State of Chu 楚國
Kingdom
circa 1030 BC–223 BC →
Capital	Danyang(丹阳/丹陽)[1] from ~1030-~680 BC Ying (郢) from ~680-278 BC Chen (陈/陳) from 278-241 BC Shouchun (寿春/壽春) from 241-224 BC
Religion	Chinese folk religion, ancestor worship, Taoism
Government	Monarchy
History
- Founded by Xiong Yi	circa 1030 BC
- King Wu of Chu declared king	706 or 703 BC
- Conquered by Qin	223 BC
Currency	Chinese coin

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Chu (circa 1030–223 BC) (Chinese: 楚國; pinyin: Chǔ Guó) was an ancient state in present-day central and southern China during the Zhou Dynasty. Originally Chu's rulers were of the noble rank of Zi (子), comparable to viscount, but starting from King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BC the rulers of Chu declared themselves kings. Its ruling house had the ancestral name Nai (嬭) and clan name Yan (酓), but this later evolved to the ancestral name Mi (芈) and clan name Xiong (熊).^[2]

Originally known as Jing (荆) and then as Jingchu (荆楚), at the height of its power the Chu state occupied vast areas of land, including most of the present-day provinces of Hubei and Hunan, and parts of Chongqing, Guizhou, Henan, Anhui, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. For more than 400 years the Chu capital Danyang was located at the junction region of Dan River and Xi River,^[3][4] near present-day Xichuan, Henan Province, but later moved to Ying.

History[link]

Origin and founding[link]

According to legends recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian, the royal family of Chu descended from the mythical Yellow Emperor and his grandson and successor emperor Zhuanxu. Zhuanxu's great-grandson Wuhui (吳回) was put in charge of fire by Emperor Ku and given the title Zhurong. Wuhui's son Luzhong (陸終) had six sons, all born by Caesarian section. The youngest son Jilian adopted the ancestral surname Mi.^[5]

Jilian’s descendant Yuxiong was the teacher of King Wen of Zhou (reigned 1099-1050 BC). After Zhou overthrew the Shang Dynasty, King Cheng of Zhou (reigned 1042-1021 BC) awarded Yuxiong's great-grandson Xiong Yi the fiefdom of Chu and the hereditary title of zĭ (子), equivalent to viscount. Xiong Yi built the first capital of Chu in Danyang (丹阳) (modern day Xichuan County, Henan Province).^[5]

Early expansion[link]

In 977 BC, after an expedition into the State of Chu King Zhao of Zhou's boat sank and he drowned in the Han River. Due to the death of their king, Zhou did not expand further in the south thus allowing the southern tribes and Chu to cement their own autonomy and independence much earlier than the states to the north. The Chu ruler Xiong Qu overthrew the State of E^[6] in 863 BCE, later making its successor city Ezhou the alternate Chu capital. In either 703^[7] or 706^[8] Xiong Da, Viscount of Chu, assumed the title King Wu of Chu, implying an equality with the Zhou king and the independence of Chu.

Chu during the Spring and Autumn period[link]

In its early years, Chu was a successful expansionist and militaristic state that developed a reputation for coercing and absorbing its allies. Chu grew from a small state into a large kingdom. King Zhuang of Chu even attained the traditional title of one of the Five Hegemons. After a number of battles with neighbouring states, sometime between 695 and 689 BC, the Chu capital moved southeast from Danyang to Ying. Chu first consolidated its power by absorbing the lesser states within its immediate vicinity in today's Hubei Province; then, it expanded into the north towards the North China Plain. The threat from Chu resulted in multiple northern alliances under the leadership of the Jin state against Chu and its allies; these alliances successfully kept Chu in check, with their first major victory occurring at the Battle of Chengpu in 632 BC.

At the beginning of the sixth century BC, the Wu state grew in power with the support of the Jin state to counter Chu. Wu defeated the Qi state, invaded Chu in 506 BC and, following the Battle of Boju, occupied the Chu capital Ying, forcing King Zhao of Chu to flee to his allies, first to Yun then to the State of Sui in northern Hubei. Prominent historian Shi Quan (石泉) links the Sui state to the State of Zeng.^[9] King Zhao eventually returned to Ying but after a further Wu attack in 504 BC temporarily moved the capital into territory annexed from the former State of Ruo. At this time, the State of Yue also grew in power with the support of Chu to counter Wu's dominance in the east. However, Yue was subjugated by King Fuchai of Wu until he released the hostage King Goujian of Yue who took revenge and conquered Wu. The Yue state was one of the strongest states of the late Spring and Autumn Period.

Chu during the Warring States period[link]

Bronze from the Tomb of Chu in Xichuan.

The kingdom's power continued even after the end of the Spring and Autumn period in 481 BC. Chu annexed Chen in 479 BC, and overran Cai to the north in 447 BC, continuing a policy of absorbing smaller states on its borders that continued until the last generation before the fall to Qin (Lu was conquered by King Kaolie ind 249 BC). However, by the end of the 5th century BC, the Chu government had become very corrupt and inefficient with much of the state's treasury used primarily to pay for a large official retinue. Many officials had no meaningful task except taking money. Thus, Chu's large army was of low quality due to the corrupt and cumbersome bureaucracy.

