Eastern Zhou Dynasty: From prosperity to decline, the fate of the Zhou royal family withered In Chinese history, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was an unpredictable period. After moving east, the Zhou royal family reunited the princes for a time, but over time, their status gradually declined, their territory shrank, their financial power weakened, and finally they went to extinction.
This article will explore the reasons for the decline of the Eastern Zhou royal family, as well as their political, economic, and social changes. After King Zhou You was killed by Inujung, he deposed the crown prince Yiusu, and with the support of many nobles, King Ping of Zhou became the new monarch of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. However, he faces the threat of the approaching forces of the Inu.
In order to avoid repeating the mistakes of history, he decided to move east, moving the royal capital to Luoyi, and moving the remaining artifacts from the old capital to the new capital along with the royal family and nobles. This event is known as the "East Migration of King Ping" and also marks the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period. In the early days of the eastward migration, the Zhou royal family still owned a certain amount of territory and wealth.
However, due to the improper succession of King Ping of Zhou, some nobles doubted it, and under the leadership of Yu Gonghan, the monarch of the Western Yu Kingdom (or Southern Yu State), he supported King Zhou's younger brother Yu Chen as the "King of Zhou" to confront King Ping of Zhou. Although King Zhou did not have many supporters, their power was too weak, and they were soon attacked and killed by Marquis Wen of Jin, ending the situation in which the two kings were coexistence.
Although the Zhou royal family was reunited, after moving east, the Zhou royal family was no longer able to control the princely states. Their territory gradually shrank, losing their southern barrier and bordering the state of Chu. After that, the Zhou royal family continued to lose their land and was forced to retreat to the east, and their territory became smaller and smaller. By the time of King Xiang of Zhou, the Zhou royal family only had a projectile land with a radius of more than a hundred miles below.
The shrinkage of the Zhou royal family's land directly led to a decrease in income, and the royal family fell into poverty. They even had to borrow money and supplies from other countries, King Huan of Zhou sent people to borrow money from the State of Lu, and King Xiang of Zhou even borrowed funeral expenses from the State of Lu. During the reign of King Jing of Zhou, the poverty of the Zhou royal family had reached an incomparable level, and they even demanded tribute from the envoys of the Jin state at banquets.
The decline in land and wealth was accompanied by the loss of authority of the Zhou royal family. Originally, this week, the Son of Heaven had to regularly inspect the princely states, called "patrol hunting", but since the eastward migration, the Zhou royal family has been unable to carry out patrols, and even the princes no longer visit Zhou Tianzi. This is also reflected in the ceremonial and patriarchal systems, which are undermined and hierarchies are no longer strictly enforced.
The decline of the Zhou royal family also led to the collapse of the ritual music system. The princes overstepped the rules of propriety, violated the rules, and broke many of the terms. They acted as the Son of Heaven, burning the torch of the Son of Heaven and using the rituals and utensils of the Son of Heaven. This behavior was not only widespread among the princes of the Eastern Zhou, but even the royal family of the Western Zhou was not spared.
The arrogant behavior of the princes caused the authority of Zhou Tianzi to be constantly challenged, which further weakened the position of the Zhou royal family. Not only that, there were frequent struggles within the vassal states for the position of the monarch, and the patriarchal system was completely destroyed.
This situation was particularly evident in the states of Lu, Qi, and Jin, where the king's brothers, sons, and even ministers competed for the throne, creating chaos. Eventually, the decline of the Zhou royal family led to their demise. The two small states of Xiaoxi Zhou and Xiaodong Zhou collapsed one after another, and the Zhou royal family lost its right to rule.
Under the invasion of Zhao Chenghou and Han Yihou, Xiaoxi Zhou gave all the cities and population to the Qin state. Seven years later, the Qin state destroyed Xiaodong Zhou, and the Zhou dynasty, surnamed Ji, ended after more than 800 years of glory. The reasons for the decline of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty were manifold, including the shrinking of territory, poverty and predicament, loss of authority, and the collapse of the etiquette system.
These factors intertwined and eventually led to the demise of the Zhou royal family. The decline of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty offers us much to think about, and we should learn from it to avoid a repeat of history. In short, the decline of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty is not only a historical event, but also a warning.
In the process of national development, we must bear in mind the lessons of history, pay attention to governance and political ethics, and maintain national unity and stability. Only in this way can we remain prosperous and strong throughout history. What do you think are the deep reasons for the decline of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty? How should we learn from this? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.