The system of Chinese astrology was elaborated during the Zhou dynasty ( 1046 – 256 BC ) and flourished during the Han Dynasty ( 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD ), during which all the familiar elements of traditional Chinese culture – the Yin-Yang philosophy, theory of the 5 elements, Heaven and Earth, Confucian morality – were brought together to formalise the philosophical principles of Chinese medicine and divination, astrology and alchemy.

China | Chinese Ding ( vessel ) | Ding, Western Zhou ( 1046 – 771 BCE )

For example: in Africa, the bronze heads of the Kingdom of Benin ; in Europe, Grecian bronzes typically of figures from Greek mythology ; in east Asia, Chinese bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasty — more often ceremonial vessels but including some figurine examples.

" However, Costas ' comments were made subsequent to the suspension of Chinese coach Zhou Ming after seven of his swimmers were caught using steroids in 1994.

* Baphuon Style ( 1050 – 1080 ): Baphuon, the massive temple mountain of King Udayadityavarman II was apparently the temple that most impressed the Chinese traveller Zhou Daguan, who visited Angkor toward the end of the 13th century.

Much of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy further developed during the Zhou Dynasty ( 1045 – 256 BC ).

Chinese bronzes | Bronze ritual vessel ( You ( vessel ) | You ), Western Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty was the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history, from 1066 BC to approximately 256 BC.

In around 500 BCE, after the Zhou state weakened and China moved into the Spring and Autumn Period, the classic period of Chinese philosophy began ( it is an interesting fact that this date nearly coincides with the emergence of the first Greek philosophers ).

The Chinese have a tradition of holding spectacular memorial ceremonies of Confucius () every year, using ceremonies that supposedly derived from Zhou Li () as recorded by Confucius, on the date of Confucius ' birth.

* 1970 – Zhou Kehua, Chinese criminal and murder ( d. 2012 )

* 1991 – Zhou Yimiao, Chinese tennis player

Image: Chou Fang 001. jpg | Ladies Playing Double Sixes, by Zhou Fang ( 730-800 AD ), Chinese

* 1985 – Zhou Bichang, Chinese singer-songwriter and actress

* 1885 – Zhou Zuoren, Chinese writer ( d. 1967 )

* 1985 – Zhou Haibin, Chinese footballer

* 1906 – Zhou Youguang, Chinese linguist

Chinese premier Zhou Enlai visited Pyongyang that year and apologized for the attacks made on Kim by the Red Guards.

Some Chinese scholars such as Zhou Tianyong, the vice director of research of the Central Party School, argue that gradual political reform as well as repression of those pushing for overly rapid change over the next thirty years will be essential if China is to avoid an overly turbulent transition to a middle class dominated polity.

Chinese steel swords made their first appearance in the later part of the Western Zhou Dynasty, but were not widely used until the 3rd century BC Han Dynasty.

India initiated a Forward Policy in which it placed outposts along the border, including several north of the McMahon Line, the eastern portion of a Line of Actual Control proclaimed by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1959.

In 1956, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai stated that he had no claims over Indian controlled territory.

Zhou later argued that as the boundary was undemarcated and had never been defined by treaty between any Chinese or Indian government, the Indian government could not unilaterally define Aksai Chin's borders.

Zhou ( 州 ) were first established during the Han Dynasty, and were abolished only with the establishment of the Republic of China.

Zhou were also previously used in Korea ( Korea: 주, ju ), Vietnam ( Vietnamese: châu ), and Japan ( Japanese: 州, shū ).

The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商朝 ; pinyin: shāng cháo ) or Yin Dynasty ( 殷代 ; pinyin: yīn dài ), according to traditional historiography, ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, succeeding the Xia Dynasty and followed by the Zhou Dynasty.

Zhou Enlai ( pinyin: Zhōu Ēnlái ; Wade-Giles: Chou En-lai ; IPA: ; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976 ) was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976.

It is said that Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty ( r. 502-549 ) commissioned 周興嗣 ( pinyin: Zhou Xingsi, jyutping: Zau1 Hing3 Zi6 ) to compose this poem for his prince to practice calligraphy.

Before this discovery, it is widely believed that bricks appeared about 3000 years ago in the Western Zhou dynasty since the earliest bricks were found in Western Zhou ruins.

When the Shang were overthrown by the Zhou, a new political, religious and philosophical concept was introduced called the " Mandate of Heaven ".

The first philosophers, such as Shao Yong, Zhou Dunyi and Chang Zai, were cosmologists and worked on the Yi Jing.

While the Zhou can be labelled as feudal, others were centralized states.

According to Book of Zhou and History of Northern Dynasties, Ashina was a branch of Xiongnus and according to Book of Sui and Tongdian, they were " mixed Barbarians " ( 雜胡 / 杂胡, Pinyin: zá hú, Wade-Giles: tsa hu ) from Pingliang.

Mentions in the Lost Book of Zhou ( Yizhoushu ) and the Shanhaijing indicate the Donghu were also active during the Shang dynasty ( 1600-1046 BC ).

The Mongolic-speaking Xianbei originally formed a part of the Donghu confederation, but existed even before that time, as evidenced by a mention in the Guoyu (" 晉語八 " section ) which states that during the reign of King Cheng of Zhou ( reigned 1042-1021 BC ) the Xianbei came to participate at a meeting of Zhou subject-lords at Qiyang ( 岐阳 ) ( now Qishan County ) but were only allowed to perform the fire ceremony under the supervision of Chu ( 楚 ), since they were not vassals by covenant ( 诸侯 ).

In China, by the time of the Zhou Dynasty ship technologies such as stern mounted rudders were developed, and by the Han Dynasty, a well kept naval fleet was an integral part of the military.

They also allege that Zhou purposefully told Nehru that there were no border issues with India.

This was also the case in the Spring and Autumn Period in ancient China, when the Eastern Zhou Dynasty were nominal rulers.

* 1178: Chinese writer Zhou Qufei, a Guangzhou customs officer, writes of an island far west in the Indian Ocean ( possibly Madagascar ), from where people with skin " as black as lacquer " and with frizzy hair were captured and purchased as slaves by Arab merchants.

In 771 BC, the Zhou were forced east by northern barbarians.

These were followed by the Northern Zhou and Northern Qi.

In contrast, during the Zhou Dynasty and the ensuing Warring States Period, the prevalent philosophy had dictated war as a gentleman's activity ; military commanders were instructed to respect what they perceived to be Heaven's laws in battle.

This stemmed from the Zhou and was seized upon by the Qin, as such variations were seen as contrary to the unification that the government strove to achieve.

The Eastern Zhou period, characterized by a breakup of Zhou territory into states that were essentially independent, is further divided into two sub-periods.