Duke Zhuang I of Qi

Not to be confused with Duke Zhuang II of Qi.

Duke Zhuang I of Qi (Chinese: 齊前莊公; pinyin: Qí Qián Zhuāng Gōng; died 731 BC) was from 794 to 731 BC the twelfth recorded ruler of the State of Qi during the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. His personal name was Lü Gou (呂購), ancestral name Jiang (姜), and Duke Zhuang was his posthumous title. He was the first of the two Qi rulers called Duke Zhuang.^[1][2]

Duke Zhuang I of Qi 齊前莊公
Ruler of Qi
Reign	794–731 BC
Predecessor	Duke Cheng of Qi
Successor	Duke Xi of Qi
Died	731 BC
Issue	Crown Prince Dechen Duke Xi of Qi Zhuang Jiang
Names Ancestral name: Jiang (姜) Clan name: Lü (呂) Given name: Gou (購)
House	House of Jiang
Father	Duke Cheng of Qi

Reign

Duke Zhuang succeeded his father Duke Cheng of Qi, who died in 795 BC, as ruler of Qi. He had a long reign during an era of upheaval in China. In 771 BC, the Quanrong tribes from the west attacked Haojing, capital of the Zhou dynasty, and killed King You of Zhou. Duke Xiang of the state of Qin sent his army to escort King You's son King Ping of Zhou to the new capital Luoyi, marking the beginning of the Eastern Zhou dynasty. As a reward for Qin's protection King Ping formally granted Duke Xiang of Qin a nobility rank and elevated Qin to the status of a vassal state on par with other major states such as Qi and Jin. Although Qi was little affected by the turmoil as it was located east of the Zhou territory, the state of Qin would from then on grow stronger and eventually conquer Qi in 221 BC and unite China under the Qin dynasty.^[2]

Duke Zhuang reigned for 64 years and died in 731 BC. He was succeeded by his son, Duke Xi of Qi.^[1][2]

Family

Wives:

• The mother of Crown Prince Dechen and Zhuang Jiang

Concubines:

• The mother of Prince Lufu and Yi Zhongnian

Sons:

• Crown Prince Dechen (太子得臣)
  • Served as a Grand Master (大夫) of Qi
• Prince Lufu (公子祿甫; d. 698 BC), ruled as Duke Xi of Qi from 730 to 698 BC
• A son (d. 699 BC) who was the father of Wuzhi, Duke of Qi
  • Known as Yi Zhongnian (夷仲年)
• Prince Liao (公子廖), the progenitor of the Xi lineage and the grandfather of Xi Peng (隰朋)
  • Served as a Grand Master (大夫) of Xiyin (隰陰)

Daughters:

• Zhuang Jiang (莊姜)
  • Married Duke Zhuang I of Wey (d. 735 BC)

Ancestry

Duke Li of Qi (d. 816 BC)

Duke Wen of Qi (d. 804 BC)

Duke Cheng of Qi (d. 795 BC)

Duke Zhuang I of Qi (d. 731 BC)

References

1. Sima Qian. 齐太公世家 [House of Duke Tai of Qi]. Records of the Grand Historian (in Chinese). Guoxue.com. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
2. Han Zhaoqi (韩兆琦), ed. (2010). Shiji (史记) (in Chinese). Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. pp. 2513–2514. ISBN 978-7-101-07272-3.

Duke Zhuang I of Qi House of Jiang  Died: 731 BC
Regnal titles
Preceded by Duke Cheng of Qi	Duke of Qi 794–731 BC	Succeeded by Duke Xi of Qi