Lu (state)

Lu (, 249 BC) was a state during the Zhou dynasty in ancient China. It was located around what is now Shandong. It was founded in the 11th century BC, and its rulers came from a branch of the House of Ji (), which ruled the Zhou dynasty. The first duke was Boqin, a son of the Duke of Zhou, who was the brother of King Wu of Zhou and acted as regent for King Cheng of Zhou.

Lu was the home of the famous Chinese philosophers, Confucius and Mozi, giving it a strong cultural influence among the states of the Eastern Zhou period and in history. The Annals of Spring and Autumn, for example, was written using the years of Lu's rulers. Another important work of Chinese history, the Zuo Zhuan or Commentary of Zuo, was also written in Lu by Zuo Qiuming.

 Name 
The American linguist, William H. Baxter (cited in Matisoff, 1995) suggests a possible link between the name Lǔ () and its very similar-sounding word lǔ (), meaning "salty" or "rock salt." This is because the area of the State of Lu was a salt marsh in ancient times.Matisoff, James A. (1995). “Sino-Tibetan Palatal Suffixes Revisited”. In: Nishi, Y., Matisoff, J. A. and Nagano, Y. (editors), Senri Ethnological Studies. 41: p. 52, n. 40 of 35–91.

Area
The capital of the state was in Qufu, and its land mainly covered the central and southwest parts of what is now Shandong Province of China. Lu was bordered to the north by the strong state of Qi and to the south by the powerful state of Chu. Lu's location on the eastern edges of the Western Zhou state, facing non-Zhou people in states like Lai and Xu, was an important reason for its creation.

History
Lu was one of the many states founded in eastern China at the start of the Zhou dynasty to extend Zhou rule far from its capital, Zongzhou, and its main region, Guanzhong. During the Western Zhou period, Lu helped keep Zhou control steady in what is now Shandong.

In the early Spring and Autumn period, Lu was one of the strongest states and competed with Qi to the north. Under Duke Yin and Duke Huan of Lu, Lu defeated both Qi and Song states several times and led missions against other smaller states.

However, things changed in the middle of this period when Qi became more powerful. Although Lu managed to defeat Qi in the Battle of Changshao in 684 BC, Lu could not gain the upper hand again. Meanwhile, the power of Lu's dukes weakened due to the rise of strong noble families known as the Three Huan—Jisun, Mengsun, and Shusun—descendants of Duke Huan of Lu. These families were so powerful that when Duke Zhao of Lu tried to regain control, they exiled him, and he never returned. It wasn't until the rule of Duke Mu of Lu, in the early Warring States period, that the dukes regained their power.

In 249 BC, King Kaolie of Chu invaded and took over Lu. Duke Qing, the last ruler of Lu, became a commoner.

The main line of the Duke of Zhou's descendants came from his firstborn son's third son, Yu, whose descendants took the surname Dongye. The Duke of Zhou’s descendants were given the title Wujing Boshi (). Mencius, the famous Confucian philosopher, was a descendant of Qingfu, one of Duke Huan of Lu’s sons. This family connection is shown in the Mencius family tree.《三遷志》，（清）孟衍泰續修《孟子世家譜》，（清）孟廣均主編，1824年《孟子與孟氏家族》，孟祥居編，2005年

Rulers
Here is a list of Lu rulers based on the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian:

 Title Given name Reign Relationship Duke Tai  Boqin  c. 1042–997 BC  son of Duke of Zhou Duke Kao  You  998–995 BC  son of Boqin Duke Yang  Xi or Yi  994–989 BC  brother of Duke Kao Duke You  Zai or Yu  988–975 BC  son of Duke Yang Duke Wei  Fei  974–925 BC  brother of Duke You Duke Li  Zhuo or Di  924–888 BC  son of Duke Wei Duke Xian  Ju  887–856 BC  brother of Duke Li Duke Shen  Bi or Zhi  855–826 BC  son of Duke Xian Duke Wu  Ao  825–816 BC  brother of Duke Shen Duke Yi  Xi  815–807 BC  son of Duke Wu none  Boyu  806–796 BC  nephew of Duke Yi Duke Xiao  Cheng  795–769 BC  brother of Duke Yi Duke Hui  Fuhuang or Fusheng  768–723 BC  son of Duke Xiao Duke Yin  Xigu  722–712 BC  son of Duke Hui Duke Huan  Yun or Gui  711–694 BC  brother of Duke Yin Duke Zhuang  Tong  693–662 BC  son of Duke Huan Ziban  Ban  662 BC  son of Duke Zhuang Duke Min  Qi  661–660 BC  son of Duke Zhuang Duke Xi  Shen  659–627 BC  son of Duke Zhuang Duke Wen I Xing  626–609 BC  son of Duke Xi Duke Xuan Tui or Wo  608–591 BC  son of Duke Wen I Duke Cheng  Heigong  590–573 BC  son of Duke Xuan Duke Xiang Wu  572–542 BC  son of Duke Cheng Ziye  Ye  542 BC  son of Duke Xiang Duke Zhao  Chou  541–510 BC  son of Duke Xiang Duke Ding  Song  509–495 BC  brother of Duke Zhao Duke Ai Jiang  494–467 BC  son of Duke Ding Duke Dao  Ning  466–429 BC  son of Duke Ai Duke Yuan  Jia  428–408 BC  son of Duke Dao Duke Mu  Xian  407–377 BC  son of Duke Yuan Duke Gong  Fen  376–353 BC  son of Duke Mu Duke Kang  Tun  352–344 BC  son of Duke Gong Duke Jing  Yan  343–323 BC  son of Duke Kang Duke Ping  Shu  322–303 BC  son of Duke Jing Duke Wen II  Jia  302–278 BC  son of Duke Ping Duke Qing  Chou  277–249 BC  son of Duke Wen II
Rulers family tree

References

 Other websites 

Category:History of China
Category:3rd-century BC disestablishments
Category:Former monarchies