord had been with Chinese since the era of Eight Ancient Lords. 'San Huang', termed the Three Sovereigns (Fuxi, Yandi the Fiery Lord, and Huangdi the Yellow Emperor), would have an alternative saying which included 'Heaven Huang', 'Land Huang', and 'Human Huang' or 'Taishan Mountain Huang'. 'Heaven' concept was widely adopted by Euroasian nomadic peoples and incorporated in their shamanism. 'Heaven' was equivalent to 'Tengri'. There is no definite way to tell where the original concept of 'heaven' had originated. Shang Dynasty's founder, Shang-Tang, claimed that Lord Highness (Heaven) instructed him to campaign against Xia Dynasty' Lord Jie because of Jie's corruption, lasciviousness and cruelty. Shang-Tang was also named 'Tian Yi' or 'Heavenly Yi'. Since 'Heaven' was considerd a Di(4), Shang-Tang was called 'Heavenly Yi'. Last Shang ruler, Jie, had refused to take admonition by claiming that the 'mandate' was with him the minute he was born. Later, Confucius would term it 'Cheng Tang Revolution' or 'Shang Tang Revolution', a word that would be used by Dr. Sun Yat-sen in his efforts at overthrowing Manchu rule. Professor Lock Hoe had commented that China's dynastic changes and revolutions (as seen in the saying 'Every 50 Years, A Cycle In Cathay') had served as an illuminating guide for the Jesuits who visited China in the 16-17th centuries, and it was due to the Jesuits who propogated the egalitarian and revolutionary ideas that led to the conclusion that French or British royal houses could be overthrown by a 'revolution'. The citation of the 'Mandate of Heaven' could be seen in Zhou King Wuwang's campaign against the Shang Dynasty in the 11th century BC. Zhou was a small tribal state in today's Shaanxi Provice, southwest of the Mount Qishan, in a place called 'Zhouyuan'. The last Shang ruler, Zhouwang, would be a despotic ruler. He killed one marquis (Jiuhou or Jiu Hou) and the marquis' daughter because the marqui's daughter was not lewd to him. Another marquis (Er Hou or Er'hou) was killed when he tried to protect Jiuhou. Count Xibo, i.e., Ji Chang, sighed about the killings. At the vilification of Shang minister Chonghouhu, Ji Chang was imprisoned by Shang King Zhouwang. When imprisoned in a place called Youli (in Henan Prov), Ji Chang renovated the ancient Fu-xi '8 Gua' into '64 Gua', a divinity method called 'milfoil divination' (Yi Jing, Book of Changes). Zhouwang would kill Count Xibo's elder son, Boyikao, and made a dish out of Boyikao's flesh for Xibo to eat. Zhouwang laughed when Xibo ate it without knowing that it was his son's flesh. Count Xibo was set free only after Xibo's minister bribed Zhouwang through a Shang minister (Fei Zhong) by presenting a beauty from You-xin-shi clan, a stallion from Li-rong Statelet and other treasures. (Xibo was titled a marquis, at the same level as Jiu Hou and Er Hou. Ancient title for 'Count' might not be of same level as that in Europe and could be higher than marquis in Zhou times.) Ji Chang would manage his statelet so well that old people went there for retirement, and two princes of Guzhu Statelet (Mo-tai-shi clan) in southern Manchuria, Bo-yi and Shu-qi, came to live in Zhou land. Two lords of ancient Yu and Rui statelets had disputes over a patch of land and they decided to have Ji Chang arbitrate it; but once they entered the Zhou land, they felt guilty about it after observing the civility of Zhou people; and they called off their trip and returned to home statelets, and vacated the land disputed. Some Shang ministers defected to Zhou. Over 40 statelets defected to Zhou and proposed that Ji Chang be the king. Prince Bigan, son of Shang King Zhouwang, would be deposed for admonishing Zhouwang on the deeds. Xibo would attack Quanrong or Doggy Rong (said to be descendants of Panhu, i.e. southern barbarians in Wuling, Changsha Commandary, and possibly hinting the relocation to western China of early San-Miao people. Later Chidi was said to be of same family as Quanrong). Then, Xibo invaded a Shang vassal called Mixu-guo Fief (Lingtai of Gansu Prov) and took over Mixu drums as bounty for Tang-shu. The next year, when Count Xibo invaded another Shang vassal called the Ji-guo (also pronounced as Li2 or Qi2) Statelet, somewhere near Shangdang of eastern Shanxi Prov, Zu Yi, a Shang minister, expressed the worry that the 'Mandate Of Heaven' might be changed. Shang King Zhouwang rebutted Zu Yi, saying that the 'Mandate Of Heaven' was with him the minute he was born. In the next two years consecutively, Xibo then invaded Yu-guo fief (Qinyang of Henan Prov, next to Shang capital), and then conquered Chong-guo fief (i.e., Chonghouhu's fief at Songxian County of Henan Prov) after two sieges within 30 days. Xibo then built city at Feng-yi [Yunxian county of Shenxi Prov] and relocated capital there from Zhou-yuan of Qishan Mountain. Jiang Taigong (i.e., Luu Shang of Lü-shi clan or Jiang Ziya with Jiang surname, aka Taigongwang) abandoned his post of 'da fu' with Shang King for the west. (Mencius said that Luu Shang, i.e., descendant of Luu-shi clan from Yao-Shun time period, first fled to the east sea coastline to evade Shang rule after last Shang King Zhouwang enthroned around 1154 BC and refused to take admonition, then came back to capital Caoge as buffalo butcher, then went to Mengjin as a peddler, and finally went to northwest to fish on Wei-shui river bank.) Lü Shang was against the extravagent task of building 'Lu Tai' (deer platform) palace for Shang King Zhouwang. Lü Shang then left with his wife Ma-shi and went to Wei-shui River for fishing till Zhou King Wenwang came