western zhou dynasty

Chariot Pit in Western Zhou Dynasty

Lasting from the 11th century BC to 771 BC, the Western Zhou Dynasty was established by King Wu. The capital city was set in Haojing (now in the southern part of Xian, Shaanxi Province). This dynasty included the reigns of 13 emperors and played a very important role in Chinese history. Because of its great developments, the Western Zhou Dynasty is renowned as the period which saw the height of splendor of Prehistoric Times.

Political History

Originally a dependency of the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou developed quickly under the reign of Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang (King Wen and King Wu). In 1046 BC, Zhou Wuwang defeated the Shang Dynasty and established the Zhou Dynasty. This signaled what is called the Western Zhou Dynasty in Chinese history.
Zhou Wenwang distributed lands both to his relatives, and meritorious ministers and each founded a small state. All the states fell under the rule of King Wen. After the king died, his son Kin Cheng succeeded. With the help of his uncle, he made the country became prosperous and stable. The country was further developed under the reigns of King Kang, Zhao, Mu and others. Until the tyrant, King Li came to the throne, the state was in chaos. His rule was overthrown by the people and he was exiled.

Chime Bells

Later, in the year 841 BC, Gong Hebo was elected by other vassals to deal with state affairs. From that time on, China began to have a definite way of counting the years. The country fell into a decline when the fatuous King You was on the throne. At that time, once the signal fire was ignited, it showed that other tribes attacked the city, and all the vassals around would come to help. However the king ignited the fire to send the wrong message in order to make his concubine happy. She smiled when she saw the vassals were tricked. The king's behavior enraged the queen's father, Shen Hou, because King You decided to depose the queen and kill the prince. Shen Hou assaulted the king and the Western Dynasty perished with the failure of King You.

Economy
The agriculture in the Western Zhou Dynasty developed into a higher level than that in the Shang Dynasty. Not only were tools now made of bronze, the ways of furrowing were advanced. Fields were usually divided into three parts with one of these left unplanted each year to allow it to regenerate. The primary products were of diverse kinds including millet, wheat, rice and some fruits.
Because of the existence of slaves, the handicraft industry developed quickly. The production of bronze wares was done on a large scale. In textiles and architecture, there were also great progresses. During the late period of the Western Zhou Dynasty, people began to grasp the skill of metallurgy.

Society Class in Western Zhou

Zuyi Zun in Western Zhou

Culture and Arts
The Zhou emperors paid much attention to etiquette. In sacrificial ceremonies, funerals, wedding ceremonies and other important events, there were strict regulations for the people to abide by. In order to change the extravagant customs which prevailed in the late period of the Shang Dynasty, no one was allowed to be drunk. So that is why some drinking goblets commonly seen during the Shang Dynasty disappeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty.
The prediction method used during the Shang Dynasty was still popular in the Western Zhou Dynasty. As for the characters, they were widely used and were carved not only on animal bones but also on bronze ware.
In astronomy, specialists appeared to observe celestial phenomena and make records. All of these developments showed that there were great advancements in science.

Emperors of the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC to 711 BC)

Order	Name	Notes	Reign Time (years)
1	Zhou Wenwang (Ji Chang)	With the assistance of Jiang Ziya, he developed the Zhou that laid the foundation for overthrowing the Shang Dynasty.	1097 BC - 1046 BC
2	Zhou Wuwang (Ji Fa)	The son of Zhou Wenwang; He defeated the Shang Dynasty in 1046 BC and established the Western Zhou Dynasty.	1046 BC - 1043 BC
3	Zhou Chengwang (Ji Song)	The son of Zhou Wuwang; he established the capital city of Luoyi (near Luoyang in Henan Province).	1042 BC - 1021 BC
4	Zhou Kangwang (Ji Zhao)	The son of Zhou Chengwang; Under his reign, the Zhou Dynasty prospered.	1020 BC- 996 BC
5	Zhou Zhaowang (Ji Xia)	The son of Zhou Kangwang; the Zhou Dynasty began to decline during his rule.	995 BC - 977 BC
6	Zhou Muwang (Ji Man)	The son of Zhou Zhaowang; His reign time is the longest among all the emperors in the Western Dynasty.	976 BC - 922 BC
7	Zhou Gongwang (Ji Yihu)	The son of Zhou Muwang	922 BC - 900 BC
8	Zhou Yiwang (Ji Jian)	The son of Zhou Gongwang. The Zhou Dynasty fell into a decline in his reign.	899 BC - 892 BC
9	Zhou Xiaowang (Ji Pifang)	The son of Zhou Muwang and the younger sister of Zhou Gongwang	891 BC - 886 BC
10	Zhou Yiwang (Ji Xie)	The son of Zhou Yiwang (899 BC - 892 BC)	885 BC - 878 BC
11	Zhou Liwang (Ji Hu)	The son of Zhou Yiwang (885 BC - 878 BC); He was a tyrant that abused the people and was defeated in many wars. After the people's rebellion in 841 BC, he was exiled.	877 BC - 841 BC
12	Gong Bohe	He was elected by other vassals to deal with the state affairs after Zhou Liwang was exiled.	841 BC - 828 BC
13	Zhou Xuanwang (Ji Jing)	The son of Zhou Liwang; He carried out a series of effective innovations and succeeded.	827 BC - 782 BC
14	Zhou Youwang (Ji Gongsheng)	The son of Zhou Xuanwang; he made fun of his seigneurs in order to make his concubine smile. The Western Zhou Dynasty was lost at last in his reign.	781 BC - 771 BC

