Biography
Son of King Helü of Wu, he became king in 495 BC. At the beginning of his reign, he defeated the troops of Yue in Fujiao (now Wu County, Jiangsu) and captured the capital city of Yue. Instead of annexing his enemy state thoroughly, as suggested by his Prime Minister Wu Zixu, he made peace with King Goujian of Yue.
After this battle, he built the Han Canal (邗溝) and pushed his army northward. In Ailing, his army defeated the state of Qi. In 482 BC Fuchai successfully challenged the state of Jin for the status of hegemon in the regional lords' meeting in Huangchi. However, during the later part of his reign, his extravagance and obsession with a Yue beauty, Xi Shi, lead to the weakening of his state. King Goujian of Yue took advantage of this situation to invade Wu. Following his victory, Wu was destroyed in 473. King Fuchai was forced to commit suicide.
Fuchai had at least four sons, among them You, Hong and Hui. You was his heir but was killed in the battles of revenge against Goujian, so Hong became the new heir. After the abolition of the state, the other three sons of Fuchai were exiled. They and their descendants took Wu as their clan. Wu Rui, Prince of Changsha created by Emperor Gaozu of Han, was a descendant of the House of Wu. He was also said to be descended from Fuchai.
Read more about this topic: King Fuchai Of Wu
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