along and met him. Wenwang commented that his father, Zhou ancestor Taigong, was in anticipation of Lü Shang for a long time. Xibo died at age 97, with a claim of king title for 9 years. (Ancient scholars disputed Xibo or Zhou King Wenwang's king title since Zhou king could not have existed at the same time as Shang king.) Wuwang, named Ji (last name) Fa (first name), expanded his influences on basis of 50 years of management by his father Ji Chang who was conferred the title of Xibo (Count West) by last Shang King. After Xibo passed away, Zhou King Wuwang would rally eight hundred Shang vassals on the bank of the Yellow River, Mengjin. Bo-yi & Shu-qi came to rebuke Wuwang as to the military campaign while father was not properly buried yet. (Scholars disputed the number of 800 vassals as unrealistic.) When Zhou King Wuwang first called upon various tribes to rebel against Shang, he stated that he was carrying out the order from the Heaven to penalize Shang king who had disrupted his kingdom by killing his elder son (Bigan) and imprisoning the uncle (Ji-zi) under the influence of the witch-like Shang queen (Daji). While crossing the Yellow River, a white fish jumped aboard. Fish was interpreted as a sign of war for carrying scales or shields on its body, while the color of whiteness was the embodiment of Shang. Interpreting the white fish as an omen, he called off the first campaign on the Yellow River bank after rallying 800 Shang vassals. The vassals said to Wenwang, "Zhouwang could be campaigned against by now." Wuwang said, "You guys did not know the 'Mandate Of Heaven' yet." Zhouwang's brother, Wei-zi, fled the Shang Dynasty capital. Zhouwang's son, Prince Bigan, seeing the departure of Wei-zi, would try to pursuade Zhouwang again, but he was ordered killed by Zhouwang to see how many compartments Bigan's heart had. Zhouwang's uncle, Prince Ji-zi, would pretend to have gone mentally ill for sake of avoiding Zhouwang's persecution, but he was still imprisoned by Zhouwang. When Shang's chief ritual and music ministers, Tai-Shi (grand musician) and Shao-Shi (junior musician), fled to Zhou with Shang's ritual instruments, Zhou King Wuwang now orderd a campaign against Shang, two {? ten per Chu Bosi) years after Mengjin Assembly. With the help of counsellor, Jiang Taigong, Zhou Lord Wuwang launched an attack at Shang Dynasty which controlled central China at the time. Wuwang assembled 300 chariots, 3000 brave soldiers, and an army of 45000 and crossed the Yellow River at Mengjin on Wuwu day of Dec of 11th year reign. "Shi Ji" recorded that Wuwang called his troops by the name of 'people from the west', and that his allies included eight barbarian statelets, the Qiangs from Gansu, the Shu-Sou-Mao-Wei statelets in Sichuan Province, Lu and Peng from the northwest, and Yong and Pu south of the Han-shui River. In the outskirts of Shang capital Chaoge, a place called Muye [i.e., Jixian county of Henan Prov], he met his alliance who had joined him with 4000 more chariots. The allied army confronted the Shang army of 700 thousand and defeated them. (Some scholar disputed the Shang army's number of 700,000 as unrealistic since Shang China's population at the time would not be too far away from 1 million, and Xu Zhuoyun cited Mencius statement of 'weapons floating above blood stream' in disputing the popular claim that Shang army defected to Zhou during the battle. Scholar Xu Zhuoyun and Wei Juxian both cited ancient classics in attributing last Shang King's exhaustion in eastward campaign against Dong-yi or Huai-yi barbarians to his losing control in the west.) Scholar Luo Xianglin claimed that Zhou people had asserted control over the Shang people via advanced weaponry of chariots. Luo Xianglin further pointed out that Zhou had special ministry in charge of standardization, materials, quality of chariot manufacturing. Ji Fa hence proclaimed the founding of Zhou Dynasty under the 'Mandate of Heaven'. The 'Mandate of Heaven' become a norm for the substitution of Chinese dynasties. To enforce the concept, some legends would be made to support the claim of the will of the Heaven. For Han Dynasty founder Liu Bang, there was the legend that his mother had dreamt about some dragon flying into the house when she gave birth to his son. Even nomadic rulers, like the Hunnic king Liu Yuan of Hunnic Zhao Dynasty (AD 304-329) would proclaim himself emperor in AD 308 and declared his dynasty as 'Han' on basis of one sound logic that Hunnic kings had historically ackowledged that they were the nephews of Han Chinese emperors. By designating his dynasty as 'Han', he intended to play the card of asserting the so-called 'Mandate of Heaven'. Timeline of Zhou Dynasty Prior to Zhou Dynasty, the rulers of Xia and Shang Dynasties called themselves 'Di(4)' posthumously, namely, the word that would denote the equivalent of legendary overlords for Heaven, Earth and Mount Taishan in Chinese history or 'emperor' in the western sense. Zhou King Wuwang, after overthrowing Shang Dynasty , decided to adopt the title of 'wang' or king to show his humbleness in front of the legendary overlords. They were called 'wang' posthumously as well. First part of Zhou, Western Zhou, with its capital near today's Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, ended in 771 BC when King Youwang was killed by Quanrong (i.e., the Doggy Rong nomads) who were invited by Marquis Shenhou of Shen Principality to avenge the king for deposing his daughter-queen and crown prince. The son of Youwang, King Pingwang, moved his capital to Luoyang, Henan Province in 770 BC, with