The fruit of late historian and accomplished Chu expert Zhang Zhengming s long and dedicated research, A History of Chu unfolds the intriguing history of a powerful feudal state in the Zhou dynasty. Chu, once deemed barbarian in its southern territory, gradually rose to prominence on the shores of the Yangtze as the Zhou court weakened. With King Zhuang recognized as hegemonial lord towards the late Spring and Autumn period, Chu subdued many Central Plain states and eventually survived into the Warring States period as a major power. From its emergence to the realization of its ambitious dreams of conquest and hegemony, the vast land of Chu boasted a culture that was distinctly different from the Central Plain states. Zhang Zhengming spent years studying and gathering both historical records and archaeological finds, carefully compiling his findings into a Chu-centric narrative that has long been an ignored perspective in traditional Chinese history. A History of Chu documents the entirety of Chu s remarkable and dramatic existence. It begins with an examination of the legendary origins of the Chu ruling house, details the periods of internal strife and prosperity during the state s contention for power, pays tribute to the people that remained defiant in conquest, and finishes with an account of the revived Chu s defeat by Han after the collapse of the Qin dynasty