Bi () was a Chinese

vassal state A vassal state is any state that has a mutual obligation to a superior state or empire, in a status similar to that of a vassal in the feudal system in medieval Europe. Vassal states were common among the empires of the Near East, dating back to ...

during the

Western Zhou The Western Zhou ( zh, c=, p=Xīzhōu; c. 1045 BC – 771 BC) was a royal dynasty of China and the first half of the Zhou dynasty. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended when the Quanrong noma ...

dynasty and the

Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...

Creation

King Wen of Zhou King Wen of Zhou (; 1152–1050 BC, the Cultured King) was Count of state of Zhou, Zhou during the late Shang dynasty in ancient China. Although frequently confused with his fourth son Duke of Zhou, also known as "Lord Zhou", they are different hi ...

's fifteenth son, Bi Gonggao, is the primogenitor of the state of Bi. Thus, the surname of the rulers of Bi was Ji. Bi Gonggao was given the title of Duke of Bi by King Wu of Zhou. Since his eldest son Kai Bo was given the another title to the state of Kai, his second son Bi Zhong inherited the state of Bi.

Fall

After 400 years, Bi was destroyed by the

Xirong Xirong () or Rong were various people who lived primarily in and around the western extremities of ancient China (in modern Gansu and Qinghai). They were known as early as the Shang dynasty (1765–1122 BCE), as one of the Four Barbarians that ...

. Following King Ping of Zhou's move east to the vicinity of Louyang, Bi may have continued into the

Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...

After the fall

After the fall of Bi, Bi Wan, a descendent of Bi Gonggao, defected to Jin, where he was made a doctor by Jin Xiangong. Bi Wan, after accompanying the

Duke of Jin Jin (, Old Chinese: ''*''), originally known as Tang (唐), was a major state during the middle part of the Zhou dynasty, based near the centre of what was then China, on the lands attributed to the legendary Xia dynasty: the southern part ...

on many expeditions and making many outstanding military achievements, was given the title of Bi Wan Yu Wei and the

Wei clan Wei or WEI may refer to: States * Wey (state) (衛, 1040–209 BC), Wei in pinyin, but spelled Wey to distinguish from the bigger Wei of the Warring States * Wei (state) (魏, 403–225 BC), one of the seven major states of the Warring States per ...

Duke Xian of Jin Duke Xian of Jin (, died 651 BC), ancestral name Ji (姬), given name Guizhu (詭諸), was the nineteenth ruler of the State of Jin. He was also the ninth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn period and the second duke of Jin. When his father, ...

. His descendant, Wei Wenhou, was canonized by the king of Zhou as one of the seven heroes of the Warring States after dividing Jin with Zhao and

Han Han may refer to: Ethnic groups * Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group. ** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...

Rulers

* Bi Gonggao (毕公高) * Bi Zhong (毕仲), Bi Gonggao's second son. * Bi Huan (毕桓), a descendant of Bi Zhong. He was one of the three dukes during the reign of King Mu of Zhou * Bi Boke (毕伯克) * Bi Boshuofu (毕伯硕父)

References

{{reflist Zhou dynasty States of the Spring and Autumn period History of China Ancient Chinese states

Creation

Fall

After the fall

Rulers

See also

References