the help of the ancestors of later Qin Empire. Qin Lord Xianggong was conferred the title of Count by Zhou King Pingwang for assisting Zhou King Pingwang in the crackdown on the Rong nomads and relocation of Zhou capital. Zhou King Pingwang also conferred Qin the old Zhou land of Qishan and Feng should Qin receover it from the Rongs. Historians named the later part of Zhou as Eastern Zhou and it ended in 256 BC when the great grandfather of First Qin Emperor Shihuangdi invaded the Zhou capital and removed all Zhou Kingdom's bronze utensils (i.e., ding or cauldron). Eastern Zhou, however, was further sub-divided into the two time periods of 1) Spring and Autumn and 2) Warring States. This division was based on the emergence of six prominent families in determing the politics of Jinn Principality in 475 BC. Rankings Of Zhou Lords & Principalities In Chinese, there exists a fixed phrase called 'wang hou jiang xiang' which means the four titles of king, marquis, general and prime minister. Though the rulers of dozens of Zhou principalities called themselves 'Gong', a word that denotes the title of 'Duke', this word is more like a general title to mean a ruler or a lord or simply a complimentary title. A similar word to be found in English would be probably 'Sir' or 'Grandpa'. Scholar Fu Sinian studied the bronze inscriptions, i.e., jin wen, from Zhou times and concluded that the ancient five rankings of duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron did not conform with bronze iinscriptions or classics such as Shang Shu or Shi Jing. Fu Sinian stated that duke-gong, count-bo, viscount-zi, and baron-nan were originally used within a royal family as rankings; governmentally, 'bo' or count was the leader of a conferred fief while 'hou' or marquis was for denoting the vassal guarding border posts. Ancient title for 'Count' might not be of same level as that in Europe and should be higher than marquis in Shang-Zhou times. Zhou King Wenwang, i.e., Xibo or Count Of West, originally titled a marquis, at the same level as Jiu Hou and Er Hou, received the conferral of count from last Shang King. The Zhou court conferred the title of count on the descendants of the two uncles of Zhou King Wenwang. The ancestor of Chu Principaility, Xiong Yi, was conferred by Zhou King Chenwang the title of count and the land of Dan'yang. Qin Lord Xianggong was conferred the title of Count by Zhou King Pingwang for the crackdown on the Rong barbarians. During the 10th year of the reign, Zhou King Huiwang conferred onto Lord Qi, i.e., Marquis Qi Huan'gong, the title of Count. King Xiangwang conferred onto Jinn Lord the title of Count and the land of Yangfan or 'he nei' (pronounced as He-rui in ancient Chinese to mean the winding section of the Yellow River). In Zhou times, some of the 'gong' lords were indeed titled as equivalent to dukes. The brothers of Zhou King are entitled 'Duke'. The Shang capital areas were divided into three parts, Bei (Tangying, Henan or north of Jixian county per Chu Bosi) to the north, Yong to the west, and Wey to the east. Three brothers, Cai-shu, Guan-shu & Huo-shu, were named three superintendents over Shang remnants. Guan-shu, i.e., brother Shu-xian, was conferred Duke of Guan (Zhenzhou, Henan) as well as superintendent of Yong. Cai-shu, i.e., brother Shu-du, was conferred Duke of Cai (Shangcai, Henan) as well as superintendent of Wey. Bei was left with Shang Prince Wugeng, but under the supervision of brother Huo-shu. Brother Dan, i.e., Zhougong, was conferred Duke Zhou of Qufu, Shandong Province. (Duke Zhougong would later send his son, Boqin, to Qufu, and Boqin built the city of Qufu.) Boqin's statelet would be Lu. Brother Shi, i.e., Zhaogong (Shaogong), was conferred the land of Yan (Jixian County, Tianjin, Hebei Prov), and he was referred to as 'Yanbo' or count of Yan. Duke Zhougong's taking over regency after King Wuwang's death triggered a rebellion by brothers Guan-shu & Cai-shu. Guan-shu & Cai-shu allied with Wugeng, Yan3 [Qufu of Shandong Prov], Pugu [Boxing of Shandong], Xu-yi [northern Jiangsu] & Huai-yi [northern Anhui] for a rebellion. Zhougong mounted an eastern campaign that lasted three years. Per Mencius, Zhougong drove King Feilian of eastern people to the coast and killed him. Altogether 50 statelets were routed. Zhougong would kill Wugeng and Guan-shu, and exiled Cai-shu. To the northeast of Luoyang, Zhougong built a city called Chengzhou and relocated Shang people of Bei-Yong-Wey to Chengzhou (Luoyi). Alternatively, Duke Zhaogong was said to be responsible for building Chengzhou city under the order of Zhou King Wuwang, while the original Zhou capital in Shenxi Prov was named 'Zongzhou' or ancestral Zhou capital. Zhougong devised a new 'jing [square-shaped] tian [land]' system on basis of Xia and Shang experiences, and endorsed the elder son inheritance system. Zhougong conferred onto the younger brother the title of Wey-kang-shu, i.e., Marquis of Wey or Marquis of Meng. (The 16th generation descendant of Wey-kang-shu would be Wey Lord Yigong who died in the hands of Chang Di barbarians. Qi Lord Huangong, after defeating Chang-di, erected Wey Lord Wengong and relocated Wey capital to Chuqiu of Henan Prov.) King Wuwang built a tomb for Shang Prince Bigan and then west back to the west. Wuwang made further conferrals, and made the descendant of Shen-nong-shi (Lord Yandi) inherit the land of Jiao (Shanxian County, Shenxi), the descendant of Lord Huangdi inherit the land of Zhu, the descendant of Lord Yao inherit the land of Ji (a statelet to the southwest of today's Beijing, Hebei which was