In the late 390s BC, King Dao of Chu made Wu Qi his chancellor. Wu's reforms began in 389 BC to transform Chu into an efficient and powerful state, lowering the salaries of officials and removing useless ones. He also enacted building codes to make the capital, Ying, seem less barbaric. Despite Wu Qi's massive unpopularity with the Chu government (except the king), his reforms made Chu very powerful until the late 4th century BC, when Zhao and Qin were ascendant. Chu's powerful army became once again successful in the internecine warfare that characterized the whole Warring States period, defeating the states of Wei and Yue (which latter state was annexed in either 334 or 333 BC; sources differ on the exact date). However, Wu Qi was assassinated by the Chu officials at the funeral of King Dao in 381 BC.

During the late Warring States Period, Chu was increasingly pressured by Qin to its west, especially after Qin enacted and preserved the legalistic reforms of Shang Yang. Chu's size and power made it the key state in alliances against Qin. As Qin expanded into Chu territory, Chu was forced to expand southwards and eastwards, absorbing local cultural influences along the way. In 333 BC, Chu and Qi partitioned and annexed the coastal state of Yue.

By the late Warring States Period (about the late 4th century BC), however, Chu's prominent status had fallen into decay. As a result of several invasions headed by Zhao and Qin, Chu was eventually subjugated by Qin.

According to the Records of the Warring States, a debate between School of Diplomacy strategist Zhang Yi and the Qin general Sima Cuo on unifying China led to two conclusions. Zhang Yi believed conquering the Han state and seizing the Mandate of Heaven from the figurehead resident Zhou king would be wise. Sima Cuo considered Chu as its main rival in the struggle to unite the Warring States. Sima Cuo decided it was essential to control the fertile Sichuan Basin to increase agricultural output and most importantly, to control the upper reaches of the Yangzi River that led to the Chu heartland.

According to Zhan Guo Ce, Sima Cuo remarked, "To conquer Shu is to conquer Chu. Once Chu is eliminated, the country will be united."

King Huiwen of Qin decided to support Sima Cuo. In 316 BC, the Qin army conquered the Shu (state) and Ba (state) and successively expanded to the east in the following decades. In 278 BC, Qin general Bai Qi conquered Chu's capital city of Ying. Following the fall of Ying, the Chu government moved to various locations in the east until settling in Shouchun (in present-day Anhui province) in 241 BC.

At this critical moment when Chu was nearing annihilation, Qin set its strategic aims to central China, especially the powerful Zhao state. After a massive two year struggle, Bai Qi lured out, surrounded, isolated, forced the surrender of and massacred the main Zhao force of 400,000 men at the Battle of Changping. After 260 BC, all major obstacles to Qin dominance ended and it was a matter of time until China's unification.

Qin's conquest of Chu 225-223 BC[link]

Bronze bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, dated 433 BC, State of Chu.

In 225 BC, only three kingdoms (states) remained independent: Chu, Yan and Qi. Chu had recovered significantly enough to mount serious resistance after their disastrous defeats to Qin in 278 BC and losing their centuries-old capital of Ying. Despite its territorial size, resources and manpower, Chu's fatal flaw was its largely corrupt government that mostly overturned the legalistic-style reforms of Wu Qi 150 years earlier, when Wu transformed Chu into the most powerful state with an area of almost half of all the states combined. Ironically, Wu Qi was from the same state (Wei) as Shang Yang, whose legalistic reforms turned Qin into an invincible war machine at this stage.

The king of Qin, Ying Zheng, decided to finally defeat the remnants of the Chu state located in Huaiyang. According to Records of the Grand Historian, Ying Zheng had first asked his great general Wang Jian how many men he needed, and Wang requested 600,000 men. Another Qin general, Li Xin, said 200,000 men would suffice. The first invasion was a disaster when 200,000 Qin troops were defeated by a counterattack and ambush of 500,000 Chu troops under Xiang Yan. Xiang lured the Qin troops into a trap by allowing them a few initial victories. During the counterattack, Chu troops burned two large Qin camps, defeating the Qin generals Li Xin and Meng Wu. In 224 BC, Wang Jian was recalled and finally accepted leadership of the second invasion force, requesting and receiving a force of 600,000 men. Wang Jian even asked for a lake, house and land for his descendants, responding to the Qin king's laughter that his extra requests will eventually pale once the empire is secured. The general continued to request luxury items and other commodities during the campaign. Wang Jian said to his dumbfounded officers that only by requesting more from the king, will the king have confidence in his general.

