Lu (state)

Not to be confused with the State of Lü (吕国/呂国)

State of Lu, pinyin: Lǔ Guó 魯国/魯國
10th century BC – 256 BC
Capital	Qufu, Shandong Province
Religion	Chinese folk religion, ancestor worship, Taoism
Government	Duchy
Duke	Hereditary Dukes of the Ji (姬) family
History
- Established	10th century BC
- Overthrown by the State of Chu	256 BC
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The State of Lu, (Chinese: 鲁国; Chinese: 魯國; pinyin: Lǔguó) was a Zhou Dynasty ducal vassal state before and during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. Founded in the 10th century BC, its dukes used Ji (姬, which literally means "concubine") as their family name. The first duke was Boqin (Chinese: 伯禽, pinyin: Bóqín,, whose personal name literally means "Elder Animal," using a generic term for animals and birds. He was a son of Duke of Zhou, the then Prime Minister of Zhou. The state's capital was in Qufu and its territory mainly covered the central and southwest regions of what is now Shandong Province. It was bordered to the north by the powerful state of Qi and to the south by the powerful state of Chu. Although a Qi invasion was defeated in the Battle of Changshao in 684 BCE, the state was in decline during the Spring and Autumn Period. The political power of Lu was eventually split between the three powerful landlords Jisun, Mengsun and Shusun (all of them were descendants of Duke Huan of Lu) until Duke Mu of Lu made a reform, while the land of Mengsun and Shusun was occupied by Qi and the House of Jisun founded their own state named Bi(费). Lu was annexed in 256 BCE by the state of Chu.

Lu was the home state of Confucius. The Annals of Spring and Autumn was written to record the history of Lu. Another great work of Chinese history, Zuo Zhuan or Annals of Zuo was also written in Lu.

List of Rulers

Lu, 5th centry BCE

• Xiao 796-769;
• Hui 768-723;
• Yin 722-712;
• Huan 711-694;
• Zhuang 693-662;
• Min 661-660;
• Xi 659-627;
• Wen 626-609;
• Xuan 608-591;
• Duke Cheng of Lu 590-573;
• Xiang 572-542;
• Zhao 541-510;
• Ding 509-495; Ai 494-477;

List of surnames

A remnant of the city wall of Lu's capital city, surviving on the outskirts of Qufu

• Min (閔) from Zhuang Gong(莊公) 693-662
• Lu (魯, Ro, No)
• Liu (柳, Lao, Ryu, Yu) from Zhan Huo(展獲)
• Ji (姬, Kei, Ki, Hi), common surname of Zhou Dynasty
• Qi (竒, Ji, Ki, Yi), from son of Zhao Gong(昭公)
• Ji Sun (季孫)
• Shu Sun (叔孫)
• Meng Sun (孟孫), Meng(孟)
• Gong (公)
• Gong Shi (公石)
• Gong Yang (公羊)
• Dong Ye (东野)
• Dong Men (东门)
• Hou (郈)
• Nan Gong (南宮, Nam Gung) from Meng Xi Ji(孟僖子)
• Zhong(中), son of Xiao Gong(孝公)