Zhou Dynastyabout 800 years

The Zhou dynasty1045 BC–256 BC

Western Zhou1046-771 B.C.

Eastern ZhouSpring & Autumn

770-403 B.C

Eastern ZhouWarring States403-256 B.C.

Fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty771 BCE

In 771 BCE， Quan Rong killed King You of Zhou 周幽王 , the 12th sovereign.

Quan Rong was an ethnic group active in the north western part of China whose language is classified as part of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages family. Claiming ancestry from two white dogs, the Quănróng tribe worshipped a totem in the form of a white dog. They are classified as a no’madic tribe of the Western Qiang people.

In 780 BCE, a major earthquake hit Guanzhong. A soothsayer named Bo Yangfu

(伯陽甫 /伯阳甫 ) interpreted this as an omen foretelling the destruction of the (Western) Zhou Dynasty.

In 779 BCE, a concubine named Baosi entered the palace and came into King You's favour. She bore him a son named Bofu (伯服 ). King You deposed Queen Shen (申后 ) and Crown Prince Yijiu (宜臼 ). He made Baosi the new queen and Bofu the new crown prince.

Reasons for the Fall Internal No strong centralized

government, which nurtures “local snakes”;

Unfairness in its political structure such as its enfeoffment system.

Corruption of the king Disruption/sudden shift

in choosing its successor/crown prince;

External Natural disasters such

as earthquakes; Invasion from the

outside, a much stronger, more militant ethnic group;

Internal or External?A king with a chip (a mark or flaw)

on his shoulder

In 779 BCE, a concubine named Baosi entered the palace and came into King You's favour. She bore him a son named Bofu (伯服 ). King You deposed Queen Shen (申后 ) and Crown Prince Yijiu (宜臼 ). He made Baosi the new queen and Bofu the new crown prince.

The deposed crown prince came back;

He teamed up with Quan Rong, a non Chinese ethnic group and had his father and Baosi killed;

杀父 [shā fù] patricide 弑君【 shìjūn 】

<formal> murder (one's sovereign or father).

King Ping Moved his Capital平王迁都 770 BCE

King Ping of Zhou moved the Zhou Dynasty east from Hàojīng ( 鎬京 now Xi’An) to Luoyi (雒邑 ), now Luoyang 洛阳【 Luòyáng】 , thus ending the Xi (Western) Zhou Dynasty and beginning the Dong (Eastern) Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period.

Ping is noteworthy as an ancestor of Wu Zetian (690-705), who would later style her dynasty the later Zhou in recognition of her ancestry. However, with a chip on his shoulder, he could not control the situation;

Xi’an vs. Luoyang

盘庚迁都King Pangeng Moved his Capital to

Anyang 1320 BC

Shang finally settled down at Yīn (殷 ). The period starting from Pán Gēng is also called the Yīn Dynasty, beginning the golden age of the Shāng dynasty. Oracle bone inscriptions are thought to date at least to Pán Gēng's era.

YinxuRediscovered in 1899

one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the Historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in the very north of Henan province, close to the borders with Hebei ， and Shanxi, 山西 , near the modern city of Anyang, and is open to the public as the Garden Museum of Yinxu.

The Spring and Autumn Period770 BCE to 403 BCE

Origin of the name: Spring and Autumn Annals (Chinese: 春秋 or 麟經 ; pinyin: Chūnqiū) is the official chronicle of the State of Lu covering the period from 722 BCE to 479 BCE. It is the earliest surviving Chinese historical text to be arranged on annalistic principles. (The Book of Documents is organized by states) Confucius was credited for compilation of this work.

http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Classics/chunqiuzuozhuan.html Spring and Autumn are two most harmonious seasons; Synecdoche—part for the whole 一日三秋【 yīrìsānqiū】 one day (away from a dear

one) seems like three autumns/years.

春秋三传The Chunqiu and its Commentaries

Because the Chunqiu account is terse and ambiguous, a commentary was supposedly made in order to explain the events.