The Chu forces were confident in resisting a Qin invasion. However, Wang decided to dissipate Chu's morale by appearing inactive in his fortifications but secretly training his troops to fight in Chu territory. After a year, Chu decided to disband the bulk of its force levy due to inaction. Wang Jian then invaded and overran Huaiyang and the remaining Chu forces. Chu was finally conquered in 223 BC. During their peak sizes, both armies of Chu and Qin combined numbered over 1,000,000 troops, more than the massive Battle of Changping between Qin and Zhao 35 years before. The excavated personal letters of two Qin regular soldiers, Hei Fu (黑夫) and Jing (惊), tell of a protracted campaign in Huaiyang under general Wang Jian. Both soldiers wrote letters requesting supplies of clothing and money from home to sustain the long waiting campaign.^[10]

Chu under Qin rule and the Western Han period[link]

The Chu realm at its most powerful was vast with many ethnicities and various customs. Despite their diversity, the Chu people were united by a common respect for nature, the supernatural, their heritage and loyalty to their ruling house and nobility, epitomized by the famed Chu statesman-poet Qu Yuan and the Songs of Chu. The Chu populace in areas conquered by Qin openly ignored the stringent Qin laws and governance, which was recorded in the excavated bamboo slips of a Qin administrator in Hubei. Chu was one of the last states to fall, only 11 years before the death of Qin Shi Huang, and its people aspired of overthrowing the painful yoke of Qin rule and reestablishing the Chu state.

There was a famous saying that "Even if Chu has only three clans (or "families") left, it will still eventually destroy Qin." (楚雖三戶, 亡秦必楚).^[11] Historians believed that the "three clans" referred to the three biggest clans in Chu; Qu, Jing and Zhao (屈、景、昭). Hence, the quote was commonly interpreted as: "The people of Chu hate Qin so much such that even if there are only three clans left in Chu, their hatred is powerful enough to destroy Qin." (楚人怨秦, 雖三戶足以亡秦也).^[12]

After Qin Shi Huang's very short reign, peasants, soldiers and relatives of nobles and the ruling house of Chu quickly organized into violent insurrections against the repressive Qin governance, initializing the anti-Qin rebellion that spread to the rest of China. The people of Chu, whose culture was a naturalistic and Taoist one, were resentful of the forced labor under Qin, and folk poems recorded the mournful sadness of the Chu families of men who worked in the frigid north to construct the Great Wall of China.

The Daze Village Uprising against the Qin Dynasty erupted in 209 BC, under the leadership of a peasant leader from the former Chu state, Chen Sheng, who proclaimed himself "King of Zhangchu" (King of Rising Chu). The uprising was crushed by Qin forces but other rebellions started as well. One of the rebel leaders, Jing Ju, a native of Chu, proclaimed himself king of Chu. Jing Ju was defeated by Xiang Liang's rebel force and Xiang installed Xiong Xin, a descendant of the Chu royal family, on the throne of Chu, with the title of "King Huai II of Chu". In 206 BC, after the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu, nephew of Xiang Liang, proclaimed himself "Hegemon-King of Western Chu" and promoted King Huai II to the more honorific title of "Emperor Yi of Chu", but he had the emperor assassinated later. Xiang Yu engaged Liu Bang, another prominent rebel leader native to Chu, in a long power struggle for supremacy over China, known as the Chu-Han Contention. The conflict ended with victory for Liu Bang, who proceeded to found the Han Dynasty, while Xiang Yu committed suicide after his defeat.

The Chu people and customs were major influences in the new era of the Western Han Dynasty. Liu Bang immediately initialized the Taoist Wu wei governance, made peace with the Xiongnu through Heqin intermarriages, quickly rewarding his allies and giving them pseudo-fiefdoms, and allowing the population to rest from centuries of warfare. Eventually, by the time of Emperor Wu of Han, Chu folk culture in everyday lifestyles and Chu aesthetics were gradually amalgamated with state-sponsored Confucian ideals and Qin-styled centralized governance to create a distinct and unified "Chinese" culture, visible during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Culture[link]

Based on archaeological finds, Chu's culture was initially quite similar to that of other Zhou states. Later on, Chu culture absorbed indigenous elements as the state expanded to the south and east, developing a distinct culture from the traditional Northern Zhou states.

Early Chu burial offerings consisted primarily of bronze vessels in the Zhou style. Later Chu burials, especially during the Warring States Period, featured distinct Chu burial objects, such as colorful lacquerware, iron and silk, accompanied by a reduction in bronze vessel offerings.

A common Chu motif was the vivid depiction of wildlife, mystical animals and natural imagery, such as snakes, mystical dragons, phoenixes, tigers and free-flowing clouds and serpent-like beings. Some archaeologists speculate that Chu may have had cultural connections to the vanished Shang dynasty, since many motifs used by Chu appeared earlier at Shang sites, such as motifs depicting serpent-tailed gods.

In terms of philosophy, the Chu culture and government strongly supported Taoism and native shaman folk beliefs supplemented with some Confucian ideals. The naturalistic and flowing art, the Songs of Chu, historical records (Records of the Grand Historian), excavated bamboo documents (Guodian bamboo slips) and other artifacts reveal heavy Daoist and native folk influence in Chu culture. The disposition to a spiritual, often pleasurable and decadent lifestyle and the confidence in the size of the Chu realm led to the inefficiency and eventual destruction of the Chu state to the ruthless Legalist state of Qin. Even though the Qin realm lacked the vast natural resources and waterways of Chu, the Qin government maximized its output and created a system of ruthless efficiency under the minister Shang Yang, installing a meritocracy focused solely on agricultural and military might.