taken over by Yan later), the descendant of Lord Shun inherit the land of Chen (Wanqiu County), and the descendant of Lord Yu inherit the land of Qih (Yongqiu, Bianzhou, near Kaifeng of Henan) with the title of Donglougong (whose 21st generation grandson was exterminated by Chu Principality). Remnants of Chen, pronounced as 'dan' in ancient Chinese and in today's Fujian dialect, later fled to Qi Principality, changed their name to Tian, and ultimately usurped the Qi principality of Jiang lineage. The rest of the lords are mostly marquis, and this include Marquis Shenhou. (One of Marquis Shenhou was the father-in-law of last Western Zhou king.) Zhou King Wuwang, to thank his counsellor Jiang Taigong for the efforts in overthrowing Shang, had conferred the land of Yingqiu (today's Linzi, Shandong Province) as Qi Principality. Lord Qi Huangong was the first of the five hegemony lords during the Spring and Autumn time period. Jin (Jinn) Principality, i.e., today's Shanxi Province or the land of Tao-tang-shi clan, was conferred to the king's brother (Shu-yu) by Zhou King Chengwang after Zhou Duke Zhougong quelled the Tao-tang-shi. King Chengwang was the son of King Wuwang and Yi-jiang (daughter of Jiang Taigong). Shu-yu's son, Ji Xie, was called Marquis Jinhou by citation of the Jinn-shui River of Shanxi Prov. (Scholar Liu Qiyu stated that ancient Jinn-shui was near Pingyang County of southern Shanxi Prov and later approriated to northern Shanxi Prov's Taiyuan area. Tao-tang-shi was a vassal of Xia/Shang Dynasties and had a history of over 1100 years.) Shu-yu made the city of Ji[4] (i.e., Lord Yao's capital) as his capital. After Jinn Principality split into three states of Han, Zhao and Wei in 475 BC, the Zhou court had conferred the titles of marquis to all three rulers, respectively. While Marquis Wei Wenhou was a marquis, his son, King Wei Huiwang, called himself 'king'. But this was during the Warring States time period. The lords who called themselves kings during the Spring and Autumn time periods would be those in southern and southeastern China, namely, the states of Chu, Wu and Yue. The ex-Shang Prince Wei-Zi (Qi) was made the duke of Song. The inheritor of last Shang(1) Dynasty heritage was given the title of 'Shang(4) Gong', namely, the Highest Duke. This would be after Duke Zhougong quelled the rebellion of Shang Prince Wugeng and two brothers (Guan-shu and Cai-shu) in a matter of three years. Lord Song Xianggong was one of the five hegemonies, too. Chu Principality Of The South The ancestors of Chu, Xiong Yi, were originally conferred by Zhou King Chenwang the title of count and the land of Dan'yang (near today's Zigui, Three Gorges area, Hubei Province). Chu ancestors carried the last name of Xiong [i.e., bear]. Chu was the first state to declare themselves king during the Spring and Autumn time period. It was said that Xiong Tong was enraged into declaring himself a king after Zhou King Pingwang refused to elevate his ranking above viscount. After Zhou King Dingwang dispatched a minister, Wangsun Man, to the Chu army camp to disuade Chu Lord Zhuangwang from an attempt at seeing the nine bronze cauldrons, Chu Kingdom manufactured three shelves of music-purpose bronze bells, with the nine top bells weighing 10,000 jin [i.e., 5000 kg in today's measure]. Shi Ji stated that Chu ancestors derived from Lord Zhuanxu, i.e., Lord Huangdi's grandson. The great grandson of Lord Zhuanxu would be called Chongli who was named 'Zhu Rong' or the god of fire by Lord Diku. One brother, by the name of Wu-hui, inherited his brother's title of 'Zhu Rong'. Wu-hui born a son called Lu Zhong, and Lu Zhong married a woman from 'Gui-fang-shi' (ghost domain family) and born six sons, including Kunwu, Canhu, Pengzu, and Jilian etc, the youngest of whom would be traceable ancestor of Chu. At the end of Shang Dynasty, a Chu descendant, by the name of Yu-zi (Xiong), after admonishing on Shang King Zhouwang 57 times in vain, left for the Zhou statelet, and Zhou King Wenwang conferred him the land of Shangdang and the post of 'gong qing'. Yu-xiong, who served the Zhou court, was a Jilian descendant. The great grandson of Yu-xiong would be Xiong Yi, the founder of Chu Statelet. Wu Principality Of The Yantze Delta The Wu State was founded by two uncles of King Zhou Wenwang. The two uncles, headed by Tai Bo, decided to go to the Yantze Delta to launch a state because they did not want to contend with the necromancy note which stated that their nephew (Zhou King Wenwang) would revive Zhou. The Zhou court later conferred, on the descendants of the two uncles, the title of count. The Wa Japanese, who came to Han China in the first century, claimed to be descendants of Tai Bo, the uncle of Zhou King Wenwang (posthumously); Wa Japanese called themselves by the ancient title of 'Da Fu'. Yue Principality Of The Yantze Delta Lord Yu's tomb, on Mount Kuaijishan, in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, was a good monument validating the stories of Lord Yu. One of the sons of King Shaokang of Xia Dynasty was permanently assigned to the Kuaiji land to guard the tomb, and the later Yue Principality was said to have descended from this lineage. Western Zhou (1134 - 771 BC; 1122 - 771 BC) Zhou King Wuwang (Ji Fa, reign approx 1134-1115 BC; 1122-771 BC) Wuwang established the Zhou Dynasty with the help of Jiang Ziya (Jiang Taigong, l. 1212-1073 BC per Chu Bosi). King Wuwang married the daughter of Jiang Ziya. King Wuwang conferred the land of Linzi [Shandong Prov] onto Jiang Ziya as Qi Principality. Qi continued their lineage till Tian