ZHOU DYNASTY 1046-221 B.C abolished cowri shells in china 221 B.C

 

ZHOU  DYNASTY  1046-221 abolished cowri shells in china 221 B.C

The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that lasted from approximately 1046 to 256 BCE, making it the longest-reigning dynasty in Chinese history. It's known for establishing many foundational aspects of Chinese culture and political structure. 

This video explains the key events and characteristics of the Zhou Dynasty

Longest-lasting dynasty:

The Zhou Dynasty spanned about 789 years. 

Divided into two periods:

Western Zhou

The Western Zhou (Chinese: 西周; pinyin: Xīzhōu; c. 1046[1] – 771 BC) was a period of Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Zhou dynasty. It began when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty at the Battle of Muye and ended in 771 BC when Quanrong pastoralists sacked the Zhou capital at Haojing and killed King You of Zhou. The "Western" label for the period refers to the location of the Zhou royal capitals, which were clustered in the Wei River valley near present-day Xi'an.

Cowrie shells, particularly Cypraea moneta, served as a form of currency in various parts of the world for centuries. These small, durable shells were used as money, especially in Africa and parts of Asia, due to their portability, standardization, and relative difficulty to counterfeit. Cowries were also incorporated into cultural practices and held symbolic value.

In China, the character for money (貝) is derived from a stylized drawing of a cowrie shell. In parts of West Africa, cowries were used for tax payments and their use as currency persisted in unregulated environments until the 1960s. 

The early Zhou state[a] was ascendant for about 75 years; thereafter, it gradually lost power. The former lands of the Shang were divided into hereditary fiefs that became increasingly independent of the Zhou king over time. The Zhou court was driven out of the Wei River valley in 771 BC: this marked the beginning of the Eastern Zhou period, wherein political power was wielded in actuality by the king's nominal vassals

One of the most famous uses of "fish money" dates back to antiquity, in China, where bronze fish-shaped objects were used as currency during the Zhou Dynasty

Western Zhou (c. 1046 – 771 BCE): The Zhou initially established a centralized government centered around the Wei River valley and the North China Plain. 

Eastern Zhou (771 – 256 BCE): Marked by the shift of the capital eastward and characterized by the Spring and Autumn period 

