Eastern Zhou (state) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
State of Eastern Zhou
東周
|
|
|---|---|
| 367 BCE–249 BCE | |
| Status | Duchy |
| Capital | Gong |
| Common languages | Old Chinese |
| Government | Monarchy |
| History | |
|
• Independence from Western Zhou
|
367 BCE |
|
• Annexed by Qin
|
249 BCE |
Eastern Zhou (Chinese: 東周) was a small but important state in ancient China. It existed during a time called the Warring States period. This was a period when many different states fought for control of China.
Eastern Zhou's capital city was Gong (鞏). This city was located southwest of what is now Gongyi, a city in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
Contents
What Was Eastern Zhou?
Eastern Zhou was a small state, or "duchy," that existed from 367 BC to 249 BC. It was part of the larger Zhou kingdom, but it became independent.
How Eastern Zhou Started
In 367 BC, Duke Hui of Western Zhou became the ruler of a state called Western Zhou. His younger brother, Prince Gen, took control of the eastern part of the state. Prince Gen then started a rebellion against Duke Hui.
With help from the states of Zhao and Han, Prince Gen's eastern part became independent. This new independent state was called Eastern Zhou. The two small states, Eastern Zhou and Western Zhou, often fought with each other.
The kings of the Zhou had lost most of their power by this time. Even their own lands were taken over by these two small duchies. After 307 BC, Eastern Zhou became a "vassal state" of Qin. This means it was a smaller state that had to obey and pay tribute to the powerful Qin state.
Its Relationship with the Zhou Kings
The kings of the Zhou dynasty lived in the state of Eastern Zhou. However, during the reign of King Nan of Zhou, the duke of Eastern Zhou refused to pay tribute to the king. The duke even sent the king away to Western Zhou. This shows how little power the Zhou kings had left.
The End of Eastern Zhou
Eastern Zhou was eventually taken over by the powerful Qin state in 249 BC. The last ruler of Eastern Zhou was removed by Lü Buwei because he was seen as disloyal to Qin. This marked the end of the Eastern Zhou state.
Rulers of Eastern Zhou
Here is a list of some of the known rulers of Eastern Zhou:
| Name | Given name | Time as Ruler | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Hui of Eastern Zhou (東周惠公) | Gen (根), Ban (班) or Jie (傑) | 367–360 BC | He was the youngest son of Duke Wei of Western Zhou. |
| Duke Wu of Eastern Zhou (東周武公) | unknown | ?–? | |
| Lord Zhaowen of Eastern Zhou (東周昭文君) | unknown | ?–? | This ruler's position as the last ruler is sometimes debated. |
| Lord of Eastern Zhou? (disputed) | unknown | ?–249 BC | This ruler was in power until Eastern Zhou was taken over by Qin. |
