Zheng (state)

State of Zheng 鄭國
Duchy
← 806 BC–375 BC →
Capital		Zheng (鄭) Xinzheng (新鄭)
Languages		Old Chinese
Religion		Taoism, Animism, Ancestor worship
Government		Monarchy
Duke
-	806 BC – 771 BC	Duke Huan of Zheng
-	703 BC – 701 BC	Duke Zhuang of Zheng
-	395 BC – 375 BC	Duke Kang of Zheng
History
-	King Xuan of Zhou granting land to Prince You	806 BC
-	Conquest of the State of Han	375 BC
Currency		Chinese coin; Spade coin

Zheng (simplified Chinese: 郑国; traditional Chinese: 鄭國; pinyin: Zhèng) was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty (1046–221 BCE) located in the centre of ancient China in modern-day Henan Province on the North China Plain about 75 miles (121 km) east of the royal capital at Luoyang. It was the most powerful of the vassal states at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou (771-701 BCE). Its ruling house had the surname Ji (姬), making them a branch of the Zhou royal house, who were given the rank of Bo (伯), corresponding roughly to a Countdom.

Foundation

Chinese states, 5th century BCE

Zheng was founded in 806 BC when King Xuan of Zhou, the penultimate king of the Western Zhou, made his younger brother Prince You (王子友) Duke of Zheng and granted him lands within the royal domain at the eponymous Zheng in modern-day Hua County, Shaanxi on the Wei River east of Xi'an. Prince You, known posthumously as Duke Huan of Zheng, established what would be the last bastion of Western Zhou going on to serve as Situ under King You of Zhou. When the Quanrong tribes sacked the Zhou capital Haojing in 771 BC, Duke Huan was killed along with his nephew King You of Zhou.

Duke Huan was succeeded by his son Duke Wu (鄭武公). Along with Marquis Wen of Jin, Duke Wu supported King Ping of Zhou against a rival, thereby helping to establish the Eastern Zhou. He reestablished the state of Zheng in modern-day Xinzheng (meaning New Zheng), Henan, and annexed the states of Eastern Guo and Kuai. The Zheng rulers served as high ministers of the Zhou kings for several generations.

Spring and Autumn Period

Early dominance

The state of Zheng was one of the strongest at the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period. Zheng was the first Zhou state to annex another state, Xi, sometime between 684 and 680 BCE. Throughout the Spring and Autumn Period, Zheng was one of the wealthiest states, relying on its central location for inter-state commerce and having the largest number of merchants of any state. Zheng often used its wealth to bribe itself out of difficult situations.

Duke Zhuang of Zheng (743–701 BCE) was arguably a forerunner of the Five Hegemons, though Zheng derived its dominance by dramatically different means compared to those of the later hegemons by defeating an alliance of feudal states led by Zhou itself and wounding King Huan of Zhou. When Duke Zhuang died there was a civil war between his sons and Zheng ceased to be a powerful state.

Later Period

By the later stages of the period, Zheng had no room to expand; due to its central location, Zheng was hemmed in on all sides by larger states. During the later stages of the Spring and Autumn period, Zheng frequently switched its diplomatic alliances. Zheng was the center of diplomatic contention between Chu and Qi, then later Chu and Jin. Although Zheng was forced to become a bit player in the later stages of the Spring and Autumn period, it was still quite strong, defeating a combined alliance of Jin, Song, Chen and Wei in 607 BCE.

Under the statesman Zichan, Zheng was the first state to clearly establish a code of law in 543 BCE. Zheng later declined until it was annexed by the state of Han in 375 BCE.^[1][2][3][4]

List of rulers

Other people from the State of Zheng

1. Zheng Mao (鄭瞀), exemplary woman of the Lienü zhuan

Zheng in astronomy

Zheng is represented with the star Gamma Serpentis in asterism Left Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure,^[5] and also represented with 20 Capricorni in asterism Twelve States, Girl mansion.

Sources, references, external links, quotes

• Another Royal Tomb of 'King Zheng' Discovered in Henan