Zhou dynasty
Zhou Dynasty 周朝 | |||||||||
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1122 BC–256 BC | |||||||||
![]() Boundaries of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050–771 BC) in China | |||||||||
Capital | Haojing, Luoyang | ||||||||
Common languages | Chinese | ||||||||
Religion | Chinese folk religion | ||||||||
Government | Monarchy/Feudalism | ||||||||
King | |||||||||
History | |||||||||
1122 BC | |||||||||
• Disestablished | 256 BC | ||||||||
Currency | Cash (Chinese coin), Chinese coin | ||||||||
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The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: 周朝; pinyin: Zhōu Cháo; Wade–Giles: Chou Ch`ao; POJ: Chiu Tiau; 1122 BC to 256 BC) was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Zhou dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history—though the actual political and military control of China by the dynasty only lasted during the Western Zhou. During the Zhou, the use of iron was introduced to China,[1] while this period of Chinese history produced what many consider the zenith of Chinese bronze-ware making. The dynasty also spans the period in which the written script evolved from the ancient stage as seen in early Western Zhou bronze inscriptions, to the beginnings of the modern stage, in the form of the archaic clerical script of the late Warring States period.
During the Zhou Dynasty, the origins of native Chinese philosophy developed, its initial stages beginning in the 6th century BC. The greatest Chinese philosophers, those who made the greatest impact on later generations of Chinese, were Kong Fuzi (Latin: Confucius), founder of Confucianism, and Laozi, founder of Daoism. Other philosophers, theorists, and schools of thought in this era were Mozi (Latin: Micius), founder of Mohism, Mengzi (Latin: Mencius), a famous Confucian who expanded upon Kong Fuzi's legacy, Shang Yang and Han Feizi, responsible for the development of ancient Chinese Legalism (the core philosophy of the Qin Dynasty), and Xunzi, who was arguably the center of ancient Chinese intellectual life during his time, even more so than iconic intellectual figures such as Mencius.[2]
Mandate of Heaven
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Western_Zhou_Gui_Vessel.jpg/200px-Western_Zhou_Gui_Vessel.jpg)
In the Chinese historical tradition, the Zhou defeated the Shang and oriented the Shang system of ancestor worship toward a universalized worship away from the worship of Di and to that of Tian or "heaven". They legitimized their rule by invoking the Mandate of Heaven, the notion that the ruler (the "Son of Heaven") governed by divine right but that his dethronement would prove that he had lost the mandate. Such things that proved the ruling family had lost the Mandate were natural disasters and rebellions. The doctrine explained and justified the demise of the Xia and Shang Dynasties and at the same time supported the legitimacy of present and future rulers. The Zhou dynasty was founded by the Ji family and had its capital at Hào (鎬, near the present-day city of Xi'an in the Wei River valley). Sharing the language and culture of the Shang, the early Zhou rulers, through conquest and colonization, established a large imperial territory where in states as far as Shandong acknowledged Zhou rulership and took part in elite culture. The spread of Zhou bronzes, though, was concurrent with the continued use of Shang style pottery in the distant regions and these states were the last to recede during the late Western Zhou.
Zhou military
The early Western Zhou supported a strong military split into two major units: “The Six Armies of the West” and “The Eight Armies of Chengzhou”. The armies campaigned in the northern Loess Plateau, modern Ningxia and the Huanghe floodplain. The military prowess of Zhou peaked during the 19th year of King Zhao's reign, when the Six Armies were wiped out along with King Zhao on a campaign around the Han River. Early Zhou kings were true commanders-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 Xian, and 8 armies stationed in the east. Zhou Zhaowang (r. 1052–1001 BC) was famous for repeated campaigns in the Yangtze areas and died in his last action. Zhou Muwang (r. 1001–946 BC) was a legendary figure famous for fighting in the west and maybe today's Central Asia where he met on Kunlun Mountain with so-called Xi Wang Mu, namely, Queen Mother of the West, rumored by some 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. 878–7 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. Although chariots had been introduced to China since the Shang Dynasty,[3] the Zhou period saw the use of massed chariots in battle, a technology imported from Central Asia.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/CMOC_Treasures_of_Ancient_China_exhibit_-_bronze_gui.jpg/220px-CMOC_Treasures_of_Ancient_China_exhibit_-_bronze_gui.jpg)
In the West, the Zhou period is often described as feudal because the Zhou's early rule invites comparison with medieval rule in Europe. However, historians debate whether or not this description is valid; the more appropriate term for the Zhou Dynasty's political arrangement would be from the Chinese language itself: the Fēngjiàn (封建) system. The Zhou amalgam of city-states became progressively centralized and established increasingly impersonal political and economic institutions. These developments, which probably occurred in the later Zhou period, were manifested in greater central control over local governments and a more routinized agrarian taxation. Zhou officials were not paid a salary but instead were given semi-regular gifts by the King, which often included land in the Wei River valley. Imperial stability was ensured through marriages between the Zhou court and local lords as well as the installment of Zhou lords into command over distant regions.
