Guzhu

Guzhu (孤竹, also written as “觚竹”) was an ancient state during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It is first mentioned in oracle bone inscriptions (甲骨文) from Yinxu (殷墟) and bronze inscriptions (金文) from the Shang dynasty. It was a vassal state of the Zi surname (子姓) and Mo clan (墨氏), with its capital located south of present-day Lulong County, Hebei Province. Its culture had important connections with Shang civilization. In the early Spring and Autumn period, it was conquered by Duke Huan of Qi. The state of Guzhu produced a well-known historical figure – Boyi (Bo Yi). He was the eldest son of Yawei (亚微), the ruler of Guzhu at the end of the Shang dynasty. He fled after declining the throne. Later, when King Wu of Zhou launched a punitive expedition against King Zhou of Shang, Boyi (Bo Yi) and his younger brother Shuqi (Shu Qi) blocked his horse and remonstrated against the attack, but their advice was not heeded. After the fall of the Shang dynasty, the two brothers starved to death on Shouyang Mountain because they were unwilling to eat the grain of Zhou.