family usurped it. Details about King Wuwang were provided in topics above. Ex-Shang royal family member, Ji-zi (Qi Zi or Kija), was conferred the land of northern Korea in 1,121 BC (?). Year 1122 BC was commonly treated as the year when Shang Dynasty ended. Using the first full year as the reign for a new dynasty, Zhou Dynasty counts 1121 BC as the first year of existence. In ancient times, two derivations had been used to determine the exact year Shang Dynasty ended. Ancient Scholar Liu Xin derived 1122 BC, while some others, including Seng Yixing's version in "New History of Tang Dynasty", derived 1111 BC instead. Zhou King Chengwang (Ji Song, reign approx 1,115-1,078 B.C.) Zhou King Wuwang died after 7 years of reign or two years after defeating Shang Dynasty. Archduke Zhougong (Ji Dan) took regency in 1115 B.C. and did not return the regency till King Chenwang grew up in 7 years. Eastern capital was established at Luoyi (Luoyang). Zhougong (Duke of Zhou), under the order of King Chengwang, fulfilled the wish of King Wuwang in building the city of Luoyi (Luoyang) and moved the nine bronze utensils there. Duke Zhougong defeated the rebellion of two brothers and Shang Prince Wugeng. The ex-Shang Prince Wei-Zi (Qi) was made into the duke of Song. Duke Zhougong and King Chengwang further attacked Huai-yi (ancient Xu-guo statelet) barbarians around the Huai River, and attacked ex-Shang Marquisdom of An-guo fief and relocated An-guo marquis away from Qufu County, Shandong Prov. After King Chengwang attacked the Dong-yi barbarians, a statelet called Xi-shen (Sushen of Manchuria ?) came to pay pilgrimage. Qin's ancestors, i.e., the great grandson of Ji Sheng (Feilian's junior son), Meng Zhen, was hired by Zhou King Chengwang. King Chenwang also conferred on the descendent of Bo Yi the title of Marquis of Shen(1) or Shenhou. King Chengwang, upon death, decreed that Duke Zhaogong and Duke Bigong be responsible for assisting crown prince Ji Zhao. Zhou King Kangwang (Ji Zhao, reign approx 1,078 - 1,052 B.C.) King Kangwang, during his 40 year reign, had ruled the country in the spirits of King Wenwang and King Wuwang. Penalization tools were never called upon to punish the people. King Kangwang asked Duke Bigong dwell in the east. Jiang Taigong [l. 1212-1073 per Chu Bosi] died after a life of over 100 years during the 6th year reign of King Kangwang per "Bamboo Annals". Jiang Taigong was renowned for writing the first military strategy and tactics books, six volumes of "Liu Tao", a book that future tacticans, like Guan Zhong, Sun Wu, Wu Qi, Sun Bin, Su Qin, Huang-shi-gong [yellow rock grandpa, i.e., Zhang Liang's master], Zhang Liang, and Zhuge Liang had inherited. Zhou King Zhaowang (Ji Xia, reign approx 1,052 - 1,001 B.C.) King Zhaowang was hated for his lack of so-called 'De', i.e., virtues. He campaigned in the south. When he crossed the Huai River, sailors deliberately used rubber to seam the boat for King Zhaowang to use. The rubber-seamed boat melted mid-stream, and King Zhaowang, Duke Jigong and entourage all drowned. Zhou King Muwang (Ji Man, reign approx 1,001 - 946 B.C.) King Muwang would set up several posts, including the position of 'tai pu', for sake of restoring Zhou kingdom's prestige and power. Against the advice of Duke Jigong's counsellor, King Muwang attacked the Rong-di people. Hence, Rongdi no longer came to pay pilgrimage to Zhou court. King Muwang, after defeating Quan Rong, exiled Quanrong to Taiyuan of Shanxi Province. Muwang was said to be indulgent in travelling to the west. In the 17th year of his reign, he visited the Kun Lun Mountain. When he was toasting with Queen Mother of the West at Yao-Ci Lake on Mount Kunlun, the Xu statelet rebelled against Zhou. His chauffeur, Zaofu (or Zao Fu, i.e., Qin's ancestoral relative), drove him home to quell the rebellion, in an eight horse chariot. Zhou King Gongwang (Ji Yihu, reign approx 946 - 934 B.C.) King Wuwang died after a reign of 50 years. King Gongwang visited the Mi-guo Statelet at Jingzhou Prefecture and saw three beautilful women in Mi-guo Lord Kanggong's residence. Kanggong's mother asked his son to surrender the three beauties, but Kanggong refused. One year later, King Gongwang attacked Mi-guo Statelet and exterminated it. Zhou King Yiwang (Ji Jian, reign approx 934 - 909 B.C.) King Yiwang relocated the Zhou capital from Hao (Haojing or Chongzhou) to Quanqiu (i.e., Feiqiu). Zhou Kingdom degraded in its ruling, and poets began to record events via poems. Zhou King Xiaowang (Ji Pifang, reign approx 909 - 894 B.C.) King Xiaowang ordered Marquis Shen (Shenhou) to attack Quan-Rong around 909 BC. Qin's ancestor, Fei Zi, lived in a place called Quanqiu (a place near Fufeng of Shenxi), and he was good at raising horses around the Wei-shui River. Marquis Shenhou, whose daughter married Daluo (Fei Zi's father), somehow pursuaded Zhou King Xiaowang into bestowing the last name of 'Ying' on Daluo descendant for sake of pacifying or controlling the Xi Rong or Western Rong people. (This shows the influence of Daluo descendants in this barbaric area.) Marquis Shenhou was quoted to have mentioned to Zhou King Xiaowang that his ancestor had married their woman to 'Rong Xuxuan' where Rong meant for the barbarians and 'Xuxuan' was the great grandson of Zhongyan. (In the eyes of Marquis Shenhou, Qin people might be equivalent to the 'rong' people.) Shi Ji was ambiguous in this section: Interpretation would be that Daluo had another son born with Marquis Shenhou's daughter, called 'Cheng'; Fei-zi, not Cheng, was conferred the ancestral name of 'Ying'. Note my general