| Conventional Long Name: | Chu |
| Common Name: | Chu (Ten Kingdoms) |
| Era: | Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period |
| Empire: | Late Liang dynasty |
| Government Type: | Monarchy |
| Year Start: | 907 |
| Year End: | 951 |
| Event Start: | Became the State |
| Event End: | Ended by Southern Tang |
| Event1: | establishment of the Kingdom |
| Date Event1: | 927 |
| P1: | Tang dynasty |
| S1: | Southern Tang |
| Capital: | Changsha |
| Common Languages: | Middle Chinese |
| Currency: | Silk, Cash coins (Iron) |
| Leader1: | Ma Yin |
| Leader2: | Ma Xichong |
| Year Leader1: | 907–930 |
| Year Leader2: | 950–951 |
| Title Leader: | Prince/King |
| Today: | China |
Chu, known in historiography as Ma Chu (Chinese: 馬楚) or Southern Chu (Chinese: 南楚), was a dynastic state of China that existed from 907 to 951. It is counted as one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history.
Ma Yin was named regional governor by the Tang court in 896 after fighting against a rebel named Yang Xingmi. He declared himself as the Prince of Chu with the fall of the Tang dynasty in 907. Ma's position as Prince of Chu was confirmed by the Later Tang in the north in 927 and was given the posthumous title of King Wumu of Chu.
The capital of the Chu Kingdom was Changsha (Tanzhou).[1] The kingdom ruled over present-day Hunan and northeastern Guangxi.
Chu was peaceful and prosperous under Ma Yin's rule, exporting horses, silk and tea. Silk and lead coinage were often used as currency, particularly with external communities which would not accept other coinage of the land. Taxation was low for the peasantry and merchants.
After Ma Yin died the leadership was subject to struggle and conflict which resulted in the fall of the kingdom. The Southern Tang, fresh from its conquest of the Min Kingdom, took advantage and conquered the kingdom in 951. The ruling family was removed to the Southern Tang capital of Jinling. However, the following year, Chu generals rose against Southern Tang and expelled the Southern Tang expeditionary force, leaving the former Chu territory to be ruled by several of those generals called Wuping Jiedushi (武平军节度使) in succession.
Zhou Xingfeng (周行逢) ruled the Jiedushi from 956-962. In 956, Zhou Xingfeng executed and beheaded Pan Shusi (潘叔嗣), a general of the Southern Chu.[2] [3]
During these post-Chu years of de facto independence, the center of power was usually at Lang Prefecture (朗州, in modern Changde, Hunan).
In 963, the Wuping Jiedushi ended and its territory was seized by the Song dynasty.
| Temple Names (Miao Hao ; Chinese: miaò haò) | Posthumous Names (Shi Hao) | Personal Names | Period of Reigns | Era Names (Nian Hao) and their according range of years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Did not exist | Chinese: Wǔmù Wáng Chinese: 武穆王 | Mǎ Yīn Chinese: 馬殷 | 907–930 | Did not exist | |
| Did not exist | None (commonly known as Prince of Hengyang) | Mǎ Xīshēng Chinese: 馬希聲 | 930–932 | Did not exist | |
| Did not exist | Chinese: Wénzhāo Wáng Chinese: 文昭王 | Mǎ Xīfàn Chinese: 馬希範 | 932–947 | Did not exist | |
| Did not exist | None (commonly known as Deposed Prince) | Mǎ Xīguǎng Chinese: 馬希廣 | 947–951 | Did not exist | |
| Did not exist | Chinese: Gōngxìao Wáng Chinese: 恭孝王 | Mǎ Xī'è Chinese: 馬希萼 | 951 | Did not exist | |
| Did not exist | Did not exist | Mǎ Xīchóng Chinese: 馬希崇 | 951 | Did not exist |