eastern zhou dynasty

Tiger Tally, The Warring States Period

In 771 BC, with the death of King You, the last king of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty began. Xuan Jiu, the son of King You, established the dynasty in 770 BC, and moved the capital to Luoyi (present-day Luoyang, Henan Province). Over 25 emperors have reigned over the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, lasting 515 years in all. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty was a time full of change, marked by the scrabble for hegemony by many nations. At the same time, the dynasty features supreme prosperity in economy, science and culture.
The Eastern Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods: the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) and the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC).

Political History
Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC)
The Spring and Autumn period began when the capital was moved to Luoyi in 770 BC and named after the Spring and Autumn Annals written by Confucius. The period was one of turbulence and great changes took place in the economy, politics, military affairs and culture.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, there were over 140 states, and royal authority gradually lost its ruling position. Some powerful states developed quickly and began to annex weaker ones. Once the powerful ones won, they would force the defeated to acknowledge their rule. Five overlords declared their hegemony in succession in this period: they were Huangong of the Qi State, Xianggong of the Song State, Wengong of Jin, Mugong of the Qin and Zhuangwang of Chu. In Chinese history they are known as 'the Five Overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period'.
In the latter part of the Spring and Autumn period, two states, Wu and Yue became even more powerful and contended for overall hegemony. Finally Yue was defeated, and submitted to Wu. However, Gou Jian, the king of Yue, continuously galled by his defeat decided to seek revenge. Simultaneously, he trained his army, and developed agriculture. Eventually, Yue State became strong enough and defeated Wu.
According to recorded history, during the Spring and Autumn Period, there were over 480 wars, 52 vassal states were vanquished, and 36 kings were killed.

Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC)

Dacheng Hall, Confucius Temple

Compared with the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period was an even more turbulent age. Old traditions and systems were cast off, and new ones established.
After numerous wars, the more powerful states annexed the smaller ones. At last, seven powerful states coexisted with each other. They were Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin. In Chinese history, they are known as 'the Seven Overlords in the Warring States Period'.
The Period can be divided into two. The first period was from 475 BC to 338 BC. The period featured many political reforms and a stable society. To be prosperous, every state chose to carry out reforms. The most famous ones were Shang Yang's reform in Qin, Wu Qi's reform in Chu and Li Kui's in Wei. The economies developed quickly through this series of reforms.
The second period was from 338 BC to 288 BC. Strife was much fiercer as Qin claimed the hegemony in the west, and Qi in the east. In 221 BC, Qin annexed the other six states thus unifying China and ending the disorderly Warring States Period.

Achievements
As the society was going through great changes during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, there were many conflicts. Many people had their own attitudes and opinions about the changes in society. They developed their own doctrines and had many followers. Different doctrines affected and competed with each other. The main schools of thought were Confucianism set by Confucius, Taoism by Lao Zi, Mohism set by Mo Zi, and Legalism set by Han Feizi. All these schools of thought have influenced the Chinese people from generation to generation.
In agriculture, iron tools were adopted. Some tools like iron hoes and axes were widely used in farming. The use of ironware brought about marked improvement in social productivity. Agriculture was further developed due to the use of cattle in plowing. With the advancement of agriculture, handicrafts and commerce developed at the same time.
Architectural skill was superlative as well. Lu Ban, one of the founding fathers of architecture, lived in the Spring and Autumn period. The palaces that were built were grand and spectacular. Tiles and bronze decoration were used in palace building.
In communication, in order to meet the need of politics, military affairs and economy, many vassal states spared no effort in extending routes to remote areas. The Silk Road at that time traversed Eurasia. Thus, traffic developed enormously. Carriages were commonly used at this time.
Splendid accomplishments also can be seen from works in jade and lacquer. How prosperous was the Eastern Zhou!

Goujian Sword	Text Sculture on Dayu Ding
Bronze Currency	Clothing Style in Zhou Dynasty

Emperors of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC - 221 BC)

