King Zhao of Chu (, died 489 BC) was from 515 to 489 BC the king of the

State of Chu Chu, or Ch'u in Wade–Giles romanization, (, Hanyu Pinyin: Chǔ, Old Chinese: ''*s-r̥aʔ'') was a Zhou dynasty vassal state. Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BCE. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou ...

during 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 ...

of ancient China. He was born Xiong Zhen () and King Zhao was his posthumous title. Documents unearthed in the former state also show his title as King Shao ().Dong Shan (董珊) Excavated document: ''Posthumous names of the Chu kings –appendix to the Zuo Zhuan'', Archaeological Records Research Journal, Volume 2, Shanghai Fudan University Publishing, August 2008. King Zhao was the son of King Ping of Chu.

Life

In 506 BCE, King Helü of the

State of Wu Wu (; Old Chinese: ''*'') was one of the states during the Western Zhou dynasty and the Spring and Autumn period. It was also known as Gouwu ( /''*''/) or Gongwu ( /''*''/) from the pronunciation of the local language. Wu was located at t ...

led an army to invade Chu. His army was commanded by the military strategist Sun Tzu, author of '' The Art of War'', as well as Wu Zixu, a Chu exile whose father and brother were killed by King Ping of Chu. The Wu army routed the Chu army at the historic Battle of Boju, and the Chu commander Nang Wa fled to the state of Zheng. The Wu army pursued the remaining Chu troops, won several more battles, and captured

Ying Ying may refer to: People * Yíng (嬴), a Chinese surname, the ancestral name of Qin Shi Huang, first Emperor of China in the Qin Dynasty, and some contemporary rival royal families such as the Zhaos * Yīng (应), a Chinese surname from the Z ...

, the capital of Chu. Chu general Shen Yin Shu defeated the Wu army but was severely wounded, and was killed by a Chu officer at his own request. King Zhao was forced to flee. During the escape he was wounded by a Chu arrow at

Yunmeng Yunmeng County () is a county in eastern Hubei province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Xiaogan City and is located just outside Xiaogan's urban area. History During the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history (770-476 B ...

from where he made his way through Yun to the

State of Sui Suí () was a Zhou dynasty vassal state in the Han River Basin in modern Suizhou, Hubei, China. Its ruling house had the surname Ji (姬), and held the noble rank of ''Hou'' (侯), roughly comparable to a marquess. History During the initial s ...

in northern Hubei. Chu Minister of State Shen Baoxu () meanwhile headed for the

State of Qin Qin () was an ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty. Traditionally dated to 897 BC, it took its origin in a reconquest of western lands previously lost to the Rong; its position at the western edge of Chinese civilization permitted e ...

to plead for assistance from their army. At first, the Qin ruler Duke Ai was non-committal in his response but after Shen spent seven days kneeling and wailing in the Qin palace courtyard, Duke Ai was moved by his devotion and agreed to send troops to assist Chu. Thereafter the Wu army retreated and King Zhao returned to the Chu capital at Ying. In '' Zhuangzi'', a story is recorded regarding a sheep-butcher named Yue (), a subject of King Zhao that fled from Chu when Wu attacked. Yue followed King Zhao, and returned with him when King Zhao returned to his capital. King Zhao wanted to give Yue gifts for what King Zhao saw as Yue's loyalty, but due to Yue's moral beliefs, Yue refused to accept any gifts despite repeated offers. In 489 BCE, King Zhao witnessed the inauspicious meteorological phenomenon known as “Clouds like numerous red birds pressing the day to fly” (). Not long afterwards, King Fuchai of Wu attacked the

State of Chen Chen () was a state founded by the Duke Hu of Chen during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. It existed from c. 1045 BC–479 BC. Its capital was Wanqiu, in present-day Huaiyang County in the plains of eastern Henan province. Chen, the 4th ...

and Chen requested assistance from King Zhao. The king led his troops personally and was killed during a subsequent battle.

Family

King Zhao was married to Zhen Jiang (), daughter of the Marquess of Qi () whilst his mother was Bo Ying (). He also had one sister and at least three elder brothers born by concubines, namely Shen (), Jie () and Qi (), sometimes known by their courtesy names as Zixi (), Ziqi () and Zilü ().

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhao of Chu, King Monarchs of Chu (state) Chinese kings 6th-century BC Chinese monarchs 5th-century BC Chinese monarchs Year of birth unknown 489 BC deaths