See other feudal lords of the Zhou period. The ancestor of this southern kingdom was Jilian 季連, his descendant Yuxiong 鬻熊 was a general of King Zhou Wuwang 周武王. From the begin, the rulers of the region of modern Hubei province called themselves king (wang 王) and thereby took the same position as the kings of Zhou and challenged the position of the Zhou kings. King Zhou Zhaowang 周昭王 died during a military campaign against Chu. Although the kingdom of Wu was quickly growing in size in all directions, especially up and down the Yangtse River (Changjiang 長江) and to the south into modern Hunan, the Western Zhou (Xizhou) 西周 period was a turbulent time of inner struggles within the kingdom of Chu. King Xiongyi 熊繹 divided the territory among his sons (Jiakang 甲康 ruled Goudan 句亶, Zhijing 摯經 E 咢, and Zhici 執疵 governed Yuezhang 越章). King Fenmao 蚡冒 continued the territorial expansion of Chu. He defeated the Pu 濮 tribes, conquered the minor fiefdoms of Sui 隨, Shen 申, Xi 息, Deng 鄧, Xian 弦, Huang 黃, Kui 夔, Jiang 江, and Liu 六. His descendants conquered Yong 庸, Shu 舒, Liao 蓼 (Miao 繆), Xiao 蕭, Lai 賴, Chen 陳, and Cai 蔡. From the 6th century on Chu was a powerful state that dominated the south of ancient China. The sixth century Chu saw an usurpation of some nobles like Zibi 子比, Qibing 棄病 and Zixi 子晳. Prince Wuxu 伍胥 sought help in the state of Wu 吳. Although the rulers and inhabitants of Chu had customs and dialects different from the "proper" Chinese states of the Yellow River plain the rulers of Chu from the 7th century of adopted Chinese-style dynastic titles. King Zhaowang 楚昭王 extended the territory of Chu to the east and northeast, swallowing the minor states of Tang 唐, Dun 頓, Hu 胡, and Chen 陳, and advanced into the area of the River Huai 淮河. At the court of King Daowang 楚悼王 an advisor named Wu Qi 吳起 reformed law and military organisation. As a powerful state Chu had now direct contact with the other powers like Qi 齊 in the east and Qin 秦 in the west. The Qin general Zhang Yi 張儀 defeated Chu, and King Huaiwang 楚懷王 died in Qin as a hostage. The tragedy of his death is expressed in the story of the loyal minister Qu Yuan 屈原 who drowned himself after the death of King Huai. Although Chu was not the last state swallowed by Qin (223 by general Wang Jian 王翦) the descendants of the last Chu ruler were long admired as national heroes in the battle against Qin. Xiang Yu 項羽, the military dominator after the downfall of Qin named himself "Hegemonial King of West-Chu" (Xichu bawang 西楚霸王). The name of Chu was often used as a name for imperial princedoms, and was one of the Ten States (Shiguo 十國) in the 10th century. Rulers of Chu 楚 Capitals: Danyang 丹陽 (modern Zigui 秭歸/Hubei), Ying 郢 (modern Jiangling 江陵 or Shashi 沙市/Hubei), Ruo 鄀 (Shangruo 上鄀; near modern Zhongxiang 鍾祥/Hubei), Yingchen 郢陳 (modern Huaiyang 淮陽/Henan), Juyang 巨陽 (near Taihe 太和/Anhui), Shouchun 壽春 (modern Shouxian 壽縣/Anhui) dynastic title See also titles of rulers. personal name time Xiongyi (Xiong Yi), Ruler of Chu 楚熊繹, surname: Mi 芈 (or Nai 嬭, Qian 芊, Xiong 熊, Yan 酓) Xiongyi (Xiong Yi), Ruler of Chu 楚熊乂 Xiongtan (Xiong Tan), Ruler of Chu 楚熊黮 Xiongsheng (Xiong Sheng), Ruler of Chu 楚熊勝 Xiongshang (Xiong Shang), Ruler of Chu 楚熊煬 (or Xiongyang [Xiong Yang] 熊揚) Xiongqu (Xiong Qu), Ruler of Chu 楚熊渠 Wukang (Wu Kang), Ruler of Chu 楚熊無康 Zhihong (Zhi Hong), Ruler of Chu 楚鷙紅 (or 摯紅) Xiongyan (Xiong Yan), Ruler of Chu 楚熊延 Xiongyong (Xiong Yong), Ruler of Chu 楚熊勇 848-838 Xiongyan (Xiong Yan), Ruler of Chu 楚熊嚴 837-828 Xiongshuang (Xiong Shuang), Ruler of Chu 楚熊霜 827-822 Xiongxun (Xiong Xun), Ruler of Chu 楚熊徇 (or 熊狥) 821-800 Xionge (Xiong'e, Xiong E), Ruler of Chu 楚熊鄂 (or 熊咢) 799-791 Ruoao (Ruo'ao, Ruo Ao), Ruler of Chu 楚若敖 Mi Xiongyi 芈熊儀 790-764 Xiaoao (Xiao'ao, Xiao Ao), Ruler of Chu 楚霄敖 Mi Xiongkan 芈熊坎 763-758 Fenmao (Fen Mao), Ruler of Chu 楚蚡冒 Mi Xiongxuan 芈熊眴 (or Xiongxun 熊[日+旬]) 757-741 Chu Wuwang 楚武王 Mi Xiongtong 芈熊通 740-690 Chu Wenwang 楚文王 Mi Xiongzi 芈熊貲 689-677 Duao (Du Ao, Du'ao), King of Chu 楚王堵敖 Mi Xiongjian 芈熊艱 676-672 Chu Chengwang 楚成王 Mi Jun 芈頵 671-626 Chu Muwang 楚穆王 Mi Shangchen 芈商臣 625-614 Chu Zhuangwang 楚莊王 Mi Lü 芈旅 613-591 Chu Gongwang 楚共王 Mi Shen 芈審 590-560 Chu Kangwang 楚康王 Mi Zhao 芈招 559-545 Jiaao (Jia Ao, Jia'ao), King of Chu 楚王郟敖 Mi Jun 芈麇 544-451 Chu Lingwang 楚靈王 Mi Qian 芈虔 540-529 Chu Pingwang 楚平王 Mi Ju 芈居 528-516 Chu Zhaowang 楚昭王 Mi Zhen 芈軫 515-489 Chu Huiwang 楚惠王 Mi Zhang 芈章 488-432 Chu Jianwang 楚簡王 Mi Zhong 芈中 431-408 Chu Shengwang 楚聲王 Mi Dang 芈當 407-402 Chu Daowang 楚悼王 Mi Yi 芈疑 401-381 Chu Suwang 楚肅王 Mi Zang 芈臧 380-370 Chu Xuanwang 楚宣王 Mi Liangfu 芈良夫 369-340 Chu Weiwang 楚威王 Mi Shang 芈商 339-329 Chu Huaiwang 楚懷王 Mi Guai 芈槐 328-299 Chu Qingxiangwang 楚頃襄王 Mi Heng 芈橫 298-263 Chu Kaoliewang 楚考烈王 Mi Wan 芈完 262-238 Chu Youwang 楚幽王 Mi Yu 芈煜 237-228 Chu Aiwang 楚哀王 Mi Hao 芈郝 228 Fuchu, King of Chu 楚王負芻 Mi Fuchu 芈負芻 227-223 223 Chu destroyed by Qin 秦.

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