Later Chu culture was known for its affinity for employing shamanistic rituals. Chu was also known for its distinct music; archaeological evidence shows that Chu music was annotated differently from Zhou music; Chu music also showed an inclination for using different performance ensembles, as well as unique instruments; In Chu, the se was preferred over the qin, while both instruments were equally preferred in the northern Zhou states.

Chu came into frequent contact with other peoples in the south, most notably the Ba, Yue and the Baiyue. Numerous burials and burial objects in the Ba and Yue styles were discovered throughout the territory of Chu, co-existing with Chu-style burials and burial objects.

The early rulers of the Han Dynasty romanticized the culture of Chu, sparking a renewed interest in Chu cultural elements such as the Songs of Chu. Evidence of heavy Chu cultural influence during the early years of Han Dynasty appears in Mawangdui. After the Han dynasty, some Confucian scholars considered Chu culture with distaste, criticizing the "lewd" music and shamanistic rituals associated with Chu culture.

Chu artisanship shows a mastery of form and color, especially the lacquer woodworks. Red and black pigmented lacquer were most used. Silk-weaving also attained a high level of craftsmanship, creating lightweight robes with flowing designs. These examples were preserved in waterlogged tombs (this preserved lacquerware, which is vulnerable to peel off in dry conditions) and coal/white clay sealed tombs (this preserved everything extremely well, since fine white clay is highly compressible and forms a tight seal). One such tomb at Mawangdui is a perfect example of a well-sealed tomb.

Chu used the difficult to read^{[to whom?]} script called "Birds and Worms" style, which was borrowed by the Wu and Yue states. It has an intricate design that embellishes the characters with motifs of animals, snakes, birds and insects. This is another representation of the Chu reverence of the natural world and its liveliness. Chu produced broad bronze swords that were similar to Wuyue swords, but not as intricate.

Chu was in the region of many rivers, so it created an efficient riverine boat transport system augmented by wagons. These are detailed in bronze tallies with gold inlay regarding trade regulations around the capital, Ying.

List of states annexed by Chu[link]

This list is not complete.

863 BC E; 704 BC Quan; 688-680 BC Shen; 684-680 BC Xi; 678 BC Deng; after 643 BC Dao; 623 BC Jiang; 622 BC Liao; after 622 BC Ruo; after 506 BC Sui; 512 BC Xu; 479 BC Chen; 445 BC Qi; 447 BC Cai; 431 BC Ju; after 418 BC Pi; 334 BC Yue; 249 BC Lu;

Rulers[link]

List of Chu rulers (House of Mi) according to the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji)^[5] and the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips:^[13]

Early rulers

1. Jilian (季連), married Bi Zhui (妣隹), granddaughter of Shang Dynasty king Pangeng; adopted Mi (芈) as ancestral name
2. Yingbo (𦀚伯), son of Jilian
3. Yuxiong (鬻熊), ruled 11th century BC: also called Xuexiong (穴熊), teacher of King Wen of Zhou
4. Xiong Li (熊麗), ruled 11th century BC: son of Yuxiong, first use of clan name Yan (酓), later written as Xiong (熊)
5. Xiong Kuang (熊狂), ruled 11th century BC: son of Xiong Li

Viscounts

1. Xiong Yi (熊繹), ruled 11th century BC: son of Xiong Kuang, enfeoffed by King Cheng of Zhou
2. Xiong Ai (熊艾), ruled circa 977 BC: son of Xiong Yi, defeated and killed King Zhao of Zhou
3. Xiong Dan (熊䵣), ruled circa 941 BC: son of Xiong Ai, defeated King Mu of Zhou
4. Xiong Sheng (熊勝), son of Xiong Dan
5. Xiong Yang (熊楊), younger brother of Xiong Sheng
6. Xiong Qu (熊渠), son of Xiong Yang, gave the title king to his three sons
7. Xiong Kang (熊康), son of Xiong Qu. Shiji says Xiong Kang died early without ascending the throne, but the Tsinghua Bamboo Slips recorded him as the successor of Xiong Qu.^[13]
8. Xiong Zhi (熊摯), son of Xiong Kang, abdicated due to illness^[14][13]
9. Xiong Yan (elder) (熊延), ruled ?–848 BC: younger brother of Xiong Zhi
10. Xiong Yong (熊勇), ruled 847–838 BC: son of Xiong Yan
11. Xiong Yan (younger) (熊嚴), ruled 837–828 BC: brother of Xiong Yong
12. Xiong Shuang (熊霜), ruled 827–822 BC: son of Xiong Yan
13. Xiong Xun (熊徇), ruled 821–800 BC: youngest brother of Xiong Shuang
14. Xiong E (熊咢), ruled 799–791 BC: son of Xiong Xun
15. Ruo'ao (若敖) (Xiong Yi 熊儀), ruled 790–764 BC: son of Xiong E
16. Xiao'ao (霄敖) (Xiong Kan 熊坎), ruled 763–758 BC: son of Ruo'ao
17. Fenmao (蚡冒) (Xiong Xuan 熊眴) ruled 757–741 BC: son of Xiao'ao

