King Xuan of Zhou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids King Xuan of Zhou |
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| King of the Zhou dynasty | |||||||||
| Reign | 827/25 – 782 BC | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Gonghe Regency | ||||||||
| Successor | King You of Zhou | ||||||||
| Died | 782 BC | ||||||||
| Spouse | Queen Jiang | ||||||||
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| House | Ji | ||||||||
| Dynasty | Zhou | ||||||||
| Father | King Li of Zhou | ||||||||
| Mother | Shen Jiang | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 周宣王 | ||||||||
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| Chinese | 姬靜 | ||||||||
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King Xuan of Zhou, whose personal name was Ji Jing, was an important ruler of the ancient Chinese Zhou dynasty. He ruled from about 827 or 825 BC to 782 BC. His main goal was to make the royal family strong again after a period called the Gonghe Regency, when others were in charge.
King Xuan's Reign and Challenges
During his time as king, Xuan faced many challenges. He fought against groups known as the "Western Barbarians," who were likely the Xianyun people. He also had to deal with another group living near the Huai River in the southeast.
In the ninth year of his rule, King Xuan held a big meeting with all the important lords of the different states. He also got involved in arguments about who should rule in states like Lu, Wey, and Qi. He sent his army to help decide these leadership struggles.
A famous historian named Sima Qian wrote that after King Xuan's time, many lords started to ignore the king's commands. This showed that the Zhou dynasty's power was slowly weakening.
There is an old legend about King Xuan. It says he caused harm to a man named Du Bo. According to the story, King Xuan himself was later killed by an arrow, which some believed was related to Du Bo. King Xuan's son, King You of Zhou, became the next ruler. He would be the last king of the Western Zhou period.
The famous Stone Drums of Qin, which are ancient stone carvings, were once thought to be from King Xuan's time. However, historians later found out they were made much later.
King Xuan's Family
King Xuan had a family that played a role in the Zhou dynasty's history.
- His main wife was Queen Jiang. She was from the Jiang clan of Qi and was the daughter of Duke Wu of Qi. They married in 826 BC.
- Queen Jiang was the mother of Crown Prince Gongsheng. A "Crown Prince" is the son who is expected to become the next king.
- Crown Prince Gongsheng later became King You of Zhou. He ruled from 781 BC to 771 BC.
- King Xuan also had another son, Prince Yuchen. Prince Yuchen later claimed the throne as King Xie of Zhou. He ruled from 770 BC to 750 BC.
- Another son, Prince Changfu, became the Marquis of Yang. A "Marquis" was a high-ranking noble.
See also
- Family tree of Chinese monarchs (ancient)
- Song gui - a special ritual bronze that tells about King Xuan appointing an official.
