Chu (vassal state)

The State of Chu () was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period (722-481 BC) and Warring States Period (481-221 BC). Its ruling house had the surname Mi (Zhou Chinese: 嬭), and clan name Yan (酓). Originally Chu's rulers were of the noble rank of Zi (子), roughly comparable to a viscount.

Originally known as Jing (荆) and then as Jingchu (荆楚), at the height of its power the Chu state occupied vast areas of land, including the present-day provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, Henan, Anhui and parts of Jiangsu and Jiangxi. For more than 400 years the Chu capital was located at the junction region of Dan River and Xi River, near present-day Xichuan, Henan province.

History

Foundation

According to legend, the ancestors of the founders of the State of Chu were a clan descended from Zhuanxu also known as Gaoyang (高阳/高陽), grandson of the Yellow Emperor. Zhuanxu’s fifth generation descendant was put in charge of fire by Emperor Ku and given the name Zhurong, otherwise known as the God of Fire.One of Jilian’s later descendants Yu Xiong (鬻熊) was a well known teacher who taught both King Wen of Zhou and his son King Wu of Zhou.Sima......
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