Kings

1. King Wu of Chu (楚武王) (Xiong Da 熊達), ruled 740–690 BC: either younger brother or younger son of Fenmao, murdered son of Fenmao and usurped the throne. Declared himself first king of Chu.
2. King Wen of Chu (楚文王) (Xiong Zi 熊貲), ruled 689–677 BC: son of King Wu, moved the capital to Ying
3. Du'ao (堵敖) or Zhuang'ao (莊敖) (Xiong Jian 熊艱), ruled 676–672 BC: son of King Wen, killed by younger brother, the future King Cheng
4. King Cheng of Chu (楚成王) (Xiong Yun 熊惲), ruled 671–626 BC: brother of Du'ao, defeated by the state of Jin at the Battle of Chengpu. Husband to Zheng Mao. He was murdered by his son, the future King Mu
5. King Mu of Chu (楚穆王) (Xiong Shangchen 熊商臣) ruled 625–614 BC: son of King Cheng
6. King Zhuang of Chu (楚莊王) (Xiong Lü 熊侶) ruled 613–591 BC: son of King Mu. Defeated the State of Jin at the Battle of Bi, and was recognized as a Hegemon.
7. King Gong of Chu (楚共王) (Xiong Shen 熊審) ruled 590–560 BC: son of King Zhuang. Defeated by Jin at the Battle of Chengpu.
8. King Kang of Chu (楚康王) (Xiong Zhao 熊招) ruled 559–545 BC: son of King Gong
9. Jia'ao (郟敖) (Xiong Yuan 熊員) ruled 544–541 BC: son of King Kang, murdered by his uncle, the future King Ling.
10. King Ling of Chu (楚靈王) (Xiong Wei 熊圍, changed to Xiong Qian 熊虔) ruled 540–529 BC: uncle of Jia'ao and younger brother of King Kang, overthrown by his younger brothers and committed suicide.
11. Zi'ao (訾敖) (Xiong Bi 熊比) ruled 529 BC (less than 20 days): younger brother of King Ling, committed suicide.
12. King Ping of Chu (楚平王) (Xiong Qiji 熊弃疾, changed to Xiong Ju 熊居) ruled 528–516 BC: younger brother of Zi'ao, tricked Zi'ao into committing suicide.
13. King Zhao of Chu (楚昭王) (Xiong Zhen 熊珍) ruled 515–489 BC: son of King Ping. The State of Wu captured the capital Ying and he fled to the State of Sui.
14. King Hui of Chu (楚惠王) (Xiong Zhang 熊章) ruled 488–432 BC: son of King Zhao. He conquered the states of Cai and Chen. The year before he died, Marquis Yi of Zeng died, so he made a commemorative bell and attended the Marquis's funeral at Suizhou.
15. King Jian of Chu (楚簡王) (Xiong Zhong 熊中) ruled 431–408 BC: son of King Hui
16. King Sheng of Chu (楚聲王) (Xiong Dang 熊當) ruled 407–402 BC: son of King Jian
17. King Dao of Chu (楚悼王) (Xiong Yi 熊疑) ruled 401–381 BC: son of King Sheng. He made Wu Qi chancellor and reformed the Chu government and army.
18. King Su of Chu (楚肅王) (Xiong Zang 熊臧) ruled 380–370 BC: son of King Dao
19. King Xuan of Chu (楚宣王) (Xiong Liangfu 熊良夫) ruled 369–340 BC: brother of King Su
20. King Wei of Chu (楚威王) (Xiong Shang 熊商) ruled 339–329 BC: son of King Xuan. Defeated and partitioned the Yue state with Qi state.
21. King Huai of Chu (楚懷王) (Xiong Huai 熊槐) ruled 328–299 BC: son of King Wei, was tricked and held hostage by the State of Qin until death in 296 BC
22. King Qingxiang of Chu (楚頃襄王) (Xiong Heng 熊橫) ruled 298–263 BC: son of King Huai. As a prince, one of his elderly tutors was buried at the site of the Guodian Chu Slips in Hubei. The Chu capital of Ying was captured and sacked by Qin.
23. King Kaolie of Chu (楚考烈王) (Xiong Yuan 熊元) ruled 262–238 BC: son of King Qingxiang. Moved capital to Shouchun.
24. King You of Chu (楚幽王) (Xiong Han 熊悍) ruled 237–228 BC: son of King Kaolie, possibly illegitimate son of Lord Chunshen (春申君)
25. King Ai of Chu (楚哀王) (Xiong You 熊猶 or Xiong Hao 熊郝) ruled 228 BC: brother of King You, killed by Fuchu
26. Fuchu (楚王負芻) (熊負芻 Xiong Fuchu) ruled 227–223 BC: brother of King Ai. Captured by Qin troops and deposed
27. Lord Changping (昌平君) ruled 223 BC (Chu conquered by Qin): brother of Fuchu, killed in battle against Qin

Pretenders

• Chen Sheng (陳勝) as King Yin of Chu (楚隠王) ruled 210–209 BC
• Jing Ju (景駒) as King Jia of Chu 楚假王 (Jia for fake) ruled 209–208 BC
• Xiong Xin (熊心) as Emperor Yi of Chu (楚義帝) (originally King Huai II 楚後懷王) ruled 208–206 BC: grandson or great-grandson of King Huai
• Xiang Yu (项羽) as Hegemon-King of Western Chu (西楚霸王) ruled 206–202 BC

