Xian ()
was a minor state of the
Western Zhou and
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 ...
s, whose capital was located at modern-day Qishui,
Huangzhou District. While it controlled only a small territory along the
Yangtze, the Wei clan () that ruled Xian maintained far-reaching diplomatic and marital relations with many neighboring states.
History
During the reign of
King Zhao of Zhou
King Zhao of Zhou (), personal name Jī Xiá, was the fourth king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. He ruled from 977/75 BC until his death twenty years later. Famous for his disastrous war against the Chu confederation, his death in battle ended th ...
, the
Zhou dynasty launched a successful campaign against Xian. This campaign was probably part of the wider
Zhou–Chu War
The Zhou–Chu War was a military conflict between the Zhou dynasty under King Zhao and the state of Chu from 961 to 957 BC. King Zhao personally led at least two major campaigns against Chu and other states and tribes of the middle Yangtz ...
(c. 961–957 BC). Despite its defeat, however, Xian survived.
In the early Spring and Autumn period, the state of
Chu
Chu or CHU may refer to:
Chinese history
* Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty
* Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu
* Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the Ha ...
grew in power and began to expand its influence over eastern
Hubei. In doing so, it was mostly content with expressions of loyalty from its neighbors, instead of immediately conquering them. The viscount of Xian, however, remained defiant. Despite Chu's power, he felt secure because of his marital ties with the states of Jiang,
Huang Huang or Hwang may refer to:
Location
* Huang County, former county in Shandong, China, current Longkou City
* Yellow River, or Huang River, in China
* Huangshan, mountain range in Anhui, China
* Huang (state), state in ancient China.
* Hwang Riv ...
,
Dao, and Bo, which in turn were allies of the hegemon of
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Duke Huan of Qi
Duke Huan of Qi (; died 643 BC), personal name Xiǎobái (小白), was the ruler of the State of Qi from 685 to 643 BC. Living during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, as the Zhou dynasty's former vassal states fought each other for supremacy ...
. Confident that they would aid him if Chu attacked, the viscount made no emergency preparations. This overconfidence led to Xian's ruin according to the ''
Zuo Zhuan'', as no one came to help the state when it was actually invaded by a Chu army under Dou Gouwutu in 655 BC. Xian was annexed by Chu, but the viscount managed to escape to Huang. Eventually, he and his followers settled down near modern-day
Xi County, Henan,
on the border to the Chu-occupied territory of
Xi.
Chu eventually conquered the area where Xian's new capital-in-exile was located between 648
and 623 BC.
References
Bibliography
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{{Zhou dynasty topics
Ancient Chinese states
History of Hubei
History of Henan
7th-century BC disestablishments in China