Predynastic Zhou

<p>The Predynastic Zhou or Proto-Zhou  refers to the state of Zhou that existed in the <a href="/facts/Guanzhong/bwsntgTP">Guanzhong</a> region of modern <a href="/facts/Shaanxi/tNvSEe3v">Shaanxi</a> province during the <a href="/facts/Shang_dynasty/6JYKH4wP">Shang dynasty</a> of ancient China, before its conquest of the Shang in 1046-1045 BC which led to the establishment of the <a href="/facts/Zhou_dynasty/70beuGpa">Zhou dynasty</a>. It was ruled by the <a href="/facts/Ji_(surname_%25E5%25A7%25AC)/so5nv3vx">Ji clan</a>. According to histories, Predynastic Zhou rose as a western vassal of the Shang, acting as its ally until their influence surpassed that of the dynasty. 
</p><p>Records about Predynastic Zhou came from two sources. The Shang dynasty kept records about Zhou in <a href="/facts/Oracle_bone_inscriptions/xj9TSlNq">oracle bones</a>. The texts about Zhou inscribed by the Shang court are mainly those from the reign of <a href="/facts/Wu_Ding/pe7R4Qqr">Wu Ding</a> and the last Shang monarchs. After the fall of Shang, the Ji clan established the Zhou dynasty and started their own narrative about previous generations. The <a href="/facts/Book_of_Documents/M4vp7sP4">Book of Documents</a> and the <a href="/facts/Bamboo_Annals/wTMEUH2Q">Bamboo Annals</a> are two major historical sources. Later, <a href="/facts/Sima_Qian/sjCNSloA">Sima Qian</a> wrote about the country using those texts as reference.
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Predynastic Zhou open-in-new

Predynastic Zhou