Western and Eastern Zhou
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Liangqi_Zhong.jpg/180px-Liangqi_Zhong.jpg)
Initially the Ji family was able to control the country firmly. In 771 BC, after King You had replaced his queen with a concubine Baosi, the capital was sacked by the joint force of the queen's father, who was the powerful Marquess of Shen, and a nomadic tribe, the Quanrong. The queen's son Ji Yijiu was proclaimed the new king by the nobles from the states of Zheng, Lü, Qin and the Marquess of Shen. The capital was moved eastward in 722 BC to Luoyang in present-day Henan Province. Because of this shift, historians divide the Zhou era into the Western Zhou (西周, pinyin Xī Zhōu), lasting up until 771 BC, and the Eastern Zhou (Traditional Chinese: 東周, Simplified Chinese: 东周, pinyin: Dōng Zhōu) from 770 up to 256 BC. The beginning year of the Western Zhou has been disputed — 1122 BC, 1027 BC and other years within the hundred years from late 12th century BC to late 11th century BC have been proposed. Chinese historians take 841 BC as the first year of consecutive annual dating of the history of China, based on the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian. The Eastern Zhou corresponds roughly to two subperiods. The first, from 722 to 481 BC, is called the Spring and Autumn Period, after a famous historical chronicle of the time; the second is known as the Warring States Period (403 to 221 BC), after another famous chronicle and initiated by the partitioning of Jin. The Warring States Period extends slightly past the 256 BC end date of the Eastern Zhou; this discrepancy is due to the fact that the last Zhou king's reign ended in 256, 35 years before the beginning of the Qin dynasty which ended the Warring States period. The Eastern Zhou period is also designated as a period of a hundred schools. This is a reference to the different schools of historical Chinese intellectual thought. There were four main distinct schools which were the Ru, Mohist, Daoist, and Legalists. These schools of thought contributed to social, philosophical and political change which played a large part in the decline of the Zhou dynasty.[2]
Decline
With the royal line broken, the power of the Zhou court gradually diminished, and the fragmentation of the kingdom accelerated. From Ping Wang onwards, the Zhou kings ruled in name only, with true power lying in the hands of powerful nobles. Towards the end of the Zhou Dynasty, the nobles did not even bother to acknowledge the Ji family symbolically, rebelled and declared themselves to be kings. The dynasty was ended in 256 BC, before Qin Shi Huang's unification of China in 221 BC, when the last king of Zhou died and his sons did not proclaim the nominal titles of King of China.
Agriculture
Agriculture in the Zhou Dynasty was very intensive and in many cases directed by the government. All farming lands were owned by nobles, who then gave their land to their serfs, a situation similar to European feudalism. For example, a piece of land was divided into nine squares in the shape of the character for "water well," jing (井), with the grain from the middle square taken by the government and that of surrounding squares kept by individual farmers. This way, the government was able to store surplus food and distribute it in times of famine or bad harvest. Some important manufacturing sectors during this period included bronze smelting, which was integral to making weapons and farming tools. Again, these industries were dominated by the nobility who directed the production of such materials.
China's first projects of hydraulic engineering were founded during the Zhou Dynasty, ultimately for means to aid agricultural irrigation. The Prime Minister of Wei, Sunshu Ao, who served King Zhuang of Chu (楚莊王) (died 591 BC) dammed a river to create an enormous irrigation reservoir in modern-day northern Anhui province. For this Sunshu is credited as China's first hydraulic engineer. The later Wei statesman Ximen Bao, who served Marquis Wen of Wei (文侯) (445 BC-396 BC), is the first hydraulic engineer of China to have created a large irrigation canal system. As the main focus of his grandiose project, his canal work eventually diverted the waters of the entire Zhang River to a spot further up the Huang He River.