designation of 'Daluo descendants' below in lieu of either Fei-zi or Cheng. Zhou King Xiaowang conferred them the land of Qin (today's eastern Gansu Province) as a vassal, and hence Daluo's son was know as 'Qin Ying'. Qin became the vassal which was situated to the western-most part of then China. History records that two more groups of people dwelled to the west of Qin and Zhou Chinese, namely, the Western Rong nomads and the Yüeh-chih people. Zhou King Yi(2)-wang (Ji Xie, reign approx 894 - 878 B.C.) King Yiwang was another son of King Yiwang. He steam-killed Marquis Qi Aigong in a bronze utensil called 'ding' or cauldron. Zhou King Liwang (Ji Hu, reign approx 878 - 827 B.C.) King Liwang was in reign for over 30 years. He paid attention to material interests and used a minister called Rongyigong as his prime minister. Duke Zhaogong (descendant of Zhaokanggong Mugonghu) admonished him by saying that civilians had complaints. King Liwang then hired a witch from Wey-guo fief to report on the populace. Liwang killed those who talked about him. Vassals did not come to Zhou court to show respect. During his 34th reign, people walking on the streets dared not talk to each other. Liwang gloated, saying to Zhaogong that nobody dared to villify him any more. Zhaogong cited i) that controlling the mouth of the populace would be more difficult than controlling the mountain torrents, ii) that floods could kill lots of people once a dam was broken, and iii) that the populace would not be kept under control once their dissatisfaction broke out. King Liwang refused to take Zhaogong's advice. Three years later, ministers colluded with each other and attacked King Liwang. King Liwang fled to a place called Zhi (Huoyi or Yong'an in Shanxi), east of the East Yellow River Bend. Liwang's son fled to Zhaogong's home for asylum and when being attacked by the Guo-ren or civilians, Zhaogong said he would be willing to substitute his own son for the life of the prince because it was his fault that King Liwang did not take his advice. While Zhou King Liwang was ruling despotically, the Xi Rong (Xirong or Western Rong) people had rebelled in the west and killed most of the Daluo lineage of Qin people. Zhou King Xuanwang conferred Qin Zhong (r. BC 845-822 ?) the title of 'Da Fu' and ordered him to quell the Xirong. Qin Zhong got killed by Xirong after being a ruler for 23 years. Qin Zhong's five sons, under the elder son (Qin Lord Zhuanggong), would defeat Xirong with 7000 relief army from Zhou. Qin Lord Zhuanggong (r. BC 821-778) hence recovered the territories called Quanqiu and enjoyed Zhou court's conferral of the title of 'Xi Chui Da Fu', i.e., the 'Da Fu' on the western-most border. (Qin ancestor tombs had been discovered in Li-xian county of Gansu Prov.) Interregnum, i.e., Republican Administrative Period (841 - 828 B.C.) Duke Zhaogong and Duke Zhougong took the regency as "interregnum". During the 14th of "interregnum", King Liwang passed away in Zhi, east of the Yellow River. Prince Jing, who spent the years in Zhaogong's home, was selected as the new Zhou king. Zhou King Xuanwang (Ji Jing, reign 827 - 782 B.C.) With two dukes as prime ministers, King Xuanwang renewed the Zhou spirits. Vassals began to come to show respect. During the 12th year of the reign, Lu Lord Wugong (r. BC 825-816) came to Zhou court. King Xuanwang, against the advice of Guo-fief Lord Wengong (descendant of Guo Zhong or Guo-shu, a brother of King Wenwang), did not take care of the thousand acre royal field. (This Guo-fief was the so-called West Guo Statelet in Chencang, Shenxi Prov.) During the 39th year of his reign, King Xuanwang attacked Jiang-rong barbarians (a race of Xi Yi or western Yi barbarians, said to be descendants of ancient minister 'Si Yue' or 'four mountains'), but he was defeated by Jiang Rong and lost his Nan-ren (i.e., soldiers from Nanyang, Henan Prov) troops. King Xuanwang ordered Bo Yi to attack the west. He made his brother, Ji You, the inheritor of Zheng (i.e., Zheng Lord Huangong). King Xuanwang refused to listen to advice from a minister called Zhongshanfu of Fan-guo fief, and King Xuanwang killed another minister called Du Bo for no reason. Legends said that three years later, in his 46th reign, King Xuanwang died of an arrow shot by the ghost of Du Bo. Zhou King Youwang (Ji Gongnie, reign 781 - 771 B.C.) During the 2nd year of his reign, the San Chuan area, i.e., three rivers areas of Jing-Wei-Luo & Yellow River, had a big earthquake. Qishan Mountain shook during the quake, and rivers dried up. A Zhou minister, Boyangfu, commented that Zhou Kingdom might have bad fate. King Youwang would use Guozhifu as his minister. During the 3rd year, Youwang took in Baoshi (a woman from Shi family, of Xia heritage, who was adopted by people of Bao-guo fief) as the new queen and then bore a son called Bo-fu. At one time, King Youwang, for sake of making Bao-shi laugh, would ridicule the vassals by lighting the fire on the beacon towers that were designed for national defence. When King Youwang deposed the prince born from the old queen, the father-in-law, Marquis Shenhou, would invite Quanrong, Zeng-guo fief (descendants of Lord Yu of Xia Dynasty) and Xi Yi (western Yi barbarians) to help him in attacking the Zhou king. Since vassals no longer responded to Youwang's beacon signal as a result of early ridiculing, King Youwang was killed by Quanrong at Lishan Mountain (today's Lantian, Shenxi). The Rong people who stayed on in Lishan Mountain areas were called Li-rong, and later Jinn Principality had married a woman called Li-ji who caused Prince