Order	Name	Notes	Reign Time (years)
1	Zhou Pingwang (Ji Yijiu)	He moved the capital city to Luoyi (presently Luoyang, Henan Province).	770 BC- 720 BC (50 years)
2	Zhou Huanwang (Ji Lin)	Grandson of Zhou Pingwang	719 BC - 697 BC (22 years)
3	Zhou Zhuangwang (Ji Tuo)	The battle of Changshao happened during his reign.	696 BC - 681 BC (15 years)
4	Zhou Xiwang ( Ji Huqi)	Son of Zhou Zhuangwang; Huangong of the Qi State became the overlord during his reign.	682 BC - 677 BC (5 years)
5	Zhou Huiwang (Ji Lang)	Son of Zhou Xiwang; he escaped to the state of Zheng because another son of Zhuangwang, Ji Tui crusaded against him. Later, Zhou Huiwang regained his throne with the help of the Zheng State.	677 BC - 652 BC (25 years)
6	Zhou Xiangwan g (Ji Zheng)	Son of Zhou Huiwang; During his reign, Huangong of the Qi State, Wengong of Jin State and Mugong of Qin died in succession.	651 BC - 619 BC (32 years)
7	Zhou Qingwang (Ji Renchen)	Son of Zhou Xiangwang	619 BC - 613 BC (6 years)
8	Zhou Kuangwang (Ji Ban)	Son of Zhou Qingwang	612 BC - 606 BC (6 years)
9	Zhou Dingwang (Ji Yu)	Younger brother of Zhou Kuangwang	606 BC - 585 BC (21 years)
10	Zhou Jianwang (Ji Yi)	Son of Zhou Dingwang	585 BC - 571 BC (14 years)
11	Zhou Lingwang (Ji Xiexin)	Son of Zhou Jianwang	571 BC - 544 BC (27 years)
12	Zhou Jingwang (Ji Gui)	Son of Zhou Lingwang	544 BC - 521 BC (23 years)
13	Zhou Daowang (Ji Meng)	Son of Zhou Jingwang	520 BC - 520 BC
14	Zhou Jingwang (Ji Gai)	Son of Zhou Jingwang (Ji Gui). Confucius died during his reign time.	519 BC - 476 BC (43 years)
15	Zhou Yuanwang (Ji Ren)	Son of Zhou Jingwang (Ji Gai)	476 BC - 468 BC (8 years)
16	Zhou Dingwang (Ji Jie)	son of Zhou Yuanwang	468 BC - 441 BC (27 years)
17	Zhou Aiwang (Ji Quji)	The eldest son of Zhou Dingwang, his younger brother killed him and made himself the Zhou Siwang, later Zhou Siwang was killed by Ji Wei (Zhou Kaowang).	441 BC - 441 BC
18	Zhou Kaowang (Ji Wei)	Son of Zhou Dingwang	440 BC - 425 BC (15 years)
19	Wei Liewang (Ji Wu)	Son of Zhou Kaowang	425 BC - 401 BC (24 years)
20	Zhou Anwang (Ji Jiao)	Son of Wei Liewang	401 BC - 375 BC (26 years)
21	Zhou Liewang (Ji Xi)	Son of Zhou Anwang	375 BC - 367 BC (8 years)
22	Zhou Xianwang (Ji Bian)	Son of Zhou Liewang	367 BC - 321 BC (46 years)
23	Shen Jingwang (Ji Ding)	Son of Zhou Xianwang	320 BC - 314 BC (6 years)
24	Zhou Nanwang (Ji Yan)	Son of Shen Jingwang	314 BC - 256 BC (58 years)
25	Zhou Huiwang	The last emperor of the Zhou Dynasty	255 BC - 249 BC (6 years)

Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty(including eastern zhou and western zhou) originated from the Zhou clan whose existence stretches back into history. By the 11th Century BC, the Zhou Clan had become increasingly powerful and had extended throughout the present Shanxi and Gansu Provinces. The Zhou Clan's mightiness increasingly menaced the Shang Dynasty and the conflict between the two groups intensified.

At that time, the Shang Dynasty was under the rule of King Zhou. He was atrocious to his people and doted on his imperial concubine, Daji. All he did caused great rage amongst his people. The chief of the Zhou Tribe, Zhou Wenwang thought it was the right time to attack the Shang Dynasty and entrusted his son Ji Fa to fulfill his last wish. After Zhou Wenwang died, his son Ji Fa (Zhou Wuwang) succeeded him. He made full preparations for the war and killed King Zhou. Thus the Shang Dynasty ended in 1046 BC.

Duke Mao's Tripod

Drawing of a wizard riding the dragon

Later, Zhou Wuwang established the Zhou Dynasty and made Haojing (the present Chang'an County, Shaanxi Province) its capital. The Zhou Dynasty was the longest dynasty in Chinese history. It lasted for over 800 years and included the reigns of 37 emperors.

The Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods: the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC to 771 BC) and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC - 221 BC). It is so divided because the capital cities in the Western Zhou Dynasty of Fengyi (presently in the southwest of Chang'an County, Shaanxi Province) and Haojing lie to the west of the Eastern Zhou's capital of Luoyi (present Luoyang, Henan Province). As to the Eastern Dynasty, it is divided into the Spring and Autumn Periods (770 BC-476 BC), and the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC). Each of the periods featured turbulent wars.

The achievements during the Zhou Dynasty in economy, politics, science and culture, were much more illustrious than any which occurred during the Shang Dynasty.

In the year 221 BC, Qin defeated the other six states which existed during the Warring States Period and unified China. Thus, history moved forward to a new age called the Qin Dynasty.

Marquis Yi's musical instruments

Marquis Yi's Bronze Plate