Zhou dynasty kings

Personal name	Posthumous name	Reign years1	Name by which most commonly known
Ji Fa	Wuwang	1046 B.C.E.-1043 B.C.E.1	Zhou Wuwang (King Wu of Zhou)
Ji Song	Chengwang	1042 B.C.E.-1021 B.C.E.1	Zhou Chengwang (King Cheng of Zhou)
Ji Zhao	Kangwang	1020 B.C.E.-996 B.C.E.1	Zhou Kangwang (King Kang of Zhou)
Ji Xia	Zhaowang	995 B.C.E.-977 B.C.E.1	Zhou Zhaowang (King Zhao of Zhou)
Ji Man	Muwang	976 B.C.E.-922 B.C.E.1	Zhou Muwang (King Mu of Zhou)
Ji Yihu	Gongwang	922 B.C.E.-900 B.C.E.1	Zhou Gongwang (King Gong of Zhou)
Ji Jian	Yiwang	899 B.C.E.-892 B.C.E.1	Zhou Yiwang King Yi of Zhou)
Ji Pifang	Xiaowang	891 B.C.E.-886 B.C.E.1	Zhou Xiaowang (King Xiao of Zhou)
Ji Xie	Yiwang	885 B.C.E.-878 B.C.E.1	Zhou Yiwang (King Yi of Zhou)
Ji Hu	Liwang	877 B.C.E.-841 B.C.E.1	Zhou Liwang (King Li of Zhou)
	Gonghe (regency)	841 B.C.E.-828 B.C.E.	Gonghe
Ji Jing	Xuanwang	827 B.C.E.-782 B.C.E.	Zhou Xuanwang (King Xuan of Zhou)
Ji Gongsheng	Youwang	781 B.C.E.-771 B.C.E.	Zhou Youwang (King You of Zhou)
End of Western Zhou / Beginning of Eastern Zhou
Ji Yijiu	Pingwang	770 B.C.E.-720 B.C.E.	Zhou Pingwang (King Ping of Zhou)
Ji Lin	Huanwang	719 B.C.E.-697 B.C.E.	Zhou Huanwang (King Huan of Zhou)
Ji Tuo	Zhuangwang	696 B.C.E.-682 B.C.E.	Zhou Zhuangwang (King Zhuang of Zhou)
Ji Huqi	Xiwang	681 B.C.E.-677 B.C.E.	Zhou Xiwang (King Xi of Zhou)
Ji Lang	Huiwang	676 B.C.E.-652 B.C.E.	Zhou Huiwang (King Hui of Zhou)
Ji Zheng	Xiangwang	651 B.C.E.-619 B.C.E.	Zhou Xiangwang (King Xiang of Zhou)
Ji Renchen	Qingwang	618 B.C.E.-613 B.C.E.	Zhou Qingwang (King Qing of Zhou)
Ji Ban	Kuangwang	612 B.C.E.-607 B.C.E.	Zhou Kuangwang (King Kuang of Zhou)
Ji Yu	Dingwang	606 B.C.E.-586 B.C.E.	Zhou Dingwang (King Ding of Zhou)
Ji Yi	Jianwang	585 B.C.E.-572 B.C.E.	Zhou Jianwang (King Jian of Zhou)
Ji Xiexin	Lingwang	571 B.C.E.-545 B.C.E.	Zhou Lingwang (King Ling of Zhou)
Ji Gui	Jingwang	544 B.C.E.-521 B.C.E.	Zhou Jingwang (King Jing of Zhou)
Ji Meng	Daowang	520 B.C.E.	Zhou Daowang (King Dao of Zhou)
Ji Gai	Jingwang	519 B.C.E.-476 B.C.E.	Zhou Jingwang (King Jing of Zhou (Ji Gai))
Ji Ren	Yuanwang	475 B.C.E.-469 B.C.E.	Zhou Yuanwang (King Yuan of Zhou)
Ji Jie	Zhendingwang	468 B.C.E.-442 B.C.E.	Zhou Zhendingwang (King Zhending of Zhou)
Ji Quji	Aiwang	441 B.C.E.	Zhou Aiwang (King Ai of Zhou)
Ji Shu	Siwang	441 B.C.E.	Zhou Siwang (King Si of Zhou)
Ji Wei	Kaowang	440 B.C.E.-426 B.C.E.	Zhou Kaowang (King Kao of Zhou)
Ji Wu	Weiliewang	425 B.C.E.-402 B.C.E.	Zhou Weiliewang (King Weilie of Zhou)
Ji Jiao	Anwang	401 B.C.E.-376 B.C.E.	Zhou Anwang (King An of Zhou)
Ji Xi	Liewang	375 B.C.E.-369 B.C.E.	Zhou Liewang (King Lie of Zhou)
Ji Bian	Xianwang	368 B.C.E.-321 B.C.E.	Zhou Xianwang (King Xian of Zhou)
Ji Ding	Shenjingwang	320 B.C.E.-315 B.C.E.	Zhou Shenjingwang (King Shenjing of Zhou)
Ji Yan	Nanwang	314 B.C.E.-256 B.C.E.	Zhou Nanwang (King Nan of Zhou)
	Huiwang	255 B.C.E.-249 B.C.E.	Zhou Huiwang2 (King Hui of Eastern Zhou)

Political and cultural influence:

The Zhou Dynasty laid the groundwork for many aspects of Chinese civilization, including its political system, philosophical schools of thought like Confucianism and Daoism, and aspects of its culture. 

Technological advancements:

The Zhou era saw advancements in agriculture, ironworking, and the development of bronze coinage. 

