Chen (state)


Chen was a state founded by Chen Hugong during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. It flourished from c. 1045 BC–479 BC. Its capital was Wanqiu, in present-day Huaiyang County in the plains of eastern Henan province. Chen, the 4th most popular surname in the world, and members of Hu clan would claim descent from the Chen state founder Chen Hu Gong. Chen Hugong in turn descended from the legendary Emperor Shun.

Name

It is written 陈 the same as the Chen surname. In ancient texts, it is sometimes misspelled as 敶 also pronounced Chen.

Territory

Chen was originally from Taihao, the capital of Fuxi's clan. It was south of the Yellow River.

Capital

Its capital was Wanqiu, in present-day Huaiyang County in the plains of eastern Henan province.
The Shijing recorded the following about the Chen capital :

History

According to tradition, the royal family of Chen were descendants of the legendary sage king Emperor Shun. After the conquest of the Shang dynasty in 1046/45 BC, King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed his son-in-law Gui Man, a descendant of Shun, at Chen, and Man became known as Duke Hu of Chen.
Duke Shēn of Chen, son of Hugong then became second emperor of Chen.
Chen later became an ally state of Chu, fighting as an ally of Chu at the Battle of Chengpu. It was finally unified with the Chu in 479 BC. Many people of Chen then took the name of their former country as their family name, and account for the many of Chinese people with the family name Chen today. After the destruction of the old Chu capital at Ying, Chen became the Chu capital.

Achievements and descendants

In summary, surnames with descent from Chen include:
Shijing has at least 10 songs dedicated to Chen:《宛丘》、《東門之枌》、《衛門》、《東門之池》、《東門之楊》、《墓門》、《防有鵲巢》、《月出》、《株林》、《澤陂》。

Rulers

The Chen state lasted nearly 600 years and produced over 25 rulers. In chronological order from first to last :
  1. Chen Hugong
  2. Duke Shēn of Chen
  3. Chen Xianggong
  4. Duke Xiao of Chen
  5. Duke Shèn of Chen
  6. Duke You of Chen
  7. Duke Xi of Chen
  8. Duke Wu of Chen
  9. Duke Yi of Chen
  10. Duke Ping of Chen
  11. Duke Wen of Chen
  12. Duke Huan of Chen
  13. Chen Tuo
  14. Duke Li of Chen
  15. Duke Zhuang of Chen
  16. Duke Xuan of Chen
  17. Duke Mu of Chen
  18. Duke Gong of Chen
  19. Duke Ling
  20. Xia Zhengshu
  21. Duke Cheng
  22. Duke Ai
  23. Prince Liu
  24. Chuan Fengxu
  25. Duke Hui
  26. Duke Huai
  27. Duke Min

    Table

To be translated
RulerTitle Other Name Reign Number of yearsIdentity
1Chen Hugong胡公滿1045—98660開國之君 Founded the country
2Duke Shēn of Chen 申公犀侯前985年—前961年在位25年胡公之子
3相公皋羊前960年—前939年在位22年申公之弟
4孝公突前938年—前905年在位34年申公之子
5慎公圉戎前904年—前855年在位50年孝公之子
6幽公寧前854年—前832年在位23年慎公之子
7僖公孝前831年—前796年在位36年幽公之子
8武公靈前795年—前781年在位15年僖公之子
9夷公說前780年—前778年在位3年武公之子
10平公燮前777年—前755年在位23年夷公之弟
11文公圉前754年—前745年在位10年平公之子
12桓公鮑前744年—前707年在位38年文公之子
13-佗前707年─前706年在位8月桓公之弟
14厲公躍前706年─前700年在位7年桓公之子
15莊公林前699年—前693年在位7年厲公之弟
16宣公杵臼前692年—前648年在位45年莊公之弟
17穆公款前647年—前632年在位16年宣公之子
18共公朔前631年—前614年在位18年穆公之子
19靈公平國前613年—前599年在位15年共公之子
20-徵舒前599在位数月宣公曾孙
21成公午前598年—前569年在位30年靈公之子
22哀公弱前568年—前534年在位35年成公之子
23-留前534年三月至十一月在位9月哀公之子
24-穿封戌前533年—前529年在位5年楚国大夫
25惠公吳前529年—前506年在位28年哀公之孫
26懷公柳前505年—前502年在位4年惠公之子
27湣公越前501年—前478年在位24年懷公之子

註1：陳幽公以前的君主在位年，皆為推測所得，僅供參考。

Family tree

See :zh:陈国君主世系图

Reading