The Rediscovery of Zeng and the Interregional Networks in Late Bronze Age China

Abstract This article introduces and reviews archaeological and textual evidence related to Zeng, one of the most prominent and long-standing regional states in late Bronze Age China. It reconstructs the history of Zeng using diverse types of data and, most critically, examines how Zeng formed and engaged in interregional networks of interaction and exchange. By adopting a network-based perspective, this article challenges the traditional Zhou-centric framework and, in doing so, rediscovers the significance of Zeng in the history of Early China.