The Vassal System Of Chu In The Eastern Zhou Dynasty

The chu’s vassal system was a political system that chu controlled and managed the small neighboring states after conquering them.It played an important role in the political unification,ethnic integration and formation of chu culture in the han-huai river basin.This paper is divided into four chapters.By comprehensively sorting out the unearthed materials and relevant handed down documents of the vassal states of chu,this paper analyzes the dynamic process of the formation,development and demise of the system of the vassal states of chu,investigates the material culture and social phenomenon of the vassal states of chu in this process,and discusses the policies and strategies of the ruling of the vassal states of chu."Vassal" was originally a special adjective for tutian,that is,"near the city".The vassals of chu were called "vassals",which were the same as other kingdoms.During the warring states period,"vassal states" began to refer to small states with small territory and attached to vassals.Nowadays,the term "vassal of chu" is used in the academic circles,which generally refers to the country that obeys chu politically and has similar cultural features with chu.The definition of the vassal of chu mainly depends on the unearthed materials of various countries.The chu vassal system,established in 710 to 597 BC,covers the entire han and huai region,including 28 states,including zeng,xilai,ren,yi,zhen,xian,gu,zhou,liao,tang,quan,shen,lu,xi,deng,huang,fan,dong lai,Yang,hu,shen,dao,fang,ton,CAI,Chen and xu.The formation of the system was the result of the integration of the objective historical environment and the subjective political purpose of chu people.Based on the comprehensive analysis of the burial materials of "zengzi","deng zi" and "tang zi" and the appellation seen in the bronze inscriptions in the han river basin,it is suggested that "zi" is usually the appellation of the members of the vassal gong nationality of chu.The changes in the size and richness of zengzi’s tomb in different periods are closely related to the changes in the relations between zengzi and chu.After the middle of the spring and autumn period,"zengzi" burial tools andfunerary goods gradually converged with those of chu,while the burial custom still maintained its own tradition.The artifacts made by members of the vassal clan of chu were unearthed in foreign countries,reflecting their exchange,intermarriage,or their official service in other countries.The state of chu usually established and maintained political relations with its vassals by means of an oath.While maintaining the stability of its vassal state,the state of chu required its vassals to send troops in wartime and pay tribute in peacetime according to their rank and national strength.Appendages,according to the archaeological materials of chu to migrate in room,a frenzy county rule adherents,control ",ruo,such as strategic position.According to the burial materials in chushen county,when the state of chu set up shen county,on the one hand,it supported the old clan peng to manage the shen people;on the other hand,it sent chu people to shen county and shen division to assist and supervise the peng family.The "shen" in the"suishen of king ling" was moved to the state of shen in the huai region.The text shows that the state of shen was still valued by the king of chu after it moved to the east.It may also be related to the control of shen county and shen division.The establishment of the vassal system of chu,culturally,enabled the state of chu to extensively learn from the utensils and tools of the han and huai countries,and formed an eclectic bronze ritual system of chu.In terms of society,it changed the original different marriage modes in the han and huai regions,and gradually formed a marriage network in which the state of chu played the leading role,the vassals of chu intermarried with each other,and they were increasingly isolated from the central plains.The vassal system of chu collapsed during the period from king ling of chu to king hui of chu.Later,the wars between chu and wu during the reign of king ping and king zhao led to a substantial reduction in the number of chu vassals.Eventually,king hui of chu replaced the vassal system with the enfeoffment system.During the warring states period,there were still client states of chu.The nobles and commoners affiliated to chu gradually became his subjects.