1. Chunqiu-Zuozhuan 春秋左傳 "Spring and Autumn Annals and the Tradition (Commentary) of Zuo Qiuming"

2. Gongyangzhuan 公羊傳 "The Commentary of Gongyang"

3. Guliangzhuan 穀梁傳 "The Commentary of Guliang" http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Classics/chunqi

uzuozhuan.html

Five Hegemons/Elder BrothersDuke vs. King/Emperor

the Five Overlords/Hegemons(春秋五霸 Chūn Qiū Wǔ Bà)

Duke Huan of Qí ( 齊桓公 ) Duke Wen of Jìn ( 晉文公 ) King Zhuang of Chu ( 楚莊王 ) Duke Mu of Qin ( 秦穆公 ) Duke Xiang of Song ( 宋襄公 ) Some would add: King Fuchai of Wú ( 吳王夫差 ) [King Goujian of Yue]|King Goujian of Yuè] ( 越王勾踐 )

King Goujian of Yuèr. 496 BC - 465 BC

卧薪尝胆【 wòxīnchángdǎn 】

sleep on brushwood and taste gall-undergo self-imposed hardship so as to strengthen one's resolve to wipe out a national humiliation.

Duke Huan of Qi (齐桓公 )Jiāng Xiǎobái (姜小白 )

r. 685 – 643 BC

Slogan: “respecting the king and defending against the barbarian”

(尊王攘夷 , pinyin: zūnwáng rǎngyí) Two assistants: Guan Zhong 管仲 & Bao Shuya 鲍叔牙 In 651 BC, Duke Huan gained his dominance

at Kuiqiu 葵丘 among other states. The House of Zhou also graced the occasion and officially acknowledged his new status.

Duke Huan of QiA Man of Magnanimity

685 BC- Race for the Throne against his elder brother Gongzijiu 公子纠 .

Feigned death when shot by Guan Zhong, tutor of Gongzijiu, on the sash.

Upon Bao Shuya’s 鲍书牙advice, Duke Huan hired Guan Zhong as his chancellor for the first reform in history. “Second Father” 仲父 [zhòngfù]

Thus Qi became powerful. Tasted a steamed infant!

Guan Zhong & Bao Shuya管仲与鲍叔牙

Though an able administrator in his own right, Bao is best known for his friendship with Guan, and for persuading Duke Huan of Qi to put aside personal enmities and elevate Guan Zhong to the post of Chancellor. As an official he was renowned as a judge of character and talent, with Guan Zhong himself commenting that "My parents gave birth to me, but it is Bao who knows me best."

Guan Zhong (725 BC-645 BC) The Best Chancellor/Prime Minister

During the Spring and Autumn Period 春秋第一相

Guan Zhong (Chinese: 管仲 , Wade-Giles: Kuan Chung) (born 725 BC, died in 645 BC) was a Chinese politician in the Spring and Autumn Period. His given name was Yíwú (夷吾 ). Zhong was his courtesy name. Recommended by Bao Shuya, he was appointed Prime Minister by Duke Huan of Qi in 685 BC.

Guan Zhong’s Reform 1. Redefined the ownership of land: Abolishment of

Well/Field land system and legalized private ownership of land;

This is a dramatic break from the system of the Zhou Dynasty in which the land belonged to dukes and princes;

井田制【 jǐngtiánzhì 】 the 'nine squares' system with one large square divided into 9 small ones (like the Chinese character 井 ), the 8 outer ones being allocated to serfs who had to cultivate the central one for the serf owner.