Famous people[link]

• Poet Qu Yuan hailed from Chu. A government minister and a patriot, he had advocated uniting with the other states to combat the rising hegemon Qin, yet to no avail; he was banished by the king of Chu. According to tradition, such was his grief upon learning of the Qin invasion, he committed suicide in the Miluo River. The Duanwu Festival honors his death for his country.
• Huang Xie, known more commonly as Chunshen Jun (Lord of Chunshen), was one of the Four Lords of the Warring States.
• Xiang Yu, also known as "Hegemon-King of Western Chu"; he defeated the Qin armies at the Battle of Julu and was also a rival to Liu Bang. He was fearsome in the battlefield but his arrogance lead to his downfall.
• Han Dynasty founder Liu Bang. He was born in Pei County, in present-day Xuzhou, which is in northern Jiangsu. An intelligent statesman and ruler, he defeated Xiang Yu through his ability to attract and command talented generals and allies. After the formation of Western Han Dynasty, a blossoming of interest in Chu culture arose under Liu Bang's patronage.

Chu in astronomy[link]

There are two opinions about the representing star of Chu in Chinese astronomy. The opinions are :

• Chu is represented by the star Phi Capricorni in asterism Twelve States, Girl mansion.^[15] and also represented with the star Epsilon Ophiuchi in asterism Right Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure(see Chinese constellation).^[16]
• Chu is represented with the star 24 Capricorni (A Capricorni).^[17] and also represented with the star Epsilon Ophiuchi.^[18]

See also[link]

• Chu Ci
• Guodian Chu Slips
• Prime minister (Chu State)
• Song Yu
• Wu Qi
• Mawangdui
• Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng
• Chu Silk Manuscript
• Lord Chang Ping of Chu
• Tsinghua Chu Slips

References[link]

• Sima, Qian. Records of the Grand Historian (史記).
• Zuo Qiuming,Zuo Zhuan (左传）
• 张淑一 《先秦姓氏制度考察》
• Defining Chu: Image And Reality In Ancient China, Edited by Constance A. Cook and John S. Major, ISBN 0-8248-2905-0
• So, Jenny F., Music in the Age of Confucius, ISBN 0-295-97953-4

Further reading[link]

• Cook, Constance. Death in Ancient China: The Tale of One Man's Journey. Leiden: Brill, 2006 ISBN 90-04-15312-8

Look up chu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Chu or CHU may refer to:

States

• Chu (state) (楚), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
• Western Chu (西楚), proclaimed by Xiang Yu during the Chu-Han Contention after the fall of the Qin Dynasty
• Huan Chu (桓楚), officially Chu (楚) but now called Huan Chu to distinguish it from the original Chu, short-lived Chinese regime of Huan Xuan from 403 to 404, an interruption of the Jin dynasty
• Chu (Ten Kingdoms) (楚), often called Ma Chu, a kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period of China

Surname

• Chu (Chinese surname), alternative spelling of the common Chinese surname Zhu (朱), but it can also refer to any Chinese surname whose pinyin is "Chu", including 楚, 储, and 褚.
• Chu (Vietnamese surname), a Vietnamese surname
• A Korean Surname

Places

• Chu River, in modern Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
• Chü Province, in Kyrgyzstan
• Chu, Kazakhstan (more commonly spelled "Shu"), a city in Kazakhstan
• Nam Sam River, also known as Chu River, in Vietnam
• Chũ, a town and district capital in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam
• Chũ River, river of Lang Son Province, Vietnam
• Hubei and Hunan provinces of China, often referred to as Chu (after the ancient state)

Other

• Old Church Slavonic (ISO 639 alpha-3, chu)
• Chu (instrument), an ancient Chinese instrument made of wood like a box that is struck by a stick to mark section beginnings
• Chu (One Piece), a fictional character in Eiichirō Oda's manga One Piece

CHU may refer to:

• Chung Hua University, a university in Hsinchu, Republic of China (Taiwan)
• Houston County Airport (Minnesota), in Houston County, Minnesota, United States
• CHU (radio station), a shortwave radio station in Ottawa, Canada
• Christelijk-Historische Unie (Christian-Historical Union), an influential Protestant political party in the Netherlands
• Churchill College, Cambridge, used in University of Cambridge internal publications
• China Unicom, NYSE stock symbol CHU, Chinese telecommunication company
• Containerized housing unit, a shipping container converted to living space

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

State commonly refers to either the present condition of a system or entity, or to a governed entity (such as a country) or sub-entity (such as a province or region).

