A History of the Western Zhou

The Western Zhou period lasted roughly 280 years, from the end of the eleventh century BC, when King Wu of Zhou conquered the Shang, founded the Zhou dynasty, and established its capital at Hao, to 771 BC, when King You of Zhou was killed and King Ping of Zhou moved the capital to Luoyi. The Western Zhou succeeded the Xia and Shang dynasties. Building on their foundations, its political culture flourished and had a profound influence on the development of Chinese history and culture. This book is a comprehensive account of Western Zhou history by the renowned historian Yang Kuan, and one of the most important works for understanding and studying the period.

The History of the Western Zhou is one of Yang Kuan’s representative works. He began writing it in the 1950s and spent more than forty years completing it. Divided into seven parts, the book discusses the founding of the Western Zhou; its land system, agricultural and handicraft production; its government, social structure, and major institutions; the dynasty’s key military and political affairs; the states of Chu and Zeng during the period; Western Zhou education, culture, and ritual systems; and the dynasty’s decline and eastward migration. Drawing on a wealth of material, the book corroborates written records with bronze and stone inscriptions. Its textual analysis is meticulous, its conclusions thorough and reliable, and its scholarly value exceptionally high.