Guan Zhong’s ReformMilitary and (Farmland) Tax Code

Military: to establish a regular army; Divided the whole country into 21

villages: 6 being workers/businessmen or merchants; 15 being farmer-soldiers;

An integrated model which is both social and military

Since everybody knows everybody else, all their interests are tied up together;

Therefore for defense, they all tried to cover each other; in battles, they all tried to protect each other;

Recorded in Discourse on the States 《国语》

Tax on the farmland: depending on the texture/quality/

productivity of the land, Comparable to Graduated

Income Tax or Progressive Income Tax in America

Discourse on the States《国语》

Time: Spring & Autumn Periods; 春秋战国时代 Genre: Historical Prose; 作品体裁 : 历史散文 It covers 500 years of history since 976 BCE; Unlike Records of the Grand

Scribes/Historians 《史记》 that openly expresses the author’s perspective or point of view, Discourse on the States is featured with more objective descriptions, which allows the reader to draw their own conclusions;

Brothels in the State of Qi Guan Zhong had seven markets established in Zibo

淄博 , Shandong Province; To attract businessmen and merchants, along with

these markets, as many as 700 brothels came into being;

清代褚人在《堅瓠續集》卷一記：「管子治齊，置女 閭七百，徵其夜合之資，以充國用，此即教坊花粉錢

之始也。」 Guan Zhong attracted more praises than criticisms in

history

Duke Wen of Jin (晋文公 ) 697BCE— 628BCE

Named Chong'er ( 重耳 ; literally, "Double Ears") although there is no material evidence of deformity. However, Zuo Zhuan notes that "his ribs were all grown together," a sign of strength and leadership.

(American writer Henry James suffered constipation, on which his mother claimed it was a sign of his strength.)

Duke of Xian 晉獻公 had six wives. 骊姬之乱（ 657—651） Troubles of Li Ji, a concubine who

framed the Crown Prince Shensheng 申生 in order to have her own son Xi Qi 奚齐 anointed.

鸩【 zhèn 】 a legendary bird with poisonous feathers;

<formal> poisoned wine;

The crown prince once got a piece of meat for sacrificial ceremonies—the best cut. Liji had it soaked in the poisonous wine from Zhen feathers.

When Shensheng offered the meat to his father king, it dropped onto the floor. His dog ate it and died immediately. That nailed the crown prince.

Both princes were sent to an exile. Chong Er was exiled for 19 years

before gaining the throne at 62 with the help of Duke Mu of Qin

秦穆公 ;

Trouble of Liji（ 657BC—651BC）Liji Framed the Crown Prince Again

无中生有 【 wúzhōngshēngyǒu】

purely fictitious; fabricated; groundless;

骊姬叫太子和她一起郊游。骊姬先在头发上涂了蜂蜜，使蜜蜂都聚集在她的头发旁边。骊姬说：“太子您可不可以帮我赶走它们呢？”太子从她的身后用袖子赶走蜜 蜂蝴蝶。晋献公看见了，以为调戏的事情是真的。

最后 ,申生身被恶名，无法洗雪，自缢而死。

Liji “begged” the king to call the crown prince back.

She entertained the prince at a banquet. Then she told the king that the crown prince made a pass at her…

Then during an outing, Liji spread some honey on her hair, which attracted bees. She then asked the crown prince to help chase them away. When he waved his sleeve from behind, the father king caught a glimpse of the scene.

Shensheng hanged himself at last.

Duke of Jin Chong Er Made His Name

After 19 Years’ Exile

In 635 BCE, Chong Er helped King Xiang of Zhou to regain his throne from Prince Dai.

He led Jin as the head of the coalition of states against the state of Chu. At the battle of Chengpu 城濮之戰 , Jin troops defeated the state of Chu. At Jiantu , Duke Wen gained hegemony over the states.

退避三舍【 tuìbìsānshě 】retreat ninety li - give away to sb. to avoid a conflict, a promise made by Chong Er to the Duke of Chu Chengwang 成王 .

Self-Indulgent for Three Years

King Zhuang of Chu ascended the throne in 631 BC, but for three years, he had been self-indulgent. His senior minister Wu Jumao challenged him with a riddle…

Amaze the World with a Single Brilliant Feat

三年不飞，一飞冲天；三年不鸣，一鸣惊人。 一鸣惊人

【 yīmíngjīngrén 】 (of an obscure person) amaze the world with a single brilliant feat.

