X-Nico

2 unusual facts about King You of Zhou


King You of Zhou

As the national capital Haojing had suffered severe damage, and was located near the potentially dangerous Quanrong, in 771 BC, King Ping of Zhou moved the capital eastward to Luoyang, thus beginning the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and ushering in the Spring and Autumn period which would last for more than 300 years.

After trying many methods and failing, King You tried to amuse his favourite queen by lighting warning beacons and fooling his nobles into thinking that the Quanrong nomads were about to attack.


Ancient Chinese states

After an attack by Quanrong nomads allied with several vassal states including Shen and Zheng, the Zhou ruler King You was killed in his palace at Haojing.

Haojing

In King You of Zhou's reign (r. 781-771 BCE), the Marquess of Shen with support from Quanrong nomads from the west overran Hàojīng heralding the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

Marquis Wen of Jin

In 771 BC, the tenth year of his reign, King You of Zhou was killed by Quanrong nomads and two Zhou family members were subsequently and separately declared king: King Ping of Zhou and King Xie of Zhou.

Records of the Grand Historian

In his 15th chapter, "Yearly Chronicle of the Six States," he writes, “I have read the Annals of Qin (qin ji 秦記), and they say that the Quanrong a barbarian tribe defeated King You of Zhou ca 771 BC.


see also