Chen: Map & History
Chen was a state founded by Duke Hu of Chen during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
Chen was a state founded by Duke Hu of Chen during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. It existed from c. 1045 BC–479 BC. Its capital was Wanqiu, in present-day Huaiyang County in the plains of eastern Henan province. Chen, the 4th most popular Chinese surname in the world, and members of the Hu clan, the 13th most popular Chinese surname in the world, would claim descent from the Duke Hu of Chen who was in turn descended from the legendary Emperor Shun. At its peak, Chen encompassed fourteen cities in modern-day Henan and Anhui.
Chen in Depth
History
According to tradition, the royal family of Chen were descendants of the legendary sage king Emperor Shun. After the conquest of the Shang dynasty in 1046/45 BC, King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed his son-in-law Gui Man, a descendant of Shun, at Chen, and Man became known as Duke Hu of Chen (Chen Hugong).
Chen later became an ally state of Chu, fighting as an ally of Chu at the Battle of Chengpu. It was finally unified with the Chu in 479 BC. Many people of Chen then took the name of their former country as their family name, and account for the many of Chinese people with the family name Chen today. After the destruction of the old Chu capital at Ying, Chen became the Chu capital.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Chen (state) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Chen: Key Facts
| Capital | Huaiyang District |
|---|---|
| Founded | 9th century BCE |
| Dissolved | 479 BCE |
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q1069690 (CC0).
Chen Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Chen appears, with the other states of the time.
Chen Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 5,047 km² in 466 BCE.
Chen: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Chen exist?
Chen is dated to 750 BCE – 451 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of Chen?
The capital of Chen was Wanqiu (宛丘).
How large was Chen at its peak?
At its peak in 466 BC Chen covered about 5,047 km².
How did the map of Chen change over time?
Chen appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 750 BCE to 500 BCE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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