kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

State of Lu

1042 BCE – 256 BCE (approx.) · capital Qufu

The Shandong state founded for the Duke of Zhou's line, guardian of Zhou ritual, birthplace of Confucius and subject of the Spring and Autumn Annals.

Origins

After the Zhou conquest the Duke of Zhou was granted Lu but stayed at court as regent, sending his son Boqin to govern it. Its capital Qufu, in south-western Shandong, was built on land associated with the earlier Shang ally Yan, and Lu was charged with keeping order among the eastern peoples.

Rule and society

As the house of the Duke of Zhou, Lu was allowed to perform royal rites and kept the most complete Zhou ritual and musical traditions. Its court chronicle, the Spring and Autumn Annals, covering 722 to 481 BCE, gave its name to the era. Power slipped from the dukes to three ministerial families, the Jisun, Mengsun and Shusun. Confucius, born in Lu in 551 BCE, served briefly in its government.

Decline and legacy

Lu declined into a minor state during the Warring States period and was annexed by the State of Chu under King Kaolie in 256 BCE. Qufu remained the centre of the cult of Confucius, and the Temple and Cemetery of Confucius there are now a World Heritage Site.

Connections (2)

More states of China, Tibet and Mongolia →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). State of Lu. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-lu
MLA
“State of Lu.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-lu. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “State of Lu.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-lu.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘State of Lu’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/state-of-lu (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