Why is Nanyang Called the "Land of Shen and Lü"? Duke Shen Actually Founded the Eastern Zhou Dynasty!

Nanyang was home to many ancient feudal states, with the longest-lasting and most prominent being the State of Lü, while the State of Shen marked the beginning of a new era. Thus, Nanyang is known as the "Land of Shen and Lü" and is regarded as the ancestral homeland by the Lü and Xie clans. The earliest feudal state in Nanyang was the State of Lü, established by Boyi. From its founding around 2100 BCE by Xia Yu, who enfeoffed Boyi as the Marquis of Lü, to its destruction by King Wen of Chu in 688 BCE (the ninth year of King Zhuang of Zhou), Lü endured for centuries. During the reign of King Xuan of Zhou, the State of Lü was renamed the State of Fu. Boyi, the 14th-generation descendant of Emperor Yan (the Flame Emperor and Divine Farmer), should not be confused with the Boyi who refused to eat Zhou's grain. Boyi served as the first "Taiyue" (Great Mountain) under Emperor Shun, holding the position of one of the Four Peaks. He recommended Xia Yu for governance and later assisted Yu in flood control, earning the enfeoffment of Lü for his contributions. As a trusted minister, he was likened to the "thighs and arms" of the ruler, while his land was the "waist and backbone." The territory of the State of Lü was located around Dong (Lü) Ying in Wangcun Township, Nanyang, which is also the ancestral origin of the Lü surname worldwide. Boyi established the "Five Punishments," and the "Lü Xing" (Lü Penal Code) is considered the first criminal code in Chinese history. Jiang Ziya (Jiang Shang), a descendant of the ancient State of Lü, was also known as Lü Shang or Lü Wang. He was enfeoffed as the King of Qi by King Wu of Zhou. Around 700 BCE, the State of Shen emerged at the foot of Dushan Mountain. The capital of Shen was located "north of Wan in Nanyang, below Xushan," with Xushan being Dushan. Archaeological remains of the ancient State of Shen have yielded notable artifacts like the "Zhong Chengfu Gui," a bronze food vessel inscribed with references to "Zhong Chengfu, the Grand Steward of Duke Shen of the South," indicating it was made for sacrificial purposes. The "Grand Steward" was the prime minister of Shen. When King Xuan of Zhou (Ji Jing) ascended the throne, his queen was the virtuous Jiang, known for "removing her hairpin to await punishment." As the power of the southern State of Chu grew, King Xuan enfeoffed his uncle, Prince Cheng, as Duke Shen, granting him the territory of Nanyang, also called "Southern Shen" (the Western Shen State was near Baoji, home to the Shen Rong tribe). Later, King Xuan of Zhou destroyed the State of Xie and dispatched his minister, Wu Bohu, to build a new capital for Duke Shen on Xie's land, named "Xie City." This became a key military stronghold guarding the south. The capital of Xie City is today's Xiecun Village in Jinhua Town, Wancheng District, widely recognized as the ancestral home of the Xie surname. Duke Cheng's daughter became the queen of King You of Zhou. When King You became infatuated with Bao Si and deposed his heir, Yijiu, the latter fled south to the State of Shen for refuge. The Marquis of Shen then allied with the States of Zeng and the Quanrong tribe to attack Haojing (near Xi'an), killing King You at the foot of Mount Li and ending the Western Zhou Dynasty. Yijiu later became King Ping of Zhou. Duke Shen escorted Yijiu to Luoyang, marking the beginning of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Later, King Wen of Chu conquered the States of Shen and Deng, establishing Shen County and renaming it Wanyi, the origin of today's Wancheng.