Eastern Zhou

The Eastern Zhou[a] (c. 771 – 256 BCE) is a period in Chinese history comprising the latter half of the Zhou dynasty, following the Western Zhou era and the royal court's relocation eastward from Fenghao to Chengzhou (near present-day Luoyang). The Eastern Zhou was characterised by the weakened authority of the Zhou royal house. It is subdivided into two parts: the Spring and Autumn period (c. 771 – c. 481 BCE), during which the ancient aristocracy still held power in a large number of separate polities, and the Warring States period (c. 481 – 221 BCE), which saw the consolidation of territory and escalation of interstate warfare and administrative sophistication.

The Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC)

The period's name derives from the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the state of Lu between 722 and 479 BCE, which tradition associates with Confucius.

During this period, the Zhou royal authority over the various feudal states started to decline, as more and more dukes and marquesses obtained de facto regional autonomy, defied the king's court in Luoyi, and waged wars amongst themselves. The gradual partition of Jin, one of the most powerful states, marked the end of the Spring and Autumn period and the beginning of the Warring States period.

Warring States period

The Taerpo horserider, a Qin terracotta figurine from a tomb in the Taerpo cemetery near Xianyang in Shaanxi, 4th-3rd century BCE. This is the earliest known representation of a cavalryman in China.[10] The outfit is of Central Asian style, probably Scythian,[11] and the rider with his large nose appears to be a foreigner.[10] King Zheng of Qin (246–221 BCE) is known to have employed steppe cavalry men in his army, as seen in his Terracotta Army.[12]

The Warring States period was an era in ancient Chinese history following the Spring and Autumn period, concluding with the Qin wars of conquest. Those wars resulted in the annexation of all other contender states, completed with the Qin state's victory in 221 BCE. That meant that the Qin state became the first unified Chinese empire, known as the Qin dynasty.

The 800-year period of the Zhou Dynasty (1045–221) is divided into three periods of time called the Western Zhou Period (1045–770), the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476), and the Warring States Period (475–221).

The Spring and Autumn Period was a fertile time for the emergence of key philosophies, schools of thought, and religious ideas as small states expanded, peacefully coexisted, and fought wars.

History of the Spring and Autumn Period

In 771 BC, after King You of Zhou replaced his wife with a concubine, the capital was attacked by his wife's father who ruled a region called Shen and by a nomadic tribe called the Quanrong. 

• Shape: They are small, oval-shaped pieces of bronze. 
• Markings: The most distinctive feature is a raised or engraved mark resembling a human or demonic face, which gives them their name "Ghost Face Money". 
• State of Chu: These coins were primarily used in the State of Chu, located in what is now Hunan, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Anhui provinces. 
• Weight and Size: While the weights varied, some weighed as little as 0.1g, while others averaged around 5g. 
• Material: They are made of bronze. 
• Inscriptions: Some coins also have other inscriptions, such as "each six zhu" (ge liu zhu), which may refer to a weight measure. 
• Holes: Most Chu copper cowries have a hole to string them together. 
• Rarity: Although they are known from various excavations, they are still considered a relatively rare form of ancient Chinese currency. 

The rulers of several of the regions in the empire proclaimed the queen's son, who was named Ji Yijiu, to be the new king.

The capital was moved eastward in 770 BC from Haojing in Xi'an to Luoyang in present-day Henan Province (marking the start of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty of 770–221 BC). The sack of the king and the change of capital marked the end of the rule of the Ji clan over the whole region.

After 771, the Zhou Dynasty became the nominal leading clan.

Early Spring and Autumn Period

Longmen GrottoesLongmen Grottoes in Luoyang.

The Spring and Autumn Period was the beginning of the Eastern Zhou era. 

During this period, the Zhou empire reached the Yangtze River, and it was basically centered on the eastern part of the Yellow River (see our Eastern Zhou Map). The first king to rule in the eastern capital, Luoyang, was said to be King Ping.The Zhou kings ruled as figureheads. Although the dynastic clan did have a small territory of their own at Luoyang, their territory was too small to raise an army. They depended on the surrounding regions fortheir defense. They performed religious ceremonies.