Gallery of artwork
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Defang bronze ritual vessel, Western Zhou Dynasty
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Dake bronze ritual vessel, Western Zhou Dynasty
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You bronze ritual vessel, Western Zhou Dynasty
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Qizhong Hu bronze vessel, Western Zhou Dynasty
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Dou vessel with a hunting scene, Eastern Zhou Dynasty
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A bo bell of the Duke of Qin, Eastern Zhou Dynasty
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Pu vessel with dragon designs, Eastern Zhou Dynasty
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Eastern Zhou bronze ritual food vessel (ding) with lacquer design, 5th-4th century BC
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An Eastern Zhou Dynasty bronze ding vessel
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An Eastern Zhou Dynasty bronze musical bell
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Western and Eastern Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels
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An Eastern Zhou Dynasty bronze and silver canteen
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A square bronze hu vessel, Eastern Zhou Dynasty
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An Eastern Zhou Dynasty bronze bird-shaped wine server
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Embroidered silk gauze garment from a 4th century BC, Zhou era tomb at Mashan, Hubei province.
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Silk painting of a man riding a dragon.
Zhou dynasty kings
Personal name | Posthumous Name | Reign years1 | Name by which most commonly known |
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Ji Fa 姬發 |
Wuwang 武王 |
1046 BC-1043 BC1 | Zhou Wuwang (King Wu of Zhou) |
Ji Song 姬誦 |
Chengwang 成王 |
1042 BC-1021 BC1 | Zhou Chengwang (King Cheng of Zhou) |
Ji Zhao 姬釗 |
Kangwang 康王 |
1020 BC-996 BC1 | Zhou Kangwang (King Kang of Zhou) |
Ji Xia 姬瑕 |
Zhaowang 昭王 |
995 BC-977 BC1 | Zhou Zhaowang (King Zhao of Zhou) |
Ji Man 姬滿 |
Muwang 穆王 |
976 BC-922 BC1 | Zhou Muwang (King Mu of Zhou) |
Ji Yihu 姬繄扈 |
Gongwang 共王/龔王 |
922 BC-900 BC1 | Zhou Gongwang (King Gong of Zhou) |
Ji Jian 姬囏 |
Yiwang 懿王 |
899 BC-892 BC1 | Zhou Yiwang (King Yi of Zhou) |
Ji Pifang 姬辟方 |
Xiaowang 孝王 |
891 BC-886 BC1 | Zhou Xiaowang (King Xiao of Zhou) |
Ji Xie 姬燮 |
Yiwang 夷王 |
885 BC-878 BC1 | Zhou Yiwang (King Yi of Zhou) |
Ji Hu 姬胡 |
Liwang 厲王/剌王 |
877 BC-841 BC1 | Zhou Liwang (King Li of Zhou) |
Gonghe (regency) 共和 |
841 BC-828 BC | Gonghe | |
Ji Jing 姬靜 |
Xuanwang 宣王 |
827 BC-782 BC | Zhou Xuanwang (King Xuan of Zhou) |
Ji Gongsheng 姬宮湦 |
Youwang 幽王 |
781 BC-771 BC | Zhou Youwang (King You of Zhou) |
End of Western Zhou / Beginning of Eastern Zhou | |||
Ji Yijiu 姬宜臼 |
Pingwang 平王 |
770 BC-720 BC | Zhou Pingwang (King Ping of Zhou) |
Ji Lin 姬林 |
Huanwang 桓王 |
719 BC-697 BC | Zhou Huanwang (King Huan of Zhou) |
Ji Tuo 姬佗 |
Zhuangwang 莊王 |
696 BC-682 BC | Zhou Zhuangwang (King Zhuang of Zhou) |
Ji Huqi 姬胡齊 |
Xiwang 釐王 |
681 BC-677 BC | Zhou Xiwang (King Xi of Zhou) |
Ji Lang 姬閬 |
Huiwang 惠王 |
676 BC-652 BC | Zhou Huiwang (King Hui of Zhou) |
Ji Zheng 姬鄭 |
Xiangwang 襄王 |
651 BC-619 BC | Zhou Xiangwang (King Xiang of Zhou) |
Ji Renchen 姬壬臣 |
Qingwang 頃王 |
618 BC-613 BC | Zhou Qingwang (King Qing of Zhou) |
Ji Ban 姬班 |
Kuangwang 匡王 |
612 BC-607 BC | Zhou Kuangwang (King Kuang of Zhou) |
