The State of Ruò was a small vassal state during the Chinese Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE) whose rulers used the title Zǐ (子), roughly equivalent to a Viscount. Located between the States of Qin and Chu, Ruo was eventually annexed by the State of Chu.
The family name of the ruling house of Ruo, according to Shiben, was Yun (允). Ruo's capital was initially located at Shangmi (商密),[a] also known as “Upper Ruo” (上鄀). In 635 BCE, the State of Qin and its equally powerful ally the State of Jin attacked Ruo whereupon the neighboring State of Chu, also an enemy of Qin and Jin, came to its aid. The people of Shangmi surrendered to Qin whilst the commander of the Chu army was captured. Thereafter the Qin army returned to their territory with the Chu pursuit of their troops coming too late. By 622 BCE, Ruo's relations with Qin had become closer but they still wavered over the question of their relations with Chu. This led to Qin capturing Ruo and incorporating the city into their own territory. Ruo moved their capital into neighboring Hubei Province, close to the city of Yicheng whereupon it became known as “Lower Ruo” (鄀下). After the move, Ruo became a vassal state of Chu and at an unknown date fully assimilated into the state.
Legacyedit
In 506 BCE, the tenth year of King Zhao of Chu, the State of Wu attacked the Chu capital Ying.[c] In the ensuing Battle of Boju, the State of Chu was almost wiped out. Later the same year Wu retreated and King Zhao returned to the capital. A year later in 507 BCE, Wu defeated Chu's navy once more raising the threat of their extermination and thus decided to move their capital from Ying to the eponymous state capital of Ruo where it would be hidden from the Wu vanguard. As the people of Chu had become used to calling their capital “Ying”, Ruo became known as “Northern Ying”.[2] At what time the capital moved back to its original location of Ying is not known. Some sources suggest that this was in 432 BCE during the reign of King Hui of Chu, making Ruo the capital of Chu for some sixty years.
Inscriptions on ancient bronze artifactsedit
In his research on bronze instruments discovered in the former State of Ruo, historian Guo Moruo writes[3] that amongst the inscriptions are characters for “Upper Ruo” (上鄀) whilst “Lower Ruo” (下鄀) is written as “蠚” (hē). Guo suggests that these were public utensils..
In a 2001 article entitled “Introductory Explanation of the Shi Shan Pan Inscriptions”, Song Fenghan (朱凤瀚) writes that the inscriptions on Shi Shan Pan artifacts in the National Museum of China mention Ruo and thus show that such a state existed at the time of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Zhou Baohong (周宝宏) also makes the association between the State of Ruo and the Spring and Autumn Period.[4]
^Zhou Baohong (周宝宏), Interpretations of Western Zhou Inscriptions (西周金文词义研究)，Zhejiang Cultural Artifacts Research Institute Journal, Issue 15, October 2004, p. 111 (古文字研究（中国古文字研究会、浙江省文物考古研究所编）第二十五辑》，中华书局2004年10月，第111页)
March 15, 2024
state, state, ruò, small, vassal, state, during, chinese, zhou, dynasty, 1046, whose, rulers, used, title, roughly, equivalent, viscount, located, between, states, eventually, annexed, state, state, ruo鄀国, 鄀國unknown, unknownstatusviscountcycapitalupper, 上鄀, sh. The State of Ruo was a small vassal state during the Chinese Zhou Dynasty 1046 256 BCE whose rulers used the title Zǐ 子 roughly equivalent to a Viscount Located between the States of Qin and Chu Ruo was eventually annexed by the State of Chu State of Ruo鄀国 鄀國Unknown UnknownStatusViscountcyCapitalUpper Ruo 上鄀 Shangmi 商密 a Lower Ruo 下鄀 Ruo 鄀 b Governmentviscountcy 子 1 Viscount History EstablishedUnknown DisestablishedUnknownPreceded by Succeeded byZhou DynastyWarring States period State of ChuState of QinToday part ofChina Contents 1 Rise and fall 2 Legacy 3 Inscriptions on ancient bronze artifacts 4 Notes 5 ReferencesRise and fall editThe family name of the ruling house of Ruo according to Shiben was Yun 允 Ruo s capital was initially located at Shangmi 商密 a also known as Upper Ruo 上鄀 In 635 BCE the State of Qin and its equally powerful ally the State of Jin attacked Ruo whereupon the neighboring State of Chu also an enemy of Qin and Jin came to its aid The people of Shangmi surrendered to Qin whilst the commander of the Chu army was captured Thereafter the Qin army returned to their territory with the Chu pursuit of their troops coming too late By 622 BCE Ruo s relations with Qin had become closer but they still wavered over the question of their relations with Chu This led to Qin capturing Ruo and incorporating the city into their own territory Ruo moved their capital into neighboring Hubei Province close to the city of Yicheng whereupon it became known as Lower Ruo 鄀下 After the move Ruo became a vassal state of Chu and at an unknown date fully assimilated into the state Legacy editIn 506 BCE the tenth year of King Zhao of Chu the State of Wu attacked the Chu capital Ying c In the ensuing Battle of Boju the State of Chu was almost wiped out Later the same year Wu retreated and King Zhao returned to the capital A year later in 507 BCE Wu defeated Chu s navy once more raising the threat of their extermination and thus decided to move their capital from Ying to the eponymous state capital of Ruo where it would be hidden from the Wu vanguard As the people of Chu had become used to calling their capital Ying Ruo became known as Northern Ying 2 At what time the capital moved back to its original location of Ying is not known Some sources suggest that this was in 432 BCE during the reign of King Hui of Chu making Ruo the capital of Chu for some sixty years Inscriptions on ancient bronze artifacts editIn his research on bronze instruments discovered in the former State of Ruo historian Guo Moruo writes 3 that amongst the inscriptions are characters for Upper Ruo 上鄀 whilst Lower Ruo 下鄀 is written as 蠚 he Guo suggests that these were public utensils In a 2001 article entitled Introductory Explanation of the Shi Shan Pan Inscriptions Song Fenghan 朱凤瀚 writes that the inscriptions on Shi Shan Pan artifacts in the National Museum of China mention Ruo and thus show that such a state existed at the time of the Western Zhou Dynasty Zhou Baohong 周宝宏 also makes the association between the State of Ruo and the Spring and Autumn Period 4 Notes edit a b Modern day Nanyang Henan Province South east of modern day Yicheng Hubei Province Modern day Jingzhou Hubei ProvinceReferences edit Commentary on the Waterways Classic Han River 沔水 Section Song Dynasty Reprint Luo Mi 罗泌 2009 Lushi 路史 in Chinese Beijing Library Press 北京图书馆出版社 ISBN 978 7 5013 2004 2 Guo Moruo 2002 Corpus of Inscriptions on Bronzes from the Two Zhou Dynasties in Chinese ISBN 978 7 03 010656 8 Zhou Baohong 周宝宏 Interpretations of Western Zhou Inscriptions 西周金文词义研究 Zhejiang Cultural Artifacts Research Institute Journal Issue 15 October 2004 p 111 古文字研究 中国古文字研究会 浙江省文物考古研究所编 第二十五辑 中华书局2004年10月 第111页 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruo state amp oldid 1167699920, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