Chong'er go into exile for 19 years. Western Zhou Dynasty ended after a duration of 257 years. Eastern Zhou (770-256 BC) Zhou King Pingwang (Ji Yijiu, reign 770-720 B.C.) Zhou King Pingwang moved eastward to Luoyi in 770 BC under the escort of Qin lord, and promised to Qin the land of Feng and Qishan should Qin defeat Quanrong and recover the territories. Zhou King Pingwang conferred Ying Kai the title of count. Qin Lord Xianggong (Ying Kai, reign BC 777-766) assisted Zhou King Pingwang (reign 770-720) in cracking down on both Western Rong and the Dogggy Rong. Ying Kai came to the aid of Marquis Shen after Marquis Shen wrote four letters, including requests to: i) Ying Kai, Marquis Jinn (Ji Chou), ii) Marquis Wei (Ji He, Wei Lord Wugong, over 80 years old at the time) and iii) the son of count Zheng, requesting for help in driving the Doggy Rong nomads out of Zhou capital, Haojing. Zhou court had to rely upon vassals, such as Qin, Chu, Qi and Jinn, for governance. The title given for the vassal would be 'Fang-bo', i.e., the elder count or the count of a certain domain. Ying Kai died during the 12th year of his reign (766 BC ) when he campaigned against the Rong at Qishan. After Ying Kai would be Qin Lord Wengong (r. BC 765-716). Wengong, during his 3rd year reign, had a hunting in east, and the next year, he selected Qishan area for building a city as the capital. During his 13th year reign, Wengong began chronicle recording, and during his 16th year reign, Qin Wengong defeated Rong at Qishan. Qin Wengong would give the land east of Qishan back to Zhou court. The records of 'Chun Qiu', Spring and Autumn, started in Lu Principality in 722 BC when Lord Lu Yingong (r. BC 722-712) got enthroned. Zhou King Huanwang (Ji Lin, reign 719-697 B.C.) When King Pingwang died, his son, Xiefu, also passed away. A grandson by the name of Ji Lin was selected. During the 3rd year of his reign, count Zheng Zhuanggong came to the court. King Huanwang was not respectful to the Zheng count. Count Zheng was angry. During the fifth year of Huanwang's reign, Count Zheng, without Zhou court's approval, had exchanged the royal veneration site of 'Xu-tian' (near today's Xuchang, Henan) for another patch of land from Lu Principality. Xu-tian was the place given to Duke Zhougong by King Chenwang, and later Zhou court used this land for venerating Mount Taishan. (Count Zheng's ancestor would be the brother of King Xuanwang, Ji You, and King Xuanwang conferred Ji You the land of Zheng as Zheng Lord Huangong.) During the 8th year of his reign, i.e., 712 BC, Lord Lu Yingong was killed and Lu Huangong was enthroned. During the 13th year of his reign, King Huanwang campaigned against Zheng Principality, but incurred an arrow wound in the hands of a Zheng general by the name of Zhu Dan. This would be called the Battle of Ruge in 707 BC. Zhou court had rallied very little support during the campaign, and Zhou prestige was said to have been gone by that time. The son of Jinn's Quwo Zhuang-bo, a relative of Jinn marquis, would attack, capture and kill Marquis Jinn Aihou (r 717-710 BC) in 710 BC. Qin Lord Ninggong (r. BC 715-704) would defeat King Bo and drove King Bo towards the Rong people in 713 BC. Ninggong conquered King Bo's Dang-shi clan in 704 BC. In 703 BC approx, Song captured Zheng lord and erected a new Zheng lord. Zhou King Zhuangwang (Ji Tuo, reign 696-682 B.C.) Duke Zhougong, Heijian, wanted to kill King Zhuangwang for sake of having Prince Ke (King Zhuangwang's brother, Ziyi) enthroned. A minister by the name of Xin-bo informed Zhou king of Heijian's scheme. King Zhuangwang killed Zhougong. Prince Ke fled to Yan Principality. Qin Ninggong's elder son (Wugong) was deposed, and Chu-zi, the son of Ninggong's junior son, was enthroned by three ministers at the age of 5. Chu-zi was killed 6 years later and Qin Lord Wugong (r. BC 697-677) was selected. About this time, Qin Wugong campaigned against 'Pengxian-shi Rong' and reached the foot of Huashan Mountain. Qin Lord Wugong, in 688 BC, exterminated Gui-rong (Shanggui of Longxi) and Ji-rong (Tiansui Commandary), and the next year, exterminated Du-bo Fief (southeast of Xi'an), Zheng-guo Fief (Zheng-xian County) and Xiao-guo Fief (an alternative Guo Fief from the domain conferred by Zhou King Wenwang onto his brother, Guo-shu). At Zheng Principality, a minister by the name of Gaoqumi killed his lord Zheng Zhaogong (r. BC 696-695) in 695 BC. Qi Lord Xianggong (r. 697-686 BC) was assassinated by his minister (Guan Zhifu) in 686 BC; Jinn exterminated the fief statelets of Geng, Huo and Wei; another assasination in Qi would see Qi Lord Huan'gong (r. 685-643 BC) selected in 685 BC. Zhou King Xiwang (Ji Huqi, reign 681-677 B.C.) Lord Qi Huangong made Guan Zhong (l. 715-645 BC per Chu Bosi) the counsellor in 685 BC. Qi Huangong (Xiao-Bai, ?