Look up state in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Political science[link]

• State (polity), an organized political community, living under a government
• Sovereign state, a sovereign political entity in public international law
• The government
• Member state, a member of an international organization
• Federated state, a political entity forming part of a federal sovereign state
• Nation state, a state which coincides with a nation
• U.S. state, there are 50 "States" in the United States of America
• States and territories of Australia, of which there are eight

Legislatures[link]

• The Estates or the States, a national assembly of the estates, a legislature
• States-General (disambiguation)

Jurisprudence[link]

• Rechtsstaat, the legal state (constitutional state, state subordinated to law) in philosophy of law and as principle of many national constitutions

Science and technology[link]

Biology & psychology[link]

• Medical state, one's current state of health, usually within a hospital setting
• Mental state (disambiguation)

Chemistry[link]

• State of matter, solid, liquid or vapour phases of matter. it describes the organization of matter in a phase
• Chemical state, the electronic, chemical and physical nature of an element

Computing[link]

• State (computer science), a unique configuration of information in a program or machine
  • Program state, in computer science, a snapshot of the measure of various conditions in the system
  • State pattern, in computer science, a behavioral design pattern
• State (printmaking), a unique form of a print, caused by a deliberate change to a matrix
• State (software), animation software for YouTube and social media sites

Linguistics[link]

• Status constructus, a noun form occurring in Semitic languages

Mathematics[link]

• State (controls), a term related to control theory
• State (functional analysis), a positive linear functional on an operator algebra

Physics[link]

• In classical mechanics, state is a complete description of a system in terms of parameters such as positions and momentums at a particular moment in time
• Quantum state, in physics, the state of a quantum mechanical system given by a vector in the underlying Hilbert space
• Excited state
• Dynamical systems, a concept in mathematics where a fixed rule describes the time dependence of a point in a geometrical space
• Stationary state, an eigenvector of a Hamiltonian
• Thermodynamic state, a set of physical quantities (e.g. temperature, pressure, and composition) describing variable properties of a given thermodynamic system

Entertainment and communication[link]

Literature[link]

• The World State, from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• The State (Larry Niven), from the works of Larry Niven

Media[link]

• State (magazine), an Irish monthly music magazine
• State Magazine, a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
• The State (album), a music album by Nickelback
• The State (book), a book by German sociologist Franz Oppenheimer
• The State (TV series), a sketch comedy show on MTV
• The States (TV series), a documentary series on the United States
• The State (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina
• States Records, an American record label
• Our State, a North Carolina monthly magazine once called The State
• State Theatre (disambiguation), the name of several theatres

Religion[link]

• State (theology), a degree or stage of perfection in the Christian religion

See also[link]

• All pages beginning with State
• Status (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Michael Chu
Chu, After winning the $1,000 No Limit Hold'em w/Rebuys event at the 2007 World Series of Poker
Nickname(s)	"Primetime Mike", "Mix", "Mixter Freeze"
Residence	Los Angeles, CA
World Series of Poker
Bracelet(s)	1
Money finish(es)	3
Highest ITM Main Event finish	None
World Poker Tour
Title(s)	None
Final table(s)	None
Money finish(es)	1

Michael Chu (born in Seoul, South Korea) is a stock trader who earned a World Series of Poker bracelet in the 2007 $1,000 WSOP No Limit Hold'em with rebuys event (Event #8). Chu won the event with the minimum investment, having never made a single re-buy in the event. Chu majored in political science at the University of California, Berkeley campus. He has been playing poker for the past 10 years mostly with his high school and college friends, and credits the motion picture film Rounders as sparking his interest in Texas Hold 'Em.

Despite winning a bracelet at age 27, he intends to return to his job as a stock trader in Los Angeles. ^[1]

As of 2008, Michael Chu has tournament winning in excess of $630,000.^[2] His 3 cashes as the WSOP account for the overwhelming majority, $616,096, of those winnings.^[3]

World Series of Poker bracelets[link]

References[link]

Judy May Chu 趙美心[1]
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 32nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office July 14, 2009
Preceded by	Hilda Solis
Member of the California State Board of Equalization from the 4th District
In office 2007–2009
Preceded by	John Chiang
Succeeded by	Jerome Horton
Member of the California State Assembly from the 49th district
In office 2001–2006
Preceded by	Gloria J. Romero
Succeeded by	Mike Eng
Personal details
Born	(1953-07-07) July 7, 1953 (age 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mike Eng
Residence	Monterey Park, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of California, Los Angeles (B.A.) California School of Professional Psychology (PhD)
Profession	Politician Professor

Judy May Chu, Ph.D. (Traditional Chinese: 趙美心, Simplified Chinese: 赵美心, Pinyin: Zhào Měixīn, Cantonese Yale: Jiu6 Mei5 sam1, born July 7, 1953)^[2] is the U.S. Representative for California's 32nd congressional district, serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Chu was previously Chair of the California Board of Equalization, representing the 4th District.^[3] She had also served on the Garvey Unified School District Board of Education, the Monterey Park City Council (with terms as mayor) and the California State Assembly.

Chu ran in the 32nd congressional district special election for the seat that was vacated by Hilda Solis after she was confirmed as Barack Obama's U.S. Secretary of Labor in 2009.^[4] She defeated Republican candidate Betty Tom Chu and Libertarian candidate Christopher Agrella in a runoff election on July 14, 2009.^[5] She is the first Chinese American woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress.^[6] Chu was reelected in the 2010 United States midterm elections, defeating Republican challenger Edward "Ed" Schmerling.

