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 |  叔虞 Shuyu, a brother of King Zhou Chengwang 周成王, was enfeoffed with Tang 唐, his son with Jin 晉, in the area of modern Shanxi province. As a state supporting the King Pingwang 周平王 when he had to escape to the east in 770, Jin was still one of the most important states of the Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu) 春秋 period but soon lost this position when the nobility of the ducal sideline fought for territorial and political power. The barons of Quwo 曲沃 usurped the throne of Jin in 679 BC and made Jin a powerful state swallowing the minor fiefdoms of Geng 耿, Huo 霍, Wei 魏, Yu 虞, and Huo 虢. Duke Wen 晉文公 is summoned as one of the five hegemons (wuba 五霸) of the Spring and Autumn period, but the reign of Duke Lingong 晉厲公 on the political power fell into the hands of the nobility, and the clans of Xi 郤, Luan 欒, Zhongxing 中行, Fan 范, Zhi 智, Han 韓, Wei 魏,and Zhao 趙 fought for political independance Jin. In 452 Han, Wei, and Zhao (called the "Three Jin" Sanjin 三晉) divided the territory of Jin among each other, an event that is later interpreted as the begin of the Warring States (Zhanguo) 戰國 period. In 403 the Zhou kings officially enfeoffed the three nobles, and in 376 Jin was finally destroyed. The name of the state of Jin served as the name of numerous princedoms and was used by the Jin Dynasty and one of the Five Dynasties. 
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