Qi: Map & History
Qi, or Ch'i in Wade–Giles romanization, was a regional state of the Zhou dynasty in ancient China, whose rulers held titles of Hou (侯), then Gong (公), before declaring themselves independent Kings (王).
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Qi, or Ch'i in Wade–Giles romanization, was a regional state of the Zhou dynasty in ancient China, whose rulers held titles of Hou (侯), then Gong (公), before declaring themselves independent Kings (王). Its capital was Linzi, located in present-day Shandong. Qi was founded shortly after the Zhou conquest of Shang, c. 1046 BCE. Its first monarch was Jiang Ziya, minister of King Wen and a legendary figure in Chinese culture. His family ruled Qi for several centuries before it was replaced by the Tian family in 386 BCE. Qi was the final surviving state to be annexed by Qin during its unification of China.
Modern Countries Once Part of Qi
At its mapped extent, Qi covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Qi's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Qi in Depth
History
During the Zhou conquest of Shang, Jiang Ziya, a native of Ju County served as the chief minister to King Wu of Zhou, the same position he had held in service to King Wu's father. Following Zhou victory, the lands comprising much of the Shandong peninsula and some nearby surrounds were established as the state of Qi, with the Jiang clan charged with ruling and defending them. After King Wu's death, Ziya remained loyal to the Duke of Zhou's regency during the Three Guards' failed rebellion. Jiang Ziya was also called Lü Shang so the state of Qi is ruled by the Lü family of the Jiang clan and was commonly known as Jiang Qi.
The Shang prince Wu Geng had joined the revolt along with the Dongyi polities of Yan, Xu, and Pugu, located within the boundaries of Qi.
Culture of Qi
Before Qin unified China, each state's customs, culture, dialects, and orthography had pronounced differences. According to the Yu Gong or Tribute of Yu, composed in the fourth or fifth century BCE and included in the Classic of Documents, there were nine distinct cultural regions of China, which are described in detail. The work focuses on the travels of the titular sage, Yu the Great, throughout each of the regions.
Although Qi's troops are numerous, their organization is unstable... The people of Qi are by nature unyielding and their country prosperous, but the ruler and officials are arrogant and care nothing for the people. The state's policies are not uniform and not strictly enforced. Salaries and wages are unfair and unevenly distributed, causing disharmony and disunity.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Qi (state) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Qi: Key Facts
| Capital | Ye |
|---|---|
| Founded | 550 CE |
| Dissolved | 577 CE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q1143524 (CC0).
Qi Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Qi appears, with the other states of the time.
Qi Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 129,744 km² in 266 BCE.
Qi: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Qi exist?
Qi is dated to 750 BCE – 204 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of Qi?
The capital of Qi was Yingqiu (11 c.–866 BCE), Bogu (866–859 BCE), Linzi (859–221 BCE).
How large was Qi at its peak?
At its peak in 266 BC Qi covered about 129,744 km².
How did the map of Qi change over time?
Qi appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 750 BCE to 323 BCE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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