Biography

Jī Jié was born into the large royal Jī family that ruled China since 1046 BC, though by his time the dynasty had become effectively powerless. Their remaining crown land was embroiled in infighting and succession disputes, so that it was split into two factions, led by rival nobles: Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou. Jié, as Duke Wen, ruled over the East from Chengzhou, and largely ignored the authority of King Nan of Zhou who resided in Wangcheng and was supported by the western nobles. In 256 BC, however, war broke out between West Zhou under Nan and the state of Qin under King Zhaoxiang of Qin. Qin annexed the West, deposed King Nan and forcibly ended the Zhou dynasty. Many citizens and members of the royal family then fled to East Zhou, where they proclaimed Wen as the King of China (Son of Heaven) in 255 BC.

Allied with Ji Zhao, son of King Nan, Wen organized a resistance against Qin, and managed to preserve the last Zhou holdouts for six years. Ji Zhao's forces were defeated in 251 BC, and two years later the army of Qin took Chengzhou. Wen was executed, and the city given to Lü Buwei for his services to King Zhuangxiang of Qin. The remaining Jī family members fled to the State of Wey.

称呼

爵位

周赧王驾崩前是东周国君主。小说《东周列国志》称他为公后贬号为君。虽然公也是当时国君的通称，但史书均称他为君。东周又是诸侯西周国附庸，不可能获五等爵位。附庸国君普遍为君爵，所以君爵较可信。

地位问题

周赧王驾崩后，东周国又存在了七年。虽然凭他的血统及身份，在周赧王死后，他是天下名义上的共主。但自周成王以来一直保存在畿内的九鼎（九鼎为天下共主的象徵），却在周赧王崩后被秦昭襄王取走了，因此东周被认为于前256年灭亡。

结局

据《秦本纪》及《秦始皇本纪》附录《秦记》记载，周赧王驾崩后七年，东周君联合诸侯伐秦，失败，统治地区并入秦国。被吕不韦弑杀。后人的去往有两种说法：一说被其迁居阳人聚，为周先王守祀；又一说，秦国将其弑杀之后，立其后为东周君，迁之于阳人聚，以延周祀。