Zou (state)

Zou (simplified Chinese: 邹; traditional Chinese: 鄒), originally Zhu (邾) or Zhulou (邾婁), was a minor state that existed during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. It centered near today's Zoucheng, Shandong province. King Wu of Zhou granted Cao Xia (曹挾) control of the small state of Zhu as a vassal ruler under the State of Lu with the feudal title Viscount (子), but later holding the title Duke of Zhu (邾公). The ancestral surname of the ruling family was Cao (曹). During the Spring and Autumn period, the State of Zhu gradually grew stronger and was known as "Zhoulou". In 659 BC, Duke Xi of Lu, along with the rulers of the states of Qi, Song, Zheng, Cao, and Zhu, met in the area of Cheng (檉). The following month, Duke Xi of Lu's army defeated the army of Zhu in the area of Yan (偃). During the reign of Duke Mu of Lu (417 BC – 377 BC), Zhu's name was changed to Zou. The state of Zou was located in the southwest of modern-day Shandong Province. Its territory is now the county-level city of Zoucheng.