kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

State of Zou

1046 BCE – 261 BCE (approx.) · capital Zou

A small Shandong state, called Zhu and later Zou, that endured for eight centuries beside Lu and was the homeland of the philosopher Mencius.

Origins

Zhu was ruled by the Cao clan, said to descend from the legendary Zhuanxu, and was recognised by the Zhou as a minor state in south-western Shandong, just south of Qufu. Its rulers initially held only the low rank of viscount.

Rule and society

Zhu fought frequent border wars with its larger neighbour, the State of Lu, while balancing between Qi, Song and later Chu. Duke Wen of Zhu moved the capital to Yi in 614 BCE after divination, saying the ruler's task was to benefit the people. By the Warring States period the state was known as Zou, and Mencius was born there.

Decline and legacy

Zou survived into the late Warring States period before being annexed by the State of Chu around 261 BCE. Its name lives on in Zoucheng, Shandong, where the Mencius Temple and the tombs of the Meng family still stand.

Connections (1)

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