-643 BC) rose to prominence in vassal politics beginning in 679 BC. During the 3rd year of the King Xiwang reign, i.e., 679 BC, Qi Lord Huan'gong proclaimed himself a 'hegemony lord'. Guan Zhong, skillful at accumulating wealth [by ironically endorsing prostitution as tax revenue collection], had helped Qi Huan'gong in assembling vassals nine times. Qi Huan'gong called Guang Zhong by 'zhong fu', i.e., proxy father. Also in 679 BC, Marquis Jinn Min-hou was killed by Jinn Quwo Wugong. Zhou King Xiwang conferred Marquisdom onto Quwo Wugong. Quwo Wugong called himself Jinn Wugong and died two years later. Qin Lord Wugong passed away in 677 BC, and 66 persons followed to his tomb as live burial. Zhou King Huiwang (Ji Lang, reign 676-652 B.C.) During the seond year of the reign, an uncle by the name of Tui rebelled against King Huiwang. King Huiwang sought asylum in Zheng's capital, i.e., today's Yangdi County, Henan Prov. During the 4th year of the reign, Count Zheng Ligong and Lord of Guo-fief (Guogong Linfu) aided Zhou King Huiwang by killing Tui and restoring Huiwang's kingdom. During the 10th year of the reign, King Huiwang conferred onto Lord Qi, i.e., Marquis Qi Huangong, the title of Count. (Count is apparently higher ranking than marquis during the Zhou kingdom time period.) Jinn Wugong's successor, Jinn Xian'gong (r. 676-651 BC), attacked Li-rong (Xi Rong) barbarians in 672 BC approx, and captured a Li-rong woman called Li-ji. Jinn Xian'gong killed most of the princes from the deposed Jinn Marquisdom lineage, and one such prince fled to Guo-guo statelet. Wars erupted between Jinn and Guo-guo. In 665 BC approx, Li-ji born Xiqi and then conspired to have Jinn Xian'gong's elder princes deposed or killed, pushing Jinn into another round of turmoils. In 664 BC, Qi Lord Huangong destroyed the statelets of Shan-rong and Guzhu. (Guzhu was formerly Zhu-guo Statelet, a vassal of ex-Shang dynasty.) In 661 BC, the Chang Di barbarians who were located near today's Jinan City of Shandong Province, under Sou Man, attacked the Wey and Xing principalities. The Di barbarians killed Wey Lord Yigong (r. BC 668-660 ?) who was notorious for indulging in raising numerous birds called 'he'. In 661 BC approx, Jin (Jinn) Principality eliminated Huo (Huozhou, Shanxi Prov), Wei and Geng fiefdoms. Jinn Xian'gong built the city of Quwo for Prince Shensheng, conferred General Bi-wan the domain of Wei and General Zhao Su the domain of Geng. Shiwei advised Prince Shensheng to flee as Zhou King Wenwang's uncles did. Jinn minister Po-yan advised against the conferral of Wei land onto Bi-wan. The next year, Prince Shensheng was ordered on a new campaign against Dongshan-Chidi barbarians. Shensheng sought advice with Li'ke as to his crown prince status. (Scholar Liu Qiyu pointed out that in southwestern Shanxi Prov, a statelet called Ji-guo, possible of Xia Dynasty descendants, with ancient Ji-zhou character embedded, had at one time attacked Jinn Principality and hence it should be looked at as a considerable power. Ji-guo, subsequently quelled by Jinn, had become the fiefs of several Jinn ministers consecutively, from 650 BC to 627 BC. Liu Qiyu mentioned excavations of Zeng-guo to prove that various powers had existed quite independently at the ancient times.) In 658 BC approx (i.e., 2nd year of Lu Lord Xigong), Jinn borrowed a path from Yu-guo and attacked Xiangyang of Guo-guo. In 656 BC approx, Li-ji conspired to put poison into the meat Shensheng gave to his father; Li-ji pasted honey onto her body to attract bees, asked Shensheng help her drive away the bees, and then accused Shensheng of trying to take advantage of her. Shensheng fled to Xincheng city and committed suicide. Jinn Lord Xian'gong (?-651 B.C.) hence fell under the trick of his concubine (a Li-rong woman), and Prince Chong'e (Chong Er, ?-628 BC) escaped to Di(2) Statelet in 655 BC. (Prince Chong Er's birth mother was from Di barbarian.) This year, Jinn borrowed path from Yu-guo again by sending Jinn Xian'gong stallion as a gift. A Yu-guo minister, Gong Zhiqi, advised against it, saying Yu-guo and Guo-guo were like lips and teeth to each other. Gong Zhiqi led his whole family away from the Yu-guo. Jinn Principality eliminated Guo and Yu statelets in the winter of 655 BC. Guo-gong fled to Zhou court. Yu-gong and his minister Baili Xi were captured and the stallion was found by Xunxi and delivered back to Jinn Xian'gong. In 654 BC approx, Jinn attacked Prince Yiwu at Quwo land, and Yiwu fled to a different statelet, Shaoliang land, at the advice of Ji-rui. Ji-rui said that should Yiwu flee to Di2 barbarians, Jinn would attack Di because Chong'er was already there. Two years later, Jinn attacked Di2, and Di counter-attacked Jinn; hence, Jinn withdrew from their siege. Concubine Li-ji's brother had a son called Dao-zi in this year. Zhou King Xiangwang (Ji Zheng, reign 651-619 B.C.) Lord Qi Huangong held a meeting at Kuiqiu in 651 B.C. as a demonstration of his hegemony status. Qi Lord Huan'gong (r. 685-643 BC), who proclaimed himself a 'hegemony lord' in 679 BC and destroyed the statelets of Shan-rong and Guzhu in Manchuria in 664 BC, campaigned against Bai-di barbarians in the west in 651 BC, occupied 'da xia' (i.e., Grand Xia land) and crossed the river to subjugate 'xi yu' (i.e., western Yu-shi clan's land). After the death of Jinn Lord Xian'gong, Li-ji's son, Xiqi, was erected, but a minister (Li'ke) killed Xiqi; after minister Xunxi erected another cousin of Xiqi (Dao-zi), Li'ke killed the new lord and Xunxi, consecutively. Li-ji was killed on the streets. Li'ke first sought for Prince Chong'er as the new Jinn lord, but Chong'er declined. Li'ke then went to Prince Yiwu. Jinn Prince Yiwu sought for help from Qin Lord Mugong (r. BC 659-621) in escorting him to the throne at Jinn, with a promise of secceding to Qin 8 cities to the west of Yellow River. Qi Huan'gong sent forces to help Yiwu as well, and Qi forces stopped marching at Gaoliang after finding out that Qin already delivered Yiwu, i.e., Jinn Huigong (r. 650-637 BC). Yiwu ate his words, and killed Li'ke instead of conferring him the land of Fengyang. Yiwu's emissary to Qin, Pi-zheng, being afraid of returning to Jinn to receive the same fate as Li'ke, would incite Qin Lord Mugong in having Jinn Prince Chong'er replace Yiwu. (In Sima Qian's |
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