Qin Zhong or Zhong of Qin (, died 822 BC) was the fourth ruler of the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

of Qin (r. 844 to 822 BC) during China's

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...

. Qin at the time was a small

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

that had been granted to his great-grandfather

Feizi Feizi (; died 858 BC), also known by the title Qin Ying, was the founder of the ancient Chinese state of Qin, predecessor of the Qin Dynasty that would conquer all other Chinese states and unite China in 221 BC. Mythical origin of Qin Accordi ...

for his work breeding horses for

King Xiao of Zhou King Xiao of Zhou (), personal name Ji Bifang, was the eighth king of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. Estimated dates of his reign are 891–886 BC or 872–866 BC. He was a son of King Mu and brother of King Gong. His reign is poorly documented. ...

. Qin Zhong succeeded his father Gongbo, who died in 845 BC. Their

ancestral name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

was Ying (). In 842 BC, the people of Zhou revolted against

King Li of Zhou King Li of Zhou (died in 828 BC) (), personal name Ji Hu, was the tenth king of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. Estimated dates of his reign are 877–841 BC or 857–842 BC (''Cambridge History of Ancient China''). King Li was a corrupt and decadent ...

, overthrowing him the following year, and the country fell into turmoil. The

Xirong Xirong () or Rong were various people who lived primarily in and around the western extremities of ancient China (in modern Gansu and Qinghai). They were known as early as the Shang dynasty (1765–1122 BCE), as one of the Four Barbarians that fr ...

tribes that lived near Qin also rebelled, exterminating the senior branch of the House of Ying at

Quanqiu Li County or Lixian is an administrative division of the prefecture-level city of Longnan in southeastern Gansu, a northwestern province of China. The 2010 Chinese census found a population of 458,237, a decline of around 25,000 from the year 200 ...

(present-day Lixian in Gansu). After King Xuan ascended the Zhou throne in 827 BC, he made Qin Zhong commander of his forces in the campaign against Xirong. Qin Zhong reigned for 22 years until 822 BC, when he was killed in battle against the Rong. He was succeeded by Duke Zhuang (a

posthumous title A posthumous name is an honorary name given mostly to the notable dead in East Asian culture. It is predominantly practiced in East Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. Reflecting on the person's accomplishments o ...

), the eldest of five sons. King Xuan gave Qin Zhong's sons seven thousand soldiers and they defeated the Rong and recovered their patrimony. King Xuan then awarded Qin the territory of Quanqiu, formerly held by the other branch of his family, and Duke Zhuang moved his capital from Qin to Quanqiu.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qin, Zhong Year of birth unknown Rulers of Qin 9th-century BC Chinese monarchs 822 BC deaths