Zheng (state)
| State of Zheng | |||||
| 鄭國 | |||||
| Duchy | |||||
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| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 鄭 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Simplified Chinese | 郑 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Zheng (Chinese: 鄭; Old Chinese: *[d]reng-s) 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), and was the first state to clearly establish a code of law in its late period of 543 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
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
| Title | Given name | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Huan of Zheng 鄭桓公 | Yǒu 友 | 806-771 BC |
| Duke Wu of Zheng 鄭武公 | Juétú 掘突 | 770-744 BC |
| Duke Zhuang of Zheng 鄭莊公 | Wùshēng 寤生 | 743-701 BC |
| Duke Zhao of Zheng 鄭昭公 | Hū 忽 | 701 BC |
| Duke Li of Zheng 鄭厲公 | Tú 突 | 700-697 BC |
| Duke Zhao of Zheng (second reign) 鄭昭公 | Hū 忽 | 696-695 BC |
| Prince Ziwei of Zheng 鄭子亹 | Zǐwěi 子亹 | 694 BC |
| Zheng Ziying 鄭子嬰 | Yīng 嬰 | 693–680 BC |
| Duke Li of Zheng (second reign) 鄭厲公 | Tú 突 | 679–673 BC |
| Duke Wen of Zheng 鄭文公 | Jié 踕 | 672–628 BC |
| Duke Mu of Zheng 鄭穆公 | Lán 蘭 | 627–606 BC |
| Duke Ling of Zheng 鄭靈公 | Yí 夷 | 605 BC |
| Duke Xiang of Zheng 鄭襄公 | Jiān 堅 | 604–587 BC |
| Duke Dao of Zheng 鄭悼公 | Fèi 沸 | 586–585 BC |
| Duke Cheng of Zheng 鄭成公 | Gùn 睔 | 584–581 BC |
| Prince Xu of Zheng 公子繻 | Xū 繻 | 581 BC |
| Duke Xi of Zheng 鄭僖公 | Yùn 惲 | 581 BC |
| Duke Cheng of Zheng (second reign) 鄭成公 | Gùn 睔 | 581–571 BC |
| Duke Xi of Zheng (second reign) 鄭僖公 | Yùn 惲 | 570–566 BC |
| Duke Jian of Zheng 鄭簡公 | Jiā 嘉 | 565–530 BC |
| Duke Ding of Zheng 鄭定公 | Níng 寧 | 529–514 BC |
| Duke Xian of Zheng 鄭獻公 | Dǔn 躉 | 513–501 BC |
| Duke Sheng of Zheng 鄭聲公 | Shèng 勝 | 500–463 BC |
| Duke Ai of Zheng 鄭哀公 | Yì 易 | 462–455 BC |
| Duke Gong of Zheng 鄭共公 | Chǒu 丑 | 455–424 BC |
| Duke You of Zheng 鄭幽公 | Jǐ 已 | 423 BC |
| Duke Xu of Zheng 鄭繻公 | Tái 駘 | 422–396 BC |
| Duke Kang of Zheng 鄭康公 | Yǐ 乙 | 395–375 BC |
Other people from Zheng
- Zichan, celebrated philosopher and statesman
- 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
- ↑ Bai, Shouyi (2002). An Outline History of China. Beijing: Foreign Language Press. ISBN 7-119-02347-0.
- ↑ Creel, Herrlee G. The Origins of Statecraft in China. ISBN 0-226-12043-0.
- ↑ Walker, Richard Lewis. The Multi-state System of Ancient China. Beijing.
- ↑ "The Zheng Feudal Lords". China Knowledge. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
- ↑ (Chinese) AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 6 月 24 日
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