Chu Chronology
07th CenturyIn this century, Chu for the first time enters the Lu record, which had begun to be kept in 0721. It manifests itself as a hostile intruder from the south, first called Jing and only later Chu, whose pressure forces the northern states to make common cause among themselves. In these entries, "a man of Chu" means an officer of Chu whose name the Lu annalist either does not know, or chooses not to give. The "host" is the small chariot force of the time (shr), composed of elite warriors and their foot auxiliaries.
Year Event 0684:09 A man of Jing defeated the Tsai host at Syin, and carried off Lord of Tsai 0678 Aut A man of Jing attacked Jvng 0678:12 Lu, Chi, Sung, Chvn, Wei, Jvng, Syw, Hwo, Tvng, made common cause at You 0671 Sum A man of Jing made a state visit to Lu 0666 Aut Jing attacked Jvng 0659:07 A man of Chu attacked Jvng 0659:08 Lu, Chi, Sung, Jvng, Tsau, Ju met at Chvng 0658 Win A man of Chu attacked Jvng 0657 Win A man of Chu attacked Jvng 0656:01 Lu, Chi, Sung, Chvn, Wei, Jvng, Syw, Tsau, attacked Tsai. The Tsai [host] dispersed; they then invaded Chu, halting at Sying 0656 Sum Chyw Wan of Chu came to make a covenant with the invading host; the covenant was made at Shau-ling A man of Chi made prisoner Ywaen Tau-hu of Chvn 0656 Aut Lu, Jyang, and Hwang attacked Chvn 0656:08 Lu Prince arrived from attacking Chu 0656:12 Gungsun Dz led the Lu host, and with [contingents from] Chi, Sung, Wei, Jvng, Syw, and Tsau, invaded Chvn Thus ends the concerted response of the eastern allies, presumably under the direction of Chi, the strongest of them, to the series of threats to Jvng, the geopolitical pivot of the northern states (the point at which they can most easily be split into noncommunicating western and eastern segments). Evidently both Chi and Lu were concerned not only to repel Chu, but to stabilize or intimidate the buffer states of Chvn and Tsai, bordering on Chu. 0655 Sum Lu, Chi, Sung, Chvn, Wei, Jvng, Syw, and Tsau met with the Royal Heir Presumptive at Shou-jr 0655:08 The above made a covenant in Shou-jr The Ruler of Jvng left the meeting, and did not covenant A man of Chu extinguished Syen; the Master of Syen fled to Hwang 0654 Sum Lu, Chi, Sung, Chvn, Wei, and Tsau attacked Jvng and invested Syin-chvng 0654 Aut A man of Chu invested Syw The above forthwith went to the rescue of Syw 0654 Win Lu Prince arrived from attacking Jvng 0649 Win A man of Chu attacked Hwang 0648 Sum A man of Chu extinguished Hwang 0645 Spr A man of Chu attacked Syw 0645:03 Lu, Chi, Sung, Chvn, Wei, Jvng, Syw, and Tsau covenanted at Mou-chyou, and forthwith encamped at Kwang Gungsun Gau led the force and with the above went to the relief of Syw
3 Feb 2007 / Contact The Project / Exit to Chu Chronology Page