Source: Collected Works of Han Fei

【出处】选自《韩非子 · “喻老》： 三年不飞，飞

将冲天；三年不鸣，鸣将” 惊人！

King Zhuang of Chu (楚莊王 ) Mi Lǚ (羋侶 ) r. 613-591

He made Sunshu Ao ( 孫叔敖 ) Chancellor and started reforms. The agricultural output of the state of Chu was much better under his reign, improved by Sunshu Ao's large dam-works and enormous planned reservoir created in modern-day northern Anhui province. In 611 BC he annexed the state of Yong and made Chu much stronger.

After some brilliant victories with his army, he attempted to take the place of the King of Zhou. He asked the messenger of Zhou about the weight of the 9 dings of Zhou, which were the symbols of hegemony for which only a son of heaven is entitled; but was scolded by the messenger.

问鼎中原 606 BCE--鼎【 dǐng 】 an ancient cooking vessel with two loop handles and three or four legs.

九鼎 [jiǔdǐng]

How Can You Sweep All Land Under Heaven Clean?

我国汉代有个叫陈蕃的人 ,有一次他父亲的朋友到他家中 ,见屋中十分肮脏 ,便问 :"何以不洒扫以待宾客 ?"陈蕃不屑一顾地回答 :"大丈夫志在千里 ,何以扫一 屋 ."那位朋友告诫说 :"一屋不扫何以扫天下 ."

In the Han dynasty there was a young man called Chen Fan. Once his father’s guest saw Fan’s room in great disorder and asked him why he couldn’t keep it clean. Chen Fan boasted, a true man’s ambition lies in sweeping all land under heaven. Why should I bother with such a trivial thing? The guest asked, how can you sweep clean all land under heaven when you can not even keep your own room tidy?

Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公 ) r. 659 - 621 Pioneer Who Paved the Way

for Founding of the Qin Dynasty

Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government 《资治通鉴》 recorded an anecdote: Once Duke of Mu lost a horse. As it turned out, three hundred farmers shared the meat.

Duke of Mu decided to release all the offenders. Moreover, he offered wine to all of them by pointing out that it is not a good idea to eat horse meat on an empty stomach without wine.

These three hundred farmers became his 敢死队

【 gǎnsǐduì】 dare-to-die corps.

秦穆公宽厚仁爱，不计较小事。《资治通鉴》中有这样一个故事。秦穆公走失了一匹马，岐山脚下的农民捉得并分给三百个人一起吃了它。（秦穆公的）官吏追捕到 了（食马的人），想按照法律来处置他们。秦穆公说：“有德才的人不因为畜生而杀人。我听说吃马肉而不喝酒，就会伤及身体。”于是便给酒他们饮。后来秦穆公 攻打晋国，（那）三百人听说秦穆公被晋军围困，拿着锐利的武器以死相救，来报答给马肉吃的恩德。这次秦穆公擒获了晋侯班师回国。

吴王阖庐 514 年一 496 BCEDuke He Lu of Wu

As Prince Guang wanted to kill King Liao of Wu and take the throne himself, Zhuan Zhu was recommended to Prince Guang by Wu Zixu 伍子胥 . After Zhuan Zhu accomplished his mission in 515 BC the prince ascended the throne of Wu and became King Helü. The king assigned Wu Zixu to lead the design and building of the "great city," which evolved into the city of Suzhou today.

上有天堂 , 下有苏杭【 shàngyǒutiāntáng,xiàyǒusūháng 】

Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

State Wu defeated state of Chu In 506 BC Helü with the help of Wu Zixu

and Sun-tzu/Sunzi, the author of The Art of War, launched major offensives against the state of Chu, the biggest state in the south, including Hunan and Hubei). They prevailed in five battles, one of which was the Battle of Boju 柏舉之戰 506 BCE) , and conquered the capital of Ying (Chinese: 郢 ).

His son, King Fuchai of Wu, succeeded him in 495 BC.

Larger Patterns

1. How to treat talented people?

“鸟择木，无木择鸟” Bird chooses its

roost/tree, not the other around;

2. a man of Magnanimity/Persistence

3. Reform

Endless power struggles among princes and their mothers;