Western Guo 西虢 | |
|---|---|
| 1046 BC–687 BC | |
 Western Guo is shown as Guo | |
| Status | Duchy |
| Capital | Yong (雍地) Sanmenxia |
| History | |
• Established | 1046 BC |
• Disestablished | 687 BC |
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Western Guo (Chinese:西虢;pinyin:Xī Guó) was avassal state in China during theZhou dynasty. "Guo" was a kinship group that held at least five pieces of territory within the Zhou realm at various times.
AfterKing Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang dynasty in 1046 BCE, his uncleGuo Shu received grants of land at Yong. The rulers of Western Guo held administrative positions in the court of the Zhou Kings through successive generations. A branch of Western Guo later foundedEastern Guo.[1]
Due to harassment and invasion by theQuanrong tribes Western Guo moved eastwards, eventually migrating toSanmenxia[C] in the Yellow River valley between Xi'an and Luoyang. A new capital was built at Shangyang (上阳) straddling both banks of theYellow River. Shangyang was called "Southern Guo" (南虢) and Xiayang (下阳) "Northern Guo" (北虢).[2] Later chronicles often became confused with the relationships among the various Guo's, but archaeological discoveries support the view that Northern and Southern Guo were both parts of Western Guo.[1]
In 655 BCE Western Guo was destroyed by theDuke Xian of Jin. (Jin first asked permission of the state of Yu to pass through its territory. After conquering Guo it conquered Yu. This was one of theThirty-Six Stratagems). The Guo leader Guo Gong Chou fled to the Zhou capitalLuoyang along with some of the Guo nobility. Some time later they arrived in theState of Wen at the home of Guo Gong Chou's father in law[D]. Afterwards some of the nobility along with a number of civilians were captured by the Jin Army and taken to the area of what is nowFenyang,Shanxi Province where they became a prominent family with the nameGuo. The remainder of the group either settled down in the locality or fled elsewhere.
At the same time, people in Western Guo, with the help of theQiang people, were attempting to build a new state amongst the ruins of the old one, known historically as Xiao Guo (小虢). This was the last in a total of five states called Guo.
In 687 BCE, during theSpring and Autumn period, theState of Qin wiped out Xiao Guo.[3]
| Name | Other Names | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guo Shu (虢叔) | Younger brother ofKing Wen of Zhou | |
| Intermediate Lineage Lost | ||
| Duke Cheng of Guo (虢城公) | Contemporary withKing Mu of Zhou (reigned c. 976 BC to c. 922 BCE) | |
| Intermediate Lineage Lost | ||
| Duke of Guo (虢公) | Contemporary withKing Yi of Zhou (reigned c. 885 to c. 878 BCE) | |
| Duke Li of Guo (虢厉公) | Changfu, Duke of Guo (虢公長父) Guo Zhong (虢仲) | In the third year of the reign ofKing Li of Zhou c. 874 BC-841 Duke Li suppressed the barbarianHuaiyi tribe (淮夷). The move toSanmenxia[C] begins. |
| Duke Xuan of Guo (虢宣公) | Guo Ji-zi Bai (虢季子白) | King Xuan of Zhou sent a punitive expedition against theXianyun tribe (猃狁) and won an overwhelming victory. The move to Sanmenxia continues. |
| Duke Wen of Guo (虢文公) | Guo Ji (虢季) | Reprimanded by King Xuan of Zhou for failing to register ten thousandmu of land. |
| Shifu of Guo (虢石父) | Gu, Duke of Guo (虢公鼓) | King You of Zhou's court was rife with corruption. |
| Han, Duke of Guo (虢公翰) | King Xie of Zhou set up his court at Xieyong (攜擁). | |
| Jifu, Duke of Guo (虢公忌父) | Reinstated as a Titled Retainer (卿士) during the later years ofKing Ping of Zhou. | |
| Linfu, Duke of Guo (虢公林父) | Guo Zhong (虢仲) | AccompaniedKing Huan of Zhou during the armed suppression ofDuke Zhuang of Zheng. |
| Chou, Duke of Guo (虢公醜) | Guo Shu (虢叔) | In 655 BCE the State of Western Guo was destroyed by theState of Jin. |