Duke Wu of Zheng

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Duke Wu of Zheng
郑武公
Duke of Zheng
Ruler of Zheng
Reign770–744BC
PredecessorDuke Huan of Zheng
SuccessorDuke Zhuang of Zheng
Died744 BC
SpouseWu Jiang (武姜)
Gui Gui (圭媯)
IssueDuke Zhuang
Gongshu Duan (共叔段)
Names
Ancestral name: Ji
Given name: Juetu
FatherDuke Huan of Zheng

Duke Wu of Zheng (Chinese: 鄭武公; 770–744 BC) was the second ruler of the State of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period in ancient China. He assumed the throne after his father, Duke Huan of Zheng, was killed alongside King You of Zhou in a 771 BC Quanrong attack on the Western Zhou capital Haojing. Duke Wu, alongside Duke Xiang of Qin[1] supported King Ping of Zhou's flight to Chengzhou by securing the Central Plains,[2] where Duke Huan had previously relocated Zheng. Duke Wu later annexed the states of Eastern Guo (東虢), Hu (胡), Kuai (), and Ji (祭).

Succession crisis[edit]

Despite his wife's (Wu Jiang's) requests, Duke Wu did not make his younger son, Gongshu Duan, his heir; he instead favored Wusheng, the future Duke Zhuang.[3] Additionally, he made Duan the ruler of Jing, Zheng's capital.[2] These factors caused Duan to rebel against Duke Zhuang after their father's death.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Han, Zhaoqi (2010). "Annals of Qin". Annotated Shiji (in Chinese). Zhonghua Book Company.
  2. ^ a b Theobald, Ulrich. "The Regional State of Zheng 鄭 (www.chinaknowledge.de)". www.chinaknowledge.de.
  3. ^ a b Durrant, Stephen; Li, Wai-yee; Schaberg, David (2016). Zuo Tradition (Zuozhuan): Commentary on the "Spring and Autumn Annals". Seattle: University of Washington Press.