Landscape and power in early China the crisis and fall of the western Zhou 1045{u2013}771 BC

The ascendancy of the Western Zhou in Bronze Age China, 1045–771 BC, was a critical period in the development of Chinese civilisation and culture. This book addresses the complex relationship between geography and political power in the context of the crisis and fall of the Western Zhou state. Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, the book shows how inscribed bronze vessels can be used to reveal changes in the political space of the period and explores literary and geographical evidence to produce a coherent understanding of the Bronze Age past. By taking an interdisciplinary approach which embraces archaeology, history and geography, the book thoroughly reinterprets late Western Zhou history and probes the causes of its gradual decline and eventual fall. Supported throughout by maps created from the GIS datasets and by numerous on-site photographs, Landscape and Power in Early China gives significant insights into this important Bronze Age society. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Figures 10 Maps 12 Acknowledgments 13 Scholarly conventions 15 References 15 Translations 15 Chinese characters and romanization 16 Place-names 16 Political and aristocratic titles 16 System of dates 16 Chronology of Western Zhou kings 19 The sixty-day circle (Ganzhi) 20 Introduction 21 Outline of history 22 Purpose of the book 24 Sources 27 Approach and method 37 Organization of the book 44 Chapter 1 Foundation of the Western Zhou state: constructing the political space 47 The zhou homeland and its immediate adjacent areas 50 Landscape and environment 50 Route and accessibility 55 Locating the heartland of the Western Zhou state 60 On the fringes 69 The macro-geopolitical structure 75 The western zhou state in the east 78 Mountains and plains 78 Route of communication 80 Luoyi: the eastern administrative center 82 Discovering the regional Zhou states 86 Cultural integration of the east and the west 96 The fen river valley during the western zhou 102 Landscape features 102 Routes out of the Fen River valley 103 The archaeology of the Fen River valley 104 Cultural relations 108 Conclusion 108 Chapter 2 Disorder and decline: the political crisis of the Western Zhou state 111 Emergence of political disorder and decline 112 Signs for the “early” decline of the Western Zhou 113 The late Western Zhou crisis: the exile of King Li 122 Structural conflict and the origins of political antagonism 127 The problem of explanation 128 The “Fengjian” institution as a source of conflict 130 Archaeological approaches to the “drift-away” of the regional states 136 Aristocratic power against royal authority 141 Land-granting and the reduction of royal property 142 The growing power of the Wei River aristocracy 146 The last stand of zhou royal power: the restoration of king xuan 154 Conclusion 159 Chapter 3 Enemies at the gate: the war against the Xianyun and the northwestern frontier 161 A history of the zhou–xianyun war 162 Who were the Xianyun? 162 The early war period 165 Progression of the war under King Xuan 170 Locating the zhou–xianyun war 178 The battle in the Duoyou ding 180 Taiyuan and the battle of 823 bc 185 Other battles 191 Spatial crisis and the northwestern frontier of zhou 194 Cultural and political relations in the northwestern frontier 195 Spatial crisis and the impact of the Zhou–Xianyun war 207 Conclusion 211 Chapter 4 The fall of the Western Zhou: partisan struggle and spatial collapse 213 Views and scholarship 214 Discovering the fall of the western zhou 218 The historiographical development of the role of Bao Si 218 Partisanship and political struggle at the Zhou court 223 Alliances and the sack of the Zhou capital 235 Locating the fall of the western zhou 241 The location of the state of Shen 241 The location of Lü 248 Conclusion 251 Chapter 5 The eastward migration: reconfiguring the Western Zhou state 253 The relocation of the zhou court in the east 254 Geopolitical setting of the eastern capital 254 From the fall to the relocation of the Zhou court 257 The migration of the aristocratic lineages 265 The origin and migration of the lineage of Zheng 266 The eastward migration of Western Guo 271 The origin and segmentation of Guo 271 The location of Guo(s) 273 The move of Western Guo 278 The rise of qin and qin migration into the zhou heartland 282 The search for the early Qin 282 The Zhou–Daluo–Qin triangle 288 The eastward campaign of Qin into the Zhou heartland 293 Conclusion 297 