The State of Cài (Chinese: 蔡國; pinyin: Càiguó; Wade–Giles: Ts'ai Kuo) was a Chinese state during the Zhōu Dynasty (1122–256 BC), prominent in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) before being extinguished early in the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
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After the Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty, King Wu of Zhou granted titles and territories to his younger brothers. One, Jī Dù, was enfeoffed at present-day Shàngcài (上蔡) in Henan Province, and became known as Cài Shūdù ("Uncle Cai"). His son, Jī Hú (Cài Zhòng), established a capital at Shàngcài.
With only nominal central authority during the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Cài was forced to relocate several times after being invaded by the State of Chu, first to Xincai (新蔡, literally "New Cai") in 531 BC and eventually to Zhōulái (州來, in present-day Fèngtái (鳳台) in Anhui Province) at a place called Xiàcài (下蔡). King Hui of Chu conquered Cài in 447 BC and its territory became part of Chǔ's northern frontier.
The Cài marquesses were allowed to migrate south of the Yangtze River to the area that is now Chángdé, Húnán and settle at a location called Gāocài (高蔡) but this rump state was abolished 80 years later.
With the spread of surnames to all social classes in the Qín Empire established in 221 BC, many people of the former State of Cài took the surname of Cài in memory of their former state.
Since the end of the Cài state, its descendants have undertaken two major migrations. During the Huáng Cháo Rebellion (黃巢起義, AD 875) at the end of the Táng Dynasty (AD 618-907), the Cài clan migrated to Guǎngdōng and Fújiàn provinces. Another later migration occurred when Míng Dynasty loyalist Koxinga moved military officials surnamed Cài and their families to Taiwan in the 17th century. As a result, the surname Cài is far more common in these areas and in areas settled by their descendants than in other parts of China.
Rulers of Cài were all of the Zhōu imperial Ji family and held the rank of hóu (marquis).
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