Ji Yu 姬瑜 |
Dingwang 定王 |
606 BC-586 BC | Zhou Dingwang (King Ding of Zhou) |
Ji Yi 姬夷 |
Jianwang 簡王 |
585 BC-572 BC | Zhou Jianwang (King Jian of Zhou) |
Ji Xiexin 姬泄心 |
Lingwang 靈王 |
571 BC-545 BC | Zhou Lingwang (King Ling of Zhou) |
Ji Gui 姬貴 |
Jingwang 景王 |
544 BC-521 BC | Zhou Jingwang (King Jing of Zhou) |
Ji Meng 姬猛 |
Daowang 悼王 |
520 BC | Zhou Daowang (King Dao of Zhou) |
Ji Gai 姬丐 |
Jingwang 敬王 |
519 BC-476 BC | Zhou Jingwang (King Jing of Zhou) |
Ji Ren 姬仁 |
Yuanwang 元王 |
475 BC-469 BC | Zhou Yuanwang (King Yuan of Zhou) |
Ji Jie 姬介 |
Zhendingwang 貞定王 |
468 BC-442 BC | Zhou Zhendingwang (King Zhending of Zhou) |
Ji Quji 姬去疾 |
Aiwang 哀王 |
441 BC | Zhou Aiwang (King Ai of Zhou) |
Ji Shu 姬叔 |
Siwang 思王 |
441 BC | Zhou Siwang (King Si of Zhou) |
Ji Wei 姬嵬 |
Kaowang 考王 |
440 BC-426 BC | Zhou Kaowang (King Kao of Zhou) |
Ji Wu 姬午 |
Weiliewang 威烈王 |
425 BC-402 BC | Zhou Weiliewang (King Weilie of Zhou) |
Ji Jiao 姬驕 |
Anwang 安王 |
401 BC-376 BC | Zhou Anwang (King An of Zhou) |
Ji Xi 姬喜 |
Liewang 烈王 |
375 BC-369 BC | Zhou Liewang (King Lie of Zhou) |
Ji Bian 姬扁 |
Xianwang 顯王 |
368 BC-321 BC | Zhou Xianwang (King Xian of Zhou) |
Ji Ding 姬定 |
Shenjingwang 慎靚王 |
320 BC-315 BC | Zhou Shenjingwang (King Shenjing of Zhou) |
Ji Yan 姬延 |
Nanwang 赧王 |
314 BC-256 BC | Zhou Nanwang (King Nan of Zhou) |
Huiwang 惠王 |
255 BC-249 BC | Zhou Huiwang² (King Hui of Eastern Zhou) | |
2 Nobles of the Ji family proclaimed King Hui as King Nan's successor after their capital, Luoyang, fell to Qin forces in 256 BC. However Zhou resistance did not last long in the face of the Qin advance and so King Nan is widely considered to have been the last king of the Zhou dynasty. |
See also
Ancient history |
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Preceded by prehistory |
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Footnotes
- ^ "EARFE".
- ^ a b Schirokauer & Brown 2006. "A Brief history of Chinese civilization: second edition". Wadsworth, Thomson Learning, pp. 25–47.
- ^ Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, Anne Walthall, James B. Palais (2006). East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-13384-4. Page 14.
- ^ Shaughnessy, Edward L. Historical Perspectives on The Introduction of The Chariot Into China. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jun., 1988), pp. 189–237.
References
- Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, Anne Walthall, James B. Palais (2006). East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-13384-4.
- Lee, Yuan-Yuan and Shen, Sinyan. (1999). Chinese Musical Instruments (Chinese Music Monograph Series). Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464039
- Shen, Sinyan (1987), Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells, Scientific American, 256, 94.
- Sun, Yan. 2006. "Cultural and Political Control in North China: Style and Use of the Bronzes of Yan at Liulihe during the Early Western Zhou." In: Contact and Exchange in the Ancient World. Edited by Victor H. Mair. University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu. Pages 215-237. ISBN 9780824828844; ISBN 0824828844.
- Feng, Li. 2006. Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou 1045-771 BC
- Schirokauer & Brown 2006. "A Brief history of Chinese civilization: second edition" Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, pp.25-47
- Leeman, Bernard. 2005.Queen of Sheba and Biblical Scholarship. Queensland Academic Press Australia. ISBN 0975802208
External links
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