Sometimes, the leader of a powerful state would be recognized as the hegemon during a time of crisis or war. During this time, the states on the frontier, such as Qin, grew stronger since they had more room for expansion. There was a lot of rivalry and wars.

Major Events of the Spring and Autumn Period

Ancient Chinese Musical Instruments Ancient Chinese Musical Instruments.

The Zhou emperors were ceremonial figureheads although they did have a small amount of territory of their own at Luoyang. 

Their territory was too small to raise an army of their own that was big enough to defend them. They depended on the surrounding regions, and they performed religious ceremonies.

They were perhaps like the modern British royalty except that the populace believed they had real powers as representatives of heaven as gods.During the approximately 300 years of the Spring and Autumn Period, many small fiefdoms and states slowly coalesced through conquest.

There was a lot of rivalry and wars. In about 550 BC, there were four major powers:Qin in the west, Jin in the center, Chu in the south, and Qi in the east.

In 497, the nobles in Jin began a civil war. In 453, there were only four major regions in Jin, and in that year the three weaker clans destroyed the stronger, leaving only Han, Wei, and Zhao. In 403, they divided the Jin state between themselves.

This action left eight states in the former Zhou empire region: Han, Wei, Zhao, Qin, Chu, Yue, Qi, and Yan near modern-day Beijing.

Confucianism

ConfuciusConfucius Statue.

Confucianism was probably the first major school to emerge of the three remaining dominant schools.

Confucius was perhaps the first major philosopher whose teachings survived and became widely accepted in this era.

In the Analects, a book of his pithy sayings, it is recorded that he said he didn't invent any of his philosophy. He was only transmitting the ancient teachings to his disciples. He wanted them to read the ancient texts.

He said he wanted to restore and teach the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven. This important belief of his political philosophy was that Heaven would choose a person and his clan to rule. He mixed his theology with his ideas of politics.

He encouraged everybody to behave as they should in whatever role they had in their society. He said that if they did so, there would be harmony, prosperity, and happiness.

Legalism

Legalist ideas were not accepted everywhere. A major antithetical philosophy was later developed by court rulers in Qin after Shang Yang (390–338) came to power. 

This teaching justified subservience to the emperor and total war. A centralized bureaucracy was emphasized and the people were used for large construction projects to strengthen the empire.

Legalism taught that people's primary role in life was to obey the rule of emperors, and so they did away with familial relationships, freedoms, and accepted cultural ethics throughout their domain.

Daoist-Type Philosophy

Dao De JingDao De Jing.

Another major school that became a basis for post-religion is called Daoism. The first teacher was said to be Laozi (老子). People differ about whether he was born during the Spring and Autumn Period or afterwards.

It is said that Laozi wrote the Dao De Jing (道德经) but historians debate about whether he actually wrote the text, when Laozi lived, and whether he was a real historical person.

Most people place him as a contemporary of the philosopher Confucius. They say he lived around 450 or 600 BC. Others say that he lived in about 380 BC.

It is thought that another influential Daoist philosopher,named Zhuangzi (庄子), wrote the Zhuangzi.It is said that Daoism wasn't thought of as a systematic school of philosophy and religion until the Han Dynasty. In the Han era, the Dao De Jing was considered to be the main Taoist scripture and the Zhuangzi was a secondary scripture.

Tours of Spring and Autumn Period Sites

Many Spring and Autumn Period sites are in Luoyang. An important Zhou Dynasty site is the Museum of the Zhou Imperial Carriages where you can tour the archaeological excavations and see the artifacts. Visit Luoyang with our Luoyang tours.

Most of the discovered historical relics from the Zhou Dynasty are displayed at Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an. China Highlight's tours of Xi'an, almost without exception, include a visit to the museum.