Zhoulai

State of Zhoulai
州來
Client / puppet state of Chu (c. 620–529 BC)
Unknown–529 BC
Zhoulai in the early 7th century BC. Borders are approximate.
Capital		Zhoulai, Fengtai County
Languages		Old Chinese
Government		Monarchy
Historical era		Spring and Autumn period
•	Established	Unknown
•	Subjugated by Chu	c. 620 BC
•	Conquered by Wu	529 BC
Succeeded by Wu (state)
Today part of		China

Zhoulai (Chinese: 州來) was a small state of the Spring and Autumn period that ruled a crucial part of the middle Huai River valley. Its capital, known by the same name, was located in modern-day Fengtai County in Huainan. Due to its strategic location, Zhoulai controlled the most important route from Hubei to the Yellow Sea. This made it a target of the expansionist state of Chu, which subjugated Zhoulai in the late 7th century BC in order to gain access to the east. While nominally allowed to maintain autonomy under its own dynasty, Zhoulai effectively became a puppet state under Chu military occupation and civil administration. It survived in this condition until 529 BC, when its capital city was conquered by Wu and its ruling family was formally deposed.

As very little is recorded of Zhoulai in contemporary historical records, both its foundation date as well as its ruling family are unknown. The whole Huai River valley, including the later location of Zhoulai, were originally occupied by the indigenous Huaiyi peoples. These tribes formed a confederation in c. 944 BC that was led by the eastern state of Xu and opposed the Zhou dynasty. Hanmo Zhang considers it likely that Zhoulai was founded in the 8th century BC, during which the aforementioned confederation broke apart.

In the early 7th century BC, Zhoulai occupied a territory that stretched from Bozhou in the north to Shouchun (central Anhui) in the south. In the west and north it bordered on several competing Zhou states, such as Chen and Cai, to its south were Liu (六), Liao, and the Shu states, and in the east were Zhongli as well as the remaining rump state of Xu.