Empire · 1046–256 BCE · East Asia
Zhou dynasty
Also known as Zhoa, Zhou states
The Zhou, a people from the Wei valley in the west, overthrew the Shang around 1046 BCE. They justified the conquest with the idea of the Mandate of Heaven: Heaven granted the right to rule to a virtuous dynasty and withdrew it from a corrupt one.
The early Western Zhou kings ruled through a feudal network, granting lands to relatives and allies who owed loyalty and military service. In 771 BCE nomadic invaders killed King You and the court moved east to Luoyi, beginning the Eastern Zhou. Royal power then faded, and during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods rival states fought for supremacy; yet this was also the age of Confucius, Laozi and the Hundred Schools of Thought. The state of Qin deposed the last Zhou king in 256 BCE.
- Years
- 1046–256 BCE
- Capital
- Haojing (Western Zhou); Luoyi (Eastern Zhou)
- Greatest extent
- 1050 BCE, about 550,000 km²
- Region
- East Asia
Western Zhou realm of royal relatives and vassal states; estimates vary widely, Taagepera (1978) giving only c. 0.55M km²; c. 0.55M km² around 1050 BCE (Taagepera 1978), shrinking as the vassals grew independent
Legacy
The Zhou gave China the Mandate of Heaven and the classic texts and philosophies, Confucianism and Daoism above all, that shaped East Asian civilisation for over two thousand years.
Rulers
- King Wen d. c. 1050 BCE
Built Zhou power before the conquest
- King Wu c. 1046 – 1043 BCE
Defeated the Shang at Muye
- Duke of Zhou (regent) c. 1042 – 1036 BCE
Consolidated the new dynasty; revered by Confucius
- King Xuan 827 – 782 BCE
Briefly restored royal power
- King You 781 – 771 BCE
Killed by invaders, ending the Western Zhou
- King Nan 314 – 256 BCE
Last Zhou king, deposed by Qin
Realms on the map
- Zhou Dynasty 1000–751 BCE
- Spring and Autumn States 750–481 BCE
- Warring States China 480–219 BCE