Early life, education, and academic career[link]

Judy Chu is the second of four children of Judson and May Chu, who were married in 1948 in their ancestral home of Xinhui, Jiangmen, Guangdong. After getting married they moved to Los Angeles, near 62nd Street and Normandie Avenue, where Chu was born and grew up until her early teen years, when the family moved to the Bay Area.^[7][8]

Chu graduated with a B.A. in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She then earned a Ph.D. in psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.

She taught as a psychology professor at the Los Angeles Community College District for 20 years, including 13 years at East Los Angeles College.^[3][9]

Local politics[link]

Chu in 2007, while still a member of the Board of Equalization

Chu's first elected position was Board Member for the Garvey School District in Rosemead, California in 1985. In 1988 she was elected to the city council of Monterey Park, where she served as mayor for three terms.^[3][9] She ran for the California State Assembly in 1994, but lost the Democratic primary to Diane Martinez; in 1998, she lost the primary to Gloria Romero.

Chu was elected to the State Assembly in a May 15, 2001, special election after Romero was elected to the State Senate. She was elected to a full term in 2002 and was reelected in 2004. The district includes Alhambra, El Monte, Duarte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and South El Monte, within Los Angeles County.^[10]

Barred by term limits from running for a third full term in 2006, Chu was elected to the State Board of Equalization from the 4th District, representing most of Los Angeles County.

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Elections[link]

2009

Chu decided to run for the 2009 the special election for the California's 32nd congressional district after U.S. Congresswoman Hilda Solis was appointed to become President Barack Obama's U.S. Secretary of Labor. Chu led the field in the May 19 special election. However, due to the crowded nature of the primary (eight Democrats and four Republicans filed) she only got 32% of the vote, well short of the 50% vote needed to win outright.^[11] In the run-off election, she defeated Republican Betty Tom Chu (her cousin-in-law and a Monterey Park City Councilwoman) 62%–33%.^[5][12]

2010

She had been heavily favored due to the district's heavy Democratic tilt and with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+15, it is one of the safest Democratic districts in the nation. She won re-election to her first full term with 71% of the vote.^[13]

2012

In August 2011, she decided to run in the newly redrawn California's 27th congressional district.^[14] The district has the second highest percentage of Asian Americans in the state with 37%, behind the newly redrawn 17th CD which is 50% Asian.^[15] Registered Democrats make up 42% of the district. Obama won the district with 63% in the 2008 presidential. Jerry Brown won with 55% in the 2010 gubernatorial election.^[16][17]

Tenure[link]

Chu was sworn in to office on July 16, 2009. Judy Chu’s number one priority as a new member of Congress is to work along side the Obama administration.^[18] She wants to quickly bring in money to help the economy, protect public services from dramatic cuts, and bring funding into communities to help with the economy.^[18] Chu believes that by making sure schools are strong, society is helping prepare students to live in the real world later on.^[18]

Judy Chu is focused on bringing “green collar” jobs to the San Gabriel Valley.^[18] This includes jobs in public transit, alternative energy, and conservation. She believes that the San Gabriel Valley should be the nation’s solar capital with its climate, work force, and research facilities.^[18]

Abortion

Chu cosponsored the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2010 which authorizes the President of the United States to support measures providing abortions and other reproduction assistance to women in developing countries. In 2010, Chu voting against measures proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives to strip government funding to Planned Parenthood, and opposed restricting federal funding of abortions.^[19][20] Chu has received ratings of 100 from all Pro-Choice affiliates including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.^[21] She has also received ratings of 100 from the NARAL pro-choice California in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 ^[21] while receiving very low ratings given by Pro-Life organizations in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.^[21]

Budget

In 2010, Chu voted to increase the debt ceiling to $14.294 trillion. In 2009, Chu voted to increase the debt ceiling to $12.394 trillion. In January 2011, she voted against a bill to reduce spending on non-security items to fiscal year 2008 levels. In 2011, Chu voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011, which incrementally raised the debt ceiling.^[22]

Terrorism

Chu opposed the "See Something, Say Something Act of 2011," which provides "immunity for reports of suspected terrorist activity or suspicious behavior and response." She said, "if a person contacts law enforcement about something based solely on someone's race, religion, ethnicity, or national origin, they would not receive immunity from civil lawsuits."^[23][24]

Internet policy

In 2011, Rep. Chu became a co-sponsor of Bill H.R.3261 otherwise known as the Stop Online Piracy Act. ^[25]

Committee assignments[link]

Chu and husband Mike Eng, with Nancy Pelosi, at Chu's Swearing In ceremony for the U.S. House of Representatives

• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce
  • Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade

^[21]

This section requires expansion.

Personal life[link]

Chu married Mike Eng in 1978. (Eng took Chu's seat on the Monterey Park City Council in 2001, when Chu left the council after getting elected to the Assembly, and in 2006 he took Chu's seat on the Assembly, when Chu left the Assembly.)

Chu's nephew, Lance Corporal Harry Lew, a US Marine, committed suicide while serving in Afghanistan on April 3, 2011, allegedly as a result of hazing from fellow Marines after Lew repeatedly fell asleep during his watch. Chu described her nephew as a patriotic American and said that those responsible must be brought to justice.^[26]

References[link]

External links[link]

	Asian Americans portal
	Greater Los Angeles portal
	Biography portal
	Politics portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Judy Chu