The Predynastic Zhou or Proto-Zhou (; ) refers to the state of Zhou that existed in the

Guanzhong Guanzhong (, formerly romanised as Kwanchung) region, also known as the Guanzhong Basin, Wei River Basin, or uncommonly as the Shaanzhong region, is a historical region of China corresponding to the crescentic graben basin within present-day ce ...

region of modern Shaanxi province during the Shang dynasty of ancient China, before its conquest of Shang in 1046/45 BC which led to the establishment of the Zhou dynasty. It was ruled by the

Ji 姬 ''Jī'' () was the ancestral name of the Zhou dynasty which ruled China between the 11th and 3rd centuries BC. Thirty-nine members of the family ruled China during this period while many others ruled as List of Zhou Dynasty states, local lords, ...

clan.

History

According to

Sima Qian Sima Qian (; ; ) was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206AD220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his ''Records of the Grand Historian'', a general history of China covering more than two thousand years b ...

, it was established by Gugong Danfu when he relocated his clan from their home of Bin to a new settlement along the Wei River.

. '' Records of the Grand Historian''. His two elder sons Taibo and Zhongyong were said to have abandoned the territory and fled south to establish Wu on the lower Yangtze. His youngest son Jili then inherited Zhou and expanded it with numerous campaigns against the Rong " barbarians" around Shang. His power threatened King Wen Ding and he was tricked into an ambush at a place called Saiku (). Jili's son King Wen was likewise imprisoned by King Zhou of Shang at Youli before being ransomed by other nobles. In some accounts, Wen was forced to consume his

eldest son Project Eldest Son (also known as “Italian Green” or “Pole Bean”) was a program of covert operations conducted by the United States' Studies and Observation Group (SOG) during the Vietnam War. The project focused on placement of explodin ...

as meat cakes or a soup at the king's bequest. His second son then avenged his grandfather and brother at the Battle of Muye, defeating King Zhou and ending the Shang.

Rulers

* Gugong Danfu, also known as King Tai of Zhou * Gong Liu, who led the migration of the Zhou people to Bin * Jili, also known as

King Ji of Zhou Jili was a leader of the Predynastic Zhou during the Shang dynasty of ancient China. His son King Wen and grandson King Wu would defeat the Shang to establish the Zhou dynasty. He was posthumously granted the title of king, and often referred to ...

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 ...

King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou () was the first king of the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BC and ended three years later in 1043 BC. King Wu's ancestral name was ...

, who conquered Shang and established the Zhou dynasty

References

{{Reflist Shang dynasty Zhou dynasty

History

Rulers

See also

References