The Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC – 256 BC) was the third feudal dynasty in Chinese history, divided into two periods, the Western Zhou and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
1. Western Zhou (1046–771 BC): King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Shu of the Shang Dynasty during this period, established the Zhou Dynasty, and moved the capital to the area around present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.
The Western Zhou Dynasty was based on the feudal system, with state power highly concentrated in the hands of the monarch, who implemented a system of divided fiefdoms and princes to control the localities, and established a hereditary system to ensure national stability. During the reigns of King Wu of Zhou and King Wen of Zhou, a series of reforms and unified actions were carried out, and the basic system of the Zhou Dynasty was determined.
2. Eastern Zhou (770 BC-256 BC): In 770 BC, King You of Zhou was forced to move the capital to the area around present-day Luoyang City, Henan Province due to civil unrest, marking the entry of the Zhou Dynasty into the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
During the Eastern Zhou dynasty, the imperial government gradually lost its actual power, the power of the aristocracy gradually increased, and the King of Zhou became a nominal monarch. At the same time, numerous vassal states emerged during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, which gradually weakened the control of the Zhou Dynasty, and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty gradually declined due to the rivalry and turmoil between the vassal states.
3. Spring and Autumn Warring States Period (770 BC-256 BC): In the late Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China entered the Spring and Autumn Warring States period. This period was a period of strife in the Warring States in Chinese history. During the Spring and Autumn Period, wars and diplomatic struggles frequently broke out between the princely states, forming a prosperous era of ideas in which a hundred schools of thought contended. At the same time, many philosophers, thinkers, and military families such as Confucius, Laozi, Mencius, etc. appeared one after another, putting forward various theories and ideas.
The Zhou Dynasty ruled for more than 800 years and had a profound impact on Chinese history and culture. The feudal system, the Zhou rites, and the Book of Poetry are all important legacies of the Zhou Dynasty. At the same time, the Spring and Autumn Warring States period also laid the foundation for the unification of China, laying an important foundation for the rise of the Qin Dynasty and the unification of China.