The Zhou dynasty ruled China from about 1046 to 256 BC, the longest span of any Chinese dynasty, founded by King Wu of Zhou after his victory over the Shang at the Battle of Muye. The Western Zhou period, from 1046 to 771 BC, was governed from Fenghao, also called Haojing, in the Wei River valley; the Eastern Zhou period, from 771 to 256 BC, was governed from Wangcheng and is itself subdivided into the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period. The dynasty is remembered as the zenith of Chinese bronzeware craftsmanship and as the birthplace of Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism, the three major philosophical traditions that shaped later Chinese thought. The state of Qin formally extinguished the Zhou dynasty in 256 BC, deposing King Nan and capturing Wangcheng, and Qin went on to found the succeeding Qin dynasty after completing its wars of unification in 221 BC.
Facts
Government TypeMonarchy (decentralised, feudal under the Western Zhou; ceremonial kingship under the Eastern Zhou) 1 The Western Zhou (c. 1046-771 BC) held direct military control and decentralised feudal authority over its territories; the Eastern Zhou that followed retained ceremonial kingship while real power passed to regional states. Government type (class) Classification
Status (Extant or Former) FAQs
What was the Mandate of Heaven, and how did the Zhou dynasty use it?
The belief that a ruling house is divinely appointed, which the Zhou invoked to replace the Shang.
The Mandate of Heaven was the belief that a monarch and ruling house are divinely appointed. The Zhou developed the idea from earlier Shang concepts and invoked it to justify deposing and replacing the Shang. It went on to inform Chinese politics for centuries afterwards.
Connections
Associated With
Eastern Zhou polity that the period covers
In Era
Source Wikipedia: Zhou dynasty
Preceded By
Source Wikipedia: Shang dynasty
Succeeded By
Source Wikipedia: Zhou dynasty
In the Other Atlases
Government Type
Also in Society and Culture Atlas: the government type of this subject.
Nationals Include
Also in Divinity Atlas: a national of this subject.
Source Duke of Zhou (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
Ji Dan, Duke Wen of Zhou, commonly known as the Duke of Zhou, was a member of the royal family of the early Zhou dynasty who played a major role in consolidating the kingdom established by his elder brother King Wu.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Zhou dynasty
WikipediaIntroduction
was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 790 years from c. 1046 BC until 256 BC
Western Zhou section
the royal house, surnamed Ji, had military control over territories
Zhou dynasty: Status
The Western Zhou period, from 1046 to 771 BC, was governed from Fenghao, also called Haojing, in the Wei River valley; the Eastern Zhou period, from 771 to 256 BC, was governed from Wangcheng and is itself subdivided into the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period.
- Succeeded By: Qin dynasty
In Era: Classical Antiquity, lead paragraph and infobox, existence dates
The Zhou dynasty ( JOH; Chinese: 周; pinyin: Zhōu, pronunciation: [ʈʂóʊ]) was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 790 years from c. 1046 BC until 256 BC, the longest span of any dynasty in Chinese history.
View the Source Wikipedia: Shang dynasty
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