Spring and Autumn States: Map & History
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou, characterized by the gradual erosion of royal power as local lords nominally subject to the Zhou exercised increasing political autonomy.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou, characterized by the gradual erosion of royal power as local lords nominally subject to the Zhou exercised increasing political autonomy. The period's name derives from the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the state of Lu between 722 and 481 BCE, which tradition associates with Confucius.
Modern Countries Once Part of Spring and Autumn States
At its mapped extent, Spring and Autumn States 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 Spring and Autumn States'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.
Spring and Autumn States in Depth
Background
In 771 BCE, a Quanrong invasion in coalition with the states of Zeng and Shen—the latter polity being the fief of the grandfather of the disinherited crown prince Yijiu—destroyed the Western Zhou capital at Haojing, killing King You and establishing Yijiu as king at the eastern capital Luoyi. The event ushered in the Eastern Zhou dynasty, which is divided into the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods. During the Spring and Autumn period, China's fengjian system became largely irrelevant. The Zhou court, having lost its homeland in the Guanzhong region, held nominal power, but had real control over only a small royal demesne centered on Luoyi.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Spring and Autumn period (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spring and Autumn States: Key Facts
| Form of government | monarchy |
|---|
Preceded by
- Western Zhou
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q185047 (CC0).
Spring and Autumn States Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Spring and Autumn States appears, with the other states of the time.
Spring and Autumn States Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,008,534 km² in 526 BCE.
Spring and Autumn States: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Spring and Autumn States exist?
Spring and Autumn States is dated to 750 BCE – 481 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
How large was Spring and Autumn States at its peak?
At its peak in 526 BC Spring and Autumn States covered about 1,008,534 km².
How did the map of Spring and Autumn States change over time?
Spring and Autumn States appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 750 BCE to 500 BCE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Persepolis, Pasargadae, Susa, Babylon
Bronze Age Civilizations • Capital: Memphis
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pataliputra
Classical Antiquity • Capital: Pella, Babylon