Sholu
Sovereignempire

Wu

900 BCE – 473 BCE

Quick Facts

Type
Sovereign · empire
Period
900 BCE – 473 BCE
Duration
427 years
Known Periods
3
Capital
Wu County
Data Confidence
ai_generated

Overview

Wu (Chinese: 吳; pinyin: Wú, Old Chinese: *ŋʷˤa) was a state during the Western Zhou dynasty and the Spring and Autumn period, outside the Zhou cultural sphere. It was also known as Gouwu (句吳) or Gongwu (工/攻吳) from the pronunciation of the local language. Wu was located at the mouth of the Yangtze River east of the State of Chu and south of the State of Qi. Its first capital was at Meili (梅里, in modern Wuxi), then Helü's City (闔閭, in present-day Xueyan town near Wuxi), and later moved to Gusu (姑蘇, probably in modern Suzhou).

Historical Periods

Wu (-750–-551)

750 BCE – 551 BCE

Capital: Wu CountyArea: 193,430 km²

Wu (-550–-481)

550 BCE – 481 BCE

medium
Capital: Wu CountyArea: 193,430 km²

Wu (-480–-451)

480 BCE – 451 BCE

medium
Capital: Wu CountyArea: 82,999 km²

Explore Wu on the Interactive Map

Watch territories shift, borders change, and history unfold across centuries

Wu (900 BCE – 473 BCE) — Map, Timeline & History | Sholu