Shu Chu of Huo was the progenitor of the State of Huo during the Western Zhou period. He is most known for his involvement in the Rebellion of the Three Guards, though to what extent is disputed.
Early life
Shu Chu was one of ten children of Tai Si and King Wen of Zhou, the eighth, and thus a younger brother to King Wu of Zhou.[1]
Reign
After the Battle of Muye that brought down Di Xin, King Wu of Zhou stationed Shu Chu near Yin, the remains of the Shang dynasty. This was to monitor the Shang people, as well as Di Xin’s heir, Wu Geng, to ensure that they do not rebel.[1][2] Along with Shu Du of Cai and Shu Xian of Guan, these individuals would be known as the Three Guards (三公). Shu Chu would serve throughout the reign without incident.[1][3]
When King Wu died, he left no successor old enough to take the throne. His eldest heir, Cheng, was around 7 years old. Ergo, Duke Dan of Zhou would take regency over Western Zhou and teach him the skills necessary to rule. However, this was controversial amongst the Zhou, with some believing that as the previous rulers of the region were the Shang, it would make sense for Wu Geng to take regency. This led to Wu Geng and the Three Guards to rebel against the regency of the Duke of Zhou in 1042 BCE, which would be defeated in the east four years later.[4][5] Thereafter, Shu Chu was reduced to a commoner for three years, whilst Shu Xian would be executed in Yin and Shu Du would be imprisoned.[6][7][8][9]
Legacy
The state of Huo would continue for several centuries, eventually being destroyed by Duke Xian of Jin in 661 BC. His descendants would reside in Pingyang (平陽) as commoners thereafter.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Sima, Qian. Donald Sturgeon (ed.). 史記 [Records of the Grand Historian] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project.
- ^ Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). “作雒解”. 逸周書 [Lost Book of Zhou] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
武王克殷，乃立王子祿父，俾守商祀，建管叔于東，建蔡叔、霍叔于殷，俾監殷臣，王既歸，乃歲十二月崩鎬，肂于岐周，周公立，相天子，三叔及殷東，徐奄及熊盈以略，周公、召公，內弭父兄，外撫諸侯。
- ^ Meyer, Dirk (2021). Documentation and Argument in Early China: The Shàngshū 尚書 (Venerated Documents) and the Shū Traditions. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter. ISBN 9783110708608.
- ^ Hucker, Charles O. (1978). China to 1850: a short history. Stanford, Calif: Univ. Press. ISBN 0-8047-0958-0.
- ^ Underhill, Anne P. (2013). A companion to Chinese archaeology. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4443-3529-3.
- ^ Sturgeon, Donald (ed.). “蔡仲之命”. 尚書 [Book of Documents] (in Literary Chinese). Chinese Text Project. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
惟周公位塚宰，正百工，群叔流言。乃致辟管叔于商；囚蔡叔于郭鄰，以車七乘；降霍叔于庶人，三年不齒。蔡仲克庸只德，周公以為卿士。叔卒，乃命諸王邦之蔡。
- ^ The Cambridge history of ancient China: from the origins of civilization to 221 B.C (Repr ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. 2006. ISBN 9780521470308.
- ^ Li, Feng (2014). Early China: a social and cultural history (Reprint. with corrections ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-521-71981-0.
- ^ Shaughnessy, Edward L. (1993). “The Duke of Zhou’s Retirement in the East and the Beginnings of the Ministerial-Monarch Debate in Chinese Political Philosophy”. Early China. 18: 41–72. doi:10.1017/S0362502800001486.