Chapter 6 The legacy of the Western Zhou 299 Lessons for the empire 300 The common western zhou experience 305 The background of regional cultures 313 Conclusion 317 Appendix 1 The periphery: the Western Zhou state at its maximum geographical extent 320 Zhou in the “far east” 321 Landscape of the Shandong region 321 Second conquest and colonization: Shandong during the early Western Zhou and early mid-Western Zhou 323 Colonization of western Shandong 324 Expansion into the eastern peninsula 328 Shandong during the late Western Zhou 334 Zhou in the south 338 Mountains and rivers: geographical accessibility 338 Zhou ambition in the south during the early to mid-Western Zhou 342 The south during the late Western Zhou 349 The local pottery culture of the middle Yangzi 351 Zhou in the north 352 Landscape of the northern Hebei plain 352 The northern state of Yan in archaeology 355 The local pottery culture of Yan 360 Conclusion 361 Appendix 2 The relationship between the Quanrong and the Xianyun 363 Appendix 3 The Bamboo Annals and issues of the chronology of King You’s reign 367 Bibliography 375 ANCIENT TEXTS 375 STUDIES AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORTS 376 Index of inscribed bronzes 407 General index 410 The Bronze Age State Of The Western Zhou Represented A Ground-breaking Period In Chinese Culture And Civilization. This Book Addresses The Complex Relationship Between Geography And Political Power Within The Context Of The Crisis And Fall Of That State Between 1045sh771 B.c. Drawing On The Latest Archaeological Discoveries, The Book Shows How Inscribed Bronze Vessels Can Be Used To Reveal Changes In The Political Space Of The Period, And Explores Literary And Geographical Evidence To Produce A Coherent Understanding Of The Bronze Age Past. The Ascendancy Of The Western Zhou In Bronze Age China, 1045-771 B.c., Was A Critical Period In The Development Of Chinese Civilization And Culture. This Book Addresses The Complex Relationship Between Geography And Political Power In The Context Of The Crisis And Fall Of The Western Zhou State. Drawing On The Latest Archaeological Discoveries, The Book Shows How Inscribed Bronze Vessels Can Be Used To Reveal Changes In The Political Space Of The Period, And Explores Literary And Geographical Evidence To Produce A Coherent Understanding Of The Bronze Age Past.--jacket. 1. Foundation Of The Western Zhou State : Constructing The Political Space -- 2. Disorder And Decline : The Political Crisis Of The Western Zhou State -- 3. Enemies At The Gate : The War Against The Xianyun And The Northwestern Frontier -- 4. The Fall Of The Western Zhou : Partisan Struggle And Spatial Collapse -- 5. The Eastward Migration : Reconfiguring The Western Zhou State -- 6. The Legacy Of The Western Zhou -- Appendix. 1. The Periphery : The Western Zhou State At Its Maximum Geographical Extent -- Appendix. 2. The Relationship Between The Quanrong And The Xianyun -- Appendix. 3. The Bamboo Annals And Issues Of The Chronology Of King You's Reign. Li Feng. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 355-386) And Indexes. Quotations From Ancient Texts Given In Chinese With English Translation. "The ascendancy of the Western Zhou in Bronze Age China, 1045-771 B.C., was a critical period in the development of Chinese civilization and culture. This book addresses the complex relationship between geography and political power in the context of the crisis and fall of the Western Zhou state. Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, the book shows how inscribed bronze vessels can be used to reveal changes in the political space of the period, and explores literary and geographical evidence to produce a coherent understanding of the Bronze Age past." -- BOOK JACKET

The Bronze Age state of the Western Zhou represented a ground-breaking period in Chinese culture and civilization. This book addresses the complex relationship between geography and political power within the context of the crisis and fall of that state between 1045SH771 B.C. Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, the book shows how inscribed bronze vessels can be used to reveal changes in the political space of the period, and explores literary and geographical evidence to produce a coherent understanding of the Bronze Age past.

In the first month of 1045 BC, the Zhou troops and their western allies, after a long march east from the Zhou base in the Wei River valley, smashed the Shang army at a place called Muye and subsequently occupied the Shang capital in present-day Anyang.