Zhongli (state) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids State of Zhongli 童麗
8th century BC–6th century BC
Map of China during the Spring and Autumn period; Zhongli is located in the southeast
Status	Vassal state of Chu and Wu (possibly in the 6th century BC)
Capital	Zhongli
Common languages	Old Chinese (lingua franca), local languages
Religion	Chinese folk religion
Government	Monarchy
Duke
• fl. 650–600 BC	Bai
• fl. 600 BC	Kang
• 6th century BC	Yu
Historical era	Spring and Autumn period
• Established	8th century BC
• Conquered by Chu	6th century BC
Preceded by Succeeded by Xu (state) Chu (state) Wu (state)
Today part of	China

Zhongli (pronounced "Jong-lee") was an ancient Chinese state. It existed a long, long time ago, during a period called the Spring and Autumn period. This was a time when many small kingdoms ruled different parts of China. Zhongli was located in the Huai River valley, in what is now Fengyang County.

At its strongest, Zhongli was powerful. It could even fight against other states. It was also an important place for culture, politics, and business. A bigger state called Chu eventually conquered Zhongli in the 6th century BC. But even after it was conquered, Zhongli's main city stayed important for hundreds of years.

Zhongli's Story

We don't know exactly how Zhongli started. Its people likely belonged to the Huaiyi people. These groups traditionally lived in the Huai River valley. The state was ruled by a family called the Ying clan. This same family also ruled other states like Xu and Ju.

Old stories say the Ying clan was related to the royal family of Qin. Qin was a powerful state far to the west. Some old books also say Zhongli was a "separated fiefdom" of Xu. This means it was a smaller area given to a ruler by the state of Xu.

Zhongli probably began in the 8th century BC. It quickly became a strong local power. It often fought with its neighbors. These included Chu to the west, and Xu, Qi, and Lu to the north.

Lord Bai was the earliest known ruler of Zhongli. He lived in the late 600s BC. He fought against the state of Xu and might have died in battle. His son, Kang, became the next ruler.

Later, during the rule of Lord Yu, Zhongli was at war with Chu. Its people may have had to move away. In 576 BC, an important meeting happened in Zhongli. Leaders from many states met with representatives from the state of Wu for the first time. Zhongli might have already been a vassal state of Wu by then. A "vassal state" is a state that is controlled by a more powerful one.

Zhongli got caught up in the big wars between Chu and Wu. These two powerful states were fighting to control the Yangtze and Huai River valleys.

Chu eventually conquered Zhongli in the 6th century BC. Zhongli might have become a vassal state of Chu. Chu made the city stronger in 538 BC. But twenty years later, King Liao of Wu conquered it. This was the end of Zhongli as an independent state.

When Wu was later defeated by Yue, Zhongli went back to Chu. It stayed part of Chu until the end of the Warring States period. By the time of the Qin dynasty, Zhongli's name was written differently. The city became a county seat during the Han dynasty. It was also the site of a battle in 507 AD. Zhongli was lived in until the early 600s AD. Then, it was abandoned, and the county government moved.

Discovering Zhongli: Archeology

We don't have many written records about Zhongli. So, most of what we know comes from archeological digs. Archeologists have found the ruins of its capital city. They also found the tombs of its rulers nearby.

Zhongli was part of the Huai River culture. This culture's burial traditions likely came from the ancient Shuangdun culture. The Huai River culture was also part of the larger Wu-Yue culture. This culture covered much of southeastern China.

The Capital City

The capital city of Zhongli was probably north of today's Li'erzhuang village. This is in Fengyang County. It was a fairly small city, about 360 meters by 380 meters. A wall protected the city.

Historian Chen Shen says Zhongli's capital was typical of cities from the Eastern Zhou period. The royal cemetery was close by but separate from the city. This was common for cities during the Spring and Autumn period. The city was a very important center for government, business, culture, and military in the Huai River valley. It kept this important role for over a thousand years after Zhongli state fell.

Amazing Tombs

Archeologists have dug up the tombs of Zhongli's royal family. These finds show that the state had its own unique culture. One special tomb is at Shuangdun village, Bengbu. This tomb is believed to be where Lord Bai of Zhongli was buried. It has a unique design. However, it also shows influences from the Chu culture to the south.

The tomb was a cross-shaped pit dug into the earth. It was inside a larger, round funeral structure. This whole structure was under a mound of earth.

Two more Zhongli tombs have been found. One is for Lord Kang at Bianzhuang, Fengyang. The other is for Lord Yu at Jiulidun, Shucheng. These tombs had many artifacts. Lord Bai's tomb, in particular, had many valuable items.

These items included:

• Bronze objects like bells and containers
• Tripods (three-legged pots)
• Axes, halberds (spear-like weapons), swords, and daggers
• Arrowheads
• Lots of pottery
• Lacquered wooden objects (wood covered with a shiny, protective coating)
• Music stones
• Jade ornaments
• Over 2,000 small clay figures

Kang and Yu's tombs had similar valuable items.

Rulers of Zhongli

The rulers of Zhongli used the titles "jun" (meaning lord) and "gōng" (meaning duke).