Zhou Dynasty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zhou Dynasty
周朝
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| 1045 BC–256 BC | |||||||||
Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1050–771 BC) in China
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| Capital | Haojing, Luoyang | ||||||||
| Common languages | Chinese | ||||||||
| Religion | Chinese folk religion, Hundred Schools of Thought | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| King | |||||||||
| Chancellor | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Battle of Muye
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1045 BC | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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256 BC | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
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• 273 BC
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30,000,000 | ||||||||
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• 230 BC
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38,000,000 | ||||||||
| Currency | Cash (Chinese coin), Chinese coin | ||||||||
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The Zhou Dynasty defeated the Shang Dynasty using the mandate of heaven and said they where immortal at about 1046 BC, and came to power. They changed the capital from Henan to a place near present-day Xi'an, near the Yellow River. The Zhou Dynasty also brought a new theory. This theory told the people that kings had the order of the gods to rule the country (Mandate of Heaven). Almost all dynasties of Chinese rulers continued to repeat this theory. The kings of this dynasty won many new areas. For the first time in the history of China, large numbers of persons also moved from one area to other area for settlement.
During the Zhou Dynasty, the origins of matured Chinese philosophy developed. The greatest Chinese philosophers 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.
Images for kids
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States of the Western Zhou dynasty
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Map showing major states of Eastern Zhou
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A bronze figure of a charioteer from the Warring States era of the Zhou Dynasty, dated 4th to 3rd century BC
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An Eastern-Zhou bronze sword excavated from Changsa, Hunan Province
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The Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng, a set of bronze bianzhong percussion instruments from the tomb of the aforesaid marquis in Hubei province, China, dated 433 BC, Warring States period
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Fittings in the form of tigers, Baoji, Shaanxi province, Middle Western Zhou dynasty, c. 900 BC, bronze
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A Western Zhou ceremonial bronze of cooking-vessel form inscribed to record that the King of Zhou gave a fiefdom to Shi You, ordering that he inherit the title as well as the land and people living there
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The Shi Qiang pan, inscribed with the accomplishments of the earliest Zhou kings, circa 10th century BC
