Ancient China · Ruler

Zhou Xu 州吁

First attested BC 740; died BC 719

Passages: 9
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Zhou Xu was a ruler.

Life and dates

Death

BC 719 十六年
Killed · At Pu 濮
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 48

Attested activity

BC 722 十三年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 43
BC 740 十八年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 38
BC 719 十六年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passages 44, 48
BC 733 桓公二年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 42

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Duke Zhuang (莊公)
bore a son 生子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 37
Child of Favored concubine of Duke Zhuang (寵妾)
bore a son 生子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 37
Sibling of Wan (完)
younger brother 弟 · Paternal half siblings
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 42

Career and standing

general 將
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 38
general 將
BC 740 十八年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 38
lord of Wei 衛君
BC 719 十六年 · Assumed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 44
Fled
BC 733 桓公二年 · Exile
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 42
Demoted
BC 733 桓公二年 · Demotion · Authority Wan (完)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 42
BC 719 十六年
self-established
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 44

Places and affiliations

Polity Wei 衛 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 44
At Pu 濮 · Relation Died at
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 48

Learning and skills

Skill warfare 兵 · Level fond-of
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passages 38, 46

Works and attributed material

Action · Agent · requested Song, Chen, and Cai · Silent Subject true
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 45

Events and relationships

Appointed
BC 740 十八年 · Military · General
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 38
BC 719 十六年
Assassination · Perpetrator · With Wan (完)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 44
Military · Requester · With Duan (段) · asked Song, Chen, Cai to join an attack on Zheng
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 45
Relation Sought friendship with · Person Duan (段)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 43

Assessments and attributes

Assessment arrogant and extravagant · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 42
Assessment unloved by the people of Wei · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 46

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 37, passage 37

References in the histories

Search passages

History

9 passages

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 37House of Wei Kang Shu · 9 passages

莊公有寵妾，生子州吁。 Duke Zhuang had a favored concubine who bore a son named Zhou Xu.

十八年，州吁長，好兵，莊公使將。 In the eighteenth year, Zhou Xu had grown up. He liked warfare, and Duke Zhuang made him a general.

桓公二年，弟州吁驕奢，桓公絀之，州吁出奔。 In the second year of Duke Huan's reign, his younger brother Zhou Xu was arrogant and extravagant. Duke Huan demoted him, and Zhou Xu fled.

十三年，鄭伯弟段攻其兄，不勝，亡，而州吁求與之友。 In the thirteenth year, Zheng Bo’s younger brother Duan attacked his elder brother, failed, and fled; Zhou Xu sought friendship with him.

十六年，州吁收聚衛亡人以襲殺桓公，州吁自立為衛君。 In the sixteenth year, Zhou Xu gathered Wei fugitives to suddenly kill Duke Huan, and Zhou Xu established himself as Wei's lord.

為鄭伯弟段欲伐鄭，請宋、陳、蔡與俱，三國皆許州吁。 For Zheng Bo's younger brother Duan, who desired to attack Zheng, he requested Song, Chen, and Cai to go with him. The three states all promised Zhou Xu.

州吁新立，好兵，弒桓公，衛人皆不愛。 Zhou Xu was newly established, liked warfare, and had assassinated Duke Huan—the people of the state of Wei all did not love him.

石碏乃因桓公母家於陳，詳為善州吁。 Shi Que then used Duke Huan's mother's family in the state of Chen and pretended to be friendly to Zhou Xu.

至鄭郊，石碏與陳侯共謀，使右宰丑進食，因殺州吁于濮，而迎桓公弟晉於邢而立之，是為宣公。 They arrived at Zheng's outskirts. Shi Que plotted together with the marquis of Chen, had the right prime minister Chou advance food, and took advantage to kill Zhou Xu at Pu. They welcomed Duke Huan's younger brother Jin from Xing and established him, who became Duke Xuan.