King Li of Zhou

King Li of Zhou (died in 828 BC) (Chinese: 周厲王; pinyin: Zhōu Lì Wáng), personal name Ji Hu, was the tenth king of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. Estimated dates of his reign are 877–841 BC or 857–842 BC (Cambridge History of Ancient China).[1]

The Zong Zhou Zhong ( Bell of Zhou), 9th century BC, National Palace Museum, Taipei.
King Li of Zhou
周厲王
King of China
Reign877–841 BC
PredecessorKing Yí of Zhou
SuccessorGong He
Died828 BC
SpouseShen Jiang
IssueKing Xuan of Zhou
Duke Huan of Zheng
Full name
Ancestral name: (姬)
Given name: Hú (胡)
HouseZhou Dynasty
FatherKing Yí of Zhou
MotherWang Ji

King Li was a corrupt and decadent king. To pay for his pleasures and vices, King Li raised taxes and caused misery among his subjects. It is said that he barred the commoners from profiting from the communal forests and lakes. He enstated a new law which allowed him to punish anyone, by death, who dared to speak against him. King Li's bad rule soon forced many peasants and soldiers into revolt, and Li was sent into exile at a place called Zhi near Linfen (842 BC). His son was taken by one of his ministers and hidden.[2] When Li died in exile in 828 BC, power was passed to his son.[3]

Family

  • Parents:
    • Crown Prince Xie (太子燮; d. 878 BC), ruled as King Yí of Zhou from 885–878 BC
    • Wang Ji, of the Ji clan of E (王姞 姞姓), a princess of E by birth
  • Queens:
    • Shen Jiang, of the Jiang clan of Shen (申姜 姜姓), a sister of the Count of Shen; the mother of Crown Prince Jing and You
  • Sons:
gollark: Why do we even *use* signatures for authentication?
gollark: > "No copyright intended"Yes that is definitely how it works.
gollark: You must use the power of ū̍̚҉̴͎͝nͤͪ̆҉̱̯͟íͩͯc̊̄̉o̒ͩ̍d̈́̊̄e̓ͬ̀. Praise the Consortium.
gollark: As I may have mentioned, I dislike the moon.
gollark: Shoot celestial bodies?

See also

  1. Family tree of ancient Chinese emperors

Sources

  1. Feng, Li (2006), Landscape and Power in Early China: The Crisis and Fall of the Western Zhou 1045–771 BC, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-85272-2.
  2. Sources of Western Zhou History: Inscribed Bronze Vessels by Edward L. Shaughnessy
  3. Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian. 4.
King Li of Zhou
Zhou Dynasty
 Died: 828 BC
Regnal titles
Preceded by
King Yí of Zhou
King of China
877–841 BC
Succeeded by
Gong He


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