Map Description

The Spring and Autumn Period (770 BCE – 476 BCE) was a historical phase of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, characterized primarily by the decline of the Zhou royal house and the contention for hegemony among various feudal states, undergoing a complex historical evolution.

Early Period (770–685 BCE) After King Ping of Zhou moved the capital eastward, the authority of the Zhou court declined. The power of the feudal states was relatively balanced, with no single state being particularly dominant. During this time, the State of Zheng, under Duke Zhuang, defeated King Huan of Zhou at the Battle of Xuge, marking a further weakening of the Son of Heaven's authority.

Middle Period (685–546 BCE) * Hegemony of Duke Huan of Qi: Through the reforms of Guan Zhong, the State of Qi became the first hegemon. Its dominant position was established via the Alliance of Kuiqiu, but internal strife later led to the decline of its hegemony. * Contention between Jin and Chu: Duke Wen of Jin defeated King Cheng of Chu at the Battle of Chengpu, becoming the second hegemon. Chu experienced a resurgence under Kings Mu and Zhuang but was ultimately suppressed by Jin. * Struggles of Smaller States: The states of Wu and Yue rose to power in the lower Yangtze River region, creating a north-south standoff with the Central Plains states.

Late Period (546–476 BCE) * Disarmament Conference: The "Second Disarmament Conference" held in 546 BCE achieved a temporary peace agreement but failed to prevent the annexation of smaller states. * Partition of Jin: In 453 BCE, the three families of Han, Zhao, and Wei jointly defeated the Zhi family and partitioned the territory of Jin, marking the end of the struggle for hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period. * Prelude to the Warring States Period: With the division of Jin into the three states of Han, Zhao, and Wei, the stage was gradually set for the Warring States period, characterized by the dominance of seven powerful states.

Legend

• Zhou; Chengzhou - Capital (represented by two blue circles on the map)
• Jin; Jiang - Name of feudal state and its capital (represented by one blue circle and one blue dot on the map)
• Yunyang - City/Town (represented by an open blue circle on the map)
• Archaeological Site (represented by a blue circle with a horizontal line on the map)
• Beijing - Present-day national capital (represented by two yellow circles and one yellow dot on the map)
• Shanghai - Location of People's Government of Present-day Municipality, Province, Autonomous Region (represented by two yellow circles on the map)
• Haikou - Location of Present-day Municipal People's Government (represented by one yellow circle and one yellow dot on the map)
• Ningxiang - Present-day Other Settlement (represented by one yellow circle on the map)

Map Source

The Historical Maps of the Spring and Autumn Period in China is sourced from The Historical Atlas of China, Volume 1(2)—Maps of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, published by SinoMaps Press on October 1, 1982, with Tan Qixiang as its author.

The Historical Atlas of China is an atlas focusing primarily on the historical administrative divisions and territories of China throughout its dynasties, compiled under the chief editorship of Tan Qixiang. The entire work spans from the primitive society to the end of the Qing dynasty, organized into 8 volumes and 20 sections according to historical periods, containing a total of 304 maps (not including illustrations). All maps juxtapose historical and modern geography. The compilation of this atlas began in the 1950s, it was seriously disturbed during the cultural revolution. The internal edition was published in 1975 but contained numerous errors. Publication of Volumes 1-8 occurred successively starting in 1982. The Historical Atlas of China is a rare and valuable resource for studying the historical administrative divisions of China.

Related Maps

• Historical Map of the States of Jin and Qin during the Spring and Autumn Period in China
• Historical Map of the States of Zheng, Song, and Wei during the Spring and Autumn Period in China
• Historical Map of the States of Qi and Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period in China
• Historical Map of the State of Northern Yan during the Spring and Autumn Period in China
• Historical Map of the States of Chu, Wu, and Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period in China