The State of Zōu was a small Zhou Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...

 vassal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period

Warring States Period

The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...

s of Chinese history (720–221 BCE)..

History

King Wu of Zhou

King Wu of Zhou

King Wu of Zhōu or King Wu of Chou was the first sovereign, or ruler of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1046-1043 BCE or 1049/45-1043. Various sources quoted that he died at the age of 93, 54 or 43. He was considered a just and able leader. Zhou Gong Dan was one of his...

 granted Cao Xie , a direct lineal descendant of the Yellow Emperor

Yellow Emperor

The Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...

 through his grandson, the legendary emperor Zhuanxu

Zhuanxu

Zhuanxu , also known as Gaoyang is a mythological monarch of ancient China.A grandson of the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu led the Shi clan in an eastward migration to present-day Shandong, where intermarriages with the Dongyi clan enlarged and augmented their tribal influences...

 (颛顼), control of the small state of Zhu (邾) as a vassal ruler under the State of Lu

Lu (state)

The State of Lu, was a Zhou Dynasty ducal vassal state before and during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. Founded in the 10th century BC, its dukes used Ji as their family name. The first duke was Boqin |Qi]] and to the south by the powerful state of Chu...

 with the feudal title Prince of Zhu (邾王).The ancestral surname of the ruling family was Cao (曹).
Zhu subsequently changed its name to Zou (鄒). The state of Zou was located in the southwest of modern-day Shandong

Shandong

' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...

 Province. Its territory is now the county-level city of Zoucheng

Zoucheng

Zoucheng is a county-level city in the south of Shandong province in China. Historically, the name Zouxian, in a variety of transcriptions, was used for the city as well....

.

Demise

The state of Zou was conquered and annexed by the state of Chu

Chu (state)

The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...

 during the reign of King Xuan of Chu (r. 369–340 BC). The ruling family and its descendants adopted the Zhu (朱) surname in memory of their former principality of Zhu (邾).

Legacy

The surname Zhu remains a prominent one over much of modern-day China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 and even overseas.

The small state of Zou is most famous as the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher Mencius

Mencius

Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...

.