The State of Wu was founded by Taibo, a descendant of King Wen of Zhou. Taibo, whose surname was Ji, was the eldest son of King Tai of Zhou, Gugong Danfu. By the rules of hereditary succession, the throne should have passed to him as the eldest legitimate son. But Gugong Danfu wanted to pass it to his third son, Jili. To avoid a dispute, Taibo and his younger brother Zhongyong fled south of the Yangtze River. Starting by seeking refuge with the Yue tribes, then a powerful local force, they endured every hardship, established their own foundation, and eventually founded the ancient state of Goudian at Meicun, now Xiong Village in Wuxi, Jiangsu.
From Taibo of Wu to King Fuchai of Wu, the state had twenty-five rulers and a history of roughly seven hundred years. From succession between brothers to Helu's coup, the transfer of Wu's throne was marked by intrigue and bloodshed.
Beginning with King Shoumeng of Wu, the state pursued military strength, growing from weak to powerful and reaching its peak under Helu. During a war against Yue, Helu was wounded in the toe by Ling Gufu, a Yue general, and later died of his injuries.
Fuchai succeeded to the throne, defeated Yue, and captured its king, Goujian, taking him back to Wu as a slave. He imprisoned Goujian on Tiger Hill, where he had to guard Helu's tomb. Later, Yue's senior minister Wen Zhong devised a beauty trap, and Fan Li presented Xi Shi to Fuchai in exchange for Goujian's release. After returning to Yue, Goujian endured hardship and bided his time, building up his strength as he waited for revenge.
After conquering Yue, Fuchai turned his sword toward the Central Plains and sought hegemony, provoking fierce opposition from the states there. Zigong traveled among the feudal lords, setting in motion a grand political drama in which the mantis stalked the cicada while the oriole waited behind. Though Fuchai secured the title of hegemon, his forces were depleted at home. Goujian seized the opportunity, led his army against Wu, and ultimately killed Fuchai, bringing the state of Wu to an end.
The history of Wu offers profound lessons: a state's survival and strength depend greatly on good governance, putting the people's livelihood first, and maintaining a firm commitment to peaceful development.
