Yue (state)
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| State of Yue 越 |
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| Kingdom | ||||
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| Capital | Guiji (Shaoxing), later Wu (Suzhou) | |||
| Religion | Chinese folk religion, ancestor worship | |||
| Government | Monarchy | |||
| - 496 BCE– 465 BCE | King Goujian | |||
| Historical era | Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States Period | |||
| - Established | Enter start year | |||
| - Defeated by Chu state, fled to Fujian and became Minyue. | 334 BC | |||
| Currency | Chinese coin | |||
Yue (Chinese: 越國; pinyin: Yuèguó) was a state in China which existed during the Spring and Autumn Period (722–479 BCE) and the Warring States Period (475–221 BCE), in the modern province of Zhejiang. During the Spring and Autumn Period, its capital was in Guiji (会稽), near the modern city of Shaoxing. After the conquest of Wu, the kings of Yue moved their capital north, to Wu (modern Suzhou).
According to Sima Qian, its rulers claimed to be descended from Yu the Great, and the annotation to the Guoyu mention that their surname was Mi.
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[edit] Yue in History
Ancient Chinese texts do not mention Yue until the wars which opposed it to its northern neighbour, the state of Wu, in the late 6th century BC. After several decades of conflict, King Goujian of Yue managed to destroy and annex Wu in 473 BC, and Yue became one of the powerful states in the early Warring States Period.
In 334 BC, the State of Yue, under the rule of Wu Jiang (simplified Chinese: 无疆; traditional Chinese: 無彊), the sixth generation descendant of Goujian, was eventually defeated and annexed by Chu. The second son of Wu Jiang, Ming Di, was appointed by the ruler of Chu to administer a place called Wu Cheng (the present day Wuxing District of Huzhou City in Zhejiang province), which was situated south of the Ou Yang Ting (pavilion), so named because it was built on the south and yáng (sunny) side of the Ou Yu Mountain, and hence was given the title of Ou Yang Ting Hou (roughly equivalent to a Marquess). After Chu was subjugated by Qin during the Warring States Period in 223 BC, the title was abolished by the Qin Emperor Ying Zheng. Descendants of the former rulers took up the surname Ou 歐, Ouyang 歐陽 or Ou Hou 歐侯 (since disappeared) in remembrance of his official title.
The state was famous for the quality of its metalworking and in particular its swords. Examples include the extremely well preserved Sword of Goujian and sword of King Zhou Gou (州勾王). The beauty Xi Shi was also a native of the state.
[edit] Exile Government and Absorption into Han Dynasty
After the fall of Yue, the ruling family moved south to what is now northern Fujian and set up the Minyue kingdom. This successor state lasted until around 150 BC, when it miscalculated an alliance with the Han Dynasty.
Minyue cities, neatly constructed from stone, have been excavated in Wuyishan City, which already contains a UNESCO natural and cultural heritage site.[1] Minyue tombs showing the Yue burial customs have recently been discovered.
[edit] Yue in astronomy
There is two opinions about the representing star of Yue in Chinese astronomy. The opinions are :
- Yue, together with Wu is represented with the star Zeta Aquilae (and share with Epsilon Aquilae) in asterism Left Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure (see Chinese constellation).,[2] and also represented with the star 19 Capricorni in in asterism Twelve States, Girl mansion.[3] (see Chinese constellation).
- Yue, together with Wu is represented with the star Zeta Aquilae (and share with Epsilon Aquilae).,[4] and Yue also represented with the star Psi Capricorni.[5]
[edit] People from Yue
- Yuenü, swordswoman, whose exposition on the art of the sword is the earliest recorded theory on this topic[6]
[edit] surname
- Si (姒:Sa) : royal of Yue state from Si (姒) clan of Xia Dynasty
- Gu (顧:Go) : royal of Yue state
- Jen (任:Yam:Yum:Yim:Ren) : clan in Shaoxing, later join to Chu (state)
- Si (斯:Sa) : clan in Hangzhou, Zhejiang
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ The Wuyi Mountains
- ^ (Chinese) AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 6 月 23 日
- ^ http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8C%97%E6%96%B9%E4%B8%AD%E8%A5%BF%E6%98%9F%E5%90%8D%E5%B0%8D%E7%85%A7%E8%A1%A8
- ^ Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names – Their Lore and Meaning: Aquila
- ^ Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names – Their Lore and Meaning: Capricornus
- ^ Hong Lee and Stefanowsky. p. 91.
- Hong Lee and Stefanowsky (2007). Biographical dictionary of Chinese women: antiquity through Sui, 1600 B.C.E.-618 C.E. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
[edit] Further reading
- Zhengzhang Shangfang [郑张尚芳]. 1990. "Some Kam-Tai Words in Place Names of the Ancient Wu and Yue States" [古吴越地名中的侗台语成份]. In Minzu Yuwen 6.
[edit] External links
- Eric Henry: The Submerged History of Yuè (Sino-Platonic Papers 176, May 2007; PDF)
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