Zhou Dynasty (周 1122 BC - 256 BC) (Wade-Giles Chou Dynasty) followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. In the Chinese historical tradition, the rulers of the Zhou displaced the
Shang and legitimized their rule by invoking the mandate of heaven.
Initially the Ji family was able to control the country firmly. After You Wang had replaced his queen with the concubine, he was then overflown by the joint force of the queen's father, who was a powerful noble, and the barbarians. The queen's son Ping Wang became the puppet king and the capital of Zhou was moved to a city in the east. It was the beginning of Eastern Zhou. From Ping Wang onwards, the kings could no longer protect himself, they were just the symbolic ruler of China but the true powers were in the hand of powerful nobles. This period is coined as the Spring and Autumn Period by Chinese historians.
Towards the end of Zhou Dynasty, the nobles did not bother to obey the Ji family, even symbolically. They declared themselves to be kings. They wanted to be the king of the kings. Advances in iron casting and military technology were the landmarks of this era, which is referred as the Period of the Warring States. This period was much like Europe before the world wars. The Period of Warring States ended when Qin Shi Huang Di conquerred the whole China.
- Map of Zhou (http://pub16.bravenet.com/photocenter/view.php?img=34128&usernum=1312371940)
