Zhu: Map & History
Zou, originally Zhu or Zhulou, was a minor state that existed during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China.
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Zou, originally Zhu or Zhulou, was a minor state that existed during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. It centered near today's Zoucheng, Shandong province.
Modern Countries Once Part of Zhu
At its mapped extent, Zhu covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Zhu's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Zhu in Depth
History
King Wu of Zhou granted Cao Xia (曹挾) control of the small state of Zhu as a vassal ruler under the State of Lu with the feudal title Viscount (子), but later holding the title Duke of Zhu (邾公). The ancestral surname of the ruling family was Cao (曹).
During the Spring and Autumn period, the State of Zhu gradually grew stronger and was known as "Zhoulou".
In 659 BC, Duke Xi of Lu, along with the rulers of the states of Qi, Song, Zheng, Cao, and Zhu, met in the area of Cheng (檉). The following month, Duke Xi of Lu's army defeated the army of Zhu in the area of Yan (偃).
During the reign of Duke Mu of Lu (417 BC – 377 BC), Zhu's name was changed to Zou. The state of Zou was located in the southwest of modern-day Shandong Province. Its territory is now the county-level city of Zoucheng.
Legacy
Zhu (朱), without the radical, is one of the most common surnames of modern-day China. Another, albeit less common surname Zou (鄒/邹) is also derived from the former name of the state.
The noted Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi descends from the ruling house. The small state of Zou, however, is most famous as the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher Mencius. As the overlord State of Lu was the home state of Confucius and many of his disciples, this means that Confucianism's founder, and most of its minor sages and wise men hailed from or had ancestral roots in these two ancient states of China.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Zou (state) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Zhu: Key Facts
| Founded | 700 BCE |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 4th century BCE |
Facts from Wikidata Q227007 (CC0).
Zhu Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Zhu appears, with the other states of the time.
Zhu Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 6,650 km² in 600 BCE.
Zhu: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Zhu exist?
Zhu is dated to 750 BCE – 405 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of Zhu?
The capital of Zhu was Zhu (now south of Qufu), Zou (now southeast of Zoucheng).
How large was Zhu at its peak?
At its peak in 600 BC Zhu covered about 6,650 km².
How did the map of Zhu change over time?
Zhu 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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