Chu (楚) was a kingdom in what-is-now China during the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. It survived for less than half a century, specifically 907 until 951, and its capital was Tanzhou 潭州 (modern day Changsha 長沙).
It was founded under Ma Yin (馬殷) who had fought against a rebel named Yang Xingmi 楊行密 (who became emperor of Wu ) under the generals Sun Ru 孫儒 and Liu Jianfeng 劉建鋒. He became jiedushi (節度使) of a precursor kingdom named Hunan (湖南). In 907 he became the king of the new kingdom of Chu.
Chu was peaceful and prosperous under his rule, exporting horses, silk and tea. Silk was often used as a currency, particularly with external communities which would not except the coinage of the land. After Ma Yin died the leadership was subject to struggle and conflict which continued until the fall of the kingdom. In 951 the Southern Tang conquered the region and became a principality until 962 when the Song Dynasty invaded.
Rulers
| Dynastic title
| Personal name
| Dates
| Reign eras
|
| Chu Wumuwang 楚武穆王 | Ma Yin 馬殷 | 926–929 | Tiancheng 天成 926
|
| The Prince of Hengyang 衡陽王 | Ma Xisheng 馬希聲 | 930–931 | Changxing 長興 930
|
| Chu Wenzhaowang 楚文昭王 | Ma Xifan 馬希範 | 932–946 | Yingshun 應順 934
Qingtai 清泰 934
Tianfu 天福 936
Kaiyun 開運 944
|
| The Deposed King (Feiwang) 楚廢王 | Ma Xiguang 馬希廣 | 947–949 | Tianfu 天福 (2) 947
Qianyou 乾祐 948
|
| Chu Gongxiaowang 楚恭孝王 | Ma Xi'e 馬希蕚 | 950–951 | Baoda 保大 950
|
| The Prince of Chu 楚王 | Ma Xichong 馬希崇 | 951–962
|
References
