Cheng wang

The first 7 years of the reign of Cheng-wang, the state was governed by his uncle, Zhou-gun , as his regent, while all the eastern territories of the empire were directly subordinate to Zhou-gun , and Shao-gun supervised the western regions.

At the very beginning of Cheng-wang’s reign, there was an open rebellion of his father’s three brothers - Kuan-shu, Tsai-shu and Ho-shu, who supported the claims to the throne of Wu Geng, a descendant of the overthrown Shang dynasty, which they were entrusted with overseeing ("The Great Rise of the Shan "). The uprising, supported by barbarian eastern tribes, was successfully suppressed by Zhou-gun, after which the redistribution of feudal estates was carried out, mainly among representatives of the ruling family. In order to suppress further actions of the Shans (Indians) against the power of the Zhou dynasty under Cheng-wang, they were massively relocated from the territories of historical residence to other parts of the empire. Zuo Zhuan provides the following description of this process:

“As the bastions and walls of Zhou, he (Cheng-wang) placed those who possessed brilliant virtue, and gave them lands for inheritance ... He gave Lu-gun ... six groups of Indians. They were ordered to lead relatives, gather all the branches and those associated with them, and call them to Zhou in order to listen to orders and receive instructions from Zhou-gong . Then they were sent to perform duties in Lou . ”

It is believed that this forced relocation finally crushed the national identity of the Shans and suppressed their will to resist the new dynasty.

The internal situation of the state during the period of independent reign of Cheng-wang is marked by pacification and compliance with the rule of law. "Bamboo books" say that in the reign of Cheng-wang, "Heaven was in the world." The famous philosopher Xun-tzu , who lived, however, 700 years later than the described period, noted that "under Cheng-wang everyone enjoyed peace, but there were no death sentences at all."

At the time of Cheng-wang's death, Shao-gun , who held the post of Tai Bao ("The Great Defender"), was already at the head of the bureaucratic apparatus of the state. He also directed preparations for the funeral of the emperor and the ceremony of enthroning his heir.

The "Great Shan uprising" at the beginning of Cheng-wang's reign determined the eastern orientation of the military campaigns of the empire. When the uprising was suppressed, Zhou-gun made a punitive campaign against the tribes of the eastern barbarians - and . Subsequently, under the personal leadership of Cheng-wang, three more campaigns against the eastern barbarians were made: the first campaign against the Chu Bo , the second against one of the eastern hou , the third against the "eastern and ". In addition, on the instructions of the emperor, military expeditions were sent to the east and south-east several times: a certain Mao-gun led a large campaign against “all the eastern states” of the Zhuns , tai bao (“The Great Defender”) attacked the rebels and (barbarians), Nan- the gong attacked the rebellious "Tiger Lands" (southeast (?)), Bo Mou Fu, at the head of eight Yin garrisons, made a punitive campaign against the rebellious eastern and (barbarians). Sources say about 12 military campaigns during the reign of Cheng-wang.

The inscriptions that have reached us mention the wife of Cheng-wang - presumably the daughter of Jiang Ziy , the first guna of the principality of Qi .

• Vasiliev L.S. Ancient China . - M .: Oriental Literature Publishing House, Russian Academy of Sciences, 1995. - T. 1: Background, Shang-Yin, Western Zhou (until the 8th century BC). - 379 p. - ISBN 5-02-017867-5 .
• Creel, Harley Glessner. The formation of state power in China. Western Empire Zhou / translation from English R.V. Kotenko. - SPb. : Publishing group "Eurasia", 2001. - 480 p. - ISBN 58071-0080-8 .
• Fan Wen Lan. Ancient History of China. From the primitive communal system to the formation of a centralized feudal state / edited by R.V. Vyatkin. - M .: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1958. - 295 p.