Dynasties of ChinaWestern ZhouWestern Zhou lineage
Reign 995–977 BCE
He personally conquered Jingchu many times. During the second southern expedition, the Sixth Division was destroyed in the Han River and he himself died. Zhou's southern strategy suffered a setback.
Ji Xia is the son of King Kang. When he came to the throne, the Zhou Dynasty had been established for about fifty years, and its national power was still strong. After that, inscriptions on the stone walls praised him for "extensive criticism of Chu and Jing". He focused his strategy on the Han River Basin in the south and personally led a large army to attack Chu and Jing. There are many records in the bronze inscriptions about nobles accompanying the king on the southern expedition and capturing copper materials.
According to the ancient "Bamboo Book Annals", King Zhao went south again in the 19th year and "lost six divisions in the Han Dynasty". King Zhao himself also died in the Han River. The Zhou people kept the matter secret and did not inform the princes. The "Historical Records" only stated that "King Zhao did not return from his hunting tour in the south and died on the river." More than three hundred years later, when Qi Huangong attacked Chu, Guan Zhong still used "King Zhao conquered the south and never returned" as the reason for his accusation.
PoliticsSuccession
King Kang died and Crown Prince came to the throne. About fifty years after the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, the national power accumulated during the Kangxi period was still strong. The Chu and Jing tribes in the Han River Basin in the south became the main targets of King Zhao's strategy.
PoliticsProvince of the South first
The "Anzhou Six Weapons" inscription unearthed in Xiaogan, Hubei during the Northern Song Dynasty records that the king of Zhou ordered the noble "Zhong" to patrol the south first, open roads and set up palaces in preparation for the southern expedition of the army.
MilitaryFirst Southern Expedition
According to the ancient "Bamboo Book Annals", King Zhao attacked Chu Jing in the 16th year and "encountered Dayi" when crossing the Han River. The inscriptions on bronze vessels such as Guo Bo Gui record that the nobles followed the king to "defeat Jing" and captured copper materials, indicating that there were gains in this battle.
MilitaryLost six divisions in Han Dynasty
In the 19th year of King Zhao's expedition to the south again, the ancient "Bamboo Book Annals" records that "the sky is large, pheasants and rabbits are shaking, and the six divisions of the Han Dynasty were killed." The six elite divisions of Zhou Dynasty were wiped out, and King Zhao himself also died in the Han River.
PeopleXin Yumi saves the king
According to "Lu's Spring and Autumn period", the bridge collapsed when King Zhao returned to cross the Han River. King Zhao and Ji Gong fell into the water. Xin Yumi, who was on the right side of the car, rescued King Zhao to the north bank. In the "Century of Emperors" of the Jin Dynasty, there is another saying that the boatman donated a glued boat and it disintegrated in the middle of the journey.
DiplomacyGuan Zhong interrogates
Qi Huangong led the princes to attack Chu, and Guan Zhong accused Chu of not paying tribute to Baomao and "King Zhao failed to conquer the south". The envoy of Chu replied: "It is the fault of the king that the tributes are not brought in. As for the king's failure to return, "you will ask all the watersides."
According to "Lu's Spring and Autumn Period", he was tall and strong and served as King Zhao's chariot. During the Han River disaster, he rescued King Zhao to the north bank, and then returned to rescue Ji Gong. He was later granted the title of Chang Gong in Xizhai.
Descendant of Duke of Zhou (Ji Dan), the king of sacrifice to the country, held an important position in the court, and accompanied King Zhao on his southern expedition. According to "Lu's Spring and Autumn Period", he fell into the water with King Zhao in the Han River; one theory is that he drowned with King Zhao.