Chu’s Soft Power: The History of Zeng and its Relations with Chu in Light of Recent Paleographic Discoveries

Am 10. Juli 2025 um 14:00 Uhr (c.t.) wird Herr Prof. Dr. Yuri Pines, in MB 3.126 einen Vortrag über das oben genannte Thema halten. Es folgt das Abstract: 

Political centralization and annexation of rival polities are commonly associated as dominant patterns of territorial expansion in preimperial China. This article calls into attention an alternative mode of expansion, in which the defeated state was allowed to continue as a dependency of the major power. Through analyzing the political trajectory of the state of Zeng 曾/Sui 隨 from the Zhou stronghold to Chu’s faithful satellite, I argue that Chu’s success was not just due to its overwhelming military power but also due to its cultural attractiveness and the lenient treatment of dependencies and allies. Exploring the Zeng-Chu relations from the viewpoint of the weaker ally elucidates the surprising appeal of Chu’s “soft power.” However, the story also demonstrates the limitations of the “soft power” approach in securing Chu’s dominance.

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