Zou (state)

The State of Zōu (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ) was a small Zhou Dynasty vassal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history (720–221 BCE).[1].

Contents

History

King Wu of Zhou granted Cao Xie (simplified Chinese: 曹挟; traditional Chinese: 曹挾), a direct lineal descendant of the Yellow Emperor through his grandson, the legendary emperor Zhuanxu (颛顼), control of the small state of Zhu (邾) as a vassal ruler under the State of Lu with the feudal title Prince of Zhu (邾王).[2][3][4]The ancestral surname of the ruling family was Cao (曹)[1].
Zhu subsequently changed its name to Zou (鄒).[5] The state of Zou was located in the southwest of modern-day Shandong Province.[5] Its territory is now the county-level city of Zoucheng.

Demise

The state of Zou was conquered and annexed by the state of Chu during the reign of King Xuan of Chu (r. 369–340 BC).[5] The ruling family and its descendants adopted the Zhu (朱) surname in memory of their former principality of Zhu (邾).[3][5]

Legacy

The surname Zhu remains a prominent one over much of modern-day China and even overseas.

The small state of Zou is most famous as the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher Mencius.

References

  1. ^ a b Li, Xueqin (1985). Eastern Zhou and Qin Civilizations. Trans. Kwang-Chih Chang. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-03286-2.  p. 144
  2. ^ Li, Chi (1967). The Formation of the Chinese People. Russell & Russell.  p. 138
  3. ^ a b Tan, Thomas Tsu-Wee (1986). Your Chinese Roots. Times Books International. ISBN 0-89346-285-3.  p. 239
  4. ^ Wu, Kuo-Cheng (1982). The Chinese Heritage. Crown Publishers, Inc.. ISBN 0-517-54475-X.  p. 306
  5. ^ a b c d Chao, Sheau-Yueh (2000). In Search of Your Asian Roots: Genealogical Research on Chinese Surnames. Clearfield. ISBN 0-8063-4946-8.  p. 43