Guo State: A Splendid Representation of the Western Zhou Dynasty

The Guo State was an important Ji-surnamed feudal state during the early Western Zhou period. After King Wu defeated the Shang dynasty, he enfeoffed two of his uncles; one established the Eastern Guo State, and the other the Western Guo State. In the late Western Zhou period, the Western Guo State moved to the area now known as Sanmenxia and Pinglu in Shanxi, and was later destroyed by the State of Jin, thus exiting the stage of history. The Guo State Museum, located in the Hubin District of Sanxia City, is an archaeological museum built on the foundation of the Western Zhou Guo State cemetery. The museum is primarily divided into five exhibition sections: a brief history, artifacts unearthed from the cemetery, artifacts from the tomb of the Marquis of Guo Ji's wife, the chariot and horse pit site, and the tomb site of Marquis Ji. From the unearthed artifacts displayed in the museum, we can see that the Guo State had a developed economy and culture, and was skilled in warfare. The rulers of the state often held important official positions within the Zhou dynasty, were highly regarded and valued by the Zhou emperors, and had a significant impact on the rise, development, and decline of the Zhou dynasty.