Fenghao

Capital of the Western Zhou dynasty of Ancient China

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Fenghao" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

|

Fenghao

Location in north China

Location| China
Region| Shaanxi
Coordinates| 34°13′N 108°43′E﻿ / ﻿34.21°N 108.72°E﻿ / 34.21; 108.72
History
Founded| c. 1051 BC
Abandoned| 771 BC

34°13′N 108°43′E﻿ / ﻿34.21°N 108.72°E﻿ / 34.21; 108.72 Fenghao (simplified Chinese: 沣镐; traditional Chinese: 灃鎬; pinyin: Fēnghào) is the modern name of the twin city formed by the Western Zhou capitals of Feng and Hao on opposite banks of the Feng River near its confluence with the Wei River in Shaanxi, China.

## History[edit]

As Duke Wen (ruled c. 1099–1050 BCE) expanded the territory of Zhou east into Shanxi in preparation for an assault on his nominal Shang overlords, he constructed a new capital on the west bank of the Feng about 100 kilometres (62 mi) downstream from Zhou's original capital on the Wei River below Mount Qi. This city was called Feng, Fengxi, or Fengjing (灃京, Fēngjīng).

After his son Fa defeated the Shang at Muye and ascended the throne as King Wu (ruled c. 1046–1043 BCE), the capital was moved to a new establishment on the east bank called Hao or Haojing. The two formed a twin capital, with Feng continuing to serve the rituals of the Zhou ancestral shrine and gardens[clarification needed] and Hao containing the royal palace and government administration.

Both were abandoned in 771 BC during the Quanrong invasion that drove the Zhou out of the Wei River Valley and brought an end to its Western dynasty. The capital of the Eastern Zhou was located at Chengzhou.

## Ruins[edit]

The ruins of Fenghao lie in present-day southwest Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. The site was declared an important national cultural heritage site by the State Council of the People's Republic of China in 1961.

## See also[edit]

* Historical capitals of China

## References[edit]

This article related to the history of China is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

This Shaanxi location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template