Zheng (state)

State of Zheng 鄭國
806 BC–375 BC
Status	Duchy
Capital	Zheng (鄭) Xinzheng (新鄭)
Common languages	Old Chinese
Religion	Taoism, Animism, ancestor worship
Government	Monarchy
Duke
• 806 BC – 771 BC	Duke Huan of Zheng
• 703 BC – 701 BC	Duke Zhuang of Zheng
• 395 BC – 375 BC	Duke Kang of Zheng
History
• King Xuan of Zhou granting land to Prince You	806 BC
• Conquest of the State of Han	375 BC
Currency	Chinese coin; Spade coin
Preceded by Succeeded by Zhou Dynasty Han (state)

Zheng
"Zheng" in seal script (top), Traditional (middle), and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Traditional Chinese	鄭
Simplified Chinese	郑
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhèng Gwoyeu Romatzyh Jenq Wade–Giles Cheng4 IPA [ʈʂə̂ŋ] Wu Suzhounese Zên Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jehng Jyutping Zeng6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Tēn Tâi-lô Tēnn Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *[d]reŋ-s

Zheng (Chinese: 鄭; Old Chinese: *[d]reng-s) was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty (1046–221 BCE) located in the centre of ancient China in modern-day Henan Province on the North China Plain about 75 miles (121 km) east of the royal capital at Luoyang. It was the most powerful of the vassal states at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou (771–701 BCE), and was the first state to clearly establish a code of law in its late period of 543 BCE. Its ruling house had the surname Ji (姬), making them a branch of the Zhou royal house, who were given the rank of Bo (伯), corresponding roughly to a countdom.

Foundation

Chinese states, 5th century BCE

Zheng was founded in 806 BC when King Xuan of Zhou, the penultimate king of the Western Zhou, made his younger brother Prince You (王子友) Duke of Zheng and granted him lands within the royal domain at the eponymous Zheng in modern-day Hua County, Shaanxi on the Wei River east of Xi'an. Prince You, known posthumously as Duke Huan of Zheng, established what would be the last bastion of Western Zhou going on to serve as Situ under King You of Zhou. When the Quanrong tribes sacked the Zhou capital Haojing in 771 BC, Duke Huan was killed along with his nephew King You of Zhou.

Duke Huan was succeeded by his son Duke Wu (鄭武公). Along with Marquis Wen of Jin, Duke Wu supported King Ping of Zhou against a rival, thereby helping to establish the Eastern Zhou. He reestablished the state of Zheng in modern-day Xinzheng (meaning New Zheng), Henan, and annexed the states of Eastern Guo and Kuai. The Zheng rulers served as high ministers of the Zhou kings for several generations.

Spring and Autumn Period

Early dominance

The state of Zheng was one of the strongest at the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period. Zheng was the first Zhou state to annex another state, Xi, sometime between 684 and 680 BCE. Throughout the Spring and Autumn Period, Zheng was one of the wealthiest states, relying on its central location for inter-state commerce and having the largest number of merchants of any state. Zheng often used its wealth to bribe itself out of difficult situations.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng (743–701 BCE) was arguably a forerunner of the Five Hegemons, though Zheng derived its dominance by dramatically different means compared to those of the later hegemons by defeating an alliance of feudal states led by Zhou itself and wounding King Huan of Zhou. When Duke Zhuang died there was a civil war between his sons and Zheng ceased to be a powerful state.

Later Period

By the later stages of the period, Zheng had no room to expand; due to its central location, Zheng was hemmed in on all sides by larger states. During the later stages of the Spring and Autumn period, Zheng frequently switched its diplomatic alliances. Zheng was the center of diplomatic contention between Chu and Qi, then later Chu and Jin. Although Zheng was forced to become a bit player in the later stages of the Spring and Autumn period, it was still quite strong, defeating a combined alliance of Jin, Song, Chen and Wei in 607 BCE.

Under the statesman Zichan, Zheng was the first state to clearly establish a code of law in 543 BCE. Zheng later declined until it was annexed by the state of Han in 375 BCE.

List of rulers

Title	Given name	Reign
Duke Huan of Zheng 鄭桓公	Yǒu 友	806-771 BC
Duke Wu of Zheng 鄭武公	Juétú 掘突	770-744 BC
Duke Zhuang of Zheng 鄭莊公	Wùshēng 寤生	743-701 BC
Duke Zhao of Zheng 鄭昭公	Hū 忽	701 BC
Duke Li of Zheng 鄭厲公	Tú 突	700-697 BC
Duke Zhao of Zheng (second reign) 鄭昭公	Hū 忽	696-695 BC
Prince Ziwei of Zheng 鄭子亹	Zǐwěi 子亹	694 BC
Zheng Ziying 鄭子嬰	Yīng 嬰	693–680 BC
Duke Li of Zheng (second reign) 鄭厲公	Tú 突	679–673 BC
Duke Wen of Zheng 鄭文公	Jié 踕	672–628 BC
Duke Mu of Zheng 鄭穆公	Lán 蘭	627–606 BC
Duke Ling of Zheng 鄭靈公	Yí 夷	605 BC
Duke Xiang of Zheng 鄭襄公	Jiān 堅	604–587 BC
Duke Dao of Zheng 鄭悼公	Fèi 沸	586–585 BC
Duke Cheng of Zheng 鄭成公	Gùn 睔	584–581 BC
Prince Xu of Zheng 公子繻	Xū 繻	581 BC
Duke Xi of Zheng 鄭僖公	Yùn 惲	581 BC
Duke Cheng of Zheng (second reign) 鄭成公	Gùn 睔	581–571 BC
Duke Xi of Zheng (second reign) 鄭僖公	Yùn 惲	570–566 BC
Duke Jian of Zheng 鄭簡公	Jiā 嘉	565–530 BC
Duke Ding of Zheng 鄭定公	Níng 寧	529–514 BC
Duke Xian of Zheng 鄭獻公	Dǔn 躉	513–501 BC
Duke Sheng of Zheng 鄭聲公	Shèng 勝	500–463 BC
Duke Ai of Zheng 鄭哀公	Yì 易	462–455 BC
Duke Gong of Zheng 鄭共公	Chǒu 丑	455–424 BC
Duke You of Zheng 鄭幽公	Jǐ 已	423 BC
Duke Xu of Zheng 鄭繻公	Tái 駘	422–396 BC
Duke Kang of Zheng 鄭康公	Yǐ 乙	395–375 BC

Other people from Zheng

• Zichan, celebrated philosopher and statesman
• Zheng Mao (鄭瞀), exemplary woman of the Lienü zhuan

Zheng in astronomy

Zheng is represented with the star Gamma Serpentis in asterism Left Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure, and also represented with 20 Capricorni in asterism Twelve States, Girl mansion.

Sources, references, external links, quotes

• Another Royal Tomb of 'King Zheng' Discovered in Henan [1]